I’m allergic to latex AND 0:15 lanolin so lambs wool turns my skin raw. Sadly even faster and worse than latex. I put Cerave healing ointment on my feet under my liner socks and it works really well at both preventing blisters and nipping hot spots in the bud. Dermatologist recommended because it’s petrolatum based and therefore hypoallergenic. Although we all prefer something “natural” it doesn’t always work for people prone to allergic reactions eczema. Just thought I’d mention that because I know others who are allergic to lanolin and it can be bad.
Thank you for this video. Great information. I never got a blister from a 100% wool sock. I need the largest possible toe-box. I loosen my laces before an uphill and tighten my laces before a downhill. Take the time to break in those shoes/boots. As you take breaks throughout the day, try to make time to take off your shoes and socks, and air out your feet for five or ten minutes. Prop your feet up if possible. Have two pairs of socks for each day's hike and swap them out every time you take a break. Have shoes/boots with good ankle support, and with a shank, or buy carbon-fiber inserts. Shoes with soles that are too thin and flexible will cost you dearly in later years; when the shoes are long gone, the damage will remain.
being a vet and having to do many forced road marches , the best prevention for blisters is putting a pair of nylon stockings on your feet before you put your socks . second tip get leather shoes , leather stretches and will pass to your feet. just get them fully soaked with water and go hiking for about about ten miles or so and boom your booots / shoes are worked in and will pass to your feet
I'm still pretty new to hiking, and I've always had problems with blisters on my feet. One tip that seems obvious but wasn't to me at first, is to tie your shoes when you're standing up and not while sitting. Doing that plus the heel lock lacing and wearing a different type of sock has made a huge difference for me.
You hit all the highlights to manage your feet and avoid blisters. Thanks! Here are a couple of other ideas. Throughout the day stretch your feet, legs, and ankles so you're limber and flexible. Once you stop for the evening, massage your feet and legs. It will feel good and help you assess and address any problem areas. Happy hiking!
I've used wool outer socks and poly inners and haven't had blisters for decades. In fact I cross rivers without changing socks and only take them off when sleeping at night.
I used to get blisters on sides of feet and between toes. Now I use wide trail runners, that fixed it. Wash grime of feet, socks and shoes for max breathability.
Now that I've dialed in the right sock and shoe combination, I rarely have blisters or hot spots. When I do have trouble, my go to is leukotape. Mainly the only trouble I have is the pinky toe easing under the next toe and creating pain. I use a strip of the tape to wrap and gently twist the pinky toe away from the other toes. Usually only have that trouble if I'm walking a lot of sideways sloped trail. You have a lot of wonderful advice here. I use toe socks plus a wool outer sock and several lacing techniques to get it just right.
I always wear 2 pair of socks. I use a light synthetic/wicking inner pair covered by a seasonal light or heavy wool pair. I never have blisters. works like a champ. Easy '18
Yah silk liners are hard to find now. But they are the best. Man TH-cam is full of so much nonsense. Also, not sure who needs to hear this but please wear boots on unpredictable terrain. A rolled ankle can ruin a trip and nag you for the rest of your life.
Just found your channel - great suggestions. I have used a number of them already especially the lambs wool. By the time my socks go on I have blister pads, lambs wool and KT tape on my feet - still looking for the “miracle “ to hiking without discomfort. Happy hiking 🥾
Fantastic tip about the lambs wool! I believe we have the same pinkie toe. :) I don’t normally get blisters but have when backpacking a long while in what I consider extreme heat. Not the best climate, but the Sierra, where I lie seems to be getting hotter and hotter.
I’m the same way with my hands. Years of working in restaurants as a cook, I’ve been burned and burned more than any human should ever be burned. Countless times grabbing a handful of French fries immediately after they came out of the fryer has left me with palms of steel!
Great tip with the lambs wool, will definitely try! Another great preventative measure they use for alpinism in Europe is deer grease (Hirschtalg, by Rohde), if you start creaming your feet daily 1-2 weeks before you start, the skin gets nice and firm, it did help me already as a newbie. I also liked to cream my feet after long days, the next day would be much easier.
