View Full Version : Odyssa -- duct tape on blisters?
( I thought about posting this under the Odyssa thread, but was afraid it would get lost in there)...but, because of that thread, I'm reading that now, and just read the part where she pops a blister and wraps her foot with duct tape. Hopefully, she left out the part where she puts some kind of pad between the soft, tender new skin and the tape... I think I've read this before, tho, and nobody seems to mention a pad between the skin and the tape. You don't really put duct tape directly onto new, fresh, tender sensitive skin ---- do you????
QHShowoman
10-21-2013, 04:33
No pad. Just tape. It acts like a protective layer of skin so you can walk on it.
No pad. Just tape. It acts like a protective layer of skin so you can walk on it.
I think the other place I heard of someone doing this was a youtube this fellow did -- you may have seen. The vid is about an hour long, and he had been diagnosed with cancer, so he decided to dedicate time to several of his dreams, one of which was the trail..I thought it was a great video, but, anyway, I believe he also mentioned doing this with the duct tape...
But I'd be afraid that you're going to tear that fresh skin when you take the tape off.
Don't even carry moleskin or anything else anymore, Duct tape is so much better. :-)
QHShowoman
10-21-2013, 07:00
You just wear the tape it practically falls off on its own. No need to tear it off.
You just wear the tape it practically falls off on its own. No need to tear it off.
Ok, it's a good tip if it works, but it still scares me! But I have a little hill I'm gonna try and climb on Tuesday, so I think I'll wrap a strip around my foot and give it a "test drive".
Ok, it's a good tip if it works, but it still scares me! But I have a little hill I'm gonna try and climb on Tuesday, so I think I'll wrap a strip around my foot and give it a "test drive". Don't wrap it around your foot like a tourniquet. Your feet swell when you walk. Just put on a piece over the hotspot like a bandaid.
kayak karl
10-21-2013, 08:06
Don't wrap it around your foot like a tourniquet. Your feet swell when you walk. Just put on a piece over the hotspot like a bandaid.
yes on this. if you wrap it will pull away from skin very quickly or have a tourniquet affect like aflicion said
atmilkman
10-21-2013, 08:21
You don't tear the skin off. What you do is called threading a blister. You take a needle with a small amount of thread on it and run it through the blister leaving the thread sticking out of both ends. This keeps the blister from sealing back up and lets air get to the inside to begin the healing process without exposing the new tender skin. Sometimes just popping a blister it has a tendency to seal back shut. In some cases it may get bigger and in general it just takes longer to heal. Like everyone else has said put duct tape directly over it and if you can wipe with alcohol as this helps remove the oil from your skin and help it stick better.
Just Bill
10-21-2013, 08:47
If all you have is Duck tape (duct tape is actually tin, sorry I'm a tradesman) the way to go is to cut a small square the size of the blister and stick it sticky side to sticky side in the center of your bandage so it looks like a Band-Aid. That prevents sticking directly to the blister and preventing it from peeling off. Depending on the quality of the tape you use, duck tape is a vapor barrier. Sometimes trapping the moisture helps healing, sometimes not. But it does work.
When going with the Milking technique, which is an excellent one, make sure you use cotton thread. Most of us (should) bring 100% polyester thread like Gutterman for gear repairs, so if you are going to use that trick bring a few feet of thicker cotton thread, and run the thread outside the limits of your Band-Aid of choice. As the duck tape is a vapor barrier it will prevent the thread from wicking if trapped.
I prefer Leukotape. It has since replaced duck tape as my repair/first aid tape of choice.
Regardless of your tape, or tapes of choice, wrap them around a drinking straw or mini-bic lighter and store them in your ditty bag. Using your trekking pole or water bottle tends to get your tape gunked up and in the case of luekotape prevents oxidation of the tape. It's not uncommon for a person to find themselves having to toss the first few feet of their wrap after it's spent some time in the rain and weather exposure.
As a general tip on the subject at hand- round the corners of any field made patch or Band-Aid and the peeling will be greatly reduced. It's the reason every Band-Aid you buy is cut that way. Check out Mike Clelland's you tube videos on some good tips for precutting tape- he puts it on used mailing labels and cuts it at home so it's ready to go in the field.
Please note this summer when taking moleskin off, some of my skin accidentally came off too (tore, not just dead skin)! :eek:
So I guess that is another reason to go with duct tape next time.
