Blistered feet

alsatian

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I am prone to developing blisters on the heels of my feet, specifically when I am doing a good amount of downhill walking, for example while backpacking in the mountains. I wear a thin inner polypropolene sock and a heavy outer wool sock. When I feel a hot spot develop in the past, I would remove my socks, cut out an appropriate sized piece of Dr Schole's "Moleskin," and everything would be OK. I have not found the original "Moleskin" for some time and only find a padded version that I'm not confident will work as well. What do you do when you start to develop a blister on your feet?
 
Put a layer of ductape on your heal then put your socks on. works great as a preventative measure. Also, might look into your boots fit.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-11-06 AT 11:51AM (MST)[p]I don't think my boots are the problem. I think it is the fate of tender city feet suddenly introduced to lots of hiking on very unlevel, rocky ground in heavy boots.

The first experience was on the third day of a seven day backpacking trip, 60 LBS pack on the back, very steep descent from a pass. No blister, only redness and the sensation that a blister was coming on. The second experience was on the 9th (and last) day of a deer hunt, walking around a lot of hills. This actually led to a blister because I did not apply the "moleskin" treatment.

I appreciate your comment on the use of Duct tape and may try this as a preventive maintenance item.

Others thoughts?
 
Meindel boots, sock liners, smart wool socks and regular moleskin do the trick for me, and that is in some very rough terrain. Any time over the years I've had a blister start I have used the moleskin. Never tried the dtape.
 
Where do you get "regular" moleskin? All the moleskin I have found lately is padded or "super" moleskin. This might work, but I'm concerned the padding might interfere with the protective action of the moleskin.

I have some Meindle Perfekt Hunters that I used for my deer hunt, and they were great. This is what I will be doing my hunting in in the near term. The boots which I had the occasional blister issues with are Limmer boots -- great, high quality but heavy boots. They really feel good and provide great support for the feet, but on rough ground and steep downhills over many days with non-toughened city feet I had to carefully maintain my heel area using moleskin.
 
Trust me ductape is much better than moleskin. it stays on and is cheap. With the slick surface it does not create any friction. Just try it.
 
>Where do you get "regular" moleskin?
> All the moleskin I
>have found lately is padded
>or "super" moleskin. This
>might work, but I'm concerned
>the padding might interfere with
>the protective action of the
>moleskin.
>
>I have some Meindle Perfekt Hunters
>that I used for my
>deer hunt, and they were
>great. This is what
>I will be doing my
>hunting in in the near
>term. The boots which
>I had the occasional blister
>issues with are Limmer boots
>-- great, high quality but
>heavy boots. They really
>feel good and provide great
>support for the feet, but
>on rough ground and steep
>downhills over many days with
>non-toughened city feet I had
>to carefully maintain my heel
>area using moleskin.
Well, you said you can't find any Dr. Schols moleskin and the moleskin that I have been useing is just moleskin bought at a Wal Mart store and it's not Dr Schols so I call it regular.I've never had any problems with it. Are your boots brokein real good?
 
i second the duck tape. works great and you should have some with you at all times anyways.

for me it is: duck tape, silk liners, smartwool socks and meindle boots.

jds
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-11-06 AT 03:57PM (MST)[p]Try spraying your feet with antiperspirant. Stop the moister at the source.


'It's all about the gut pile'
 
When I wore cheap boots Duck Tape was standard equipment!!! You can use the really thin cheap stuff thats out now!!!You should have some Duck tape in your pack any way!!!Also Super Glue,it works like a bandade on all small cuts!!!Good Luck
 
Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate the useful information. I'm going to try the duct tape preventive maintenance in precisely 1 week from today, in the Weminuche Wilderness in SW Colorado on a two day backpacking/elk scouting trip. I'll also use the duct tape preventive maintenance on my actual elk hunting trip in the same location in October.

I think the Limmer boots are broken in; I love them; and I recommend them heartily (and I don't work for Limmer or a distributor!). I've walked 35 miles in them in steep, rocky mountain terrain with a heavy pack; I've hunted deer in them walking over uneven terrain over maybe 20 days; I've made about four mountain hikes in them of about 5 to 10 miles each in these boots, so I'm guessing they are broken in. I'm not sure I agree that you can't get blisters unless your boots are poor boots or are not yet broken in. I think it is possible that a combination of stressful hiking -- heavy load on back, steep terrain where the force onto the feet is vectored towards the toe instead of straight down onto the sole -- and tender feet unaccustomed to such stress can result in some tendency to develop a blister.
 
Also put the duct tap on top of your sock. Makes for a slick surface and keeps your moist sock from grabbing to your book heal and then wearing into your feet.
 
"I'm not sure I agree that you can't get blisters unless your boots are poor boots or are not yet broken in."

Some people have feet that are just not shaped well for any boot, save one custom made specifically for that foot. My right foot is almost a full size larger than my left. A bit more prominance on the back of the heel bone will wreak havoc as well. Great advise above. Duct tape does make a diff.
 

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