Brenna “Red Beast” Calvert choosing the RockSauce Ice over the Fire.
You finish an Obstacle Course Race (OCR), get back to your hotel and your body is aching. You lay in your hotel room feeling sore and the next morning you are limping around the hotel room second-guessing the prior day’s decisions. If you are looking for a product that is travel size, that lessens some of those aches and pains, I think I found it for you. Enter RockSauce.
What is it? RockSauce is a topical ointment made by your favorite kinesiology tape and movement company, RockTape. The bottom line, it is like Icy Hot or Ben Gay but next level and better.
Ultra-OCR Man Evan Perperis with RockTape on his ankle and hip flexors during the winter time 200 mile OCR America 2 charity event.
Application: Unlike some other topical ointments, RockSauce comes in a small 3 oz. container that has a roller application. The 3 oz. is perfect because it means you can put it in carry-on luggage at the airport without issue. The roller application is a nice touch because you can apply it to sore areas without getting it all over your hands. I usually apply it liberally with the roller and then really rub it into the skin afterwards before washing my hands (always wash your hands just to be sure…you don’t want to touch your eye or groin after applying RockSauce).
Conquer The Gauntlet Pro Randi Lackey at RockTape's taping seminar taping author, Evan Perperis in his HYLETE shorts. RockSauce can be used with the tape without issue.
Difference between Fire and Ice: RockSauce comes in two types: Fire or Ice. As you might be able to guess fire has a nice tingling hot feeling and ice has a cooling sensation. The Ice is 6% menthol combined with arnica, green tea and aloe to give you that nice cold feeling. The fire sauce’s active ingredients include methyl salicylate (20%), menthol (10%) and capsaicin (0.002%). I personally I like the Fire better than the Ice because the burning of the ointment makes me feel like it is working better.
Conquer The Gauntlet Pro Amy Pajcic climbing a wall at Erie's OCR Battlegrounds in her BleggMits looking forward to some RockSauce Ice after back to back days of marathon length OCRs in the winter as part of OCR America 2.
Difference between RockSauce and Other Brands: The Ice has 6% menthol, which is more than any other brand that I know of in the market. I’m not sure how the Fire compares to other products on the market by the numbers but I can tell you you’ll notice the burn way more than any other brand of ointment (like Icy Hot or Ben Gay). According to the RockTape website, they have “had trouble exporting it to certain countries because of our Capsaicin content”, which is not surprising based off what it feels like on your sore muscles. Furthermore, Fire and Ice are both specifically designed to work with RockTape’s other products including their tape. You can put on the tape first and apply RockSauce right over it and it will soak through the tape to reach the targeted muscles or joints.
Effectiveness: We have established it feels good, but does it work? Unequivocally that’s a yes. Whether you are applying it to sore muscles to feel better or applying it to a problem joint, it works. I’ve applied it to my elbow, which was bothering me due to some tendinitis from OCR training and found I was pain free for the next 24 hours. Just like the RockTape (read about the RockTape application course in this Mud Run Guide article), it is not a permanent fix to all problems, but it is one of the most versatile tools you can keep in your race bag that is both small and low priced.
Former Pro high diver and current OCR Pro Lisa Nondorf at a RockTape clinic. RockSauce is designed to work with RockTape…regardless of how much RockTape your body has on it.
RockSauce is redefining effectiveness of topical ointments. If you work at a gym or sports health type facility it is also available in larger bottles and sample packs. If you are coming to any Conquer The Gauntlet events in 2020, stop by the CTG Pro Team tent, we usually have a couple of small single use sample packs that you can take home with you. Stop by, say hi, pick up a larger bottle directly from RockTape and feel the burn (or the freeze).
5/5 stars
Brenna Calvert pictures provided by Brenna Calvert
Randi Lackey picture provided by Strength & Speed
Lisa Nondorf picture from Lisa Nondorf
All other pictures provided by Bobby Ross of Stoke Shed
It’s so cool that they made the sauce to interact well with the tape. I’ve used Biofreeze, but I’ll have to try this out.
Mud Run Guide, you guys do an awesome Job. Thank you for sharing, keeping everyone informed, and discussing OCR related topics. Thank for all that you do team.