Blister prevention given office job limitations

[Alex V]

I completed a goal trip this past summer: wonderland trail in 4 days.

For me, it was the cumulation of my ultralight philosophy and skill development I’ve focused on for the past several years. A far cry from when I carried a 60lb pack over Matterhorn pass as a 13 yr old in scouts. Almost everything was perfect this trip down to the last calorie.

However, I had a serious issue with blisters. I was saved by other hikers who gave me Compeed and even then there was a lot of suffering to reach a point where I could continue moving. I was blindsided by the severity – I’ve never had blister issues like this in the past.

I have a desk job and two young kids so my ability to train via long day hikes or shorter prep trips is limited. This is how I used to train which I believe may be why I haven’t had issues in the past. For this trip I was able to sneak in 1.5 hr hill climbs a few times per week.

It was frustrating to have everything so dialed, including my fitness, yet be so handicapped by massive blisters.

Im Wondering is there anything that can be done to prevent these types of blister issues? Is hotspot detection and treatment good enough? Am I doomed to suffer blisters when I want to bust out high mileage days given my lifestyle restrictions?

thanks for any advice and recommendations.

[Brad Rogers]

I feel your pain as I too have an demanding office job and two kids that do sports year round – a far cry from the early days of BPL when I could get 25 or so trips a year in.

I’ve found that pre-taping problem areas can help – Leokotape generally lasts a whole trip.  The book “Fixing your Feet” (I forgot the authors name) can be a bible for foot issues as well and is geared toward ultra runners.

[David Thomas]

What shoes were you using?

And where did you get the blisters?

I hike in the same shoe (Merrell Moab, non-Goretex) that I wear around town.  So if any “break-in” was needed, I’d be getting it at my office job, mowing the lawn and wandering around Home Depot.  But no break-in is needed.  Merrell uses lasts that correspond nicely to my feet – my toes don’t hit the front of the shoe, ever, even on a steep downhill, while my heel doesn’t lift excessively from the shoe so I avoid pressure blisters in front and friction blisters on my heel.  I’ve had that experience so consistently with their shoes that I have no hesitation to taking a big hiking trip with a brand new pair.

If you’re still using heavy “hiking boots” versus trail runners or low-cut trail shoes, there’s a whole new world of comfortable hiking in your future.

[Jerry Adams]

I was using one mid height WPB boot – Danner Mountain 600  which worked good for a while, but started getting blisters.  On my last trip with them got 6 blisters on each foot.

Then I switched to Salomon X Ultra 04 and I haven’t got any blisters on several trips.

Maybe the Danners had some sort of wear out problem?  Maybe the Salomons fit my feet better?

I don’t normally consider REI experts, but in this case, I described the problem and he suggested the Salomons.  Maybe it was just luck.

Maybe try a different boot if you’re getting blisters?  Maybe an REI expert would be helpful?

I became  a user of Leuko tape which works good.  Stays on my feet for days.  Until I cross a stream and get my feet wet in which case the Leokotape has to be replaced that evening.

 

[Charlie Brenneman]

I’d lathered a bit of this https://gurneygoo.com/ on my know hotspots 1-2x a day when I was on the JMT in 2022 and it worked well. I tend to have blisters problems too. Finger socks were better as well even if I hate putting them on.

[Jerry Adams]

does gurney goo form a layer on top of your skin?  Do you put it on, then wait (how long?) for it to dry?

I started getting blisters at the same spots, so I put leuko tape on before I even started which worked good

[Dan]

I agree about pre-taping (or even taping over a small piece of gauze), if you know where the problems will be. That works for me early in the season.

[Jerry Adams]

for me, gauze not needed with Leuko tape

it prevents the shoe from rubbing against the skin

[Charlie Brenneman]

It didn’t dry; I just apply, put socks on, and go. I had tried second skin before but hated having to wait for it to dry and it stings cuts/blisters.

[Steve Thompson]

Alex, congratulations on completing the Wonderland at that pace, and having successfully (except for your feet) having a solidly dialed kit and food plan.

Regarding blisters there can be multiple causes and likely a few solutions to each cause.  I’ll outline my journey to blister freedom, hopefully some of my learnings can apply to you.

Heel blisters – only ever suffered these in stiff boots.  I learned I was lacing them too tight and that created the excessive rub.  But even with that blisters would still form in time, just not in the first couple days.  Mitigation was applying leukotape preventatively, never wait until a hot spot forms.  For me, that is too late.   But the real solution was switching to trail runners.

Blisters on the balls of my feet.  Cause was my arch collapsing with each step and the ball of my foot sliding forward and back as I hiked.  Off the shelf superfeet helped, but custom orthotics has been the cure.

Blisters between my toes.  Usually due to a toenail not properly trimmed, I cured this with toe socks.  Injinji are widely available and work great, but don’t last very long.