The pinky toe thing sounds familiar ,..I do carry a protective toe brace just in case it starts to become a problem ...works like a charm. The right shoes and socks are also very important indeed ..and also very personal ..in my case Salomon X-Ultra 4 Mids ..are the best allrounders for my feet, wide flexible toebox + rigid ankle lock/support is what's best suited for me personally. (they are not perfect, far from it, so it's more of a love /hate relationship haha ) and I always wear wool socks.(I prefer Merino wool though) Great video with a lot of useful info , thanks !
@@JoyfulRambler about mile 4 or 5 my feet swell, load or no load. It’s just more effective to wear a half size larger for me. And yes my feet grew as I aged because I spent so much time on them during my career.
Thanks for the blister tips. Good stuff as usual. And looking forward to your Pinhoti thru. I like daily videos OR when hikers combine 2 days into one. The 2 in 1 makes for a better video on zero days. Both 1 or 2 day are my preferred. Thanks again. Love your channel. I’m thinking of buying a shirt if you still have them. Peace and happy trails
I just tried the heel lock lacing on a new pair of shoes and holy moly, where has that technique been my whole life??? They fit SO much better! I'm in my fifties and do long distance hiking and have had to switch over to shoes and boots with a roomy toe box. My feet are spreading and flattening as i age i suppose. But i honestly dont mind too much. I absolutely love my Keen hiking boots. They fit like a miracle. But this new pair of Merrell shoes (cute, barefoot style) werent fitting so well on the heel until i did the heel lock lacing. Thanks!! If anyone has any other suggestions for shoe brands they like that have the wide toe box I'd love to hear them. Good shoes are too expensive to just take the leap without a lot of research.
I have wide feet and will walk the Camino Portugués in six weeks. I tried more than 10 pairs of trail runners and walked a bunch of miles in my house testing them. To me, Hokas feel like walking on balloons, and I think the soles would shred on rocks. There's too much padding. Merrell Moabs felt too heavy for this hike. Altra Lone Peaks are okay, but I was looking for a little more substance. I ended up with Topo MTN Racer 3. They feel nice and substantial, with meaty Vibram soles. I joined REI, so shipments and returns are easy and they had a good selection of boots and trail runners. None of these are cheap, but 200-500 miles of hiking calls for meaty shoes. Hope this helps!
Keep your feet as dry as possible. Don't bathe your feet when on the hike. Apply a patch as soon as you feel that a blister is developing. Patches of the brand "Compeed" are effective.
Have you tried shoes with a wider toebox to fix the pinky problems? Altra and Topo. I have similar problems, but I dont get blisters when I use wide shoes. I also try toe spacers when I am at home and walk around barefoot to see if I can better the balance of the foot itself.
She's wrong. Leukotape works great. You put it on potential problem areas before you begin your hike, and any rubbing happens on the tape, not your skin. The advantage of Leukotape over, say, the athletic tape that basketball and football players use is that Leukotape sticks like mad. I've used it and had it stick to my foot for a full week, without even starting to come off. It's like it becomes a part of your foot, even sticking through multi8ple showers. It doesn't do it quite like that every time, but often enough. And even when it doesn't, it still sticks like mad. It works better than the two sock system she described, which I used for years and still use.
I’m allergic to latex AND 0:15 lanolin so lambs wool turns my skin raw. Sadly even faster and worse than latex. I put Cerave healing ointment on my feet under my liner socks and it works really well at both preventing blisters and nipping hot spots in the bud. Dermatologist recommended because it’s petrolatum based and therefore hypoallergenic. Although we all prefer something “natural” it doesn’t always work for people prone to allergic reactions eczema.
Just thought I’d mention that because I know others who are allergic to lanolin and it can be bad.
Thank you for this video. Great information.
