Blister Report

[squeezebox]

So how are you doing out there concerning blisters? What are you trying to do about it? Prevention as well as treatment?

[AO2134]

So how are you doing out there concerning blisters? What are you trying to do about it? Prevention as well as treatment?

Properly fitting boots and socks was my first step. Darn Tough socks are the best I've tried. I love them.

Then for me it is all about making sure I take my boots off for lunch to help dry out my boots, socks, and feet. This really helps.

Next, I bring an extra pair of socks just in case my current socks get too wet.

For me blisters happen mainly when my feet get wet. Keeping them as dry as possible is very important.

If I do get a blister, I treat it at night by taking a needle to it as close to the base as possible and let drain it. Put a little antibiotic on it and possibly a band-aid. Let it dry out over night and by the next morning it aint too bad. Resume normal routine.

[Turk6177]

I only got blisters one time and they were on the backs of both heals while hiking the John Muir Trail. I believe there was so much sand from Yosemite to Red's meadow that my socks got impregnated with small grains of sand that tore my heels up. I attribute that to no gaiters, wearing trail runners, older loose darn tough socks and the loss of some cushioning in my shoe. I tried glacier gel (something like that) which would not stick on. I eventually got new socks in Mammoth lakes. What eventually ended up working for me was to cover my wounds with Leukotape (a zinc based tape) and covered that from arch to well above my shoe with duct tape. I even put some slippery 3M medical padded tape on the inside heels of my shoe to reduce friction. I bought new socks Darn Tough socks in Mammoth Lakes which helped as well. I also treated the holes in my skin with alcohol wipes each morning prior to putting on leukotape. By the end of the JMT, I was almost calloused over and healed. I have never had blister problems on the AT where it is much less sandy.

[scrabbler]

Pre-tape problem spots, and always tape hot spots right away. Leukotape. Can wear it for days the stuff it durable rain or shine.

[MuddyWaters]

I only got blisters one time and they were on the backs of both heals while hiking the John Muir Trail. I believe there was so much sand from Yosemite to Red's meadow that my socks got impregnated with small grains of sand that tore my heels up. I attribute that to no gaiters, wearing trail runners, older loose darn tough socks and the loss of some cushioning in my shoe. I tried glacier gel (something like that) which would not stick on. I eventually got new socks in Mammoth lakes. What eventually ended up working for me was to cover my wounds with Leukotape (a zinc based tape) and covered that from arch to well above my shoe with duct tape. I even put some slippery 3M medical padded tape on the inside heels of my shoe to reduce friction. I bought new socks Darn Tough socks in Mammoth Lakes which helped as well. I also treated the holes in my skin with alcohol wipes each morning prior to putting on leukotape. By the end of the JMT, I was almost calloused over and healed. I have never had blister problems on the AT where it is much less sandy.

Raw spots from dirt abrasion, and blisters, are two different things. Were these blisters, or raw spots?

[squeezebox]

Sorry about the double post, I didn't sleep well last night. How about we let this thread die and use the other one.
Sorry for being stupid!!

[Turk6177]

Raw spots from dirt abrasion, and blisters, are two different things. Were these blisters, or raw spots?

All I know is they started as blisters and broke open. I don't know it was the sand, but I have never had a problem with blisters before that. The shoes were worn on a couple AT section hikes and up and down the Grand Canyon a couple times without incident. Same with the socks. Isn't a blister is caused by repeated friction between your skin and another surface. I don't see the difference if it is a sock and shoe causing it vs. a sandy sock and shoe. You treat it the same way. I used glide religiously, washed my feet and aired them out at lunch. The only factor I can say that was present only on my JMT hike was the sandy conditions. Regardless, duct tape is your friend.


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[MuddyWaters]

Take sandpaper and start sanding your skin.
Did you get a blister? Or a raw spot?

Theres more to blisters than friction.
Theres pressure, and repetition. Forces basically tear the skin away from underlying tissue. Alleviating friction reduces the effect.
Friction is a component, but not the sole factor. Some friction is necessary to be in control.

[Turk6177]

Take sandpaper and start sanding your skin.
Did you get a blister? Or a raw spot?

Theres more to blisters than friction.
Theres pressure, and repetition. Forces basically tear the skin away from underlying tissue. Alleviating friction reduces the effect.
Friction is a component, but not the sole factor. Some friction is necessary to be in control.

Ok. In that case they were blister abrasions caused by repetitive walking during hiking under the pressure of continuing to move forward.


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[MuddyWaters]

clears that up.:)

[Bowzman7]

Armorskin liners

[HooKooDooKu]

I did lots of walking in my neiborhood for months to get my feet ready for the JMT this past summer... I'm talking like 3 miles almost everyday.
A bout s month before my JMT hike, I had to but a new pair of boots and didn't have much time to break them in. They were a pair of Salomon Quest 4D and simply replaced a pair that was showing too much wear for comfort before starting off on a 200+ mile hike.

I got a few hot spots the first few days that only needed a little athletic tape for comfort. Quit using the tape after 3 days, and never got a blister.

I also didn't have any problems with sand on the JMT, but then I was wearing full blown boots with tarn tough socks and a thin liner sock.

I hiked with two sets of socks, washing one pair and letting them dry while wearing the other. Never wore the same pair more that 2 days without washing them.

[ScareBear]

So how are you doing out there concerning blisters? What are you trying to do about it? Prevention as well as treatment?

First, your boots must fit. Right there in the store. Don't ever fool yourself into thinking they will fit better once you have "broken them in". We aren't talking 1970 and a pair of leather Alico's...

Second, knowing how to lace your boots. I know this sounds absurd. However, your feet change in both length, height, width and volume during the day and from day to day. Knowing where the "sweet spot" in the boots is will assist in guiding your lacing. Too much lacing pressure brings its own set of blister issues.

