Gear Review: 2Toms butt shield

In the run up to my tilt at the Rocky Raccoon 100, www.ULTRAMarathonRunningStore.com provided me with some 2Toms butt shield to test out.  Having experienced some rather uncomfortable backside abrasions at Endure 24, I was quite happy to try something new.

The first goal, with any skin product, is to ensure it doesn't cause any adverse reaction.  So, on one of my route check runs for the Naunton Nearly 19, I duly applied the butt shield to areas sensitive to both chafing and potential chemical irritation.  Several hours of running later, the skin was happy, so my remaining test wipes went into the case for Rocky.

Application

It really is quite simple.  Open foil packet, extract the somewhat slippery wipe, and rub wherever you want to avoid chafing.  A roll-on version is available, but I'm not sure I want to keep using a roll-on where I want to apply the product.  A single-use wipe seems much easier and more hygienic, really. It also fits nicely in the small bag of toilet paper I carry on longer runs, so it's always there if I need it.  A single wipe provides plenty of product, so should be sufficient for a single application.  An unexpected positive about the butt shield is that it doesn't seem to soak into my shorts.  Petroleum jelly products often seem to end up soaking into the fabric, giving a bit of stickiness after application.  I had no such problems with the butt shield.

Durability

I enjoyed 12 hours without re-applying the butt shield, during which time I poured a fair amount of water over my head and down my back (usually certain to result in undercarriage chaffing).  Ideally, I think a second application at ~10 hours would have been wise.  I held out a bit longer as I was expecting to receive a call of nature, and figured it best to reapply subsequently.  As it turned out, I didn't race long enough to need the reapplication.

Test Result

Thankfully, I'm not going to post a picture...  After 12 hours, with a liberal amount of sweat and added water, I had a very small amount of minor chaffing.  Nothing to cause me to wince in a hot shower, but enough to let me know that I'd have been better off using another wipe at around 10 hours.  With a result like that, I'm happy to keep using the butt shield for my long runs.