The Agony of De-Feet

Reading up on foot care, and learning about the vast number of aspects to foot care that I either don't do or do poorly, has made me curious about how much other posters think about/care for their feet. I think it's a very important issue, particularly for folks just beginning backpacking or UL'ing, but mainly I want to see what everyone else is doing So if I may pose some questions...

Do you have any daily foot rituals on the trail or at home?

Do you use taping, lubricants, or other preventative measures against bliters?

How do you like to take care of any blisters that pop up?

What do you think is the most important component to maintaining happy feet?

3 things that make my feet really happy:

Injinji socks

This book.

Elastikon tape.

After a very painful bout with blisters on the JMT a few years back I attacked the problem from several angles. I use Elastikon as a preventative measure. It sticks when wet and can stay on for several days, and it stretches. The only time I've had bad blisters since was when I forgot my Injinjis on a R-R-R Grand Canyon trip.

And since I have horribly flat feet, I always use an over-the-counter orthotic support.

I think the main component to happy feet is:

1) to have footwear that fits

2) dissipate the heat that builds up while hiking.

I generally stop every hour and air out my feet. If doing a long hike, I change socks at mid-day.

I have a few callous spots that always get blisters around them. I've started wrapping those areas with duct tape before hiking and it has prevented the blisters - so far.

If you'll do a search for 'blister' here and in the archives, you'll find lots of threads.

The old 'pop' versus 'no-pop' debate rages on.

I use body glide or equivalent on dry feet before starting.

If I feel myself starting to get a hot spot I STOP remove socks
and put on a covering - usually a band aid or blister band-aid.



Same as above. cover it.



Good fitting footwear that you are used to and good socks.

After someone I hiked with offered me some, I started to use Hydropel. If I suspect that I will be doing many miles daily, I put leukotape on the balls of my feet and across the pad of my big toes to mitigate a lot of friction. I take off my shoes at lunch and turn the socks inside out.

No blisters in two years and counting. I've been slowly depleting the moleskin supply by giving it to others who need it.

I haven't had blisters for at least 40 years. I think it is because I always wear shoes that are at least a size and width, or two, bigger than my feet.

“Do you have any daily foot rituals on the trail or at home?”
I just walk every day in the exact same footwear as I backpack in.
Every once in a while, I’ll point my toes to the sky--- to stretch all the ligaments along the arch. This minimizes plantar fasciitis.

“Do you use taping, lubricants, or other preventative measures against bliters?”
Hmm. Sometimes I use a thicker sock. Socks are important. Three things cause blisters: Heat, moisture, friction. Eliminate one and you might not have blisters. Eliminate two, and you won’t have blisters.

“How do you like to take care of any blisters that pop up?”
I haven’t had that problem--- nor my hiking buddies that use my style of footwear.

“What do you think is the most important component to maintaining happy feet?”
I can’t put it to one: Keep them at the right coolness. Make sure the toes have complete freedom (or you risk black tonails). Make sure the arch fits.



For my situation and most people in my hiking group, we wear open-toed sandals. Unlike boots, you don’t need a break-in period. If you have the right sock and they are comfy in the store, you’ll do well on the trail. They need to be good quality so they don’t break on you in the middle of nowhere.
I do wear snow boots for Dec-Jan.

I backpack in teva tera fi-2. I’ve been in all terrain with them except deep snow. I love them on scree (large and small) because of their grip. I always wear socks; this eliminates the odors in the sandal. The sandal can adapt to any layer(s) of socks. I wear thin socks in the summer to my down booties in the winter. I also like their grip on wet sloping granite.

I also play my sports in them (basketball, tennis, racquetball).
I did put on some comfy Nike’s and I thought “these are comfortable and light!”. Then I put my sandals back on and went “wow, these are more comfortable. I can wiggle my toes! And I can’t roll my ankles!”

A technique I use to protect my toes is just buy 1/4 to 3/8” longer. That way the tip of the sandal gets stubbed before my toe does.

