Feet wear

[Trailryder42]

Hey all,
I've been watching all the AT videos I can get my hands on. Watched Appalachian Impressions yesterday.

Scenes of people showing mangled feet, cut, bruised, blistered, toenails turned black and falling off.

Are these people that just don't/didn't plan well enough to take care of their feet or is it the norm, no matter how well you try to take care of them?

[Blissful]

Blisters can happen because of tender feet (and ill fitted footwear). Toenails are usually because of ill fitting footwear. Be sure to be properly fitted, change socks and air dry feet often. And use trail runners without gaiters. not sure why feet would be cut or mangled unless they went barefoot.

[maybe clem]

I had one blister and lost one toenail on my thru and that was it. Someone turned me on to Ouch Pouches and that solved the toenail issue.

[moldy]

Some foot damage happens to most people. 10 to 12 hours of walking day after day with wet feet will take a toll. The trick is to use all the advice out there to combat it.

[Tenderheart]

Black or lost toenails are usually the result of shoes being too short. On descents, the toenail continually crashes into the end of the shoe, thus causing the problem. I personally feel that most fare better in trail runners because of the breathability and flexibility. However, this is a hotly contested issue. Once again, it is what works for you and your feet.

litefoot 2000

[4eyedbuzzard]

While hiking is healthy in many ways, it is also damaging in others - hiking the trail every day beats up your body, especially your feet.

[Outdoor76]

It starts with a good fit!
And yes, breathability and good socks make a huge difference. Trail runners work for many, but are not for everyone. The jury is out on how much long-term damage is being done by LD hiking in trail runners. The whole point of wearing shoes period is to make you feet last as long as the rest of you. Neutrality in a shoe can do a lot of harm on the wrong foot.

Rule of thumb... if you go to get fit and the person helping you lets you ask for the size and what shoe you want, then starts with feeling for your toe at the end ...RUN AWAY!!

[sbhikes]

I had been hiking and backpacking regularly and strenuously on steep hills and difficult trails for many years. I rarely got blisters. By about day 3 or 4 on the PCT huge blisters formed in an area of my foot I had never gotten them before: between my big toe and next toe. I struggled with blisters for 700 miles before they finally subsided. I didn't get anymore blisters after that, not even on section hikes a year later. I wonder if I were to hit the trail again if I would get the blisters all over again?