[pct-l] 2008 PCT thru hike Blisters

[Steel-Eye]

Good morning, Chris,

 

You didn't mention anything about your experience and your training/conditioning before you depart, but assuming you are an average off-the-street person, the odds are good that you will get a few blisters.  Early in a hike almost anything can cause a blister, such as shoes and their fit, socks, insoles, dirt, sweat, etc.  As time passes and the feet become tougher they seem to be able to withstand about any of those abuses without becoming sore or blistered.

 

It's always preferable to deal with a rub or hot-spot before it turns into a blister.  Generally, if you feel a problem coming you can't gut-it-out with the idea that it will somehow get better.  Stop right then, get on your butt, and fix it before it gets worse.  Most blisters form because rubbing causes the outer skin to separate from the next layer, and subsequently the gap fills with fluid.  The idea of tape is to do two things: 1) Provide a surface that has less friction, and 2) Use the strength of the tape to distribute the shear stress over a much wider area, thereby reducing the tendency of the skin to separate in a small, local spot.

 

If an actual blister has formed, the fluid must be removed or else the hydraulic force created by stepping on it will cause the fluid to separate more and more skin; this in spite of the tape.  I usually put a very small amount of lubricant directly on top of the skin flap or blister cover so the tape won't stick.  I often use ChapStick because it's easy and that's what I have.



I've used many different kinds of tape, but none that I've found are perfect for all situations.  I use regular moleskin quite often, and I like it.  One of its greatest attributes is its ability to comply with a compound-curved surface without --- usually --- wrinkling.  Some plastic tapes have a very slick surface, which is good, and others have a waterproof but "tacky" surface.  The tacky stuff won't achieve the need to reduce friction.  Duct tape is a well-accepted trail fix, and feet covered with it seems to be wilderness-chic, but in my view it's only second-rate.  It is all but impossible to place duct tape on a compound-curved surface without its wrinkling.

 

Keeping tape in place on a busy foot is always a problem.  Sometimes it stays in place for 10 minutes and other times I've had it stay for several days.  Whenever possible I like to clean and dry the skin before applying tape.  Air-drying is a minimum.  Preferred is removing perspiration and skin oil so the goo will stick and stay.  There are commercial preparations that clean the skin and make it sticky to hold the tape, but few hikers carry the stuff.  I like to wipe the entire area with alcohol the stove fuel or with a peel-open alcohol wipe.  Alcohol removes oils, and it has a great affinity for moisture so it dries the skin long enough for the tape to stick. Beware of packaged wipes that contain any kind of lotion because you want less stuff on your skin, not more. 

 

The tape should be cut sufficiently large that the edges and corners will be in areas of the foot that do not receive significant rubbing.   Be cautious about wrapping tape around a toe far enough to overlap itself.  Soon, as you walk, the toe will expand and the tape will become very uncomfortable, or even dangerous.  Unless the tape is very stretchy it's better to have the ends of the tape meet, but not overlap.

 

Take great care when putting socks back on after a tape-job.  It is very easy for a sock to grab the sticky edge of the tape and start to roll it up.  Feel all around the tape with the sock in place.  If you feel any rolled edges or corners, you're screwed before you even put your shoe on and take that first step.  Even properly done, tape will feel somewhat strange for a while until it yields and adapts to the foot, but soon it's hardly noticeable. 

 

Here's hoping you never have to apply any of these fixes.

 

Steel-Eye

^^^^^^^^^^  Join other hikers at:  http://www.aldhawest.org/  ^^^^^^^^^^



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: chris probst 
  To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
  Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 2:21 PM
  Subject: [pct-l] 2008 PCT thru hike Blisters


  hi my name is chris probst and I am curious as the best way to go about not getting blisters. I am planning on thru hiking the pct this year starting in Campo on the first week of may. any tips would be greatly appreciated! 


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