In this article I will share my experience with Born Protect Extra, an insulating salve from Born Sportscare that keeps your body warm in cold and rainy conditions. I used the Born Protect Extra in the rainy Alpe d’Huzes 2025 edition, where rain was pouring like hell down the mountain. Another Born Bodycare product in the collection.
Key features Born Protect Extra – Insulating Salve
On the product page of Born Protect Extra on the Born Sportscare website you can read the following description:
Born Protect Extra protects poorly circulated body parts such as feet, knees and tendons from rain and cold. This balm forms an extra protective layer on the skin. Cold? Then we think of an endurance effort with temperatures from 0 to 10 degrees Celsius with drizzle.
- Water-resistant protective layer
- Slightly warming
- Protects against cold and rain
- Combine with “Born Warm Up” in freezing cold
- For mileage eaters: long-lasting effect
The extreme rain conditions at the Giro d’Italia 2026 not only make it tougher conditions for everyone, it also reminded myself in how I prepared myself for the super rainy Alpe d’HuZes 2025 conditions. A Castelli Gabba RoS 2 jacket, water repellent arm and knee warmers, Shimano Dual Rain Shoe Covers and Born Protect Extra on my legs as an additional layer on my skin.
Born Protect Extra reminded me a bit off the good old original Vaseline Healing Jelly. In terms of thickness or viscosity Born Protect Extra is very similar. It has a tiny bit of menthol in it, which makes it nice to apply. Of course not suitable to put in your face.
Riding with knee warmers during the rainy Alpe d’HuZes to keep the knee’s warm, you could really see the splash water easily going down the calfs, finding its way over the rubber gripper of the shoe covers. I could really experience the extra layer of rain protection on top of the warmers that I was wearing.
As described in the features above you could potentially mix the Born Protect Extra with Born Warm Up Oil. I’ve never felt the need to test that. It is one of these body care products that you don’t use very often (compared to for example the Born Warm Up Oil), but make a hell of a difference when you need to ride a grand fondo in terrible weather.
Concluding thoughts and wrap-up
The price point of a 150 ml tube of Born Protect Extra Insulating Salve will be around € 12,00 and is worth its money to get you more protected and easier through the rain. And when you are showered after that intense and rainy ride, Born has you covered as well with their Born Relax Cream.
- What is your preferred way of protecting yourself against rain ?
- Would you invest in Born Protect Extra or a similar protective product?
Please let me know in the comment section. While I don’t use a lot of creams or protection, the ones that are used are relevant (from my personal point of view). So please check out the Bodycare category.
Born Sportscare also has a well established name in sports nutrition, so please check out the reviews below:
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