Is there a consensus on a good hydropel replacement?

[Loki Cuthbert]

I've read through this thread
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=66605
and was wondering what people are using to replace hydropel. I've tried body glide and it worked ok I made it 5 days w/o blisters, but got one on day 6. Is Sportslick supposed to be comparable to hydropel? Did many people end up going with gourneygoo?

-Loki

[Jason Elsworth]

Happy with GurneyGoo.

Edited for spelling.

[spelt with a t]

I use Lanacane anti-chafe.

[BlackHatGuy]

I'd say the previous two posts would point to ………… no.

[Nick Gatel]

What is the purpose of these chemicals? Blisters? Chaffing?

To prevent blisters on my feet I wear socks.

To prevent chaffing I cut the liner out of my hiking shorts. If wearing trousers in humid places I wear Ex Officio boxer briefs.

More thoughts on chaffing

[Richard May]

The main reason for using hydropel on the feet was as a water barrier, particularly in wet weather. It prevented skin from becoming water logged and nipped problems like maceration and blisters at the bud.

Even with hydropel good foot care practices are important like socks, proper fitting shoes, well groomed nails, keeping calouses from getting too big, etc.

edited: Wanted to make this more feet specific. Nicks' points above, and in the article, about problems in the groin area are very good.

[Stephen M]

another gurney goo user, luckily have only had to use it once so far.

[Kathleen B]

You might try Aveeno skin relief healing ointment. Its active ingredient is 54% petrolatum, the main inactive ingredient in Hydropel. It's almost as thick as Hydropel and works quite well, although it doesn't have dimethicone in it like Hydropel did. And by golly, it's dermatologist recommended!

[Stephen Murphy]

Bodyglide Skin Glide Anti-Friction Liquified Powder

[Michael Ray]

Body Glide Liquified Powder. Exact same ingredient percentages at Hydropel AFAIK.

[Derek M.]

+1 on Body Glide Liquified Powder

[michael mercer]

Well more bad news. The Body Glide Liquified Powder has been updated and has removed the dimethicone. I had a chance to talk directly to the president of Body Glide. He said the old version had the blue label with the image of a foot and rain drops. That version of the "Liquified Powder" product had 5% dimethicone and 30% talc. The new version is just called Skin Glide although the words "Liquified Powder" do appear on the back of the tube. The on-line vendors have a mix of images of both the old and new versions but you will only get the new version. Stock of the old version appears to be completely gone. The only product I could find that still has dimethicone is the 3M Cavilon "Durable Barrier Cream." It has 1.3% dimethicone as the active ingredient. 3M's Cavilon website (noted somewhere in the BPL threads) has an interesting paper that discusses the percentage of dimethicone. For those that remember, our favorite Hydropel had 30% dimethicone. The 3M product has a version that comes in very convenient 2g individual packets (reference number 3353).

Bottom line is I don't know which product works as well as Hydropel but will be trying all of them shortly. Will post the results. My 16 year old son is a lower leg amputee. He wears a silicon gel sleeve as part of his prosthetic and has chronic issues with sweat and friction blisters. Should be an extreme test for all of these products. Hydropel worked. Will see how the others do as he gets ready for Philmont.

[John S.]

It must have happened last fall. See thread.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/82433/index.html

[Ryan Smith]

Here are a few moisture barrier creams I researched a while back. They all have 5% dimethicone which seems to be the going rate for everything except Hydropel which had 6x that amount. The other ingredients like aloe, zinc oxide, and petrolatum in these creams vary. Kind of forgot and never ordered any. If the "liquefied powder" was a good substitute these may also be.

-Coloplast Baza Protect Skin Protectant Cream
-Thera Dimethicone Body Shield Skin Protectant
-Remedy Dimethicone Skin Protectant
-Secura Dimethicone Skin Protectant

Ryan

[Andy F]

I use Aveeno Daily Moisturizing lotion on my feet. It has dimethicone.

[Daryl and Daryl]

These saved my butt (well actually my inner thighs) last summer.

One of the packets lasted for an entire week long trip.

First ingredient on label is dimethicone. Very slippery. Feels like silnylon.

SPORTSHIELD

[marvin k]

I understand this is a 9 yo thread BUT …

1 – has anyone noticed that ‘lice removal oil’ is 100% dimethicone

2 – that lice removal oil is available on Amazon

3 – that if 30% is good, 100% might be better

It seems like one could use lice removal oil directly as a (possibly better) substitute for Hydropel.

Any thoughts?

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