A gentleman's undercarriage question regarding chafing......

[pvh]

I need to ask advice on the.... erm....ahem.....delicate matter of the chafing of a gentleman's undercarriage when walking in the summer.

Have any chaps walked in shorts with a mesh liner in lieu of underwear?
I have some running shorts which are marvellously light and cool and the mesh helps with ventilation and keeps weight down but as its made of nylon I wondered if it might actually rub, especially after 20km plus of walking in the summer heat?
Can anyone advise or offer other solutions please?
Many thanks as always in advance.

 

[Johnlewis47]

I need to ask advice on the.... erm....ahem.....delicate matter of the chafing of a gentleman's undercarriage when walking in the summer.

Have any chaps walked in shorts with a mesh liner in lieu of underwear?
I have some running shorts which are marvellously light and cool and the mesh helps with ventilation and keeps weight down but as its made of nylon I wondered if it might actually rub, especially after 20km plus of walking in the summer heat?
Can anyone advise or offer other solutions please?
Many thanks as always in advance.

Forget using the mess as a replacement for underwear. Exofficio boxer briefs are superb as are Under Armour Long Boxers. I suffer really badly with chaffage and both these boxers have completely eliminated the issue, while the mess liner just keeps giving

Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 67185]

I need to ask advice on the.... erm....ahem.....delicate matter of the chafing of a gentleman's undercarriage when walking in the summer.

Have any chaps walked in shorts with a mesh liner in lieu of underwear?
I have some running shorts which are marvellously light and cool and the mesh helps with ventilation and keeps weight down but as its made of nylon I wondered if it might actually rub, especially after 20km plus of walking in the summer heat?
Can anyone advise or offer other solutions please?
Many thanks as always in advance.

I've used shorts with liners over thousands of backpacking miles with nary a problem with the boys or with chafing.

 

[Rob the Slob]

Anti-chafing gel or long boxers. Or both, if the boxers ride up. Try a variety of options, and don't put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Ian and Mec]

I used very ordinary underpants while walking the Northern, Primitivo and the Portugeuse. Used Vaseline each morning on the potential chafing 'parts' and not a problem in site. Refresh those parts during the day with more applications if necessary.

 

[André Walker]

You're not Scottish?......

 

[Bradypus]

I used to have serious chafing problems walking when wearing the cotton briefs I usually wear at home. Shorts with a mesh lining certainly helped. Another solution was to wear very thin lycra cycling shorts as underpants. For me the length of the underwear is the key issue for chafing - the hem of my usual briefs saws into the crease at the top of my thigh if they become damp with sweat. Then the salt from the sweat gets into the raw patch... I have come far closer to abandoning a Camino because of chafing than I ever have done because of blisters Something like boxers where the hem is someway down the thigh rather than tight in the groin is useful. On a related note I prefer fairly close-fitting and supportive underwear which prevents much movement in that department. Having my wedding tackle bouncing up and down like a yo-yo for hours on end can result in serious discomfort. Having had the dubious distinction of acquiring a varicocele which stayed with me for a year and more before clearing up spontaneously I try my best not to repeat the experience.

 

[amancio]

3 layers of protection

1) apply vaseline on the parts. Be generous!
2) wear briefs or boxers with no seams,
3) tight lycra shorts are the way to go

On top of the lycra shorts you can wear your plain shorts or long trousers if you like.

That works for me at least!

 

[KinkyOne]

Boxers and talcum powder (twice daily if it is very hot) works fine for me.

 

[Hiawatha]

Superfine Merino wool trunks are marvellous. Not hot at all and won't tug at hairs either.

 

[tomnorth]

Forget using the mess as a replacement for underwear. Exofficio boxer briefs are superb as are Under Armour Long Boxers. I suffer really badly with chaffage and both these boxers have completely eliminated the issue, while the mess liner just keeps giving

Buen Camino

I agree completely. I get the mesh version and they work like a charm...no chafing at all.

 

[MikeyC]

I found that leggings keep everything in place without friction. On warm days mid thigh leggings with running shorts over.
I've read that Sudocrem or similar may be of use to both prevent and remedy.

 

[MikeJS]

Strange, its never something I have ever worried about or had a problem. Just where my normal underpants and shorts….

 

[JabbaPapa]

Strange, its never something I have ever worried about or had a problem. Just where my normal underpants and shorts….