So there you have it:  trail runners, custom orthotics, and toe socks.  I’ve had 15 blister free hiking seasons.  I still carry a few wraps of leukotape on my hiking staff just in case but have only used it (not on my feet) to keep regular bandaids in place or hold a compress when I scuff up my shin.

[peter v]

previous Steve is entirely correct. ditch the boots and you’ll have fewer issues. injinji’s work nicely. i prefer the merino liners over the poly liners. full thickness injinji’s are not so hot an idea. something in a mid weight premium merino sock is sweet, but the merono 4-packs from costco work nearly as well.

tapes: oh goodness, can peter go on about tapes. leukeo is good stuff, and know that it stretches only a little widthwise. best for the long pieces you need for preventive heel taping. what you want for toe badages/bunions is keniseo tape. i like it in pink, and it stretches both ways. very sweet for creative taping between toes. pro tip ; you can get tape from FSAstore.com and charge it off to your fsa health care account from work. that makes it nearly free.

as far as needing to retape if things get wet, this is a function of not using friars balsam/tincture of benzoin for prep prior to taping. you prep correctly, or maybe not “correctly” but “more thoroughly”, and tape can stay on days and days. (see my viral u-tube vid for tape still good after 8 days)

heel blisters from leather boots can often be prevented by pounding out a nice pocket. 3/4″ pipe about a foot long and capped, will provide a decent anvil for your hammer to work a pocket right where your heel bone is causing the issue.

Steve is dead on about the ball-of-foot blisters being caused by fore/aft motion of the foot shearing the skin. the foot vs the show have different bend radius’s and this causes a multitude of issues, and is a very key problem involved with many many snowshoe bindings. there are teflon patches can be had that let you socks slide easy peezy over the bunnion blister areas. they are blue. install prior to your trip.

Fixing you feet book is authored by i think it’s john vonhof. he is again i suspect partnered with blister guru rebecca rushton from australia. so buy her book too.

then there is new, i think, magic teflon powder that you toss into your socks and it makes everything slippery. ya ? .. ok. fine, i bought some. know that a few moments after the bag is opened, there will be a very fine a super slippery teflon powder all over you, the room, and just holy cow, the stuff is uncontainable. might be good for marathons, but not such a hot trick for daily prep inside a tent.

corns, which are nasty little bone growths on usually the little toe can be managed with silicone toe sleeves.

blisters on the bottom, behind the toes, are nearly universally a function of fungus.

hot spots on shoes/boots can be relieved with a tool called, get this , a “bunnion stretcher”. they work great. ebay. anybody going guiding can save themselves a lot of foot fixing is they work over their people’s shoes with a stretcher the night before.

that is all i know.

cheers,

v.

 

[Tom D.]

Yep. Trail runners, orthotics, and toe socks for me. I don’t use custom orthotics anymore though. They were expensive and my last pair had a “hot spot” on them. I ended up not being able to use them for hiking any more than a few miles. So I had my gait analyzed at a running shoe store and bought the orthotics that they recommended. They seem to have been correct in their recommendation.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

“SOLE” insoles from REI, etc. They come in various thicknsses. These are heat moulded soles that will FIT yer foot contours.

AFTER TRIMMING TO SIZE: 1.)heat oven to 250 F.  2.) place soles on oven rack for 3 – 4 minutes (or follow directions if different now) 3.) remove from oven and  place in hiking boots 4.) quickly get into hiking boots (wearing yer hiking socks) and lace them up  5.) stand still in boots for 5 minutes then begin walking around the house for a few minutes to check fit.

I tried these out of desperation B/C even with training his with a pack I’d still get blisters on the ball of my big toe and sometimes other toes. After using them on a trip VOILE’! no more blisters.

TIP: Be sure yer boots are ONE SIZE WIDER than yer street shoes as you feet will spread out by day 2. Blisters between toes are agony. (don’t ask) :0(

[David D]

Hey Alex,

Here are a few things that work for me on top of the already good advice you’re getting.  I’ve used all of these to help avoid blisters (blessed with huge, sweaty feet).

I find that the best prevention depends on where blisters are forming.

Outer toes: Leukotape works best for me there

Between toes: my injinji liners work best.  And keeping toenails trimmed low

Heel: hiking footwear is usually oversized to avoid toes blisters on downhills, but that can cause heel slip.  Tightly lacing only at the ankle base + leukotape works best for me

Hot spots: window lace around them.  Use a boot or shoe stretcher with “corn attachments” to make a bit more space.  You can find them for cheap on Amazon.

I like to carry Leukotape precut in my hip belt pocket.  The quick access avoids the temptation to soldier on when hot spots start forming because I don’t want to take the time to dig through my pack.

Your feet will swell after a few hours walking. Taking electrolytes during the hike helps minimize this.  I carry salt capsules for this and take them on a regular schedule.  If my ring starts to fit tightly, its a sign my feet will also be swelling up.

Doing all this I’ve been able to avoid having to slather my feet up with creams and junk.

