The effectiveness of DEET is obvious from these posts, but Susan, do try it before you leave. Some people are very sensitive to DEET and end up with a rash or other problems that are no better than the insects would be. Since you have fibromyalgia, you may have a quirky system that wouldn't like DEET. I have to be careful where I put it and how much I put on -- bothers me, doesn't bother my husband at all. Just a word to the wise.

Campmor is a great website, as is sierratradingpost.com, but those are best for when you already know what you want. Definitely go to your local outdoor store and look at the gear and ask lots of questions. Instead of a cot look for a Thermarest pad...they are small self inflating pads, about 1" thick and are great. Our kids (and myself) use the 3/4 length since its less weight to pack. The foam pads are ok, but just our personal preference is for the thermarests.

Is this a car camping trip or backpacking? That makes a big difference on what gear to take. I dont want to bore you with unnecessary advice, lol!

BTW, the headlamps are great for on Halloween for the kids too! Hands free!

Easytraveler--those nicer headlamps really are great! our kids have the basic versions while we have the nicer. my dh is a mountain climber and got all of into this and its been a lot of fun!

I need all of this stuff just to go out in my backyard! We have a huge mosquito population. I hate to put that nasty stuff on to go outside for 5 minutes to do laundry so I can tell you what to do once you are bitten - cortizone cream. Apply cortizone cream just as soon as you discover the bite - even if you just feel it and can't see it yet - and it will go away. It doesn't work like that if you apply it an hour or two later - only when it's new.

Have a fun trip!

If you don't want to use cortizone cream, old fashioned "witch hazel" is also great for mosquito bites.

SusanM: If you wear long sleeved clothing and/or long pants, you can spray the Deet based repellants on the clothes. If you use shirts/pants with wicking material, you won't feel damp and sticky (like wearing cotton) and be protected. You can also hang a few of the repellant wrist bands inside the tent at night, especially around the openings.

Hi, all! Really glad that headlight thing meets with so much approval!

On mosquitoes: in Asia, they burn a special incense stick called a "mosquito coil". It's thin and looks like an incense stick, except that it comes coiled. It's very effective and you don't have to rub anything on your skin. Good only if you are going to be pretty stationary and not hiking.

If memory serves me correctly, I saw something like a candle in REI and it serves pretty much the same purpose. Isn't citronelli (sp?) the secret ingredient?

I think mosquito coils only work in an enclosed area like a hotel room. I guess you could burn one at the door of the tent, but can't imagine it would work "outside."