I think it varies a great deal between the various anatomies and hiking gaits, though for me personally it also varies from how well on-form I am or not.

My own solution will NOT be helpful to most, given that I just grit my teeth and do my best to ignore it in the week or 3 that it takes for the skin to toughen up and the flab to go down, but I do tend to do very long Caminos, so that 10 days of some chafing amidst 70 to 90 on the Way is clearly less problematic than 10 days within 15 to 30.

Some form of skin-tight nylon undies can certainly ensure that the minimum amount of chafing will occur, but that will be a hot solution in Summer ...

 

[GraemeHall]

Uni Qlo AIRism for me. A quarter the price of the specialty brands, super fast drying, and not the slightest problem in over a thousand km this Spring. And I do chafe in my regular undies. (I found the clue on this forum last year.)

 

[John Crawford Howell]

I wore silk underwear. Never had a problem.

 

[daesdaemar]

Spread some BodyGlide around the area. Works great! Chamois Butt'r (for bicycling) also works very well!

 

[AndreaCT]

I was going to suggest some BodyGlice, but daesdaemar beat me to it! Cyclists wear tight fitting clothes and are out for hours in the heat. Friction and shear are constant for those 100 + km rides. Body Glide or the Chamois Butt'r both work well (as per the male members of my family and friends have told me). Back at the ranch, clean your skin gently, but well, to remove sweat and dry gently.

 

[jmcarp]

Boxer briefs made with wicking fabric -- any brand is OK. Purchase at reputable outdoor stores such as REI here in the US -- there's probably a similar store in the UK.

 

[Davie Blisters]

Summer or Winter I now only wear Rab 'DRYflo' boxers.
£21 approx. at Cotswold Outdoors, Go Outdoors etc. etc.

 

[JamesGeier]

This is a good thread, because there are many options and many things work... I sweat a little more than average, so I considered this. When I walked the Camino Frances in the early spring on 2016, most mornings were cool or even cold, so not as much sweating, and thus chafing was not an issue. In the autumn of 2017, most days were warm, and I sweated a lot. What worked for me was what has been mentioned here and has worked for me hiking in northern Thailand (where it is always hot) - Ex Officio boxer briefs and powder. The boxer briefs are long enough to reduce or even eliminate bunching, and they wick away moisture. Ex Officio is one brand, REI (in the U.S.) has its own, very similar brand, Duluth Trading is another brand that I am gradually shifting to as they are a little more comfortable.
Many good ideas...thank-you everyone!
Buen Camino,
--jim--

 

[Deleted member 67185]

BodyGlide is a good product, for both anti-chafing and anti-blister concerns. A product which I like even better is 2Toms Sport Shield. I find that it provides a more durable application with a small amount of product.

 

[FlechaCadaDia]

Synthetic boxer briefs. Ex Officio worked well for me.

 

[Canuck]

The name says it all:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D2959I4/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[Desmond Walsh]

What worked for me was NOK anti-chafing cream (Sports Akileine NOK). It is readily available in French pharmacies, Amazon or MEC in Canada.

 

[t2andreo]

I favor and recommend ExOfficio Boxer shorts, the loose fit variety, NOT the boxer briefs. I have worn them for six Caminos with positive results. Also I live in South Florida and wear these everyday.

In my experience as a stocky fellow with largish thighs, I believe that any underwear that actually has elastic that grips the leg is going to initiate and worsen rubbing and chafing.

The combination of loose fit cargo pants, or when the lower legs are zipped off to make short pants, and loose fit boxer shorts made of quick drying and moisture wicking synthetic fabric, ensures adequate ventilation and minimizes contact chafing.

Once you get contact irritation, my advice is to go to the next farmacia and seek the ointment used for baby butts.

This is the same stuff, albeit with a different name, that YOUR mother used on your bottom when you had diaper rash as an infant. Same problem...same solution.

Hope this helps

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Tom, you mean that same gooey, thick, greasy white stuff I used on my boys' bottoms?
Oops, I shouldn't be on this thread, but it didn't say "for guys only". Lol.

 

[Devereaux]

Roadrunnersports.com sells a great 8" moisture wicking boxer short for under $20US. Totally elimates the chafing AND tho they are really lite weight, they have good compression which helps these old legs!

 

[nycwalking]

Tom, you mean that same gooey, thick, greasy white stuff I used on my boys' bottoms?
Oops, I shouldn't be on this thread, but it didn't say "for guys only". Lol.

