Originally Posted by
TheEngineer
Sadly, uncontrolled diabetes causes loss of sensation in the feet. You'd get a blister and not feel the pain, so it only gets worse. Therefore, if you are in this condition, you must visually inspect often. One plan is to stop at noon, swap your socks out to a second pair. The first pair gets washed and hung on the back of the pack ready for the next day. At this time, inspect for any hot spots.
(You can manage to an A1C of 5.5 or so. I know people that do it. Then, if you get a blister, you'll feel the pain, and know to treat your foot.)
Overall, everyone should test the shoe/boot and sock combination on a mountain. Here in NH, I'm planning on going up Monadnock with each combination. Trying this on the AT trail the first day is suicide IMHO. If you come off the mountain, and your toe nails are bloody, you boots are too small. On the way down, your foot can slip forward. Get one size larger shoe/boot and try again.
Carry a diagonal toe nail clipper and keep the nails as short as possible. Long nails will dig into adjacent toes.
Carry some 1.5" surgical tape to cover hot spots. Moleskin and Molefoam can also be used. I'm currently testing Leukotape, but the jury is still out. (Put the tape on, stand in a bucket of water for 15 minutes, then try to get the tape off. If it comes off easy, it is rejected.)
Carry a roll of 2 inch gauze for any wound care. It can be cut into pads if you need them, but you can't turn a pad into rolled bandage.
Get a prescription and carry Bactroban antibiotic ointment for wound care.
Test out various foot balms. I'm currently trying Bag-Balm made in Lyndonville, VT. If anything, the Vasoline in the product will help keep the foot tissue drier but I don't know yet if I'd carry it.
As for socks, there are two schools. One says use two nylon socks with a non-water proof boot/shoe. They get wet but dry quicker. The other school says go with wool whatever you do for a boot. Wool keeps its warmth when wet and won't smell as bad as nylon. Hikers report gortex boots don't keep your feet dry anyway so skip the weight and expense. Others swear by them. (Me, I've been up on Mt. Washington, NH when the wind is howling at 40 mph, with fog and light rain and you just have to push on. Anything but heavy wool socks, wet or not, are clearly unacceptable. I had a choice of wet and cold (nylon) or wet and warm (wool) and I chose warm.)
One recommendation is to carry one pair of wool socks just for sleeping. Keep them in the sleeping bag and they will keep your feet toasty.
Gaiters can be worn to keep rocks out of your shoes. Others don't like the weight and just stop from time to time to remove the stones.
Every pound you remove from your shoe/sock combination is the equivalent of six pounds off the pack, so you want to get the most comfortable lightweight shoes you can.