almost correct anon.
OP also needs to make sure he's wearing footwear that doesn't use a plastic or improperly shaped heel counter -- a hallmark of cheap boots.
None of the replies so far are wrong. Basically this happens due to a multitude of factors. The main issue is your heel is loose in your boot and is causing that friction. You could try tying your laces tighter, but that probably won’t work. I would get a better pair of boots, and always make sure that your heel stays down. When you are trying them on, make sure you wear the socks you Intend to use. Merino wool, like suggested, would be great. I also like the normal Nike brand socks. With extreme miles, you might still develop blisters, before the get like pic, apply mole-skin or Luekotape. Also, if you are in a humid area, change your socks regularly.
If you plan, you already know the hotspots where blisters are likely, to include uder individual toes. Put the leukotape there in advance of hiking onwards. Dry your effing skin prior. Wear Injini sock liners, size lower thus snug, and wear outer sox like Darn Tough socks. Break-in footwear prior to heading out.
There is no need to suffer blisters/heel chafe anymore. FUDGE people are effing imbeciles. Google even damnit.
Stop going out in brand new boots, break in your new hiking boots, actually wear your hiking boots, actually go hiking, uhh get good socks and wear them with your hiking boots, make sure your feet are dry when you wear your broken in boots. Also, one last tip, break in your boots before going out.
fit won't help and no amount of breaking in will help if OP bought cheap boots with a plastic heel counter
Stop going out in brand new boots, break in your new hiking boots, actually wear your hiking boots, actually go hiking, uhh get good socks and wear them with your hiking boots, make sure your feet are dry when you wear your broken in boots. Also, one last tip, break in your boots before going out.
I thoroughly vaseline my feet before hiking because I read it in a civil war book. Maybe you could try that. I think it helps but honestly I rarely got blisters before even on weekend backpacking trips. Boot fit is the most important factor by far like everyone else has said.
Pic is a mountain marmot I saw on Rainier 3 weeks ago
>how to prevent pic related?
Slap on some moleskin or tape as soon as you feel a blister coming. Don't fucking wait and """tough it out."""
If you want to prevent any possible blister, stay home.
If you want to greatly reduce your chance of blisters : proper fitting footwear, tie up your footwear properly, good quality socks (polypropylene socks at best), clean socks, dry socks, better genetics (I add in this one because I can get blisters just looking at my ski boots.) And learn from experience - if doing such and such experience gave you a blister in this area, then maybe you should put on moleskin before heading out.
just put a cloth band aid over it, stops it from forming or getting worse and cheap
https://i.imgur.com/jaC4NQh.jpg
>mole skin >bandaids
None of them have a strong enough adhesive to hold up to hiking. They’ll work if you have a blister and just need to casually walk around in your normal day-to-day life.
I use those and they start coming off before I even start working.
I'm talking the 80s and 90s when putting one on was a few days commitment because you bled if you tore them off early.
Buy a roll of Leukotape and a pack of non-stick pads and make your own. This sometimes works well for blisters that have already formed (it’s not always possible). The non-stick pads aren’t gauze pads; they’re basically the white part of a bandaid. Leukotape lasts for days and will absolutely take off some hair and skin if you just yank it. Kinesio tape too.
aren’t nearly as strong either. Moleskin doesn’t even come close. Anyone recommending these has never used Luekotape, never used the crap they’re recommending, or just figured it’s the best thing out there despite being total garbage. Even duct tape is better.
>Luekotape
yeah that's the shit I'm talking about, it not only sticks very well but it's smooth and slippery enough to not grip to things which is great. Use it for all kinds of repairs too, sleeping bags n pack straps and such. 10/10
>None of them have a strong enough adhesive to hold up to hiking
Get kinesiology tape if that's your concern, you can't get it off without hot water. I've never had any problems with just good old strapping tape. If you've got enough stress going on to peel of strapping tape it's no wonder you're getting blisters, you need a new pair of boots before anything else.
>how to prevent pic related?
Slap on some moleskin or tape as soon as you feel a blister coming. Don't fucking wait and """tough it out."""
If you want to prevent any possible blister, stay home.
If you want to greatly reduce your chance of blisters : proper fitting footwear, tie up your footwear properly, good quality socks (polypropylene socks at best), clean socks, dry socks, better genetics (I add in this one because I can get blisters just looking at my ski boots.) And learn from experience - if doing such and such experience gave you a blister in this area, then maybe you should put on moleskin before heading out.
double socks and go out more.
preemptive taping for beginners. Not leukotape, use white med tape instead.
leukotape is for taping over wounds and blisters that are already covered with bandaid or bandage cutouts
leukotape doesnt come off fast enough and the skin will soak and rot or eventually peel off.
Normal white tape doesnt do that so its easier to replace.
Most good advice has already been mentioned, but a cheap and very effective thing I have been doing is just duct tape. I always have some with me on a hike anyways so when I feel somewhere on my foot getting a little sore (so before a blister forms or while it is very small still) I cut some duct tape to size. Give it a cut on each side so it folds better if it's meant to curve around somewhere (like your heel). Works just fine. Gets a little sweaty under there, so no recommended for actual open wounds and shit, but for prevention it works for me.
Cover the area in Luekotape before a blister formed.
FPBP
/thread
almost correct anon.
OP also needs to make sure he's wearing footwear that doesn't use a plastic or improperly shaped heel counter -- a hallmark of cheap boots.
Lose weight.
