[pct-l] Re, blister prevention

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

Excellent post, Jeff, and so true!

I just want to add a bit regarding my experience with "heavy boots." 
("Limmers," now).

Since 1964, I have been choosing to wear full leather hiking boots and most 
of you know that I am out on the trails (and snow) teaching wilderness 
skills for up to 200 days every year since 1982. I have never gotten a 
blister!

I don't know why except it must be, as Jeff said, my boots offer a great 
deal of ventilation as I walk. I feel my foot moving just a little bit in my 
boot, maybe enough to cause a "pumping" of air around my foot, such that my 
feet never get hot or sweat, even in the desert of SoCal. Yes, I do wear a 
tight, thin liner sock under a thick, Smartwool outer sock, but rarely 
change them during the day since my feet never get dirty or wet (unless I 
keep my socks on while crossing a creek, then I change them out on the other 
side).

I do not like a lot of movement of my foot within my boot, thus my boot size 
has always only been a size bigger than my actual foot. My feet have never 
swollen to a bigger size since high school, even after all these trail miles 
(PCT and CDT included).

Gaiters do help keep dirt, snow, and water out and I like to use the tallest 
versions I can find (but then I'm largely on snow most of the time and 
postholing without them can often cause my legs to get cut up on the ice 
layers and hidden rocks, boulders, and trees under the surface of the snow). 
The nice thing about tall, waterproof gaiters shows up when crossing 
shin-deep creeks wearing both my sealed, leather boots and w/p gaiters, 
water doesn't leak under the gaiters and spill into my boots! Again, I don't 
know why, but I like it since my feet stay dry!



Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education, Inc.
www.mountaineducation.org
ned at mountaineducation.org


Mission:
"To minimize wilderness accidents, injury, and illness in order to maximize 
wilderness enjoyment, safety, and personal growth, all through experiential 
education and risk awareness training."
-----Original Message----- 
From: Jeffrey Olson
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 7:22 AM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Re, blister prevention

Blisters are caused by heat, friction and moisture.

To deal with heat, wear shoes that breathe and stop every hour for 10
minutes and take your shoes and socks off.  This is actually hard to
force yourself to do I've found.  Also, shoes should breathe. Low boots
or goretex running shoes trap heat more than running shoes with a
semi-mesh forefoot.

To deal with friction wear thin, tight socks.  You don't want socks
rubbing on skin.  You want the foot and sock to be one.  It's ok to
change socks halfway through the day.  Six pair of thin socks weighs
little.

When socks get sweaty/dirty and dry out, they no longer are a second
skin.  Change them.  Rinse them and carry them on the outside of your pack.

The shoe will always move a bit against the foot, and it's up to you to
find lace tightness and shoe size to minimize repetitive rubbing.  I
like loose shoes.  I like the feeling of my feet floating around in the
shoe.  I think it was Deems who talked about how you walk differently
with a light pack and shoes.  You don't clomp.  You more feel your way
up and down the trail.  You're more on top of  your feet than with
boots.  The impact of each step is less than if you're striding with
boots or a thicker soled shoe.  It just feels different...

With new shoes put a piece of good quality duct tape inside the heel
part of the shoe running from underneath the insole and up and around
and down the outside part of the heel.  This really does a good job
reducing friction.  If the shoes are dirty, this doesn't work as well.
One piece of duct tape can last the life of the shoe.

Moisture control comes with breathable shoes and stopping every hour and
taking shoes/socks off.  Your feet get incredibly filthy, but so what?
I would rather have dry, dirt impregnated, strange looking feet than
pink, clean sweaty feet with always threatening hot spots.  Keep a pair
of socks solely for sleeping to protect your expensive sleeping quilt.

Wearing dirty girl gaitors keeps the blister causing dirt out.  The
stuff that comes through the mesh is more dust than anything larger.

Jeff
Arcata, CA


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