You don't tear the skin off. What you do is called threading a blister. You take a needle with a small amount of thread on it and run it through the blister leaving the thread sticking out of both ends. This keeps the blister from sealing back up and lets air get to the inside to begin the healing process without exposing the new tender skin. Sometimes just popping a blister it has a tendency to seal back shut. In some cases it may get bigger and in general it just takes longer to heal. Like everyone else has said put duct tape directly over it and if you can wipe with alcohol as this helps remove the oil from your skin and help it stick better.
huh? I'm visualizing a blister on the ball of my foot, maybe the size of a dime, where the dead skin is less than 1/8 inch from the new skin -- and -- you can actually thread a needle thru that?
atmilkman
10-21-2013, 11:28
huh? I'm visualizing a blister on the ball of my foot, maybe the size of a dime, where the dead skin is less than 1/8 inch from the new skin -- and -- you can actually thread a needle thru that?
Yes, dime size is a perfect example. You thread from one edge of the blister where the skin has raised up sideways through to the edge of the other side.
atmilkman
10-21-2013, 11:40
huh? I'm visualizing a blister on the ball of my foot, maybe the size of a dime, where the dead skin is less than 1/8 inch from the new skin -- and -- you can actually thread a needle thru that?
Yes, dime size is a perfect example. You thread from one edge of the blister where the skin has raised up sideways through to the edge of the other side.
You don't have to be very precise such as meeting the dead skin exactly on the edge of old and new you just need to leave a little of the thread out both sides. Here's an example of the technique on a fairly small blister. http://photos.travellerspoint.com/480376/DSCF7267.jpg (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=8OqKeNb6g_0ulM&tbnid=pEouUJSnELAPDM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnoratheexplorer.travellerspoint.c om%2F13%2F&ei=oEllUuerL4Xo8wTIrYCgAQ&bvm=bv.55139894,d.eWU&psig=AFQjCNFe2gRrLI01IOmgzwHnGmoFus6G9w&ust=1382456046371419)
you don't have to be very precise such as meeting the dead skin exactly on the edge of old and new you just need to leave a little of the thread out both sides. Here's an example of the technique on a fairly small blister. http://photos.travellerspoint.com/480376/dscf7267.jpg (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=8oqkenb6g_0ulm&tbnid=peouujsnelapdm:&ved=0cauqjrw&url=http%3a%2f%2fnoratheexplorer.travellerspoint.c om%2f13%2f&ei=oelluuerl4xo8wtirycgaq&bvm=bv.55139894,d.ewu&psig=afqjcnfe2grrli01iomgzwhngmofus6g9w&ust=1382456046371419)
omg!!!!! Uh, i'm hoping there's a "plan b"? Cause "plan a" ain't happennin!!!
If all you have is Duck tape (duct tape is actually tin, sorry I'm a tradesman) the way to go is to cut a small square the size of the blister and stick it sticky side to sticky side in the center of your bandage so it looks like a Band-Aid. That prevents sticking directly to the blister and preventing it from peeling off. Depending on the quality of the tape you use, duck tape is a vapor barrier. Sometimes trapping the moisture helps healing, sometimes not. But it does work.
When going with the Milking technique, which is an excellent one, make sure you use cotton thread. Most of us (should) bring 100% polyester thread like Gutterman for gear repairs, so if you are going to use that trick bring a few feet of thicker cotton thread, and run the thread outside the limits of your Band-Aid of choice. As the duck tape is a vapor barrier it will prevent the thread from wicking if trapped.
I prefer Leukotape. It has since replaced duck tape as my repair/first aid tape of choice.
Regardless of your tape, or tapes of choice, wrap them around a drinking straw or mini-bic lighter and store them in your ditty bag. Using your trekking pole or water bottle tends to get your tape gunked up and in the case of luekotape prevents oxidation of the tape. It's not uncommon for a person to find themselves having to toss the first few feet of their wrap after it's spent some time in the rain and weather exposure.
