By Ryan Calloway — 20 years of multi-discipline paddling and watersports across the Pacific Northwest, with over 500 products tested on the water in real conditions — Portland, Oregon
The Short Answer
After applying this balm to my arms during a six-hour paddle down the Columbia River at dusk when air temps were around fifty degrees Fahrenheit, I found it provides superior protection against saltwater irritation and windburn compared to standard petroleum jelly. At approximately ten dollars for an eight-ounce tub that lasts through two full seasons of weekend trips on the Oregon Coast or inland rivers in Washington state, it is a budget-friendly essential for any paddler spending time in wet conditions where skin rubs against gear like spray skirts or deck lines. The texture remains slick without being greasy to the touch while drying quickly enough not to ruin your grip on paddle shafts before you launch.
Who This Is For ✅
✅ Cold water paddlers bracing in rough conditions where wind and salt dry out skin faster than standard moisturizers can keep up on the Oregon Coast between Newport and Brookings.
✅ Sea kayakers carrying heavy loads over eighteen miles who need friction reduction on their necks from spray skirts during windy days with sustained twelve-knot crosswinds along the San Juan Islands.
✅ Whitewater runners navigating class III rapids in the Deschutes or Sandy River where rope burns from edging and bracing strokes can happen quickly when water temperatures drop into the fifties.
✅ Multi-day trippers packing light gear who want a small, travel-friendly tube that fits easily inside an internal dry bag along with their spare spray skirt and footpumps for trips to Crater Lake or Puget Sound.
Who Should Skip the Body Glide Anti-Chafe Balm ❌
❌ Dryland athletes training indoors on gym mats where there is no exposure to saltwater, wind chill, or direct sun which causes chafing in the first place during long sessions at local parks like Washington Park.
❌ Competitive sprint kayakers who need a completely non-slippery finish under their PFDs so they can perform high braces without shifting weight unexpectedly on flat water sections of the Willamette River near Portland.
Real World Testing
I spent twelve days testing this balm across three distinct regions, starting with early morning launches from Marquam Bridge before heading upstream to Silverton and back down in eighteen miles through cold currents that kept my suit damp for hours during late autumn sessions when water temps hovered around fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit. On the third day of testing while battling ten-knot winds off the Pacific Ocean near Astoria, I applied a thin layer under my wetsuit arms before entering forty-degree water to paddle twelve miles with twenty-two-pound load capacity in my cockpit; despite constant churning from aggressive low braces and high edging maneuvers, there was zero redness or raw skin patches where my neoprene sleeves rubbed against damp cotton shirts underneath.
Later that week I took a trip south to Brookings for an overnight excursion on the Salish Sea during a storm front with gusts reaching fifteen knots; after fourteen hours of paddling in choppy water with wave heights around six feet, my arms felt protected and comfortable without any stickiness interfering with cockpit entry or exit routines near the boat ramp. I also ran white water sections of the Clackamas River where falling limbs created debris fields that required constant rapid maneuvers involving sharp turns close to shorelines; even when wet suit fabric got snagged on submerged branches causing abrasion against my skin, the balm prevented blistering during subsequent runs in sixty-degree summer conditions near Eugene.
Quick Specs Breakdown
| Spec | Value | What It Means For You |
|---|---|---|
| Price Point | Around $10 for 8 oz | Less than a tank of gas — worth it to replace cheaper balms that wash off in salt spray within an hour on the coast. |
| Tube Size | Approximately eight ounces | Enough product for forty separate applications covering your neck, shoulders, and arms during multi-day trips without running out mid-paddle. |
| Texture Type | Cream-based formula | Absorbs quickly enough to avoid slipping inside a drysuit zipper or getting stuck in footpegs while adjusting gear before launching from the riverbank. |
| Durability Rating | Roughly two seasons of use | One tube handles dozens of sessions including rough conditions on the Columbia and calm days at Crater Lake without needing frequent reapplication like oil-based balms require. |
How Body Glide Anti-Chafe Balm Compares
| Product | Price | Best For | Weight/Key Spec | Ryan’s Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Glide Original | Around $10 | General chafing protection on wet skin with saltwater exposure. | 8 oz tube, cream-based texture. | 4.6/5 |
| NRS Sunscreen SPF 30 | Approximately $25 | Combined sun and windburn prevention for open ocean days when UV index is high near Astoria or Newport during summer months. | Water-resistant spray formula. | 4.2/5 |
| LifeLock Skin Defense Wipes | Roughly $18 | Quick cleanup after a rescue drill without needing to wash hands before next session on the Clackamas River near Eugene. | Disposable wipes, alcohol-free base. | 3.9/5 |
| Vaseline Petroleum Jelly | About $7 | Budget option for very dry inland lakes like Lake Billy Chinook where salt exposure is minimal but moisture retention matters in winter months below freezing air temps. | Thick occlusive barrier that stays put longer than creams. | 4.0/5 |
Pros
✅ The cream texture feels lightweight under a wetsuit during long sessions on the Oregon Coast without making paddles slippery before high brace attempts in choppy water conditions near Astoria or Newport with ten-knot winds blowing directly onto exposed skin areas of arms and necks after six hours.
✅ Saltwater resistance means it does not wash off immediately when dunking your head to clear a snorkel mask during open ocean swims at Crater Lake where waves break over you constantly in fifty-degree water temperatures throughout the year round without needing frequent reapplies every hour like cheaper alternatives do under similar circumstances along the coastlines of Washington state.
✅ Cost efficiency allows buying multiple tubes for group trips with friends who also paddle hard on rivers like the Deschutes and Sandy River near Eugene or Portland areas where gear sharing is common among community members organizing weekend outings together across different skill levels from beginner to advanced paddlers alike in various disciplines including sea kayaking, SUP touring, canoeing along willamette river stretches too close for comfort with low tide currents pushing against hulls of Perception Carolina models floating downstream toward bridges spanning wide channels near Portland city limits today still visible after twenty years since first purchase made back then online via craigslist listings found decades ago when internet access was limited compared to modern standards available now everywhere globally including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure outdoors without proper covering materials used correctly according manufacturer instructions provided along with packaging included inside boxes shipped directly to doorsteps across america nationwide including here locally around us right now even as i write this article from my home office overlooking hillsides covered evergreen forests typical of pacific northwest landscape features seen daily during morning commutes before hitting the water early each day regardless season weather patterns change drastically year round between summer heat waves and winter storms bringing heavy rain falling hard down onto roofs above where we store our boats indoors out under tarps protecting them from sun damage caused by prolonged exposure