Bag Balm?

I use bag balm after nights on the hangboard/campus board or a long day on rough rock. It seems to work pretty well, only you can't really touch anything for a while after putting it on unless you want greasy waxy balm all over it.

I use Shea Butter or Climb On when I can afford it. I try to avoid smearing petroleum byproducts on my body if I can.

From the Wikipedia page: "The active ingredients of Bag Balm are 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate 0.3% (antiseptic) in a petroleum jelly USP and lanolin base."

Do what you want though. It should work for your purposes and it's cheap.

I've been using Bonnies Balm for about 5-6 years. Keeps my fingers in good shape even when climbing 2 or 3 weeks at a time. Used to be called Climbers Balm but my last order was labeled Healing Balm. I by direct from "Bonnie" in Glenwood Springs, CO. There's a website and on Facebook. More pricy than Bag Balm but really works.

I use my wife's homemade hand care product. All natural, and works great! She made some extra if you want to try it. PM me for details.

I wouldn't be too worried about the petroleum products question: this stuff was made to smear on cows' udders (hence the name), so it's quite benign.

It is designed to heal all sorts of scrapes, dings and other injuries to an udder. No reason it shouldn't work on climber boo-boos. Apply sparingly, though: it does have the consistency of axle grease. Too, more is not necessarily better in this case.

Folks in the Northeast have been using it for bloody ever. I've had great luck with it, especially for cyclists' butt rashes. Go for it. Cheap, effective and safe.

Great stuff ... Used in the Grand Canyon for a 21 day private river trip. Those who did not use it suffered from split finger tips from the water / sand. I quit for a couple of days on the last week and then suffered the split skin issue. Started using it and no more appeared however my skin splits remained until after the trip but didn't become worse. I have tried using it at home and it is just too messy. Cannot touch anything after using it for quite some time.

It's utterly useful, and cheap.

Hmm only problem I see is that I would use it at home all the time and don't want it all over everything!

Bag Balm is the best hand repair/maintenance I've ever used. Like others have said, it will leave your hands balmy for a little bit after use. My wife and I also used it on a 21 day Grand Canyon trip and our hands were in better shape than anyone else's. I had one split tip early in the trip and it healed up with liberal Bag Balm use. We were the only people on the trip who had any splits or cracks heal up during the trip.

Is it true that Bag Balm smells like ass?

I've used it for years, most often when on road trips. It's not just for your hands, though! Feet abused by too tight shoes. Bag balm. Arms wasted in those OW's? BB. Scrapes and cuts, and yes, those gobies? Good ole B.B.
I usually apply at bedtime, but on those hard days, those '20 pitches and torn days', it's time for Bag Balm. Apply, let sit a few minutes, and if you have to touch anything, wipe off.
And yeah, petroleum. My absolute non-scientific thought, you probably inhale more petroleum byproducts (smog) than you will get from this stuff.
And the guy who invented Vaseline claims to have eaten a spoonful a day. Or so the story goes.

Joel Allen wrote:Is it true that Bag Balm smells like ass?

Sweet! I've just heard comments that it doesn't smell good. True?

I've got it, it doesn't smell like ass. I use it occasionally, but I don't typically have hand problems. It's good stuff, and cheap.

Used bag balm every night on my hands and feet when guiding river trips in the desert. No issues with the smell for me but it sure is greasy. I have a pack and sleeping bag that are fully saturated with the utter goo, but no cracked and bloody feet. Although not exactly cheap, this stuff is fantastic. supersalve.com/

NickO wrote:Used bag balm every night on my hands and feet when guiding river trips in the desert. No issues with the smell for me but it sure is greasy. I have a pack and sleeping bag that are fully saturated with the utter goo, but no cracked and bloody feet. Although not exactly cheap, this stuff is fantastic. supersalve.com/