Honeybutt Chamois Creme: Quick Review – by Guitar Ted
The subject of chamois creme is rarely talked about in casual conversation, with some exceptions, of course. Despite this reticence to broach the subject for many cyclists, it is something that can be a very important component toward the goal of more comfortable and more healthy cycling. That’s why I took on this review of Honeybutt Chamois Creme. Especially after reading about this product on their website.
Of course, I don’t need to convince anyone of the benefits of chamois creme that has suffered the pain of saddle sores or chafing. You already get the benefits to a product like this. However; Honeybutt Chamois Creme has a unique ingredient that makes it different from many chamois cremes. It has Manuka honey in it. I’ll defer to the Honeybutt website here for more on this unique use of a rare honey:
“The inspiration for Honeybutt Chamois Cream came during one of his (The company founder) many therapeutic rides on a nearby nature trail. After a couple prior episodes of chafing, saddle sores and jock itch it eventually dawned on him Manuka honey’s antimicrobial and wound healing properties could be beneficial to cyclists. He often dispensed medical-grade Manuka honey to nursing home residents for bedsores and pressure ulcers. After experimenting with several cream concoctions and getting feedback from other cyclists and endurance athletes, he eventually found the ideal formulation. Honeybutt Chamois Cream combines the wound healing anti-infective properties of Manuka honey with a variety of natural ingredients that provide long-lasting lubrication. The result is the ultimate chamois cream formulated for long-lasting anti-chafing protection and healing.“
Impressions and Ride Performance: It was this healing property that I found most intriguing. Could this actually be the ‘ultimate chamois creme’? I requested a sample and set out to find the answer. To do the test, I rode both with and without Honeybutt Chamois Creme applied throughout the hot, humid Summer here in the Mid-West. Commutes for me often are done in casual clothing. This can result is some chafing and sores on the skin if I decide to ‘go long’. My enthusiasm for seeing what is around the next corner sometimes gets the best of me! Well, that ended up being perfect for testing the claims of Honeybutt Chamois Creme.
The longer rides I did over the Summer were all done with the Honeybutt Chamois Creme applied and culminated with my attempt at the 150 mile course for Gravel Worlds. Rides varied in length from a couple of hours up to that Gravel Worlds attempt which ended up being 12 hours long. The Honeybutt Chamois creme was only applied at the beginning of all of these rides.
My impressions, based upon the use of several chamois cremes over the years, is that Honeybutt is a bit thicker in consistency from the tube. You would never know it had honey in it if the company didn’t tell you, so there is no hint of sticky-gooey-ness at all here. It just feels and spreads on like a good creme you might use for treating a babies diaper rash, for instance. It doesn’t have any detectable odor, and on the skin, it initially feels cool, but after your body temperature warms the creme up, you’d never know it was there. Wiping off the excess creme from your skin is super easy and it doesn’t leave a greasy feel or residue that I could detect on the hands. So, no- this is not a “Euro” style creme. It doesn’t leave you tingly or ‘cooler’ feeling, as those types of chamois creme have the effect of doing.
I found that if I had sores beginning from commutes in ‘civilian’ clothes, that the Honeybutt Chamois Creme did seem to have a positive effect on the problem and healing seemed to occur quickly for me. Now these were not all-out saddle sores. I never let things get that far, but I was impressed with the speed of healing nonetheless. The longer rides were absolutely transparent with no chafing or soreness related to that at all. Even the long, hot, sweaty Gravel Worlds attempt left me with zero issues with chafing and I never felt the need for reapplication throughout the entire 12 hours I was riding.
At The Finish: The Honeybutt Chamois Creme has won me over with its transparent feel during use where I don’t feel as if I need to reapply or feel it working at all, really. And that probably is the biggest compliment I can give to this product. However; there does seem to be a positive effect on sores with the Manuka Honey which Honeybutt Chamois Creme takes its name from.
