I found a protocol that's working for me. Maybe someone else can benefit also.

I use a combination of permethrin for my clothes and pack, DEET for the flying insects, and ChiggAway (sulfur based) for the non-flying critters, especially on my legs while wearing shorts.

While its not perfect, I rarely find a tick and it's even rarer for it to latch on. My hiking partners that don't follow this protocol can't say the same.