a box works pretty well and they are cheap and you can find them pretty light too

I know, I know. It's weird, but it works. Another alternative: Woodiees (too lazy to look up the URL).

Stargazer

Hydropel works well for me. I am prone to heat rashes, and just a little bit goes a long way for me.

Inner thigh chaffing used to be a constant concern of mine whenever I went running or hiking. Under Armour boxer jocks have all but eleminated it from being possible. They come with 3, 6, and 9-inch inseams. Even the 6 inch inseams will ride up and not provide adequate coverage--I have to use the 9s. If chaffing does develop, the diaper rash cream Desitin stops it in it's tracks.

Inner thigh chafing for heavy hikers isn't something a little bit of soap or powder is going to cure. The people that recommend that need to gain 60 pounds and see if they still give the same recommendation. The best cure for chafing is losing weight, but long (>6") boxer briefs is a close second. At a certain level, those briefs won't cure all chafing and it helps to combine it with a healthy dab of lubricant like Bag Balm.

*Actually, 6" inseam works, but rides up so quickly that they must be pulled down every 20 steps or so.

the boxer brief is my preference. i've tried the under armor 9 inch inseam and they work very well in preventing chaffing, but will smell quite badly after a day or 2. the 9inch inseam also makes it a little hotter than necessary. 6 inch probably is better

icebreaker boxer brief works ok, but the inseam is a little short.

My go to has become the ibex balance boxer. the benefits of wool in terms of smell, and very comfortable and a little more snug than the icebreaker boxer brief. order a size up. i'm a medium in everything and the large is perfect. mediums were way too small.

Best is to lose weight (down 70 pounds this year so trust me). That said, your best option is compression unpadded bike shorts. Just be sure to get unpadded ones. With these chafing should be pretty much eliminated. Talc powder around the junk if you're in a moist area. And desitin as treatment.

Something like this - http://www.aerotechdesigns.com/recumbent.htm#mensunpadded

Just a random google result. Pretty much any Lycra/spandex one will work. The better ones have seams on the outside and compression bands at the bottom to prevent ride up. They also sell these as compression pants for football, etc but again you want unpadded ones.

Edited by Bigbluehi on 11/11/2011 03:47:11 MST.

" I ended up cutting the liner out of shorts and wearing them with boxer briefs. Now that was true heaven!"

I do this all the time. I gave up trying to find good light hiking shorts w/o a mesh liner, so now I just buy the ones I like, and take my wife's sewing scissors to the liners when I get home.

The Icebreaker merino wool boxer briefs are fantastic. I wear them all the time on the trail and when traveling. Comfortable, easy to take care of, and zero odor.

The Starter 9" inseam boxer briefs from Walmart have not worked well for me. They do not separate the thighs like the UA O series briefs do unless I try to pull them up over my belly.

I ended up going with the UA boxer/brief and they did amazing. 9 days of humid, rainy conditions and zero chaffing. Every morning and evening I did a liberal dose of gold bond as well.

Target sells some C9 polyester, available in gray or black. My favorite....ever. so I've stocked up in case they stop making them. Always seems to happen to me!

Under $9, too.

Yeah, I might pick up a pair of C9 long briefs to try out tomorrow. Unfortunately I tried out the Starter briefs on the PCT, so I spent a whole day pulling them up to make them work properly.

Bass Pro Shops sells a line of clothing called Endurskin. They have a silver ion coating that prevents bacteria growth. I have worn these garments, LS top, pants, SS top and shorts for years. Even after a week of daily wear in south Florida swamps, they have no bad odor. I buy the shorts/pants to fit tight like compression shorts to prevent chaffing. They are very light weight and silky. I have also found them to last a long time. They aren't much more expensive than the Starter stuff at WalMart, but they don't smell like rotten cream cheese at the end of the day either...gag...

BTW, the waistband stays comfy under a hipbelt.

Glide works pretty well and is cheap.Very good for persistent rub areas like straps. Tincture of Benzoin is very good for toughening up your feet when you don't have long term callous tissue built up. Long history of athletic use. Sort of like a piney shellac. Another option are Silver nano solutions and balms. Incredible healing on burns and other oddball lesions. Learned it from Medics who used it in Vietnam.