You mean the chaffing on the belly? For that chaffing, I use a a rowing trou http://www.jlracing.com/tab.2.html under my board shorts, pull it up and fold it over the top edge of my board shorts. I rarely get chaffing. Ive tried the belly jelly but it doesnt work for me. One of the new guys on my team got it bad, then got staph infection and hasnt paddled for 3-4 weeks.
Its just above my backside. Its from the top of the seat on my zephyr pushing on a seam or something on my shorts and rubbing on me. Ive really been focusing on leg drive. In fact, I had to put more velcro under my seat because I was pushing the seat out the back of the canoe. Now this. Thanks for any advice.
Neoprene paddling shorts. I have the ones from paddleme.com and they work great. I know Xcel makes some and I know theres other brands to that may be worth looking into.
For myself, I would shave down the sides of the Zephyr seat if it feels like it is rubbing. I like the double layered Birdwell shorts. They slide between layers and eliminate friction on the skin.
I tried the neoprene shorts and I find that they must fit snuggly or else it would rub against the skin and create rash as the material itself is rather rough. I also find neoprene to be hot.
The best is the double layered Birdwell shorts to prevent rash. It is cool and silky.
now that you bring it up,
I had that same problem, I had it on the inside of my right cheek,
I thought it was from sand in my shorts or dirty water or something!
But I joking around with my buddie who i paddle with and he said he got that same thing, on the same day.
I have a couple of pairs of xcel shorts (different styles) and they both worked great… at first. Now when I go out I expect chafing, which sucks. But I think I must be moving wrong in some way, pushing too much with my legs instead of using my core more, which then pushes my butt against the seat. Most of the time, this happens so much that I scoot the seat pad (secured with velcroed straps) halfway around the seat. Talking OC-6 here.
So while I work on technique (using core more, legs a little less), I guess I’ll start trying vaseline or glide or something… and maybe some Birdwells. Given the area that’s getting irritated, it’s kinda embarrassing as well as painful. :(
And I don’t know that dirty water will cause chafing, but it certainly won’t help. Like poopoo said, keep it clean!
Not exaclty sure, but if its what I think youre saying you could take the edge off the seat where its hitting your backside (if its the foam part) with some rough sand paper. Just dont take off so much that you lose all the meaty portion to brace against.
I really hate having to get specific but its just above the crack of my a—. The OC seats come up in the back like most so I dont know how I could modify the seat and still have something to push against??
The seams on board shorts cause bad cutting on the longer paddles in an Oc1. What i do to eliminate the problem is wear plain lycra bike shorts without the padding under the board shorts. You still look cool and ventilated and blue bottle stingers can’t bite you on the nuts if they get washed up your leg holes (yes that is painful and only vinegar and ice give relief, neither available 5k out on the ocean)
Neoprene in tropical areas will promote staph colonization on the skin from the heat, so best to avoid that (ever wonder why you get most infections between the knee and the waist)
Women need a small “V” cut in the seat (starting from the “B” Hole and opening out at 45 degree angle backwards towards the sides of the seat, men with a protruding tail bone can also get relief this way. See picture below.
The notch is in the back of the seat
Guy’s one of these seat pads would sure take away the thought of seat pain. .. hahaaa
Thanks everyone for all of the advice. I thought I would have gotten hammered on this question. I think Ill try the bike shorts under my paddling shorts first cuz really dont wanna cut my seat. Im pretty sure it started on a day when I wore regular board shorts and hard a good hard run so well see.
Thanks again.
Aqua - If I cut my seat I guess I could just cut a small notch in the middle so as not to lose any of the support against my leg pressure?? Is that what you were describing?
True.Ill keep that in mind. Modifying my seat at this point would probly be my last resort. Im just really leary of cutting into a pice of foam I just paid $100 for!
Ok, then do the opposite. Buy a 1/2” thick piece of foam the size of your seat and cut it to fit into the hollowed out area. Also cut the two holes and the V notch in this piece of foam and try it next time out. This way you will know if it will work and you will be able to adjust the insert as you paddle to get the correct positioning.
Besides bike shorts, there are some 80% nylon/20% spandex shorts made by Oneill, Speedo, Quicksilver, and several others that are for beach/water sports. I have an Oneill and Nike brand that I sometimes use under my beach shorts when I go out on my OC-1. I may have to start using them again as I seem to be getting a little bit of chaffing as well from the mesh liner of my beach shorts.
