Chaffing, it hurts.

The sweat thread has inspired this.
Personally, I suffer from chaffing of the inner thighs when I hike. This is no joke, my inner thighs are red hot and terribly tender to touch. I walk around like someone who has just filled their underpants with a load of hot fecal material. How does one prevent this dreaded affliction?

I use a good shot of baby powder and that seems to do the trick. I also carry a small container for top ups although I've not needed it yet. I also always wear longish legged wicking boxers that fit tightly so the material rubs not the skin.

I often find I don't have an issue until after the hike is over so now I try and get changed asap and dose up on BP again.

Works for me and I have experienced the agony of post hike "fire thighs"

Bob

Neil,
There is a nice thread on this at whiteblaze.net.
FWIW, I now carry a small tube of diaper rash ointment in my toiletries kit. For years I had relied on Gold Bond "Medicated" powder until after I became dad.
One day I was looking for something in my truck to ease the pain after a hot summer backpacking trip (I would have settled for axle grease, I was in so much pain) and found my son's small spare diaper kit behind the seat with the tube of rash cream - The stuff stinks like cod oil but it is oh so releiving. I think it contains Cod Oil and Zinc Oxide.

The other product I read about on WB is Body Glide which seems to have a following and a good reputation, though I haven't tried it. The other route is prevention in the form of wearing lycra mid thigh length shorts.

Neil, 2 words....Gold Bond

I carry a CVS .99 cent sample size in my pack...good for a few trips. I kept getting rasberries, and all the moisture creams made it worse because it would cling to my hiking pants. You might have to put it on a couple of times during a long hike.
GB does the trick and helps my thighs "glide", hope it helps you.

For the fecal matter problem, I'd say "Depends".....but let's leave that for another thread when we're older.

A lot of things work. What you guys mentionned is all good, but there's always good old Vaseline. If you carry zinc oxide (for the sun), or sunscreen, foot powder - anything that will dry or glide.

Body Glide (available at EMS) I felt your pain!

From a cycling standpoint, you could always use Chamois cream, something like Bag Balm or Chamois Butter... You'd find it in many cycling stores. However, I would try the baby powder, vaseline, or something very commonly available first.

Jay

Before you hike...

Before applying any kind of ontment of any kind wash your inner thighs very good. This will remove any dirt, oils, sweat, ect. Also if you camp over night in backcountry or the night after your day hike clean the area again. It will most likely hurt to do so, but it is very important.

I used to have this issue so badly I wasn't sure how I was going to make it down the mountain one time. That week someone I worked with heard my story and gave me that tip. Clean, clean, clean, then apply something to your prefrence. Ever since then I havn't had any problems.

I have had severe chaffing (spelling?). I found that using polypro underwear, especially boxers, helped a great deal. I hike in synthetic shorts. Anything cotton will contribute to chaffing.

Underarmour and vasoline on the inner thighs...works every time!

Thanks guys, now I'm chafing at the bit to try your remedies.
Signed,
He who would walk as if with snowshoes in summer.

Loose some weight?

I find that I have chaffing problems if I gain a bit of weight. When I loose a bit, I never have the problem.

I agree with Pete.

Well, a trick that I used when I was a slight bit on the heavier side was rubbing anti-persprirant to my inner thighs when I's wear a skirt and that would take care of the thighs rubbing together. Works VERY well, is cheap and already in your home. Good Luck . . .

sli74

all these remedies would work but for me I wouldn't want to have to rub stuff continuously on my thighs or keep applying baby powder. I had this happen once to me and my fix was to buy a pair of spandex shorts. They are the best thing to take care of this problem. I wear them every time I go and have never had a chaffing problem.

Feeling your pain....

Neil,

I have had a problem in the past too. I then smartened up and baught some poly pro boxers and this helped tremendously Also can you say Gold Bond Powder this stuff is the greatest.

Good Luck,
ADAM

I used to have this problem big time - as well as what I call "swamp a**" -

Vaseline or diaper rash cream - works awesome - no joke.

Pantyhose

bachand said:

..... my fix was to buy a pair of spandex shorts.

Click to expand...

Oh yeah.. This reminded me of another fix. Pantyhose.... winter only. They are WAY too hot in the summer. Just make sure they fit you well... Nothing worse than an ill fitting pair of pantyhose.

And you don't need a new pair. In the woods, nobody cares if you have runs in them

Oh yeah.. This reminded me of another fix. Pantyhose.... winter only. They are WAY too hot in the summer. Just make sure they fit you well... Nothing worse than an ill fitting pair of pantyhose

Click to expand...

I can see the accident report: Man found dead in Adk High Peaks. Apparent cause of death hypothermia. Victim was found wearing only panty hose. Other clothing was scattered about as is not unusual with victims of exposure...

Pete!!!! Pantyhose???? I am ROTFLMAO
I could just see my wife holding up a pair of pantyhose she found in a tent pocket - "Oh no honey that is from last winter when I was crossdressing to keep warm ...."