Don't feel bad. I've been peeping in on this thread too.

 

[KinkyOne]

Geez, I walked 10 different Caminos and I thought like I know it all about but reading these posts is like I'm Manuel from Falty Towers: "I know nothin'. I know nothin'"

 

[JabbaPapa]

I favor and recommend ExOfficio Boxer shorts, the loose fit variety

Those sorts of boxers were such a disaster for me personally that I ended up walking with no underwear whatsoever instead, as I had packed nothing else and there was zero chance of finding anything else my size. I ended up wearing them only at the albergues and about the pueblos in the evenings.

Nowadays, furthermore, finding affordable ones my size even on the internet seems to have become a complete impossibility.

 

[RENSHAW]

Cycling shorts without saddle padding - and some Vaseline - try it on one of your training walks.

 

[brian560]

Uni Qlo AIRism for me. A quarter the price of the specialty brands, super fast drying, and not the slightest problem in over a thousand km this Spring. And I do chafe in my regular undies. (I found the clue on this forum last year.)

They usually work well for me but for some reason last caminos they didn't. I had sweat blisters. Very painful.

 

[brian560]

I'm a fan of vaseline but wouldn't it prevent the region we are discussing from sweating properly?
On another note, if anyone knows the name in spanish of ointment to treat sweat rash and blisters I'd be very grateful. I bought 3 lots of ointment in Spanish pharmacies using sign language....bit embaressing. My underwear solution in the end was don't wear anyway while being conscious of my "dress" as it were.

 

[Malachiuri]

As a big guy with stocky thighs I have to give a nod to the ExOfficio 9" boxer-brief(mesh or standard version) and Bodyglide combo. My last Camino I suffered no chafing whatsoever. In fact, after the first week and I lost enough water weight I stopped using the Bodyglide since my thighs got smaller.

After years of running and training here in KC where it gets stupid hot, humid and stupid cold, the Exofficio brand is all I use everyday. Exofficio are expensive, but last literally years of daily use. Watch Amazon, I often find them for under $20.

I use Bodyglide for everything from half marathons in the summer to winter hunting. I prefer it over Vaseline because it is a thinner product that does not hydrate skin tissue and make it more prone to breakdown. One application lasts all day and isn't... goopy.

BTW, if you use any stick packeged products like Bodyglide for different parts of your body, such as leg chafing and feet, please use 2 sticks and dont mix them up. Doing so can prevent giving yourself jock itch over and over...

 

[Jeff Crawley]

And you ladies fret (no pun intended) about peeing in the bushes!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Tom, you mean that same gooey, thick, greasy white stuff I used on my boys' bottoms?
Oops, I shouldn't be on this thread, but it didn't say "for guys only". Lol.

It's called Zinc Oxide. You can buy inexpensive generic brands in local farmacias and the baby goods sections of supermarkets. It's quite messy but SO good.

On my last CF I was dropping weight rapidly and had to buy a pair of shorts in Estella (yes, THAT rapidly) and failed to notice the inseam had been folded over during make up. I ended up with a 4" friction burn on the inner thigh about 3" down from the perineum. Every step was agony and YOU try and put a dressing THERE.

Explaining it to the young lady (it would be) in the farmacia was a blast. I decanted some into a small pot for this year's CI and, of course, never needed it.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Geez, I walked 10 different Caminos and I thought like I know it all about but reading these posts is like I'm Manuel from Falty Towers: "I know nothin'. I know nothin'"

Welcome to the land where the 23rd pair is XY.

 

[t2andreo]

Welcome to the thread ladies. Diaper rash IS diaper rash. It can be caused by heat, humidity and friction.

Yes, the remedy is the self, same Desitin or similar commercial product as used for baby bottoms. Men get chafed too you know...

 

[Lostboy]

Tight compression running shorts (come to mid/lower thigh). Did 100km in 24hrs in them and no chaffing in sight. Swear by them now!

 

[zzotte]

I tried every underwear I could find the best for me is smartwool shorts (not the briefs) and I also use Pomada Natusan ( any Spanish farmácia has it) works wonders.

Zzotte

 

[walking sticKs]

Nine or ten inch compression shorts by any of the current sports appeal company's. Wear them on my second Camino Frances and have been wearing them for my day to day ever since. Best thing ever, no chafing or creeping!
I second the use of body glide, it work well.
Good luck!

