Reporting back as I am now coming near the finish line of my first real tour since trying out the silicone band. This has been a 3 week run between New York, EU and the UK. I've done plenty of this length touring before (though it's been a little while and they tended to be jazzy or at least somewhat mellower), and I've been playing in this band which is high energy/hard playing/long sets for a couple years now, but this the first time in my life of continuous sweaty hard hitting sets night after night.
While I've been wearing the silicone band for gigs since I got it, after the 4th or 5th night in a row on this tour I noticed that the callous just below where the ring is (that's always there)was forming a blister UNDERNEATH. So, I removed the ring and the blister started receding even as I continued to play shows. Long story short? The silicone wedding band is not a long term solution for me unfortunately. At least, if I want to wear it when I'm not playing I won't be super paranoid about losing it when I take it off.
Truth is, though, that between the cold and the playing, my hands have taken a beating. The skin started cracking about 7 days in and I've had to constantly moisturize to get them back to a somewhat painless existence (now I know to start doing that right from the start). Also, there is a slightly sore callous/blister forming on my left pinky right around the lower finger joint. I don't think it had anything to do with the wedding ring but I've noticed it starting to hurt the past few days (nothing horrible, just noticeable while playing and mildly annoying).
Anyway, adult education continues....