As a general tip on the subject at hand- round the corners of any field made patch or Band-Aid and the peeling will be greatly reduced. It's the reason every Band-Aid you buy is cut that way. Check out Mike Clelland's you tube videos on some good tips for precutting tape- he puts it on used mailing labels and cuts it at home so it's ready to go in the field.
thks Bill. I will check out those youtubes you mentioned.
slbirdnerd
10-21-2013, 12:29
omg!!!!! Uh, i'm hoping there's a "plan b"? Cause "plan a" ain't happennin!!! It doesn't hurt. The top layer of skin is dead. Gotta toughen up if you're planning to hike a lot :)
Trauma last year at ALDHA mentioned using the shiny side of the duct tape right on the blister and then a larger piece with sticky side down, so the blistered area would not be "stuck" with the tape and then the sticky part around it would hold the whole thing in place. I haven't done this but thought it might be helpful to mention.
Personally, I subscribe to the school of blister prevention. Stopping to pay attention to hot spots before they become blisters and covering them with bandaids or moleskin or those blister treatment pads has always worked very well for me. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I thru hiked virtually blister-free. I had to watch for little ones on my little toes and they had bandaids on them for a while for extra cushioning, but generally my feet were just fine. But I did pay attention to them a lot, I took breaks, I aired out my feet (when it wasn't pouring and my socks were soaking wet, lol!) and I think all of that helps.
I really think too many people keep hiking through a hot spot instead of stopping, and then they end up with awful blisters. Good luck with blister prevention, everyone!
Trauma last year at ALDHA mentioned using the shiny side of the duct tape right on the blister and then a larger piece with sticky side down, so the blistered area would not be "stuck" with the tape and then the sticky part around it would hold the whole thing in place. I haven't done this but thought it might be helpful to mention.
Personally, I subscribe to the school of blister prevention. Stopping to pay attention to hot spots before they become blisters and covering them with bandaids or moleskin or those blister treatment pads has always worked very well for me. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I thru hiked virtually blister-free. I had to watch for little ones on my little toes and they had bandaids on them for a while for extra cushioning, but generally my feet were just fine. But I did pay attention to them a lot, I took breaks, I aired out my feet (when it wasn't pouring and my socks were soaking wet, lol!) and I think all of that helps.
I really think too many people keep hiking through a hot spot instead of stopping, and then they end up with awful blisters. Good luck with blister prevention, everyone!
Yeah, that first part re. making a bandage using the shiny side against the blister sounds better to me, than putting the adhesive right on the sore spot. But your second paragraph makes the most sense of all. I don't know if it's really "doable" tho, on a long hike to always be able to prevent blisters. Hopefully, you'd like to always be able to stop and take care of them, but there may be other things going on ---(you're cold and wet, your fingers aren't working that great, it's raining, you want to find shelter...).
It doesn't hurt. The top layer of skin is dead. Gotta toughen up if you're planning to hike a lot :)
Hey, if that needle's my only option, I think I'll just rest up till the foot heals, and come back again next spring! :)
Spirit Walker
10-21-2013, 13:52
I never had much luck with duck tape. Nor with moleskin, though that depends partly on how old it is. My feet are so oily, most adhesives don't stick well. The tape or moleskin would just slide down and create new blisters in the new location. Fortunately, I don't get blisters much any more, now that I've stopped wearing leather boots. For toe blisters, which I get when roadwalking, I'll use toe bandages - a kind of foam tube you slip over the toes. Otherwise a good athletic tape generally works. I'll do a bandaid and then tape over it heavily. After the second day, there's very little pain, so when the bandages come off, I stop worrying about it.
I'm with others who said prevention of blisters is the proactive wiser choice, by far. Treat hotspots BEFORE they turn into blisters or the skin breaks. I use something like Band Aid brand Friction Block, Body Glide(found in pharmacies, Sports Authority, Dicks, running shoe stores) or, as of late, I've preferably been using Bert's Bees Res-Q-Ointment as an anti-friction/moisturizing agent(small cans I buy at Bed Bath and Beyond). I would check into applying New Skin or Second Skin liquid or Band Aid brand Active Flex, Advanced Healing Blister Ampoules(love these!) or the ones made for fingers and toes, or the flexible fabric Band Aids(these are my preferred hotspot or small blister remedies). These Band Aids are better at staying on if engaging in an active lifestyle like hiking and move and flex over the hotspot rather than sticking to it, which as Trauma is also recommending, I think is wise no matter how you treat hotspots and blisters. I also think it's good to REDUCE OR ELIMINATE FRICTION BETWEEN THE HOTSPOT/BLISTER AND THE REMEDY YOU'RE USING TO ADDRESS IT.