Speaking of notches in seats, my Fusion seat has one at the center top of the back. It’s not that big of a cut, but I guess that’s just there to put some relief on the tailbone for some.
You could try one of those Hotseat pads for kayaks/surfskis to cut the notch and holes in that Rambo mentions.
I forgot about those Under Armour Briefs as I’ve got about two dozen of them for when I was in the Middle East. I haven’t worn them for a while as it’s been too sticky wearing them around here.
As for that Glide product, I use to use it when I’d go running for PT.
Vegemite works too and tastes better than Vaseline.
When we did the Murray Red X race, the last thing we applied each day before lining up for the start ,was a gumball sized application of Vaseline along the complete bum crack. For skin on skin vaseline is great, not so for fabric on skin.
“Aqua - If I cut my seat I guess I could just cut a small notch in the middle so as not to lose any of the support against my leg pressure?? Is that what you were describing?”
Yup……like the “V” of a heart. Take little bites, try it and take more if needed. Im with you though, try the lycra shorts first.
You guys take this chaffing stuff seriously for sure. Maybe I could start the first chapter of Chaffers Anonymous? “Hi, my name is jpi92109 and im chaffed”
In an attempt to avoid doing work today, I got on a mission to research popular anti-chafing products. I was on an equestrian website discussing saddle sore prevention when I came across reference to a product called…
Chamois Butt-r.
Hahahaha.
They even come in little packs like gel-packs. Imagine you are paddling along, blissful and free. You reach for your favorite chocolate accel-gel plus caffeine pack to get that little boost of energy to finish the race. Just as you rip off the top and deliver, you realize OOPS… THAT’S MY CHAMOIS BUTT-R! Aaaaaaaaahhh!
The Butt-r stuff looks pricey, actually. Personally I go for vaseline and an avoidance of seams.
I have the exact same problem with my zephyr. I only get it on longer paddles and it can be surprisingly painful. Never had this problem with an OC1 before. Maybe something about the way they shape the zephyr seat?
Any road riders here care to discuss chamois butter?
The good stuff is Assos Chamois creme. Very descriptive company name, Assos. Shit works great though for riding bikes but it’s not greasy or cheap like vaseline and it’s water soluble; vaseline gets the nod.
Assos clothing is the absolute best and way the absolute most expensive. Chamois creams were of more use when chamois was real chamois and not synthetic. I think a lot of us just used Noxema.
Ive been paddling this canoe for several months now and have really been trying to push through my heels more and more. I think it originated from wearing board shorts with a rough inside seam. Its already going away and doesnt really hurt anymore so Im more curious how to paddle with the chaffing as I think it was just being lazy and not using the right shorts that caused it on a long run.
333 Posts
You mean the chaffing on the belly? For that chaffing, I use a a rowing trou http://www.jlracing.com/tab.2.html under my board shorts, pull it up and fold it over the top edge of my board shorts. I rarely get chaffing. Ive tried the belly jelly but it doesnt work for me. One of the new guys on my team got it bad, then got staph infection and hasnt paddled for 3-4 weeks.
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 5:16am
704 Posts
jpi, it would help to know where exactly the chaffing is, how bad is it, how large of an area it covers, whats causing it, and does it itch?
No really let us know where and we can be of more help. Usually vasaline is the best.
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 7:51am
265 Posts
OK im gonna fall for this,
Its just above my backside. Its from the top of the seat on my zephyr pushing on a seam or something on my shorts and rubbing on me. Ive really been focusing on leg drive. In fact, I had to put more velcro under my seat because I was pushing the seat out the back of the canoe. Now this. Thanks for any advice.
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 9:18am
59 Posts
Kanu The Rock
“Glide”, made for runners, works great for chaffing.
Kanu The Rock
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 9:34am
704 Posts
Try neoprene paddling shorts. That stopped chaffing in all areas for me except my chode.
Maybe you could trim down the area on your seat thats digging in also.
Please kep the chaffing clean. it is easily infected.
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 10:35am
234 Posts
Neoprene paddling shorts. I have the ones from paddleme.com and they work great. I know Xcel makes some and I know theres other brands to that may be worth looking into.
“If you’re not certified you’re not qualified”
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 10:52am
9 Posts
For myself, I would shave down the sides of the Zephyr seat if it feels like it is rubbing. I like the double layered Birdwell shorts. They slide between layers and eliminate friction on the skin.
I tried the neoprene shorts and I find that they must fit snuggly or else it would rub against the skin and create rash as the material itself is rather rough. I also find neoprene to be hot.
