Compounding of elastomers to resist degradation involves a number of factors including the proper selection of Polymer, Antidegradant system and Vulcanization system. For example, saturated polymers such as butyl and EPDM are inherently more resistant to degradation than either SBR or natural rubber because the former have no unsaturation or weak links, in the polymer chains.  In early days, natural rubber articles had short life spans since the unsaturated backbone readily reacts and degrades with ambient oxygen.  The process of vulcanization of natural rubber was first used to extend the useful life of rubber articles.  The beneficial effect arises from the reaction of degradative oxygen with sulfur crosslinks rather than the polymer backbone. This presentation will review the chemistry of thermal and oxidative aging of sulfur vulcanized general purpose elastomers. The use effective antidegradant and vulcanizing systems to provide the optimum compound protection against degradation will then be discussed.