Squirt Barrier Balm – skin protection for extreme conditions

Squirt doesn’t only make wax-based chain lubes — they also have a very interesting lineup of anti-chafe creams. Their oldest product, Barrier Balm, has a unique formula, which is why I took it to 2000 Miles Adventure.

🧴 Consistency

Barrier Balm has an extremely thick consistency — and that’s both its advantage and its drawback. If you apply it to a spot, you can be pretty sure sweat and water won’t wash it off quickly. Unfortunately, that also means it’s hard to wash off your fingers; it’s better to wipe it off with a cloth. It’s also harder to wash out of bib shorts — especially on multi-day events where you can’t really do proper laundry.

In cold conditions it hardens so much that I often struggle to spread it at all. Body heat helps, but it’s still not great. This is probably the biggest downside of this cream, because I usually apply it “for prevention” early in the morning, when it’s coldest.

Of course, you can use it anywhere chafing is likely. I used it a lot on my feet, where it worked extremely well.

🔍 Ingredients

I carefully copied the ingredient list:

Lanolin, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Aqua, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, PVP, Melaleuca, Tea Tree Leaf Oil, Limonene

The cream is largely lanolin-based. In general, it protects the skin and has an antibacterial effect. It’s best suited mainly as chafe prevention. After a ride I’d recommend a cream with zinc oxide, which helps the skin recover.

🚴 Experience

I see Squirt Barrier Balm as heavy-duty protection for extreme conditions. For everyday use it’s too thick for me, so I’d take it mainly for longer events or very rainy weather.

It’s one of the more expensive options, so I’d buy the 100 ml tub and then transfer it for bikepacking into small containers you can get on AliExpress, for example. They also sell 5 g single-use packs, which can be useful as an emergency “last resort.” I don’t normally carry chamois cream on regular rides, and this can be quick help if chafing happens and I need relief.

Get Balm on Amazon