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Is there a consensus on a good hydropel replacement?


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Home Forums Gear Forums Gear (General) Is there a consensus on a good hydropel replacement?

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
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  • #1306804
    Loki Cuthbert
    BPL Member

    @lokbot

    Locale: Portland, OR

    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

    #2017505
    Jason Elsworth
    Spectator

    @jephoto

    Locale: New Zealand

    Happy with GurneyGoo.

    Edited for spelling.

    #2017531
    spelt with a t
    BPL Member

    @spelt

    Locale: Rangeley, ME

    I use Lanacane anti-chafe.

    #2017533
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

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

    #2017537
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    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

    #2017544
    Richard May
    BPL Member

    @richardm

    Locale: Nature Deficit Disorder

    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.

    #2017568
    Stephen M
    BPL Member

    @stephen-m

    Locale: Way up North

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

    #2017654
    Kathleen B
    Member

    @rosierabbit

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    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!

    Aveeno

    #2017789
    Stephen Murphy
    BPL Member

    @sjtm

    Bodyglide Skin Glide Anti-Friction Liquified Powder

    #2017792
    Michael Ray
    BPL Member

    @topshot

    Locale: Midwest

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

    #2017848
    Derek M.
    BPL Member

    @dmusashe

    Locale: Southern California

    +1 on Body Glide Liquified Powder

    #2075786
    michael mercer
    Member

    @mmercer

    Locale: Northern Virginia

    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.

    #2075801
    John S.
    BPL Member

    @jshann

    #2075942
    Ryan Smith
    BPL Member

    @violentgreen

    Locale: East TN

    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

    #2076047
    Andy F
    Spectator

    @andyf

    Locale: Midwest/Midatlantic

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

    #2076056
    Daryl and Daryl
    BPL Member

    @lyrad1

    Locale: Pacific Northwest, USA, Earth

    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

    #3771079
    marvin k
    BPL Member

    @marvinkarlowgmail-com

    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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