If I was routinely getting blisters on the ball of my feet I would question why. Perhaps, it simply may be your feet haven't toughened up enough in that area which makes that area more prone to blisters. What you may want to look into is after market non-stock orthotics. I find stock orthotics(the ones shoes come with) are pretty much ALL inadequate, especially for long hiking treks or when on a rocky hard tread hike, that provide a bit more cushion under the ball of the foot. I would also pay close attention to matching footwear choices for your type of feet characteristics and the hikes you typically engage in, particularly the type of terrain, as well as your typical hiking style(experienced ULers going fast and far each day IMO can choose different hiking shoes than say someone trudging along on shorter mileage days carrying 50 lb packs on a week long hike); do this to avoid getting hotspots with improper or questionable hiking footwear. Personally, since I started paying much closer attention to what's on my feet for various hikes, ie; APPROPRIATE shoes, orthotics, socks, I rarely have been getting blisters. But, it's really a wider range of factors that come into play in preventing and addressing hotspots and blisters. IMO, sock choices directly play into preventing hotspots/blisters too. A sock liner that wicks away sweat or moisture may be useful as well.
If you do have a dime sized blister under the ball of the foot or if continuing to have hotspots in places like the top of the instep, heel, and under the ball of the foot consider taping your entire foot BUT doing the non-sticky side of the tape over the various hotspot or blister prone areas. Alternatively, you may try applying one of the liquid bandages, then after it has completely dried apply one of the anti-friction/moisturizers sparingly just on the blister/hotspot, and tape up being careful NOT to allow the sticky part of the tape to stick to the hot spot/blister. If regularly getting blisters on the top of the instep, heel, and ball of foot instead of tape(although I too prefer Leukotape if I'm using tape) with this approach I've used a THIN stretchy ACE bandage to wrap almost my entire foot(accept my toes) because it cushions, flexes, doesn't stick, protects, and I can easily remove it at stops to let my feet air out. Obviously, you need to keep in mind how this affects the interior volume and consequently fit of your shoe.
IMO, blisters under the ball of the foot are some of the toughest to treat especially when you're trying to heal them up while continuing to hike on a long distance hike. This makes those types of blisters in particular good to avoid in the first place.
BTW, the taping of the entire foot can be done preventively as well.
ChinMusic
10-21-2013, 15:23
omg!!!!! Uh, i'm hoping there's a "plan b"? Cause "plan a" ain't happennin!!!
Sticking the needle through doesn't bother me. I just wouldn't be able to see my work..............
I'm with others who said prevention of blisters is the proactive wiser choice, by far.
Well, you certainly said a mouthful, D.W., and I appreciate your taking the time for all this advice! I agree strongly with whatever can be done preventive wise.
"Well, you certainly said a mouthful, D.W." You might find it helpful when reading my posts to take a deep breath between each paragraph and to take notes. :D I did it all for you.
Ditto on the Leukotape recommendation by Just Bill. I just got back from 60 miles on the AT and used it when I first felt the 1st hot spot. Left it on for the entire hike and on the last day it rained all day. Got to the Saffire Inn in Franklin for a shower, took off the socks and the tape cleanly came off with the sock. Blisters had healed in the time I had the Leukotape in place. Wonderful stuff.
I believe you can hike a thru hike and not get major blisters. You have to have the discipline to stop when you don't want to stop and take care of your feet. I hiked in 6.5 months - the whole AT - and that included a week off at the beach with my husband and beaucoup zero days. And no blisters to speak of. I think it's a mental thing about not necessarily trying to crank out 10-15 mile days at the beginning so you have time to stop and pay attention to your feet. If you are trying to do the trail in 4-5 months, then maybe it is harder, but even then it seems even more important to pay attention to your feet because you have to use them every day for more miles! Seems that the time taken to prevent a blister more than compensates for the time it takes to go more slowly (or even stop) because of blister pain.
max patch
10-21-2013, 19:12
I believe you can hike a thru hike and not get major blisters. You have to have the discipline to stop when you don't want to stop and take care of your feet.
I had no blisters on my thru. Stopped immediately at the first sign of a hot spot and tended to it with bandaids, molefoam, moleskin, or white athletic tape. Also took off shoes and socks at least once a day and let the feet dry out.