Also, the open toe sandal/sock combo eliminates (or greatly minimizes):
1. hammer toes
2. foot rot (aka athletes foot)
3. blisters; i.e., heat, moisture, friction are brought under control (I could write several paragraphs on this).
4. need for camp slippers. Just loosen the strap and they become as comfy as slippers.
5. heavy footwear.
6. cracked prune skin; occurs during extended trek through wet marshes.
7. slowing down the team when crossing rivers. Just plow through the river!
8. new shoe break-in period.
9. shoestring breaks.

There’s some more plus’s and other tricks of the trade but I won’t go into them here.
My only gripe is the ‘spider rubber’ wears out fast. I get about 500 miles before I need to replace. I have gone ~1000 miles on a pair but I really had to be careful with its grip for a while. However, I don’t want to give up grip for longer lasting rubber.

One more tip: make sure your foot arch matches the footwear arch to the T. This alone made me try on about 2 dozen sandals to find one that fits.

May everyone find their foot zen.
-Barry

BarryP,

Where were you able to try on all these various types of sandals? I've seen a few styles at REI but not that many. I'd hate to have to order several different pairs from Zappos and then return what doesn't fit.

I have terra fi 2's as well - I can't hike in them for one reason only. Decomposed granite. SUCKS to hike with a million crumbs of granite under your foot, and they suck up a new tablespoon of the stuff for every ounce I shake out.

I have been on a few trails where that wouldn't be a problem, but then it's the cactus and thorn problem.

Perhaps someday when I go somewhere outside California - or maybe a more northern part of the state. Coastal redwoods, perhaps.

I agree with Lori--it's not much fun to have gravel between your feet and the sandal! Plus I have really deformed feet (bunions and hammertoes--mostly genetic--plus fallen arches) and need far more support than is provided by a sandal. I've had better luck with well-fitting and supportive trail runners.

Body Glide has been wonderful for preventing blisters--I use lots of it, several times a day! I'm sure Hydropel is equally good but I haven't yet tried it.

And as others have said, stop and use moleskin or tape at the very first hint of discomfort! Don't decide to tough it out for another half-hour until your regular rest stop--if you do, you'll have a full-fledged blister!

I’ve tried sandals on at: REI, Gander Mountain, Sears, JCPenney, Dicks Sporting Goods, Shoe Carnival, and some stores at the mall. I’ve scored several Tera Fi 2’s at Sierra Trading Post (once I knew they fit me) for $25-$35. But my size 9 goes fast as I see these deals just for a day.

I actually found a very comfortable Nike sandal at JCPenney but on hot or cold days-- I feel the ground’s temperature (unlike a Teva).
-Barry

I walk on gravel a lot and I don’t get pebbles in the sandal except maybe once/hr, if that--- but so does everyone else with shoes.
The key is to wear socks and cinch the sandals tight (not too tight). Plus that minimizes blisters. Then the pebbles can’t squeeze their way in. It helps that the sandal has a lip around the perimeter in the critical areas. I’ve only found that feature in certain Tevas.
But at a rest stop, be sure to loosen up for a great relaxing feel.

May everyone find their foot zen.
-Barry

Unfortunately, sandals are not a particularly good choice for hiking in my part of the country (Arizona). We have plants affectionately named "shin dagger", "cat claw", and "jumping cholla" lurking along our rocky trails waiting for exposed toes to come along. I get by with trail runners but still watch where I put my feet. If I were to do much off-trail hiking, I would get a pair of light boots.

I would also be reluctant to wear sandals in the Sierra; too many sharp rocks and rocky stretches of trail. Trail runners work great on and off trail in the Sierra but I have seen folks happily hiking in sandals also. Just not very many.

You're not hiking where I hike. I get pebbles in my trailrunners.

I have to wear gaiters most of the time with mid-height boots if I don't want to empty them a few times a day.

I really like Tevas and they have saved a friend who managed to develop golf-ball-sized blisters on her heels. But I won't hike in them - having a stick gouge through your sock on the way down a brushy overgrown trail isn't fun either.