Chafing Prevention

If you are going to shave anywhere that might have chaffing, you need to take it slow and be extremely careful or else it will grow back all weird and you will have insane razor burn. Not recommended.
A better option is to use an electric razor that will trim the hair but not all the way down to skin. To me it seems like you only get that prickly stubble when you shave it all the way down with a sharp razor. If you just trim it down, the hair stays soft.

What the hell are you people talking about?! I'm afraid that some of you are now just looking for an excuse to play with your pubic hair. Have fun with ingrown hairs and chafing on your next trip.

Spandex undies like the Brooks Runderwear combined with either diaper cream (zinc oxide) or body glide and you should be good to go.

If taking a razor to your nether regions is what you're into, then more power to you. But don't play it off to friends and family that it's to prevent chafing.

It's 2013 folks. No reason to strut around with Bob Ross in a scissor lock. Just clean up after the hike and not before.

Edit: This might be a new low for me (pun not intended).

I'd like to combine multiple threads and suggest a complete shave followed by an alpaca merkin.

How sad that I didn't have to google merkin. I blame Maynard James Keenan.

Why, oh why did I click on this?

Wait a minute, this is Chafe. Sorry, I thought it was Chaff.

Eh, chafe, chaff, tomato, tomahto.

How sad that I DID google merkin. I blame Ian!

(only because I read his post before the one above it)

Justin,

Your Spain experience sounds awful and is just what I hope to avoid. I don't like having open rashy skin anywhere on my body. Just seems like an invitation to infection.

My wife also did the hike in Spain you refer to. No problems. She had big problems with saddle sores when she bicycled across the US this year, however.

Some of my googling on the subject found advice that said to avoid cotton in the "between the legs armpit". Said synthetics were better. Go figure. As several people have said here "if it works stick with it".

"How sad that I DID google merkin."

Ah, the internet. When I googled merkin, the second entry was: something george bush is constantly saying he is proud to be.

Dave U,

"I thought it was Chaff."

I think it is now Chaff. You foresaw the future.

Yah Daryl, i would avoid cotton and most synthetics for such an issue. Merino and Linen though are innately hygienic and antimicrobial which is why they don't build up smell like most other fabrics do.

Best of luck.

Doug, could you check the ingredients on the liquified powder and see if dimethicone is listed as others say? Is it the old packaging that says liquified powder on the front?

Body glide liquified powder is no longer sold in the old packaging. The new product is called skin glide. The old packaging was said to name dimethicone and had nearly same ingredients as hydropel. The new skin glide is marketed as liquified powder but does not contain dimethicone. The company would not comment on it for me. They at first replied about skin glide, but had nothing more to say when I brought up the possible ingredient change.

According to the BodyGlide site it does. Now, is it the right mix?

http://www.bodyglide.com/ingredient-facts/

Skin Glide® balm.
In this unique cream that quickly transforms to a silky barrier against rubbing, we’ve made an exception to use the tiniest percentage of oil and water that helps give it a magical effect: purified water, talc, dimethicone, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, cetyl alcohol, emulsifying wax, propylene glycol, polysorbate 20, imidazolidinyl urea, triclosan, xanthan gum, methylparaben, allantoin, triethanolamine, carbomer, disodium EDTA, propylparaben, melaleuca alternifolia, (tea tree) leaf oil, and menthol.

Their packaging and ingredients have changed about 4 times over the last couple years. The last packaging had that exact ingredient list

http://www.swimoutlet.com/photos/41189-4.jpg

The latest is all changed and drops dimethicone. You better buy all you can while it lasts.

http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15799

Body Glide has purposely not updated their website, for good reason. They are marketing it as the same product and then changing the formula.