1.) Have your feet sized for boots by outdoor specialists. By this, I mean get thee to R.E.I. and hit up the long haired dude in the shoe section. I highly recommend the Lowa brand, as those Germans engineer spectacular comfort foot-ware. And NEVER talk yourself into "just wearing sneakers". For a few miles, sure. But a 12 to 20 mile day on trails will grind your tennis-shoe-wearing-feet into a bloody pulp. No exaggeration. Bloody freakin' pulp.
2.) Body Glide Anti-Chafe stick. If Costco sold it in bulk, I'd be there with a flatbed. I was introduced to this miraculous no-blisters cure when training for the SF Marathon and later tested it out hiking-wise on our 200 mile trek across England - where I got ZERO blisters! On this particular Camino trip what I thought was one blister the second week turned out to simply be the early stages of a callous. ZERO blisters once again (knock on wood). To use, apply Body Glide all over foot before hike and again if needed during. Don't be stingy. Slather that baby like butter on a corn cob. I am told Body Glide is also good for thighs that rub together during exercise or nipple chafing on male runners (insert joke here).
3.) Let the feet BREATHE. I can't stress this enough. Heat and sweat and constant friction lead to blisters. So whenever feet are flaming, sit down, take off your shoes and socks, eat a snack, and when you've finished wiping the crumbs off your CoolMax shirt (after lubing feet up again with Body Glide) lace those suckers back up and be on your merry way.
4.) If you do feel a hot spot on your feet (i.e. a sore spot where a blister might be rearing its ugly head), that's the time to use Moleskin or Compede. Both remedies (of which we love) act like a second skin, keeping your actual skin safe and sound. If it's too late and the damage has been done, they also prevent things from getting worse. If you want to know what 'worse' looks like, simply type "blisters on feet" into Google Images. Just put down the sandwich you're eating first and make sure the kids aren't in the room.
5.) Liner Socks. Another great blister line of defense. Worn under your hiking socks, they wick moisture away from the foot and prevent chafing.
6.) Just like picking a 'plus one', select the proper hiking socks for the occasion. Will it be hot? Cold? What's the terrain like? A quick day hike? Or a grueling alpine ascent? You wouldn't bring your friend Larry-the-Party-Lush to Lil' Becca's christening, but he's the only way you'll get through your ex's barefoot beach nuptials.
7.) Although you may be tempted, if you're preparing for a hefty hike, don't get a pedicure. You need those callouses. They're gifts from mother nature. I do recommend, however, keeping toenails short, especially if doing extended downhills. I have a friend who lost her big toenail hiking down Kilimanjaro; although that was largely due to not keeping her boots strapped tight enough. Which reminds me, lace those babies up! Just not truncate tight, though. Blue is a bad color for your feet.
8.) Love your feet and toes. I not only massage mine with lotion at the end of each hiking day, but I also give them positive affirmations. As in, "you were stellar on the trail today!," and "you may be big like clown feet, but you are strong like ox hooves" and, finally, the classic "and this little piggie went wee wee wee all the way up and down the Pyrenees."
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Location:Skipass Hostal, Jaca, Spain
When we did the coast-to-coast in England, I wore a cross-country running shoe (Montrail Hurrican Ridge) that worked very well. Goretex shell & stitch-in tounge. However, we were hiking with a day-hike load. I also have a pair of Lowas and have to agree, if you're packing a heavy load, they're great.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shout out! Not how I imagined being mentioned in the blog, but a mention nonetheless ;)
ReplyDeleteLol. I knew you would just LOVE that mention. But it's such an important warning!
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