If you've gone so far as to already have the blisters, I subscribe to a small piece of "traditional" bandaid over the actual blister and then the duct tape.
I have found that I have two spots on each foot that are susceptible to blisters.
I just put a small piece of duct tape over each spot every morning and after about 6 weeks I found that I didn't need to anymore as callouses had built up on those two spots. Didn't need any foot treatment the rest of the hike.
Agree with Zipper in that hikers sometimes get into that run away freight train hiking mode being oblivious to or ignoring issues or are simply ignorant of managing themselves with care and it leads to more significant issues only one example of is letting a hotspot turn into a blister. I see the same thing in regard to hikers overwhelming the breathability of rain wear, overheating, getting progressively physically weaker because of not paying attention to ongoing nutritional changes/needs on a long hike, letting gear get progressively worse from minor damage until it malfunctions or needs to be trashed, letting one's mental game progressively deteriorate until they quit or habitually feel miserable, etc
88BlueGT
10-21-2013, 22:11
I have been using duct tape on blisters for a few years now and has worked really well. I have found that after a few hours the tape may get messed up from my socks and have to be replaced at lunch or half way through a hike. I also use duct tape on hot spots before they become blisters... it's worked for me in the past.
A thru hiker shared with me years ago, his 1st aid kit is duct tape and antibiotic ointment.
As a 12 mile / day section hiker I figure that I take 25,000 - 30,000 steps per day. Nothing will hold up. Band aids, Ha! Moleskin, ditto.
Works for me, simple....................get some isopropyl alcohol or whatever in town to provide additional care for your feet.
Speaking of which, a tip I learned on WB, I put 91% rubbing alcohol on my feet 2x per day for 2 weeks before each hike, wear knee high panty hose, yes, panty hose (Special Forces trick) with foot powder inside and then socks and change up at lunch every day.............unless its raining. Air out my feet for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Shoes 1/2 size larger. Blisters have become a minimal issue compared to when I did not do these things.
Another Kevin
10-21-2013, 22:56
I never had much luck with duck tape. Nor with moleskin, though that depends partly on how old it is. My feet are so oily, most adhesives don't stick well. The tape or moleskin would just slide down and create new blisters in the new location. Fortunately, I don't get blisters much any more, now that I've stopped wearing leather boots. For toe blisters, which I get when roadwalking, I'll use toe bandages - a kind of foam tube you slip over the toes. Otherwise a good athletic tape generally works. I'll do a bandaid and then tape over it heavily. After the second day, there's very little pain, so when the bandages come off, I stop worrying about it.
If you do need to use moleskin, and its regular adhesive doesn't work, glue it down with Friars Balsam (generic: Compound Tincture of Benzoin). That stuff is great as bandage cement.
Strips or ovals of moleskin can work on hotspots on toes by wrapping around the toe, or on heels or possibly under the ball of the foot. It comes in different thicknesses, softnesses, and adhesiveness. I talk about all this because I use to get so many more blisters and at one time or another have tried these various hot spot/blister remedies to varying success/failure. I make a lot of mistakes and have had a lot of hiking issues that I try learning from.
I believe you can hike a thru hike and not get major blisters. You have to have the discipline to stop when you don't want to stop and take care of your feet. I hiked in 6.5 months - the whole AT - and that included a week off at the beach with my husband and beaucoup zero days. And no blisters to speak of. I think it's a mental thing about not necessarily trying to crank out 10-15 mile days at the beginning so you have time to stop and pay attention to your feet. If you are trying to do the trail in 4-5 months, then maybe it is harder, but even then it seems even more important to pay attention to your feet because you have to use them every day for more miles! Seems that the time taken to prevent a blister more than compensates for the time it takes to go more slowly (or even stop) because of blister pain.
Sounds like you had a great hike, Zip. Didn't try to set any records, and had a great time. Of course, if you do it in 6 1/2 months, you do have to average 11+ miles per day, and that goes up a little with each day under that average ( including, of course all those zeros)...
Having good shoes is obviously important -- and, I wonder if you really know you have good shoes until you're out there. Seen a bunch of accounts from folks changing shoes several times along the trail. I'm pretty sure in Odyssa's book, she says that Warren Doyle recommends sneakers! Okay, I know he's a legend, but, sneakers? Really?
