Shoe help

[knightjh]

I bought a pair of Tecnica Shasta TCY Gortex waterproof boots since I'm going to be doing some winter hiking and stream jumping. The problem is no matter what I do I can't get them to stop giving me blisters on my heels. I did all of the right things (I think)
1 Went after work
2 I have tried them with out liners and with liners
3 wool socks
4 they seem fine when I'm wearing them for day to day use (trying to break them in)
5 Lace the boots as tight as I can get them.
but it seems when I start doing ANY hill accents they just start killing my heels. I've thought about contacting Tecnica but their website says that I have to take them back were I got them and I'm not sure if the place that I bought them is going to help me
Anybody out there have any ideas on how I can get these boots to fit me better

Thanks

[highway]

Thats a lot to do trying to save a pair of boots. Are your heels noticeably slipping inside the boots? If so, get smaller size. Or, look inside the shoe at the area it blisters you and see if there is a pronounced seam, fabric fold or other protrusion which may be causing the friction. Barring that, you can throw in a different pair of insoles to see if it will move your heel away from the rubbing area.

Frankly, I would have gone for a different brand long before this, though. But if you do keep at it, sooner or later that blister area on your heel will turn to callous and stop :D

[Alligator]

I feel for you. I have severe problems with heel blisters and I've been stuck with boots I couldn't return. I've also been professionally fit and still gotten blisters. Here's are some possibilities.

1. Blisters form easier with wet feet. Try antiperspirant spray on the feet regularly at home. This could be done daily or several times weekly.
2. I switched to just two pairs of liner socks. These decreased foot volume and helped. But then I started to get blisters just under my big toe and between it and the next one. This may be cold in winter, but I hike warm.
3. Duck tape or athletic tape the heel, with or without a base of moleskin or preferably moleform. Recommend good quality tape of both kinds, not the cheap stuff.
4. As Highway mentioned, new insoles. Superfeet are supposed to cup your foot and prevent sliding. Superfeet also has a custom molded footbed. It is very expensive. I know one person who sprang for it and she was extremely pleased, but I the one time I checked this out, it cost $90.00.
5. Some outfitters can stretch boots with tools. Also, they can heat treat the boot and mold the interior plastic of the heel cup. But, this is usually done without guarantee, because it may in some cases ruin the boot.
6. On warm enough days, get the foot out of the boot during lunch in order to dry out.

Contrary to what Highway says, I have never been able to form a callous on my heel. I get reasonable relief from 1 and 2, but still resort to 3 for multiday trips.

For all you readers, a professional fitting is highly beneficial, notwithstanding my poor luck. If you have any boot problems, go to an outfitter and ask for the employee who fits people with problem feet. Make an appointment. Try on 15 or 20 pairs of boots. If they don't feel right, they do not fit! And if you work the employee to death, please buy the boots there.

[Brushy Sage]

Do you have a comfortable pair of boots that you can use as a baseline? I recently had an amazing experience: I wore my most comfortable ones, even though they were worn out and looked awful, when I went to buy new ones. The clerk measured my feet and then brought out several pairs, none of which worked. Then he said, "Well, let's see what you're wearing." Turns out they were two sizes larger than the measurements indicated. So then he brought out a couple pairs that matched the size of my old ones. We had to fool around with getting the right insoles (Superfeet, as it turned out), and I now have a new pair that are the "wrong" size and feel very comfortable. I complimented him for coming up with such a commonsense solution.

[knightjh]

yes I have a very comfy pair of beat up Hi-Tecs (but they are not waterproof)
I'll go home tonight and check the sizes and also try some of the other suggestions
Thanks to all that have replyed :jump



Do you have a comfortable pair of boots that you can use as a baseline? I recently had an amazing experience: I wore my most comfortable ones, even though they were worn out and looked awful, when I went to buy new ones. The clerk measured my feet and then brought out several pairs, none of which worked. Then he said, "Well, let's see what you're wearing." Turns out they were two sizes larger than the measurements indicated. So then he brought out a couple pairs that matched the size of my old ones. We had to fool around with getting the right insoles (Superfeet, as it turned out), and I now have a new pair that are the "wrong" size and feel very comfortable. I complimented him for coming up with such a commonsense solution.

[chris]

I'll put forward the daftest and perhaps simplest solution. When you go out hiking, tape a square of duck tape over your heel where you usually get the blisters or hotspots. The tape will work like a tougher skin and prevent, mostly, the blisters. My mountaineering boots chew up my feet and I use this to keep the blisters under control. I generally have to put on new tape everyday, as my feet are usually quite wet from being in snow or water all the time. During a longer trip, put a bunch of duck tape around your water bottle or trekking pole or ice axe or whatever.

[Nightwalker]

yes I have a very comfy pair of beat up Hi-Tecs (but they are not waterproof)
I'll go home tonight and check the sizes and also try some of the other suggestions
Thanks to all that have replyed :jump

Since Hi-Tecs work for you, maybe you should try their waterproof boot.

Frank