Topic

Is there a consensus on a good hydropel replacement?

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
Nick Gatel BPL Member
PostedAug 22, 2013 at 6:52 am

What is the purpose of these chemicals? Blisters? Chaffing?

To prevent blisters on my feet I wear socks.

To prevent chaffing I cut the liner out of my hiking shorts. If wearing trousers in humid places I wear Ex Officio boxer briefs.

More thoughts on chaffing

Richard May BPL Member
PostedAug 22, 2013 at 7:35 am

The main reason for using hydropel on the feet was as a water barrier, particularly in wet weather. It prevented skin from becoming water logged and nipped problems like maceration and blisters at the bud.

Even with hydropel good foot care practices are important like socks, proper fitting shoes, well groomed nails, keeping calouses from getting too big, etc.

edited: Wanted to make this more feet specific. Nicks' points above, and in the article, about problems in the groin area are very good.

Stephen M BPL Member
PostedAug 22, 2013 at 9:03 am

another gurney goo user, luckily have only had to use it once so far.

PostedAug 22, 2013 at 1:08 pm

You might try Aveeno skin relief healing ointment. Its active ingredient is 54% petrolatum, the main inactive ingredient in Hydropel. It's almost as thick as Hydropel and works quite well, although it doesn't have dimethicone in it like Hydropel did. And by golly, it's dermatologist recommended!

Aveeno

Michael Ray BPL Member
PostedAug 22, 2013 at 7:34 pm

Body Glide Liquified Powder. Exact same ingredient percentages at Hydropel AFAIK.

PostedFeb 21, 2014 at 2:54 pm

Well more bad news. The Body Glide Liquified Powder has been updated and has removed the dimethicone. I had a chance to talk directly to the president of Body Glide. He said the old version had the blue label with the image of a foot and rain drops. That version of the "Liquified Powder" product had 5% dimethicone and 30% talc. The new version is just called Skin Glide although the words "Liquified Powder" do appear on the back of the tube. The on-line vendors have a mix of images of both the old and new versions but you will only get the new version. Stock of the old version appears to be completely gone. The only product I could find that still has dimethicone is the 3M Cavilon "Durable Barrier Cream." It has 1.3% dimethicone as the active ingredient. 3M's Cavilon website (noted somewhere in the BPL threads) has an interesting paper that discusses the percentage of dimethicone. For those that remember, our favorite Hydropel had 30% dimethicone. The 3M product has a version that comes in very convenient 2g individual packets (reference number 3353).

Bottom line is I don't know which product works as well as Hydropel but will be trying all of them shortly. Will post the results. My 16 year old son is a lower leg amputee. He wears a silicon gel sleeve as part of his prosthetic and has chronic issues with sweat and friction blisters. Should be an extreme test for all of these products. Hydropel worked. Will see how the others do as he gets ready for Philmont.

Ryan Smith BPL Member
PostedFeb 22, 2014 at 6:16 am

Here are a few moisture barrier creams I researched a while back. They all have 5% dimethicone which seems to be the going rate for everything except Hydropel which had 6x that amount. The other ingredients like aloe, zinc oxide, and petrolatum in these creams vary. Kind of forgot and never ordered any. If the "liquefied powder" was a good substitute these may also be.

-Coloplast Baza Protect Skin Protectant Cream
-Thera Dimethicone Body Shield Skin Protectant
-Remedy Dimethicone Skin Protectant
-Secura Dimethicone Skin Protectant

Ryan

PostedFeb 22, 2014 at 12:21 pm

I use Aveeno Daily Moisturizing lotion on my feet. It has dimethicone.

PostedFeb 22, 2014 at 1:10 pm

These saved my butt (well actually my inner thighs) last summer.

One of the packets lasted for an entire week long trip.

First ingredient on label is dimethicone. Very slippery. Feels like silnylon.

SPORTSHIELD

marvin k BPL Member
PostedJan 22, 2023 at 12:36 pm

I understand this is a 9 yo thread BUT …

1 – has anyone noticed that ‘lice removal oil’ is 100% dimethicone

2 – that lice removal oil is available on Amazon

3 – that if 30% is good, 100% might be better

It seems like one could use lice removal oil directly as a (possibly better) substitute for Hydropel.

Any thoughts?

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
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