At any rate, I totally agree with you about slowing down and taking care of those feet! Thanks for your advise, and congrats on your great hike and the lifetime memories you will have from it!
If you've gone so far as to already have the blisters, I subscribe to a small piece of "traditional" bandaid over the actual blister and then the duct tape.
I have found that I have two spots on each foot that are susceptible to blisters.
I just put a small piece of duct tape over each spot every morning and after about 6 weeks I found that I didn't need to anymore as callouses had built up on those two spots. Didn't need any foot treatment the rest of the hike.
Thanks Ozjacko. Building up the callouses is definitely one way to go. I think I'm gonna try some of the other methods folks have mentioned to try and keep my feet healthy in this - my "early hiking days" -- and see how it goes. But, if it comes to it, I agree with you, I'd much rather build up callouses and then not have to worry about blisters. (But first I'm gonna shoot for neither blisters NOR callouses, and see how it goes!)
Agree with Zipper in that hikers sometimes get into that run away freight train hiking mode being oblivious to or ignoring issues or are simply ignorant of managing themselves with care and it leads to more significant issues only one example of is letting a hotspot turn into a blister. I see the same thing in regard to hikers overwhelming the breathability of rain wear, overheating, getting progressively physically weaker because of not paying attention to ongoing nutritional changes/needs on a long hike, letting gear get progressively worse from minor damage until it malfunctions or needs to be trashed, letting one's mental game progressively deteriorate until they quit or habitually feel miserable, etc
I know that's true. That "ignorant of managing themselves" happened to me in my exercise regimen many years ago, and I'm still paying the price for it. Well, sometimes, if you don't have the medical training, and you're highly motivated to achieving some goal, you just won't know what damage you may be causing. But thanks to your earlier post, and many others, I (and probably others following this thread) have a lot more knowledge now about ways to prevent this particular problem.
You know, you think about a blister, and you think -- "big deal" -- but, everybody here knows if you're trying to get from Springer to Katahdin, and especially if you're running up against a deadline -- a small blister can be a VERY big deal!
Strips or ovals of moleskin can work on hotspots on toes by wrapping around the toe, or on heels or possibly under the ball of the foot. It comes in different thicknesses, softnesses, and adhesiveness. I talk about all this because I use to get so many more blisters and at one time or another have tried these various hot spot/blister remedies to varying success/failure. I make a lot of mistakes and have had a lot of hiking issues that I try learning from.
I've also seen some accounts of folks talking about losing toenails, or their toenails get black and eventually fall off. This must be happening due to the downhills where the toes are jamming into the shoes.... So it might be wise to use some of that moleskin in front of the toes as well.
squeezebox
10-22-2013, 05:42
How much duct tape to bring 1-2-3 ft. ?
squeezebox
10-22-2013, 05:45
sound like the toe nail problems might really be a shoe fit problem ??
ams212001
10-22-2013, 05:58
http://www.amazon.com/Fixing-Your-Feet-Prevention-Treatments/dp/0899976387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382435672&sr=8-1&keywords=fixing+your+feet
I bought Fixing Your Feet in preparation for my thru hike attempt and it is an incredible resource on preventative care and how to deal when you actually get a blister. Worth the money.
slbirdnerd
10-22-2013, 12:20
Sounds like you had a great hike, Zip. Didn't try to set any records, and had a great time. Of course, if you do it in 6 1/2 months, you do have to average 11+ miles per day, and that goes up a little with each day under that average ( including, of course all those zeros)...
Having good shoes is obviously important -- and, I wonder if you really know you have good shoes until you're out there. Seen a bunch of accounts from folks changing shoes several times along the trail. I'm pretty sure in Odyssa's book, she says that Warren Doyle recommends sneakers! Okay, I know he's a legend, but, sneakers? Really?
At any rate, I totally agree with you about slowing down and taking care of those feet! Thanks for your advise, and congrats on your great hike and the lifetime memories you will have from it!
