Run and Drum Gear Review: Gold Bond Friction Defense
Taking steps to prevent chafing sounds kind of silly if it's something you've never had to do. Once it happens though, it's a concern that you want to address as quickly and effectively as possible.
The repetitive motion in running coupled with any kind of abrasion, no matter how slight, can add up to be highly uncomfortable. For the most part, I didn't have too much trouble with this until I started getting up above the 8-10 mile ranges, but the threshold is different for different people. Usually, it would be somewhere that clothing would get sweaty and then be abrasive against my skin, which is a big reason I don't run in shirts if I can help it, but at a certain point, even just my upper arms rubbing against my torso without any cloth there started to cause discomfort. It's especially noticeable after I finished running and would be showering or just wearing a shirt at all.
I had seen products that looked like a deodorant stick that helped to prevent chafing, but hadn't ever heard much about them, so I started doing some research. There are a few options for these products, but what I found through some light Googling and researching Amazon reviews is that a lot of them get greasy and are basically like lathering up with Vaseline. Don't get me wrong, that's better than getting wildly chafed and being miserable every time you move for two days, but if there's a better way, it would be nice.
Luckily, these reviews led me to find Gold Bond Friction Defense.
If you've ever used Gold Bond body powder or something like that, it acts very similarly, but it's easier to get it where you need it since it comes in a solid, deodorant-like form.
It was oddly difficult to find considering how widespread Gold Bond products are. Amazon had a three of five pack at the time, but I didn't want to invest that heavily before I knew if I liked it so I eventually found a single stick at Wal-Mart. Amazon has singles now so you can give it a shot online, or you can take my word for it and opt for the 3 pack which is the best price I've been able to find so far. (Note - If you shop through my Amazon links, you'll get the same price and shopping experience as you're used to, but I'll get a little referral kickback for sending you!)
I've used this stuff extensively though and I've had a great experience with it. When I ran my half marathon, I was taking no chances and I covered a significant portion of my body with it just to avoid any problems, but it really is unobtrusive and doesn't bother me to have on the way some lotions and other skincare products do. I'm funny about having lotions and whatnot on my skin, but this stuff has never bothered me. It's also unscented which helps keep it from being more aggravating than helpful.
If you're looking for a solution to chafing or looking for a preventive measure as you start picking up your distances, I can't recommend Gold Bond Friction defense enough.