Elite Ozone Endurance Protect Cream

Elite Ozone Endurance Protect Cream is a chamois cream which does its job well, although you'd hope so, sitting as it does at the top end of the price scale. The thick consistency and added menthol help bolster the cream's status as a premium product. If your derrire deserves only the best, Ozone is probably it.

Chamois cream is one of those secrets of the cycling trade that you picks up as an essential over time from the more seasoned cyclist, once you're on good enough terms to discuss the hygiene of their neither regions. After being spoilt by the lubricating, refreshing and antibacterial chamois-skin interface, a dry pad feels wrong. But then comes the issue of frugality.

As a student cyclist, I am always looking for methods of thrift and so have tried many commercial and even homemade chamois creams in pursuit of best value (value of course not just meaning the cheapest). Like washing up liquid, cheap can often mean thin, requiring heavier and messier applications. Some come as a resin which melts to body temperature but again, I have found this to be hard to apply without covering more than my buttocks (direct or indirect application, a whole different field of study!) The homemade options are cheap but just not quite a good as the real stuff and so I come to my review of Ozone's offering.

Immediately upon opening I got a waft of peppermint, something I have only found in my previous benchmark cream: Assos. It gives a nice tingle upon application which makes everything feel a lot fresher down there. Other extracts include arnica as an anti-imflammatory and calendula oil for soothing, I can't say I noticed either - and maybe that's the point plus it is nice to know. Secondly I was struck by the consistency; good and thick so only a thumb sized amount is required. I did in fact notice residue on my pad after washing which could present a problem, I haven't noticed it since so perhaps I used too much first time or the washing machine was on an off. The thick consistency works well in providing ride long protection, one application lasted an 8hr mtb race, with no sores the day after.

The only other downside for me - and it is slightly nit picky - was the method used to seal the tub, a pressed in, sort of upside down cap. Getting my nail around the flange to pry it open I could see it coming before it happened, the cap popped off and landed on the floor, wasting precious cream. I threw it way after and made do with just the screw top so it could only steal my cream once.

Verdict

Overall I was impressed with Endurance Protect Cream; so much in fact that it has taken the place of Assos as my king of chamois creams. If you're looking for a chamois cream to sell the concept to you, go for Ozone. If you want the best, go for Ozone. It you just want a basic chamois cream or you are happy enough with your current one, Ozone is probably not worth the extra.