Mosquitoes, ticks, horseflies, fleas, midges – biting bugs have always been, at best, a nuisance for hikers and campers. At worst, some of these pests can pose a major health hazard. Mosquitoes can transmit West Nile virus, ticks can be harbingers of Lyme Disease, and in certain areas, fleas can carry the bubonic plague. Nasty. In short, a hike in nature sometimes delivers more than you seek, and not in a poetic John Muir quote kind of way.
At Columbia Sportswear's design HQ, this is exactly the type of issue that the Innovation Team likes to get its teeth into.
