Help keep my feet from turning into hamburger!

[Rick Burtt]

Hi everyone!

This July I attempted a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail. I was well equipped, lightweight (TPW 22 lbs for ~4 days, including 3L of water) and I was well trained. I trained in the shoes I hiked with and yet, about 60 miles outside Durango – I was heading eastbound – what started as a couple annoying yet manageable blisters quickly turned into a nightmare. Blisters under the ball of each foot, under toes, between toes, on the sides… Compensating just made more form. After 30 more miles I had to make the tough choice to get off the trail. It was totally unexpected because, as I said, I'd been training in these shoes with my full pack weight and never had any problems.

I took about a week and a half off to let me feet heal and went back out. Same pack weight but different shoes. I had also done some training in these ones and never had any problem. I did my full planned trip for this outing – 72 miles – but still had awful blisters. Worse was that they were in completely different places! This time they were all over the backs of my heals. I was able to loosen the shoes and drive through the hike, but still…

Now, the reveal:
1st attempt: Inov-8 RocLite 295 (2013 version)
2nd attempt: Inov-8 RocLite 295 (2012 version)

Same shoe, different years, blisters both times but in totally different places!

Clearly, this shoe and I were not meant to be BFFs. I think what I need is a shoe with better rigidity. The CT, especially in SW Colorado, is extremely rugged. Lots of scree and rock, heavy ups and downs and these shoes have almost no torsional rigidity. I think maybe my feet were getting tired and I was flexing more than I planned.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a different shoe?

Thanks,
Rick

[Rick Burtt]

Sorry! Don't know what I was thinking…

[Bob Gross]

Rick, what were you using for socks?

If I wear thick socks, I have no problem. If I wear medium-thin socks of the same brand, I get blisters. Go figure.

–B.G.–

[Rick Burtt]

I wear Darn Tough CoolMax mesh socks. Those are the thin socks they make, but also the ones I trained with. I'm moving this discussion to the gear forum. Appreciate your input!

Rick

[Jeffrey Pelz]

Rick,

Ouch, when on the trail I plan for foot care by bringing the following:

Lancets. Used to drain blister.
Zinc Oxide tube. Place on an open blister before taping.
Kinesio Tex tape. Used to prevent and cover blistered feet.
Hypafix Tape. Used between the toes for hot spots and blisters.

My 54 year old feet need more service than in my younger hiking days.

If you have time to ready up on foot care, I could recommend a book by John Vonhof – "Fixing Your Feet"

[David Norton]

Last year I hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim for the first time. My feet were hamburger when I limped to the top of the South rim. I would second "Fix Your Feet". For me it took a lot of experimenting and I have finally settled on duct taping my heels and big toes, then i wear Injini lightweight toe socks covered with REI liner socks.

I recently hiked the Arizona highline trail in two days with only a single hot spot when I finished using this method. It may be difficult to find something that works but its well worth trying different things. It may not even be an issue with shoes at all assuming they fit well. My worst and best case scenarios came while wearing the same pair of shoes.

[jscott]

+3 on "Fixing Your Feet". One of the takeaways is the very wide varieties of measures used by different athletes to address their foot issues, and especially blisters. In other words, there is no one consensus approach for foot/blister care that emerges from the discussion. Some people are fine with wet feet; others blister instantly when their feet are wet. Remedies for some people cause blisters in others. There's a wide variety in choices for socks among the athletes who are interviewed. And so on. But the book offers an overview of approaches to foot care, some of which will help any individual with their problems.

[Blake Buzzo]

Rick,
A common problem that I have found is wearing ones shoes to tight. If you loosen up your shoes then you will have less friction, which means less chance to blister. I would say to evaluate how tight you tie your shoe, and how snug it is on your foot. This may not be an issue for you, but this is something that I have found to be very common. I was a Medic in the Army and this was the biggest mistake I found my men making. Also, I have found that wearing sock liners can help some people a lot.

Another thing I suggest is taking care of your feet at first sign of hot spots. AKA, loosen your shoes, put some tape on the hot spot. Whatever method you have found that works for you apply it early before you blister. As you found out, if you can't walk you can't complete you're hike. Putting padding in your shoe can have a detrimental effect for some people, but I have found some people who swear by it. Figure out what treatments work for YOU. Hope I was able to help.

-Blake

[Roger Caffin]

> Blisters under the ball of each foot, under toes, between toes, on the sides…
Very typical for ill-fitting shoes.

Did you know that your feet will swell 1/2 to 1 size by the end of the day? Upsize your shoes by a full size, wear thick wool (NOT cotton) Darn Tough Vermont socks, and try again. Do not lace tightly!

New Balance allow you to search on size AND width, and last. Use it

Cheers

[Donna C]

I use Body Glide on my feet every day when hiking. Keeps hot spots, blisters away. There are similar products out there.

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