To avoid bacteria or fungus issues that can cause problems,  I started carrying a 50mL pump spray with alcohol sanitizer and spray the footwear inside every couple days.  And wash the socks in soap every day before hanging to dry.  Plus before leaving, exfoliating the bottom of my feet, washing my feet in an antibacterial soap and spraying the boot inside liberally with alcohol or vinegar/water (1:1).

[jscott]

I normally don’t get blisters. But when I do, it often occurs within the first few miles of a hike. Or rather, DOESN’T occur because I hate them and stop to treat hot spots, and/or relace shoes etc.

If I DO get a blister(s), my method is:

–apply tincture of Benzoin to unbroken blister

–apply a mole skin pad with the center cut out in a diamond shape to relieve pressure

–wrap the area with Leucotape, all around the foot. Apply tape evenly, with no wrinkles.

A variant is to add a layer of Second Skin after applying Benzoin, but I pretty much stopped doing that.

The above has saved more than a few trips. I hate the pain of a blister at every step. With this method, pain is eliminated. And, it lasts for many, many days, even if I plunge my naked feet into a cold stream and then let the whole shebang dry out in the sun.

Best of all is to tape/moleskin hot spots before a blister forms.

 

[Alan W]

For me also, wide toe box trail runners and toe socks have very dramatically reduced blisters versus decades of trying many different boots.

About 2 years ago, I switched to Xotoes instead of Injinji Coolmax.  On my feet, the Xotoes (Garage Grown Gear, e.g.) are more effective: drier/cooler, slicker, and more resistant to multiday foot funk.  They are also a bit lighter (43 g vs. 68 g Injinji, ankle height, my size 13 foot) for extended trips where I carry an extra pair.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

https://www.band-aid.com/products/blisters-footcare/hydro-seal-blister-cushion-bandages-heels

These bandaids will save your feet if you get blisters. Not cheap. Worth every bit.

Toed socks. I have had zero blisters since I went to Injini socks over 15 years ago. I used to get tons of blisters.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Btw, if you contact Injini about socks that rip out oo fast, they will warranty them. And buy the wool ones. Far better than the Coolmax. I like literally own 25 pairs at any given time. I wear only them daily unless I am in a plane.

[Megan W]

Hello all,

I’m curious. Those of you who use Leukotape, do you use the solid tape (eg sports tape for strapping ankles)  or do you use the stretchy ‘under tape’ like fixomull ?

I use fixomull stretch now – also a leukoplast but stretchy so easier to get it smooth over the uneven curves of feet. It doesnt get hard to unwind like sports tape can. It is porous, and works well to tape down wound dressings. It has protected my feet for about 20 years now. 2 layers on parts which need extra protection.

Or maybe that’s what you mean by leukotape?

Cheers

[Jerry Adams]

leukotape says “leukotape” on the side of the package : )

it is not stretchy – a little difficult to fit around uneven curves – you have to wrinkle it

it doesn’t seem porous at all, but maybe a little

no padding

what’s good about leukotape is that it stays on my feet for days, unless it gets wet walking through a stream

it sounds like fixomull might be better.  Does it stay on your feet for days?

what’s good about leukotape is that it eliminates chaffing from shoe sliding against foot pressed against foot.  One layer is all that’s needed.

[jscott]

Sarah, yes those Band-aids are good! I think I’ve placed on on a blister, with mole-foam on top of that, then Leukotape. And a diamond cut out in the center of the mole foam.

[Megan W]

Hello Jerry,

I’ve found it stays on my feet for days… I do wear leather boots (the shame, the shame 🙂) and walk in wet, rough conditions (tasmania) so my feet are often damp all day. Sometimes i need to change the tape when my feet have been really sodden. It even stayed on for a blister under the ball of my foot. Yes, it works the same way to prevent blisters as you describe for leukotape.

When I worked with sports teams I used fixomull (or other similar tapes) under the leukotape sports tape to help it stick and it seemed to protect against skin irritation a bit.

Here’s a photo..hard to take photos of your own feet.

[David D]

Hey Megan, Leukotape P is rigid and has a more aggressive adhesive compared to the stretchy Leukotape K.  I can get a couple long stinky sweaty days out of an application of P before reapplying, if my feet were clean. I use leather boots too (sitting in the UL corner with my pointy hat on).

Have you tried injinji liners (not the full socks)?  They take up a bit more room than the tape and are hotter, but its a good trade off in the winter because it helps avoid flare ups in untaped spots.

[Megan W]

hello David,

I like the stretch of the fixomull and it stays on well for me.

Yes, I love injini socks! But I’ve found they make the my forefoot/toes a fraction wider, and it’s a fraction too wide to work in my boots. I wear them in other shoes.

[David D]

I can sympathize, in 2022 and 2023 both I broke something in my feet so injinjis are getting cramped.

BTW thanks for the fixomull tip, but it costs a vital organ out here

[Author]

Posts