Dry Goods Athletic Spray: Keep Your Goods Dry

Nora

Before reading this review, there's something you should know: despite running consistently for many years, I've never used any sort of athletic powder before now. I have no idea how this stuff is actually supposed to work. I mean, I know that it's supposed to prevent chafing and absorb moisture and all that jazz, but I have no idea how it stacks up against other products (my only experience with Gold Bond was finding it as a child in my parents' bathroom cabinet and mistaking it for baby powder). Just wanted to get that out of the way in case any of you guys are actually, you know, knowledgeable athletes (I'm more of the bumbling, haphazard sort).

In the past, my usual go-to products for preventing chafe have been deodorant or Vaseline, but sometimes you want to avoid that awkward moment in the gym locker room when a total stranger walks in and catches you rubbing Lady Speedstick over your sternum. I probably never would have tried Dry Goods AthleticSpray had it not been in my goodie bag at a recent race (I should probably confess this as well: I got this after racing in a 5K to benefit Teach For America. A 5.4 oz can of this stuff typically retails for about $14.00, but you can find it on Drugstore.com for $9.99).

I was apprehensive, but figured I'd give it a shot because, well, it was free. Anyway, the spray powder comes in an aerosol can. It's a nice, light spray with a powdery, dry finish. I was wary at first, since I have sensitive skin, but the menthol formula promises to cool skin, and as I was going out for a run on a 105 degree day, I figured a rash might be the lesser of two evils. Apart from oddly pleasant menthol tingles, my skin was fine. I was wearing shorts that usually irritate the hell out of my inner thighs, so I applied it liberally near there, as well as by the bottom band of my sports bra. The powder gave my skin a whitish tint, but in all honesty, I'm sort of translucent to begin with, so this didn't bother me.

To my delight, this stuff worked really well! It stayed on for the duration of my 5 mile run, though I did notice toward the end that there was more friction than I'd have liked. I have a feeling this had to do with the extreme heat and humidity on that particular day, though. The menthol tingles wear off pretty quickly, but you'll probably appreciate that. It's sort of weird to run with your boobs and thighs a-tingle. I've yet to use DryGoods on my feet, but in a crunch, my boyfriend used the spray to deodorize a particularly noxious pair of shoes.

In short, this is a great multipurpose athletic powder that eliminates the mess I assume comes from using traditional powders. I give it 6/8 tentacles.

Rating: 6/8 tentacles

You might also like: Chafing Relief.