Darn Tough work socks (with the orange toes
Shoes that are slightly bigger, with higher tops
Tighten the lace and don't let it get loose. Also thick or multi layer socks.
Merino wool socks
None of the replies so far are wrong. Basically this happens due to a multitude of factors. The main issue is your heel is loose in your boot and is causing that friction. You could try tying your laces tighter, but that probably won’t work. I would get a better pair of boots, and always make sure that your heel stays down. When you are trying them on, make sure you wear the socks you Intend to use. Merino wool, like suggested, would be great. I also like the normal Nike brand socks. With extreme miles, you might still develop blisters, before the get like pic, apply mole-skin or Luekotape. Also, if you are in a humid area, change your socks regularly.
wearing a liner sock matters 1,000,000x more important than what material your sock is made of
Yeah makes sense, Merino is a fine wool and slides nicely so it works for me. I'll look into liners though.
callouses
If you plan, you already know the hotspots where blisters are likely, to include uder individual toes. Put the leukotape there in advance of hiking onwards. Dry your effing skin prior. Wear Injini sock liners, size lower thus snug, and wear outer sox like Darn Tough socks. Break-in footwear prior to heading out.
There is no need to suffer blisters/heel chafe anymore. FUDGE people are effing imbeciles. Google even damnit.
Get your boots sized by a competent outfitter. My longest day was 32 miles, no blisters.
fit won't help and no amount of breaking in will help if OP bought cheap boots with a plastic heel counter
Stop going out in brand new boots, break in your new hiking boots, actually wear your hiking boots, actually go hiking, uhh get good socks and wear them with your hiking boots, make sure your feet are dry when you wear your broken in boots. Also, one last tip, break in your boots before going out.
Don't wear high heels when hiking.
Take a break every hour to take your socks off for 5 min
Walk better, thick double layered socks, wool, tape, dont be a fag and just tolerate them, lots of things
in short why the fuck would you want a shoe that holds by the foot that the ankles. from improper shoe design compared to foot
I thoroughly vaseline my feet before hiking because I read it in a civil war book. Maybe you could try that. I think it helps but honestly I rarely got blisters before even on weekend backpacking trips. Boot fit is the most important factor by far like everyone else has said.
Pic is a mountain marmot I saw on Rainier 3 weeks ago
Ducttape from mid underfoot over the heel to higher than your boot . Note that this prevents, it doesny help if you already fucked up
moleskin is good to slap over a blister like that.
>mole skin
>bandaids
None of them have a strong enough adhesive to hold up to hiking. They’ll work if you have a blister and just need to casually walk around in your normal day-to-day life.
false. get your leprosy cured.
I was just complaining about band-aid adhesive the other day. Like fuck, remember when they would rip skin before coming off?
you're buying the wrong band-aids
I use those and they start coming off before I even start working.
I'm talking the 80s and 90s when putting one on was a few days commitment because you bled if you tore them off early.
Buy a roll of Leukotape and a pack of non-stick pads and make your own. This sometimes works well for blisters that have already formed (it’s not always possible). The non-stick pads aren’t gauze pads; they’re basically the white part of a bandaid. Leukotape lasts for days and will absolutely take off some hair and skin if you just yank it. Kinesio tape too.
They were never as strong as Luekotape. And
aren’t nearly as strong either. Moleskin doesn’t even come close. Anyone recommending these has never used Luekotape, never used the crap they’re recommending, or just figured it’s the best thing out there despite being total garbage. Even duct tape is better.
>Luekotape
yeah that's the shit I'm talking about, it not only sticks very well but it's smooth and slippery enough to not grip to things which is great. Use it for all kinds of repairs too, sleeping bags n pack straps and such. 10/10
>None of them have a strong enough adhesive to hold up to hiking
Get kinesiology tape if that's your concern, you can't get it off without hot water. I've never had any problems with just good old strapping tape. If you've got enough stress going on to peel of strapping tape it's no wonder you're getting blisters, you need a new pair of boots before anything else.
I've literally never had moleskin fall off while trekking. Stop buying cheap shit.
toughen up idk
but darn tough socks and foot powder works well
>how to prevent pic related?
Slap on some moleskin or tape as soon as you feel a blister coming. Don't fucking wait and """tough it out."""
If you want to prevent any possible blister, stay home.
If you want to greatly reduce your chance of blisters : proper fitting footwear, tie up your footwear properly, good quality socks (polypropylene socks at best), clean socks, dry socks, better genetics (I add in this one because I can get blisters just looking at my ski boots.) And learn from experience - if doing such and such experience gave you a blister in this area, then maybe you should put on moleskin before heading out.
Minimize the amount of walking you do. If you have a car make use of it
just put a cloth band aid over it, stops it from forming or getting worse and cheap
double socks and go out more.
preemptive taping for beginners. Not leukotape, use white med tape instead.
leukotape is for taping over wounds and blisters that are already covered with bandaid or bandage cutouts
leukotape doesnt come off fast enough and the skin will soak and rot or eventually peel off.
Normal white tape doesnt do that so its easier to replace.
Most good advice has already been mentioned, but a cheap and very effective thing I have been doing is just duct tape. I always have some with me on a hike anyways so when I feel somewhere on my foot getting a little sore (so before a blister forms or while it is very small still) I cut some duct tape to size. Give it a cut on each side so it folds better if it's meant to curve around somewhere (like your heel). Works just fine. Gets a little sweaty under there, so no recommended for actual open wounds and shit, but for prevention it works for me.