The best is the double layered Birdwell shorts to prevent rash. It is cool and silky.
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 11:48am
1 Posts
now that you bring it up,
I had that same problem, I had it on the inside of my right cheek,
I thought it was from sand in my shorts or dirty water or something!
But I joking around with my buddie who i paddle with and he said he got that same thing, on the same day.
Can dirty water cause this issue?
Ben Greenbeck
xneb@hotmail.com
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 11:49am
44 Posts
I have a couple of pairs of xcel shorts (different styles) and they both worked great… at first. Now when I go out I expect chafing, which sucks. But I think I must be moving wrong in some way, pushing too much with my legs instead of using my core more, which then pushes my butt against the seat. Most of the time, this happens so much that I scoot the seat pad (secured with velcroed straps) halfway around the seat. Talking OC-6 here.
So while I work on technique (using core more, legs a little less), I guess I’ll start trying vaseline or glide or something… and maybe some Birdwells. Given the area that’s getting irritated, it’s kinda embarrassing as well as painful. :(
And I don’t know that dirty water will cause chafing, but it certainly won’t help. Like poopoo said, keep it clean!
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 3:54pm
333 Posts
Not exaclty sure, but if its what I think youre saying you could take the edge off the seat where its hitting your backside (if its the foam part) with some rough sand paper. Just dont take off so much that you lose all the meaty portion to brace against.
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 3:58pm
265 Posts
I really hate having to get specific but its just above the crack of my a—. The OC seats come up in the back like most so I dont know how I could modify the seat and still have something to push against??
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 7:20pm
808 Posts
The seams on board shorts cause bad cutting on the longer paddles in an Oc1. What i do to eliminate the problem is wear plain lycra bike shorts without the padding under the board shorts. You still look cool and ventilated and blue bottle stingers can’t bite you on the nuts if they get washed up your leg holes (yes that is painful and only vinegar and ice give relief, neither available 5k out on the ocean)
Neoprene in tropical areas will promote staph colonization on the skin from the heat, so best to avoid that (ever wonder why you get most infections between the knee and the waist)
Women need a small “V” cut in the seat (starting from the “B” Hole and opening out at 45 degree angle backwards towards the sides of the seat, men with a protruding tail bone can also get relief this way. See picture below.
The notch is in the back of the seat
Guy’s one of these seat pads would sure take away the thought of seat pain. .. hahaaa
Cheers Rambo
http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com
http://goprouser.freeforums.org - Gopro help
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 10:08pm
265 Posts
Thanks everyone for all of the advice. I thought I would have gotten hammered on this question. I think Ill try the bike shorts under my paddling shorts first cuz really dont wanna cut my seat. Im pretty sure it started on a day when I wore regular board shorts and hard a good hard run so well see.
Thanks again.
Aqua - If I cut my seat I guess I could just cut a small notch in the middle so as not to lose any of the support against my leg pressure?? Is that what you were describing?
Thanks
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 10:26pm
808 Posts
If you cut it out in one piece rather than sand it, you can always glue it back again. But you will want to shape it to match the seat if you keep it.
Cheers Rambo
http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com
http://goprouser.freeforums.org - Gopro help
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 10:50pm
265 Posts
True.Ill keep that in mind. Modifying my seat at this point would probly be my last resort. Im just really leary of cutting into a pice of foam I just paid $100 for!
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 10:50pm
808 Posts
Ok, then do the opposite. Buy a 1/2” thick piece of foam the size of your seat and cut it to fit into the hollowed out area. Also cut the two holes and the V notch in this piece of foam and try it next time out. This way you will know if it will work and you will be able to adjust the insert as you paddle to get the correct positioning.
Cheers Rambo
http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com
http://goprouser.freeforums.org - Gopro help
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 11:04pm
265 Posts
Thats why you have the blog site and I dont!! I think you know just about everything there is to know about paddling. Thanks Rambo for the advice.
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 11:31pm
79 Posts
Besides bike shorts, there are some 80% nylon/20% spandex shorts made by Oneill, Speedo, Quicksilver, and several others that are for beach/water sports. I have an Oneill and Nike brand that I sometimes use under my beach shorts when I go out on my OC-1. I may have to start using them again as I seem to be getting a little bit of chaffing as well from the mesh liner of my beach shorts.
Speaking of notches in seats, my Fusion seat has one at the center top of the back. It’s not that big of a cut, but I guess that’s just there to put some relief on the tailbone for some.