Third, socks. For years, many hikers advocated the two-sock method to eliminate the possibility of blisters. I am not a fan/believer. The boots should fit correctly with a liner sock in the store. Your lacing profile can adjust for sock changes and foot changes. That said, I prefer a full synthetic hiking sock, like Thorlo. In fact, I don't hike in anything but Thorlo's. I don't ski in anything but Thorlo, either...just sayin...however, get a sock that fits your foot. Seriously. Socks are different....

Fourth, insoles. If you have a pair of boots that you love, but has too much volume? Cure that with an insole. Heel blisters? Try an insole. Achy arches? Try an insole. Foot moving around fore and aft? Try an insole. Seriously. Many boot/foot issues can be remedied by a proper insole. The vast majority of boots(my Italian hand-made AKU's included) have crappy insoles that are little more than a micro-thin piece of CCF. I recommend SuperFeet. Not cheap, but who likes damaged feet? Insoles also provide additional insulation and isolation. Meaning, your feet are off the footbed and you won't feel those damn pointy rocks as much.

YMMV.

[ScareBear]

Also, duct tape works fine on blisters. I lost a big toenail on a BC ski expedition and with duct tape and a slice of CCF from a pad, VOILA! Not good as new, but good to go!

[Bowzman7]

Armaskin is not like a dress sock. Best way i can desribe them is they feel like putting on a wetsuit for scuba diving. Feel like same material. Havent had a blister wearing them

[Dogwood]

Thx Bowzman for the clarification.

[Dogwood]

Preventing blisters begins for me by knowing my foot characteristics well. Then, finding well fitting shoes w/ a little extra expansion room that address those characteristics and the specific hiking conditions. Constantly switching out two pr of clean dry socks, lower wt kit, flowing with body momentum, and using Hyropel or now BodyGlide Liquified Powder or Bert's Bees Res-Q Ointment as a moisture barrier and anti friction product proactively rounds out preventive measures. Being sensitive to addressing any hotspots before they turn into blisters using Luecotape and New Skin and scheduling rest stops that air out and dry feet, socks, and footwear and adjusting footwear fit as needed(lacing, changing orthotics/footbed, sock choices) works for me.

IMHO, most hikers who have blister problems can trace their blisters most of the time back to not getting one or more of these aspects correct.

[Leo L.]

Just recently found out, that while I got blisers sometimes wearing trailrunner or similar low cut shoes, I never get any since wearing light or medium weight boots.
Thats real boots covering up well above the ankles.
I believe this is due to the fact that the tight lacing around and above the ankle hinders the feet from slipping in the boot fore and aft and up and down with every step, thus preventing blisters.

[ScareBear]

Just recently found out, that while I got blisers sometimes wearing trailrunner or similar low cut shoes, I never get any since wearing light or medium weight boots.
Thats real boots covering up well above the ankles.
I believe this is due to the fact that the tight lacing around and above the ankle hinders the feet from slipping in the boot fore and aft and up and down with every step, thus preventing blisters.
Try an insole in the low cut shoes/runners...SuperFeet...https://www.superfeet.com/en-us/insoles-and-sandals?filter=mens,insoles,performance

[ScareBear]

Dang hyperlink...click off performance and then click on "hiking" under "activity" or whatever activity you are looking for...

[Engine]

Just recently found out, that while I got blisers sometimes wearing trailrunner or similar low cut shoes, I never get any since wearing light or medium weight boots.
Thats real boots covering up well above the ankles.
I believe this is due to the fact that the tight lacing around and above the ankle hinders the feet from slipping in the boot fore and aft and up and down with every step, thus preventing blisters.

Often, recurring blisters have everything to do with anatomical anomalies in your feet. I have very prominent achilles tendons that don't really allow my heel to sit properly in the heel cup of most shoes. It causes friction above my heel just proximal to the achilles insertion point, especially in many running shoes. In fact, almost every pair of running shoes I use ends up with a hole worn in the cloth inside the heel collar withing a few weeks of beginning to use them.

When I choose trail runners for hiking they cannot have a high collar or I'll end up with a raw open wound in the first hour. If I choose a shoe with a lower collar and often some have the cutout in the back of the collar which creates an even lower contact point over the achilles, this seems to solve the issue.

All of the above is basically a long-winded way of saying you might need to look at your individual anatomy as one part of the contributing factors when blisters continue to be an issue.

[Greenlight]

If you are fastidious about taking care of your feet, they'll take care of you. As soon as you feel a hot spot forming, get your footwear and sock off and find out what is going on. Apply a remedy. Keep you feet dry. If they're wet a lot, get them dry as soon as possible. Before going to sleep, apply a quickly absorbed topical treatment. This will prevent cracking. Carry moleskin and learn how to use it. Keep your toenails trimmed. Use tincture of benzoin for any blister that doesn't respond to initial treatment.


So how are you doing out there concerning blisters? What are you trying to do about it? Prevention as well as treatment?

[Secondmouse]

leukotape. and Hiker Goo to keep my feet soft when it's dry and from "prune foot" when it rains...

[Deacon]

Try an insole in the low cut shoes/runners...SuperFeet...https://www.superfeet.com/en-us/insoles-and-sandals?filter=mens,insoles,performance

Superfeet is the only brand that I know of that comes in an optional wide width. I could only find the wides online.

[MuddyWaters]

If you have problems

this is a good read

https://www.amazon.com/Fixing-Your-Feet-Prevention-Treatments/dp/0899978304/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=17BFQS69MBTSERJ32DZV

A friend of mine works with John patching up feet at the Western States.
Im in awe of the work they do on feet that allow runners to continue when their feet are horrible shape.