Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[MaxKolbe]

I've started doing some long walks in advance on my start at SJPdP in early September. About half way through a 15 mile walk (after stopping for lunch) I began to feel the effects of serious chaffing on my (upper) inner thighs. Very uncomfortable! The walk was in quite hot (for the UK) weather. I've done a good number of walks in the past and never had a problem with chaffing. I now think my underwear choice (cotton briefs!) was not the best!!

But what's the real solution?

a) Stick with regular briefs and always have vasaline handy?
b) Boxer shorts?
c) Spend £12-£18 each on a few pairs of Lowe Alpine Dryflow stretchy briefs (I've read a couple of reviews that say these didn't do the job!)

I don't want to fork out loads of money and find the problem should really have been solved with a tub of vasaline. On the otherhand this is clearly an important area (haha) and I want to get this right - may be a more important factor in a successful Camino than socks!!!

I'd be very grateful for everyone's advise on this one.

Beun Camino.

[sillydoll]

Hi Max, one of the girls who walked with me to Rome suffers from thigh chaffing. She wears lycra cycle shorts under her hiking shorts and never has a problem. Perhaps this would help you too?

[amancio]

all your ideas are right, but let me give you a couple of suggestions.

You can find reasonably cheap seamless lycry boxer shorts in places like Carrefour, for about 5 euro or so, it is worth it to buy 3, they are light, easy to clean, and dry in minutes virtually.

As to vaseline, there is a better option, namely any of the creams for sore baby bottoms, it is better than vaseline. Sudocrem is not a particularly good one, try Mustela, for example.

I have that same problem, and it can certainly stop you, it can be real serious.

Buen Camino!

[sagalouts]

having tryed a few products, have to agree with previous post (must try the lycra).
what works for me are briefs ment for fishermen 100% polyester marketed as tf gear on e-bay
the downside is they are black with a red logo "tackle with attitude" accross the front,still works for me and they are cheap.
i also have a problem with socks and find anything with a high % of polypropylene does the trick for me-i found a cheap source of these trekking socks in liddle's.
good luck ( if all else fails, learn to walk bowlegged )

[Martin0642]

Two solutions here i reckon....

1. Get proper trekking pants ie: North Face, berghaus, Craghoppers etc - loose cut and designed to avoid that very problem. THey also dry very quickly. My north face trekkers are amazing - wind doesnt seem to get through much, they dry in minutes, and they feel great! Sprayaway do a good budget option.

2. GET PROPER BASE LAYERS! Seriously - there is NO place for cotton on a trek like the camino. It holds a lot of water and becomes rough on your skin after a while.

Your alternatives are: Helly Hansen LIFA base layers, Icebreaker merino wool (truly fantastic - stay dry, warm in the cold - cool in heat, dry quickly and best of all dont end up smelling!) or..if you're in the UK, or anywhere where there is a NEXT store - they do a men's range of boxer briefs called "ultra active" - used them last year on teh camino and they were great.

You could also look at Nike and Adidas performnace base layers they do a reasonable range now. But always...a decent merino wool or polyester type fabrics.

[Dael]

Wear a kilt.
No underwear required plus you will meet lots of people. Everybody wants to speak to the man with the Kilt.
Dael

[MaxKolbe]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I went for the TF Gear that Sagalouts recommended above. Got them on Ebay - 3 pack for £9.99. For a reason I have yet to fathom they each come in there own individual little bag with draw-string. They'll have to go anyway if I'm to make that 10% weight limit.

I'm pleased to report that on 2 recent, rigourous field trials in very hot weather along the Thames Path they performed very well.

[Martin0642]

Excellent! Glad you got it sorted Max. Just wanted to add though..."the 10% weight limit" makes it sound a bit like doctrine. I assure you it's not - it's a comfortable ideal to aim for but going over that is not a huge issue. I'll start this year over that, purely because of some of the consumable supplies i'll have like nuts and raisins (yes I know you can get them in spain but I want trail food i know easily avaialable at any time ) Isostar Powertabs (GREAT for rehydrating) and Coffee + whitener sachets (perfect for 6am starts). All of this will obviously get used so i'll finish lighter than i started..in several ways i'm sure!

Just a thought anyway...10% is not written in stone.

[MaxKolbe]

Thanks Martin.

Yeah - I'm not overly concerned about weight - I will bring the bare minimum but I'm not going to go to ridiculous extremes. My 35l bag looks smaller and smaller everytime I go near it!

[Martin0642]

Mine too! And mine's a 50 litre! TO be fair its a freeflow so it packs weird (banana shaped) I oculd probably...possibly..get my stuff in a 35l. Hmmm...then again I really do need that...

I need some restraint i really do