One Amazon reviewer, leaving five stars for Smidge Midge & Insect Repellent, described it as "the best defence against insects short of a rolled up newspaper."
This is, in the Hooligan's estimation, one of the most accurate product reviews ever written. It tells you exactly what you need to know: it works, the bar was low, and the satisfaction was real.
But let's do better than one review.
What Smidge is
Smidge is a Scottish midge repellent using Saltidin (Picaridin) as its active ingredient, rather than DEET. It comes as a spray, is odourless, non-greasy, and doesn't dissolve the plastic on your watch strap — all meaningful improvements on older repellents that smelled like industrial solvent and ate through your waterproof jacket over time.
It was developed specifically with Scottish conditions in mind, which is either excellent product positioning or genuinely useful applied entomology. Possibly both.
Does it work?
Yes. With two important qualifications.
First: repellent is not armour. Smidge works by making you smell wrong to midges — they lose interest and move on to something less chemically inconvenient, like your unprotected friend. In low-to-moderate midge conditions, it's remarkably effective. In a genuine west coast peak-season swarm, it reduces the assault rather than eliminates it.
This is not a failure of the product. It's a failure of expectations set by outdoor marketing, which tends to imply that the right kit will make Scotland feel like a Mediterranean hillside. It will not. But smelling wrong to midges is a meaningful upgrade over smelling correct.
Second: coverage matters. Midges target any exposed skin. The ears, the back of the neck, the gap between glove and sleeve — all of these are gaps in your defence and the midges know it. Apply thoroughly.
Smidge vs DEET-based alternatives
DEET is more aggressive and lasts longer, but it's harsh on skin with prolonged use, smells unpleasant, and reacts badly with synthetic fabrics. For a two-hour walk, DEET is overkill. For a multi-day traverse in serious conditions, it's worth knowing about.
For most hillwalkers and campers doing day trips or weekend visits, Smidge is the correct choice. The Picaridin formula is gentler, it lasts around eight hours per application, and it won't eat your jacket.
The honest recommendation
The Hooligan recommends Smidge. Not because it makes the midges disappear — nothing does that except October — but because it genuinely shifts the balance in your favour, smells of nothing, and doesn't require you to dip yourself in aviation fuel before leaving the car park.
It's available in 75ml (jacket pocket) and 150ml (base camp) sizes. The 75ml is the one you'll forget to replace until you're standing in a glen in July without it.
Check current Smidge prices on Amazon — affiliate link, opens in new tab.
Use the BiteForecast Midge Activity Index to know when you'll need it most.