Not everyday 'sneakers': Trail Running Shoes (that is what Jennifer Pharr Davis wears). Just got my first pair. My Merrell Moab ventilator lows were giving me grief, blisters, sore feet. After advice to switch to trail runners and indigention abotut he so very many different ones out there, I realized I have a pair of old Asics cross training shoes I have worn to do yard work and mow for several years. Duh! I went looking for Asics trail running shoes and not only do they make several kinds, you can get just the right ones for your level of pronation using a chart on their website. Next I'm getting some Leukotape and I'm thinking I will be all set in the blister-prevention department.
well, after all my talk about agreeing with those that talked about prevention -- I learned a new hiking rule today; Never try out new hiking shoes on a level 5 climb. I did today, and here's what's left of my toe! (Folks, this was a steep and dangerous climb in a lot of places, and it took a lot of pain to make it off that hill on that toe!
24593
Not everyday 'sneakers': Trail Running Shoes (that is what Jennifer Pharr Davis wears). Just got my first pair. My Merrell Moab ventilator lows were giving me grief, blisters, sore feet. After advice to switch to trail runners and indigention abotut he so very many different ones out there, I realized I have a pair of old Asics cross training shoes I have worn to do yard work and mow for several years. Duh! I went looking for Asics trail running shoes and not only do they make several kinds, you can get just the right ones for your level of pronation using a chart on their website. Next I'm getting some Leukotape and I'm thinking I will be all set in the blister-prevention department.
I think I discovered one problem with hiking shoes might be that the front part is so rigid, so if your toes are jamming into it on the downhills, you're gonna have a problem. Then again, if they ARE rigid, they MUST be rigid for a good reason.
Well, I'll wish you good luck with those ASICS, and you can wish me good luck figuring out what "pronation" means! :)
If your toesies are jamming forward, as in your whole foot is regularly sliding forward inside your shoe on downhills, somethings amiss. Try tightening laces snugly or different lacing techniques/patterns for starters. You shouldn't be getting toe jammed on downhills! http://www.backpacker.com/skills-how-to-lace-boots-prevent-blisters/slideshows/143 http://www.backpacker.com/gear/5245?page=5
If your toesies are jamming forward, as in your whole foot is regularly sliding forward inside your shoe on downhills, somethings amiss. Try tightening laces snugly or different lacing techniques/patterns for starters. You shouldn't be getting toe jammed on downhills! http://www.backpacker.com/skills-how-to-lace-boots-prevent-blisters/slideshows/143 http://www.backpacker.com/gear/5245?page=5
+1. And keep the toenails trimmed as short as possible.
No pad. Just tape. It acts like a protective layer of skin so you can walk on it.
Yep duct tape only, It's probably the best thing i carry.
If your toesies are jamming forward, as in your whole foot is regularly sliding forward inside your shoe on downhills, somethings amiss. Try tightening laces snugly or different lacing techniques/patterns for starters. You shouldn't be getting toe jammed on downhills! http://www.backpacker.com/skills-how-to-lace-boots-prevent-blisters/slideshows/143 http://www.backpacker.com/gear/5245?page=5
I'm kinda thinking that if it comes down to a special way of lacing, that you might not have the best shoe (or the shoe with the best fit) to begin with. If you have the right shoes, I would think you shouldn't need to lace them a special way -- what do you think? I think I mentioned, but a couple weeks ago I did this hike in cheap velcro-strap sneakers without having these toe problems -- although they didn't do much for the bottoms of my feet!
http://www.amazon.com/fixing-your-feet-prevention-treatments/dp/0899976387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=utf8&qid=1382435672&sr=8-1&keywords=fixing+your+feet
i bought fixing your feet in preparation for my thru hike attempt and it is an incredible resource on preventative care and how to deal when you actually get a blister. Worth the money.
kinesio tex and benzoin
My Merrell Moab ventilator lows were giving me grief, blisters, sore feet. After advice to switch to trail runners Merrell Moab ventilator lows were giving me grief, blisters, sore feet.....
Wait a minute, Merrell Moab Ventilators ARE trail runners. Aren't they?
How much duct tape to bring 1-2-3 ft. ?
We put 3 feet into the personal first aid kits of our scouts. When I go on a 7-10 day (100-120 mile) hike on the AT, I bring about 6'. We do not wrap it around anything. It is just started with a 1 inch piece, then wrapped flat and continuously rolled around itself.
After using mole skin for years, I was introduced to duct tape on the AT (yes, I put it directly on my skin - it comes off easily at the end of the day!). Since then, our scout troop uses it when hiking. I do wipe off the area around the blister with alcohol to make it stick better.