We get asked to review a lot of things here at the Run Oregon blog, and only the things we like actually get posted. Three things I liked, which actually all deserve their own review (but let’s face it: I’d rather be running) are pictured here:
- TheraPearl Ankle/Wrist Wrap
- Zim’s Max Freeze (I had the “For Feet” version)
- Adventuress Sunscreen Swipes
I tested them all out on their own and then brought all three with me on the Twelve Bridges Relay, run just two weeks after a nasty ankle sprain and the tweaking of an old neck injury. Add my obsession with sunscreen to that mix and you can see why these things earned a spot in our team vehicle.
Here’s why I loved all three, and why I’d recommend you pick them up before your next relay. Or just to have for the next time you twist and ankle or strain your (fill in the blank)!
Adventuress Sunscreen Swipes
How may times during a relay do you put on sunscreen? Once in the morning? I’m willing to bet many runners don’t reapply as often as they need to.
The Adventuress Sunscreen Swipes are measured out for one person to apply the SPF 30 sunscreen on their face and neck, part of the body that gets a lot of sun. These are handy for relays and races because the way the package opens, you never have to goop sunscreen out into your hand. You just wipe the Swipes over your skin and use the soft application fabric to rub it in. No greasy hands!
Despite the feminine name and sort of girly packaging, our male relay teammates said it worked just fine on their skin and did a good job keeping them from getting burned.
Don’t forget the top of your ears and your scalp where your hair parts!
You can buy the Adventuress Sunscreen Swipes online here – a 24-pack is $24.00 – and then keep some in your running; and maybe a few in your desk and your car, so it’s quick and easy to put sunscreen on.
TheraPearl Wraps
I stink at icing. I have something called “Cold Urticaria” – when it’s cold and windy outside, or ice or cold water is applied directly to my skin, it takes just minutes before I break out in hives. So, when the doctor says “ice massage,” I think, “five minutes of frozen peas wrapped in a dishtowel.” I’ve had one “ice bath” that was pain for five minutes before I wimped out and gave up, to discover my entire lower body was red and swollen.
Also, icing can be messy. Drippy washcloths or a that bag of frozen peas getting a hole in it … yuck. It’s also an annoyance to try and do at work or while traveling.
Those are all reasons I really, really liked the TheraPearl wrap. It’s like frozen peas, a compression wrap, and a plain old ice pack/dishtowel combination, only it’s not messy, stays put (even while walking around, or in my case, playing in the sandbox), and provides cold therapy without the risk of freezer burn. (You can also heat it up in the microwave, but you’d be more likely to do that with the back wrap or neck wrap.) It might be hard to tell from the picture, but it’s got a wide elastic/velcro strap to keep it tightly in place exactly where you need it.
Keep it in the Relay Van cooler, too, and you’ve got a cold compress ready just in case someone on the team rolls and ankle or tweaks their wrist operating the stopwatch!
You can order the TheraPearl wrap online, or at these two Oregon stores:
Samaritan Pharmacy at 3615 NW Samaritan Drive #102 in Corvallis
Skin Deep & Beyond Day Spa at 18855 SW Martinazzi Ave in Tualatin
Online, the ankle/wrist wrap is $12.99. Visit the TheraPearl website for a complete list of wraps and prices.
Zim’s Max Freeze Spray
Nearly five years ago, I did “something” to my neck that sometimes comes back around to haunt me. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good, and I usually treat it with this heat wrap. But, it’s weird at work to microwave what’s essentially a two foot long red velvet pillow. And not very practical in a relay van!
So I figured I’d give this Max Freeze Spray from Zim’s a try. It’s available as Max Freeze Spray and Max Freeze Spray for Feet (there are also roll-on and gel versions). I don’t really have sore feet, but I tried it on my sore neck. And it WAS AWESOME. Since then, I’ve used it nearly every day at work. It’s not a cure for my sore neck, but it definitely makes it feel better.
I also like that it has less than 10 ingredients.
The Max Freeze Spray is sold online for $9.99 and also available at a lot of national retailers, including Rite-Aid and Walgreens, and at locally-owned Bi-Mart and Winco stores. Click here to check out Zim’s Max Freeze Spray online and see all the different pain relief products they offer. Matt also received a seperate Zim’s product and reviews it below:
Matt and Zim’s Crack Creme:
First, a description of this product:
Zim’s Crack Creme® was developed by a pharmacist in Austintown, OH. Local cement workers frequently visited the pharmacy, complaining of dry, cracked skin; the cement business took its toll on the workers’ hands and feet.
The pharmacist saw a need, and began developing an all-natural, herbal-based liquid formula designed to help the cement workers. This formula became what was called “Cement Workers’ Lotion.”
Cement Workers’ Lotion was sold locally after World War II, and it earned a strong and loyal following. After many years, the product was renamed Zim’s Crack Creme® and introduced on a national level.
I have nasty feet – there’s no way around it. Even putting in 100 miles+/month, I still own all my own toenails and have minimal blisters due to MANY years of callousing build-up due to baseball. However, my feet are dried and cracked. My wife HATES my feet, but I didn’t think they were that bad until I actually looked at them when I received the creme.
I decided to give myself a couple of weeks to try this out consistently. The tube says to apply liberally multiple times per day, but I only ended up using it each night.
Pros:
- I was expecting it to stink – literally. The smell was underwhelming, which is a very positive thing in my book. I don’t want my feet stinking any more than they probably already do.
- I was also expecting the creme to be very greasy. It did not leave me feeling like I had to take a shower directly afterwards. It actually dried up a lot quicker than I thought it would.
- I think it actually worked! A few weeks of steady use, and a side-by-side comparison of foot pictures, showed that my feet were less nasty than before. That’s not to say that they were baby-bottom smooth, but some headway appeared to have been made.
Cons:
- When applied “liberally”, I continually felt that I always had excess. If I didn’t limit the amount I used, I ended needing to dirty up a towel wiping excess off.
- This is not necessarily a “con”, but I found myself having/wanting to wear socks after applying. Even though it ended up drying pretty fast, I just didn’t feel like I wanted to walk around directly afterwards, nor did I want to have my blankets in contact with moist feet if I used it directly before bed. However, this would be the case for ANY foot creme, not just Zim’s.
Overall, this is a good product that appears to be able to make some headway (or is it footway?) if you feet have reached the necessary point. It retails for $8.99 on their website, but it is able to picked up in most drugstores.