I’ve used another chamois creme with claims of having healing properties, and it was as long-lasting in the saddle as Honeybutt but I feel no better than Honeybutt is at encouraging the healing process. So, I feel as though this product from Honeybutt deserves to be considered strongly if you seem to have issues with saddle sores or chafing issues. I liked that Honeybutt doesn’t have a strong odor and it leaves you feeling as though you don’t have anything down in the nether regions stimulating your skin. Maybe you are different in that regard and like the more “Euro” styled chamois cremes? Then Honeybutt definitely is not for you. It has a very nuetral feel and one that I prefer myself.
I also appreciated the quick and easy hand clean-up after applying Honeybutt. there is nothing more frustrating than having to wash off a greasy film off your hands after applying a chamois creme. (Most likely because I’m in a hurry to get to the beginning of a ride when I use chamois creme!)
So, another chamois creme to put on the top shelf here at Riding Gravel. This is a product I’ll gladly use in the future. You can get the made in the U.S.A. Honeybutt Chamois Creme in the 8 ounce tube for $15.99 USD here.
Note: Honeybutt Chamois Creme sent over their product for test and review to Riding Gravel at no charge. We were not paid, nor bribed, for this review and we always strive to give our honest thoughts and views throughout.
Note: Studio shots courtesy of Honeybutt Chamois Creme.
I’d love to see a scientific comparison of cycling-specific chamois cream products versus Bag Balm, which is much cheaper and much more widely available.
I’ve personally used Bag Balm for a couple years and eventually moved away from it. I didn’t to much care for the smell, it doesn’t wash out well/fully and oil based products deteriorate the chamois pad faster.
@Andrew – Bag Balm is a well known and used substitute for chamois creme. I’ve used it, my former co-worker and now Ergon USA man, Jeff Kerkove also used it extensively. So, while it is true that this answer is not what you claim that you want- a ‘scientific’ comparison – it is definitely a good data point.
As “Jeffrey Rue” says in his comments, there are issues with Bag Balm that other chamois cremes do not seem to have. Specifically, I want to point out the chamois breakdown issues. Bag Balm tends to soak right through chamois. Jeff Kerkove and I both experienced this problem. So, depending on your saddle, it can even affect the saddle cover negatively. The Bag Balm product doesn’t stay next to the skin as well as something like the Honeybutt product, (or many other chamois cremes, for that matter) and that more than anything was why both of us quit using Bag Balm, But I will agree with Jeffrey here on his points also.
“Cheaper” is relative. While you may save on chamois creme’s more expensive prices by using Bag Balm, you get some other issues along with it. If, let’s say, you end up destroying a nice $150.00 (or more) pair of bibs because Bag Balm won’t wash out completely and it has broken down your chamois to the point of uselessness, that doesn’t seem worth the trade-off of Bag Balm’s lesser expense for their product.
But maybe if you are a cyclist and an auto tire technician, you could justify it, since Bag Balm makes a great tire mounting lubricant. So there is that possibility….. Anyway.
I’ll pass on the Bag Balm. Been there, done that. (Including the tire technician part)
Interesting. I haven’t noticed any chamois pad issues. Other parts of the bibs tend to wear out before the pads have issues.
Let me put it slightly differently- I strongly, strongly suspect that there are other products out there with identical properties as this and other chamois creams, but not marketed at cyclists, and without the “cyclist markup”.
Diaper cream. This looks exactly like a diaper cream I bought once in Europe when I forgot to bring something else for chamois cream.
@Andrew – Well, I’ve been down the diaper creme road as well. Not going back there either…..
If “cheaper than” is what is most important to you, (and it would seem so based upon your comments), then I am certain there are several ‘alternative’ products you might find satisfactory. As for myself, I would rather not spend my time searching out such alternatives when proven products exist and allow me to ride without expending the energy to find something without the “cyclist markup” that may- or may not – be worthy.
I just think we collectively get taken for a ride on “cycling-specific” products. Cycling stroopwafels are 3x as expensive as identical, non-cycling, Dutch stroopwafels. I could go on.
@Andrew – I understand your position. Thanks.