 

[arch]

Forget using the mess as a replacement for underwear. Exofficio boxer briefs are superb as are Under Armour Long Boxers. I suffer really badly with chaffage and both these boxers have completely eliminated the issue, while the mess liner just keeps giving

Buen Camino

I second the Exofficio boxer briefs. They have some very light weight ones and they dry very quickly after washing

 

[LesR]

Can anyone advise or offer other solutions please?

"Tradies" 3/4 length cotton trunks worked well for me Sept/Oct 2018 (as someone who is prone to sweating and chaffing). Cotton is slower drying than some of the synthetic fabrics, so I am taking both on CF 2018.

Tradies is an Ozzie band - see https://www.tradie.com/man-front-trunk.html

 

[Boot of the Beast]

I used under armour heat gear underpants. I think the 6 inch are best. The 3 inch are probably too short. Body Glide is good but I ended up preferring Body Shop's Hemp cream.

 

[Jim_Hyde]

I need to ask advice on the.... erm....ahem.....delicate matter of the chafing of a gentleman's undercarriage when walking in the summer.

Have any chaps walked in shorts with a mesh liner in lieu of underwear?
I have some running shorts which are marvellously light and cool and the mesh helps with ventilation and keeps weight down but as its made of nylon I wondered if it might actually rub, especially after 20km plus of walking in the summer heat?
Can anyone advise or offer other solutions please?
Many thanks as always in advance.

Compression boxer shorts are what you need, you can do a google search for these, the fewer stitched seams the better, I discovered them a couple of years ago and now use them for all walks of any distance especially in warm weather. They also have the advantage of drying quickly so if you wash them at the end of the days walk they are dry for the next day which helps with your packing

 

[Rajy62]

Since discovering merino boxers I cut out the mesh from all my shorts. And vaseline on the chaffing spots works great, inner thighs for me.

 

[Richardw2]

I need to ask advice on the.... erm....ahem.....delicate matter of the chafing of a gentleman's undercarriage when walking in the summer.

Have any chaps walked in shorts with a mesh liner in lieu of underwear?
I have some running shorts which are marvellously light and cool and the mesh helps with ventilation and keeps weight down but as its made of nylon I wondered if it might actually rub, especially after 20km plus of walking in the summer heat?
Can anyone advise or offer other solutions please?
Many thanks as always in advance.

I only used under armor long fitted boxers they were PERFECT!!! but any mid to lower thigh length, fitted, non-cotton boxer brief would have been sufficient.

Buen Camino

 

[Michael Gray]

The simple fact is that, with the longer leg length shorts sold today, and certainly with trousers, you do not need underpants. At least while you're walking. Sure for evenings and any other time you think you need to be a little more smartly dressed, but not while walking. It's extra bulk and weight in your pack and more to wash.

 

[Rich1]

I always wear compression shorts or equivalent eg 2XU or Skinz. In May I used Runderwear for the first time which were brilliant until they got tumble dried on the way to Muxia and shrunk to size Boys aged 8 https://www.runderwear.co.uk

 

[Matchu]

I need to ask advice on the.... erm....ahem.....delicate matter of the chafing of a gentleman's undercarriage when walking in the summer.

Have any chaps walked in shorts with a mesh liner in lieu of underwear?
I have some running shorts which are marvellously light and cool and the mesh helps with ventilation and keeps weight down but as its made of nylon I wondered if it might actually rub, especially after 20km plus of walking in the summer heat?
Can anyone advise or offer other solutions please?
Many thanks as always in advance.

I have staggered a dozen or so marathons prior to walking various distances from jungle to snow. The story is the same: protect your nipples and your bits, otherwise God would not have invented Vaseline.
Everyone has different assets that they choose to carry in different ways.
But seriously, this is the sort of thing you will discover, test, and perfect through your training walks. Everyone's physic is different.
BLUF - don't leave home without the Vaseline. You might find it prevents cheek chaffing as well, especially if you are hairy, and on those longer days. ;-)

 

[Des Deeney]

Anti-chafing gel or long boxers. Or both, if the boxers ride up. Try a variety of options, and don't put all your eggs in one basket.

.....Don't put all your eggs in one basket.......I see what you did there.........Also a Marathon Runner, and would also recommend the Vaseline, also important to treat as soon as you notice, ideally before you notice, same goes for a stone in your shoe, stop and deal with it ASAP.