You could try one of those Hotseat pads for kayaks/surfskis to cut the notch and holes in that Rambo mentions.
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 12:15am
344 Posts
re chaffing “glide” the top o’de crack and then underarmor spandex under board shorts worked for me…kinda the same thing as said above.
Shawn Michael
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 1:05am
79 Posts
I forgot about those Under Armour Briefs as I’ve got about two dozen of them for when I was in the Middle East. I haven’t worn them for a while as it’s been too sticky wearing them around here.
As for that Glide product, I use to use it when I’d go running for PT.
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 1:53am
704 Posts
jpi, chaffing is no laughing nor joking matter. We take it very seriously here on OCP.
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 7:48am
808 Posts
Chaffing is a badge of honor, wear it with pride and show the Chicks. But keep it clean and disinfected..
Cheers Rambo
http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com
http://goprouser.freeforums.org - Gopro help
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 5:49pm
556 Posts
BodyGlide definitely works, but so does Vaseline at about 1% of the cost. I just slather on Vaseline.
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 5:52pm
808 Posts
Vegemite works too and tastes better than Vaseline.
When we did the Murray Red X race, the last thing we applied each day before lining up for the start ,was a gumball sized application of Vaseline along the complete bum crack. For skin on skin vaseline is great, not so for fabric on skin.
Cheers Rambo
http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com
http://goprouser.freeforums.org - Gopro help
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 6:06pm
438 Posts
Who is going to eat vegemite after it’s been used on your back ?
Be water, my friend.
http://tuaruavaa.blogspot.com/
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 8:01pm
333 Posts
“Aqua - If I cut my seat I guess I could just cut a small notch in the middle so as not to lose any of the support against my leg pressure?? Is that what you were describing?”
Yup……like the “V” of a heart. Take little bites, try it and take more if needed. Im with you though, try the lycra shorts first.
Sun, 08/24/2008 - 5:57am
265 Posts
You guys take this chaffing stuff seriously for sure. Maybe I could start the first chapter of Chaffers Anonymous? “Hi, my name is jpi92109 and im chaffed”
Sun, 08/24/2008 - 10:38pm
438 Posts
Hi jpi92109 !
Be water, my friend.
http://tuaruavaa.blogspot.com/
Tue, 08/26/2008 - 7:17am
9 Posts
In an attempt to avoid doing work today, I got on a mission to research popular anti-chafing products. I was on an equestrian website discussing saddle sore prevention when I came across reference to a product called…
Chamois Butt-r.
Hahahaha.
They even come in little packs like gel-packs. Imagine you are paddling along, blissful and free. You reach for your favorite chocolate accel-gel plus caffeine pack to get that little boost of energy to finish the race. Just as you rip off the top and deliver, you realize OOPS… THAT’S MY CHAMOIS BUTT-R! Aaaaaaaaahhh!
The Butt-r stuff looks pricey, actually. Personally I go for vaseline and an avoidance of seams.
Oh, sorry. Hi jpi92109!
Tue, 08/26/2008 - 11:01am
4 Posts
jpi92109,
I have the exact same problem with my zephyr. I only get it on longer paddles and it can be surprisingly painful. Never had this problem with an OC1 before. Maybe something about the way they shape the zephyr seat?
Wed, 08/27/2008 - 5:45am
556 Posts
Vaseline cures all.
Wed, 08/27/2008 - 11:11am
108 Posts
Any road riders here care to discuss chamois butter?
The good stuff is Assos Chamois creme. Very descriptive company name, Assos. Shit works great though for riding bikes but it’s not greasy or cheap like vaseline and it’s water soluble; vaseline gets the nod.
Wed, 08/27/2008 - 12:03pm
556 Posts
Assos clothing is the absolute best and way the absolute most expensive. Chamois creams were of more use when chamois was real chamois and not synthetic. I think a lot of us just used Noxema.
Wed, 08/27/2008 - 1:01pm
265 Posts
Ive been paddling this canoe for several months now and have really been trying to push through my heels more and more. I think it originated from wearing board shorts with a rough inside seam. Its already going away and doesnt really hurt anymore so Im more curious how to paddle with the chaffing as I think it was just being lazy and not using the right shorts that caused it on a long run.
Wed, 08/27/2008 - 2:14pm
704 Posts
I’m with Jibofo, vaseline cure ALL…
Thu, 08/28/2008 - 8:03am