Coghlan Mosquito Head Net
By Esther Yu

Coghlan's mosquito head cover might not ensure 100% protection from mosquito bites, but for just a few bucks, it's worth the investment. I should have realized this when a couple I knew returned from a not-so-romantic weekend camping trip. The woman's eye had been swollen shut by a well-placed mosquito bite soon after she hopped into her sleeping bag. Not only was the bite uncomfortable, irritating, and itchy, she also felt self-conscious about her appearance.

Then I had a similar experience on the eve of my birthday. I had an itchy bump on my scalp as well as another bite just below my right eye, where the redness and swelling were an inch wide. Ironically, the next day, the first gift I opened was the Coghlan Mosquito Head Cover. For a few dollars, and hardly any extra effort, my friend and I could have avoided the agony.

Coghlan's Mosquito Head Cover looks much like a miniature laundry bag, which you place over your head. A thin, green mesh comes down on all sides to cover your head. At the very top of your head, is a piece of circular camouflage fabric. At the bottom, by the neck, there's a bit of elastic so that while you can stretch it to pull over your head, the opening stays relatively small, although it is not snug against the neck like a drawstring could make it. The opening doesn't close tightly enough to make sure bugs stay out. A well-placed handkerchief or a high collar can easily cure this design flaw.

The nice thing about the net is that it is incredibly lightweight and compact, as it is just a little bit of mesh. Also, if necessary, it can double as a little sack as long as you keep it light enough not to tear through the thin material. Vision is barely affected because the material is so thin. Though not uncomfortable, it feels a little strange to have the material occasionally touching your face. Fortunately, the mesh is designed to fit over a hat, which allows you to put more shade on your face while keeping the mesh off of it.

One drawback that tempts you to take off the cover, is that you can't munch on foods if you have the net done up all the way, since it covers your mouth. However, you could probably at least minimize the bites by keeping the net over the top part of you head as you snack.

The material is thin and could easily tear, unlike more expensive brands. Also, it does not have a drawstring by the neck to make the opening even smaller. These dimple differences between Coghlan's product and more expensive brands makes me question the value of the more expensive products for normal usage. Of course, if you plan a trip to the Florida Everglades or a multi-day trip in Alaska, the extra durability and added protection of the higher-priced covers would certainly be worth it.

Summary: If you're an outdoors person that doesn't actually live in the swamps, Coghlan's Mosquito Head Cover is cheap mosquito bite prevention, and adds a little security even when you don't expect a lot of mosquitoes.

Esther Yu is a new contributor to GearReview.com