Nettles! Any barrier to them

x-isle
x-isle Posts: 794
edited October 2007 in Health, fitness & training
With all the rain and sun we've had lately, the local foliage is going crazy.

After some great single track last night, I've got itchy legs from all the nettles that I got tagged by.

Is there anything (apart from clothing!) that you can put on your skin as a barrier to avoid the nettles stinging?
Craig Rogers

Comments

  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    You could try Vaseline - not that I've tried.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • AndyGates
    AndyGates Posts: 8,467
    Strimmers taped to each ankle?

    Actually, luxurious body hair works moderately well.
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  • mr_hippo
    mr_hippo Posts: 1,051
    Mother Nature is wonderful! The antidote grows nearby nettle patches - the dock leaf - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumex_obtusifolius
  • x-isle
    x-isle Posts: 794
    Great stuff, I'll remember to look out for over grow dock leaves and ride through them after riding through nettles! :lol:
    Craig Rogers
  • impished
    impished Posts: 1,092
    Sounds crazy, but after years of pain and itching, I've found that I no longer feel the nettles!!! :P :lol:
    That's all you need... :wink: Time & sufferance :roll: :oops:

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  • WillGTJumper
    WillGTJumper Posts: 505
    Dont be such a woman!!! :D
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  • terra
    terra Posts: 32
    I used to take anti-histamine tablets for hay fever (Trilludan), a welcome side effect was nettles didn't sting. Unfortuately since I switched to nasal spray nettles hurt again.
  • Panhandling Prince
    Panhandling Prince Posts: 118
    Makes you remember you are alive.

    Test your skills... dodge them!!
    The Prince

    'RIDE HARD, RIDE HARDTAIL'
  • jayson
    jayson Posts: 4,606
    As impished said above^^^^^^^^^^ i hardly even notice it anymore, u keep on pedalling and soon forget all about it.
    Remedy

    Merida

    Austria 2012
  • baccaman21
    baccaman21 Posts: 523
    tis true, I think one becomes immune after a while...
    get on your bikes and ride!
  • clarkson
    clarkson Posts: 1,641
    a quick tip, nettle sting is alkaline or acid or something. putting sweat on it is the opposite, so neutralises it.

    when you get stung just rub a sweaty item of cl;othing on it. a glove or part of the inside of your helmet. thats what i do and takes the stnging away.
    I said hit the brakes not the tree!!

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  • x-isle
    x-isle Posts: 794
    clarkson wrote:
    or part of the inside of your helmet. thats what i do and takes the stnging away.

    :shock:
    Craig Rogers
  • clarkson
    clarkson Posts: 1,641
    ^^tut tut. think9ng like that. :lol:
    I said hit the brakes not the tree!!

    2006 Specialized Enduro Expert
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/3192886/

    2008 Custom Merlin Malt 4
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2962222/

    2008 GT Avalanche Expert
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  • Noodoo
    Noodoo Posts: 214
    Yeah, i've found that Dock leaves work really well...
    Using them has the added bonus of looking like Bear Grylls whilst out on the trail...
    Saracen Mantra with Marzocchi MX Pro ETA\'s, 24-7 Silverstar pedals... and a map holder.
  • Will Snow
    Will Snow Posts: 1,154
    dock leaves??? cant be arsed to spend half an hour rummaging in nettles just to find one of the lil things... ride through the PAIN!!!
    i ride a hardtail
  • h i r 0
    h i r 0 Posts: 76
    As I found last night cycling through the pain is fine at the time.. in fact I felt it quite invigorating to be tingling all down my right hand side after a quick unintentional roll in the nettles. What was a pain, once I stopped, was the nagging. tingling itch all night long and continuing into this morning.

    Any good home (ie cupboard) remedies for nettle stings (wasn't going dock leaf hunting at 10pm although in retrospect I wish I had.)
  • DAZLIN6
    DAZLIN6 Posts: 11
    Yeah dock leaves are the best give you imediate and lasting relief and they always grow next to the nettles.
  • BoredHousewife
    BoredHousewife Posts: 416
    just wear jeans
  • brasso
    brasso Posts: 203
    I carry Anthisan Plus which I find give some relief. Its a really small spray so it fits in the first aid kit I carry in my camelback.

    vinegar is also supposed to work but I've not tried it.

    I'm not a medical person so if you follow this advice its at your own risk.
    '08 Stumpjumper FSR Pro
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    When we wake up in the morning, we have two simple choices. Go back to sleep and dream, or RIDE.

    The choice is yours...
  • fireheed
    fireheed Posts: 55
    Cold tea works well. :wink:
  • clarkson
    clarkson Posts: 1,641
    vinegar probably would work; its the opposite pH to a nettle sting.
    I said hit the brakes not the tree!!

    2006 Specialized Enduro Expert
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/3192886/

    2008 Custom Merlin Malt 4
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2962222/

    2008 GT Avalanche Expert
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/3453980/
  • shorty15
    shorty15 Posts: 97
    I fell into a huge nettle patch while trying to unclip my pedals,how I laughed as I had to roll through them to unclip my other foot from my bike which was on top of me :D
    My legs were still throbbing in bed that night.
  • steve100
    steve100 Posts: 57
    You will become immune (spelling) the more you get stung, although untill this starts to happen it can be very painfull. The chemist does sell anti-histimine creams which work very very quickly after the event I have to carry some everywhere during the summer as I found out this year I am extremely alergic to bee stings, its mad that wasp stings have no effect on me but bees make me swell up in the most hrendous way. But the creams reduce this very quickly.
  • Steve_b77
    Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    Nettles don't hurt that much, that is ofcourse unless you're suffering a mild allergic reaction to them then I can imagine it'd be quite painfull.

    Just ride quicker so they don't have as long to gain contact on your skin :lol:
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Years ago I was out on with a friend and he was riding a narrow path and lost it and chose to fall 3 foot into brambles. Couldn't do anything but laugh, even more so at his attempts to get out.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.

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