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2/3 * 1 yard
I love the occasional nerdy math joke. I promise to keep them to a minimum.
This post is all about those humble servants just below your ankles. That’s right, folks, we are talking about feet. While thru-hikers obsess over so many aspects of their hike, I’d be willing to bet that their smelly striders are often taken for granted – until they aren’t, because they are screaming with pain.
Like many aspiring thru-hikers, I’ve spent time reading as part of my preparation. Because I suffered from deep, painful blisters during my last marathon training, I have been looking for good advice on how to manage my feet for this epic journey.
One of the more useful books I’ve read recently is a gem called Fixing Your Feet by John Vonhof. This book is long and often repetitive because the author never intended for it to be read cover-to-cover. He sees it as a reference manual to be used for whatever currently ails your little piggies. Failing to follow the author’s direction, I read it cover-to-cover! I picked up several things I’ll try throughout the rest of my training and thru-hike. Below is the Fun-Size summary (shorter than Cliffsnotes) of what I took away from this book. I hope there is at least one tip that is useful for you, whether you are hiking a long trail or walking in your neighborhood.
Note that the products linked below are my choices. See the full book for very long lists of options.
General Foot Advice
- Go barefoot or with minimalist shoes whenever practical – it strengthens and airs out the dogs
- Wear wool
- Stretch your dainty digits, just like you would stretch legs or back
- Buy shoes from a local outfitter with trained staff – you should have length, width, and height for your tooties to wiggle
- Don’t settle for someone else’s shoe recommendation – there is no perfect shoe for everyone, but everyone can find the perfect shoe for them
- Soak your paws in Epsom salt water, then air dry whenever possible
- Look at lacing patterns for your particular kind of foot – who would have guessed there are 62 options?!
Blisters Can End Your Hike
- Train with the exact socks and shoes you will hike in
- Trim or use duct tape/ENGO patches on any spot that isn’t smooth inside your shoe
- Keep toenails short and filed smooth
- Reduce calluses with a pumice stone – it really hurts to get blisters under calluses
- Wear gaiters or long pants to keep sand, sticks, rocks, etc, out of your shoes
- Find your best method for eliminating “shear” so that your pedal pushers move smoothly around in your shoe – toe socks, tape, powder, lube are all options
- Tape pre-blister hot spots immediately and fix whatever caused them
- Drain blisters that have clear fluid inside, keep the skin in place, and wrap to protect
- Guard against infection any time the skin is broken
- Stay vigilant and check for issues every day – what works today might not work tomorrow
Much of this is common sense care for your sole mates, but it is easy to skip the simple, preventative tasks when you are tired/hot/wet/hungry/cold. Drop me a comment and let me know what foot care routine has worked for you!
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Comments 4
A must read for any hiker…new or experienced…great info and excellent refresher! Many people advocate only one pair of socks, but I think this is madness. Two pairs minimum; rotate daily, rinse/wash as much as possible. Hiking in wet socks/shoes is asking for trouble. Change socks to the dryest pair you have if they get wet. Try to keep shoes dry; don’t ford streams in your hiking shoes – use camp shoes that can handle the rocky bottoms. YMMV. But your mileage will be better if you follow at least some of these tips.
With over 13,000 hiking miles behind me I want to let folks know about COVER ROLL” as a way to prevent blisters! Has worked for me for years. Each day slap a 2” x 4” piece on the foot where blister may occur. I put one just behind and up against my toes on the bottom of my foot. Also good on heels and wrapped around a toe. PASS THIS ON PLEASE. Product is cheap and works!
Gordon “renaissance man” Ripley. Hiked from 1967 to 2008. Did AT and 200. Miles of Colorado trail plus more. At 86 arthritis has slowed me down
Gordon
Thanks, Rick! I appreciate you adding great thoughts to the post. Keeping feet dry and clean is the right aspiration for us all!
Gordon, thank you so much for sharing your preferred product recommendation. It is so helpful to hear what really works for experienced hikers like you. I am humbled by your impressive history and hope to have your kind of longevity!