I never got a blister from a 100% wool sock. I need the largest possible toe-box. I loosen my laces before an uphill and tighten my laces before a downhill. Take the time to break in those shoes/boots. As you take breaks throughout the day, try to make time to take off your shoes and socks, and air out your feet for five or ten minutes. Prop your feet up if possible. Have two pairs of socks for each day's hike and swap them out every time you take a break. Have shoes/boots with good ankle support, and with a shank, or buy carbon-fiber inserts. Shoes with soles that are too thin and flexible will cost you dearly in later years; when the shoes are long gone, the damage will remain.
being a vet and having to do many forced road marches , the best prevention for blisters is putting a pair of nylon stockings on your feet before you put your socks . second tip get leather shoes , leather stretches and will pass to your feet. just get them fully soaked with water and go hiking for about about ten miles or so and boom your booots / shoes are worked in and will pass to your feet
I'm still pretty new to hiking, and I've always had problems with blisters on my feet. One tip that seems obvious but wasn't to me at first, is to tie your shoes when you're standing up and not while sitting. Doing that plus the heel lock lacing and wearing a different type of sock has made a huge difference for me.
You hit all the highlights to manage your feet and avoid blisters. Thanks! Here are a couple of other ideas. Throughout the day stretch your feet, legs, and ankles so you're limber and flexible. Once you stop for the evening, massage your feet and legs. It will feel good and help you assess and address any problem areas. Happy hiking!
Thanks for sharing!
I've used wool outer socks and poly inners and haven't had blisters for decades. In fact I cross rivers without changing socks and only take them off when sleeping at night.
I used to get blisters on sides of feet and between toes.
Now I use wide trail runners, that fixed it.
Wash grime of feet, socks and shoes for max breathability.
Now that I've dialed in the right sock and shoe combination, I rarely have blisters or hot spots. When I do have trouble, my go to is leukotape. Mainly the only trouble I have is the pinky toe easing under the next toe and creating pain. I use a strip of the tape to wrap and gently twist the pinky toe away from the other toes. Usually only have that trouble if I'm walking a lot of sideways sloped trail. You have a lot of wonderful advice here. I use toe socks plus a wool outer sock and several lacing techniques to get it just right.
I always wear 2 pair of socks. I use a light synthetic/wicking inner pair covered by a seasonal light or heavy wool pair. I never have blisters. works like a champ. Easy '18
Yah silk liners are hard to find now. But they are the best. Man TH-cam is full of so much nonsense. Also, not sure who needs to hear this but please wear boots on unpredictable terrain. A rolled ankle can ruin a trip and nag you for the rest of your life.
Great to be reminded of the Lamb's Wool !
Hiking with a pair of Altra Olympus shoes and Darn Tough socks. 12 miles yesterday, 6 hours, not even a tender spot.
Just ordered a pair of Injinji socks to try them out. Thanks for the suggestion!
Just found your channel - great suggestions. I have used a number of them already especially the lambs wool. By the time my socks go on I have blister pads, lambs wool and KT tape on my feet - still looking for the “miracle “ to hiking without discomfort. Happy hiking 🥾
Fantastic tip about the lambs wool! I believe we have the same pinkie toe. :) I don’t normally get blisters but have when backpacking a long while in what I consider extreme heat. Not the best climate, but the Sierra, where I lie seems to be getting hotter and hotter.
I just did hard labor in construction for 30 years. My feet have been fire proof for many years now lol.
I’m the same way with my hands. Years of working in restaurants as a cook, I’ve been burned and burned more than any human should ever be burned. Countless times grabbing a handful of French fries immediately after they came out of the fryer has left me with palms of steel!
Thank you!! I can’t wait to try the lambs wool, makes so much more sense than tape
You are so welcome!
Great tip with the lambs wool, will definitely try!
Another great preventative measure they use for alpinism in Europe is deer grease (Hirschtalg, by Rohde), if you start creaming your feet daily 1-2 weeks before you start, the skin gets nice and firm, it did help me already as a newbie. I also liked to cream my feet after long days, the next day would be much easier.
Great tip!
The pinky toe thing sounds familiar ,..I do carry a protective toe brace just in case it starts to become a problem ...works like a charm.
The right shoes and socks are also very important indeed ..and also very personal ..in my case Salomon X-Ultra 4 Mids ..are the best allrounders for my feet, wide flexible toebox + rigid ankle lock/support is what's best suited for me personally. (they are not perfect, far from it, so it's more of a love /hate relationship haha ) and I always wear wool socks.(I prefer Merino wool though)
Great video with a lot of useful info , thanks !
Thank you for the details of diff ways of tying shoes! I often wear 2 pairs of socks on longer hike. Or put 'moleskins' on skin.
That tip on the pinky toe blisters is great as I suffer from this. Will try it out.
Two pairs of socks, wool. Boots/shoes one half size large than my every day shoe. So far so good.
Good point, I didn’t mention that most people need to size up. Feet swell, and can even grow during a thru hike!
@@JoyfulRambler about mile 4 or 5 my feet swell, load or no load. It’s just more effective to wear a half size larger for me. And yes my feet grew as I aged because I spent so much time on them during my career.
Thanks for the lambs wool idea.
Thanks for the blister tips. Good stuff as usual. And looking forward to your Pinhoti thru. I like daily videos OR when hikers combine 2 days into one. The 2 in 1 makes for a better video on zero days. Both 1 or 2 day are my preferred.
Thanks again. Love your channel. I’m thinking of buying a shirt if you still have them.
Peace and happy trails
Youre welcome! And thanks for the input on frequency. I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do. You can order a T-shirt anytime. 🙂
Thank you, Joey! Your videos are great! So entertaining and informative. 👍
Great topic my friend, this looks just amazing 👏👏
Thank you! Cheers!
I use Leukotape preventively, with new shoes eg.
I just tried the heel lock lacing on a new pair of shoes and holy moly, where has that technique been my whole life??? They fit SO much better! I'm in my fifties and do long distance hiking and have had to switch over to shoes and boots with a roomy toe box. My feet are spreading and flattening as i age i suppose. But i honestly dont mind too much. I absolutely love my Keen hiking boots. They fit like a miracle. But this new pair of Merrell shoes (cute, barefoot style) werent fitting so well on the heel until i did the heel lock lacing. Thanks!! If anyone has any other suggestions for shoe brands they like that have the wide toe box I'd love to hear them. Good shoes are too expensive to just take the leap without a lot of research.
I have wide feet and will walk the Camino Portugués in six weeks. I tried more than 10 pairs of trail runners and walked a bunch of miles in my house testing them. To me, Hokas feel like walking on balloons, and I think the soles would shred on rocks. There's too much padding. Merrell Moabs felt too heavy for this hike. Altra Lone Peaks are okay, but I was looking for a little more substance. I ended up with Topo MTN Racer 3. They feel nice and substantial, with meaty Vibram soles. I joined REI, so shipments and returns are easy and they had a good selection of boots and trail runners. None of these are cheap, but 200-500 miles of hiking calls for meaty shoes. Hope this helps!
I’m so happy it helped!
Topo makes great shoes! I hope the work well for your trip.
Keep your feet as dry as possible. Don't bathe your feet when on the hike. Apply a patch as soon as you feel that a blister is developing. Patches of the brand "Compeed" are effective.
) don't wash...put a bandaid on it. Got it.
Very helpful information.
Have you tried shoes with a wider toebox to fix the pinky problems? Altra and Topo. I have similar problems, but I dont get blisters when I use wide shoes. I also try toe spacers when I am at home and walk around barefoot to see if I can better the balance of the foot itself.
I really appreciated your ideas - thank you!
You are so welcome!
If there is one kind of sock that does give me blisters, they are the injinjy toesocks...😅
Thanks for the tips! 💙
Congratulations 🍾🎊 🎉
She's wrong. Leukotape works great. You put it on potential problem areas before you begin your hike, and any rubbing happens on the tape, not your skin. The advantage of Leukotape over, say, the athletic tape that basketball and football players use is that Leukotape sticks like mad. I've used it and had it stick to my foot for a full week, without even starting to come off. It's like it becomes a part of your foot, even sticking through multi8ple showers. It doesn't do it quite like that every time, but often enough. And even when it doesn't, it still sticks like mad. It works better than the two sock system she described, which I used for years and still use.
You are going to include all that in your own video, right?
@@steverice7546Your point isn't clear. She made a claim; my post disputed it. What more needs to be said?
Thanks!! Great info
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