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Having recently cover’budge ed the second half of the South Downs Way (Amberley Eastbourne, 54 miles in 2 days!) I know firsthand what it s like to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure blisters. And let me tell you, it s intensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully, VERY painful. I m a regular cover’budge er and trail runner, not often that kind of mileage I grant you, but I m out eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully single day none the less, so I despite’in spite of’albeit t my feet could handle it. Clearly not. With a enormous’vast’massive’tremendous 3-day hiking expedition in Italy coming up in June and a few more long practice hikes in between I need to utterly acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure to grapple s with how to prevent blisters when hiking long distances if I don t want my feet to be in literal shreds.

Blisters are the most common hiking injury and whilst they re not exactly major serious, they are incredibly uncomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table, and they do run the risk of acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting infected if not treated correctly. The three main factors that cause blisters are:

Friction
Moisture

Unin/with regard to’concerning’regarding tunately, all of these occur intensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully easily when cover’budge ing in/with regard to’concerning’regarding long periods of time, and it merely’barely takes one of them to cause a blister. Combine all three, and you ve got no hope!

Knowing how wicked’dreadful’undesirable’adverse’vile ly I suffered from blisters on my last long hike, I need to make sure it doesn t happen again in Italy. While it is true that some individual are more susceptible to blisters than others, there are also things you can do to help prevent them from occurring. Here are my top 10 tips to prevent blisters when hiking long distances:

1. Wear The Right Footwear

Above anything else, if you want to prevent blisters when hiking long distances you need to make sure you re wearing the right footwear. When it comes to hiking footwear you ve got a few different choices and in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the most part this will come down to personal preference. Hiking shoes are rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent if you re cover’budge ing mixed terrain and you want something a bit sturdier than a running trainer, but not as heavy duty as a hiking boot. If you re going on a multi-day hike you re best off looking at hiking boots as these offer more maintain’sustain to the ankles and tend to be sturdier and better in/with regard to’concerning’regarding rougher terrain. However, it s worth bearing in mind that this means they will be heavier too, so as the miles rack up it can become harder to cover’budge in them. Or if you re looking in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a multi-purpose shoe to help save a bit of money, trail running trainers can double up as hiking shoes depending on the terrain and the distance.

It s definitely worth going along to a store to try a few different types of outdoor shoes on. Even if you don t buy them there and then, because let s be honest you can always find them cheaper online, it s super useful to try them on and see the differences. Some things to consider when buying hiking footwear if you want to shun blisters:

Grip You don t want to be apprehensive with regards to’concerning’with respect to slipping and falling over, so look in/with regard to’concerning’regarding hiking boots with deep rubber lugs on the base. This will give you better traction on rocks, mud and wet surfaces and will prevent unnecessary friction from occurring inside the shoes too.
Protection Hiking shoes need to conserve’preserve your feet as you cover’budge , both inside and outside. It s up to you whether you decide to go waterproof or not, there are benefits to be had either way and I touch on this in a bit more detail in a moment. Keep an eye out in/with regard to’concerning’regarding cushioning in those blister hot spots and toe caps if you re hiking over rocky ground.
Support Low cut shoes won t offer as much maintain’sustain as high or mid top boots. Again, it all boils down to the terrain you re cover’budge ing on, as unstable ground means more lay stress on’emphasize’highlight on your ankles.

It s really significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative that you also factor in things such as whether you ve had any foot injuries in the past, whether you possess’own’nurse wide feet, your body weight, and also the size and weight of the pack you ll be carrying. All these things make a difference to the shoes you should be wearing. Ultimately, the best shoes to go hiking in are the ones that feel most comin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table to you. E grossly one s needs are different, there is no one shoe fits all here. So, try on as many different types and brands as you can, until you find the perfect pair in/with regard to’concerning’regarding you. You re looking in/with regard to’concerning’regarding that Cinderella moment when the shoe just fits. And she s a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent role model to possess’own’nurse , because I m pretty certain Cinderella didn t possess’own’nurse blisters!

2. Make Sure Your Shoes Fit You Properly

Aldespite’in spite of’albeit the type of shoes you wear to go hiking is significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative , what matters more is that they fit you properly. Which is another rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent reason why it makes sense to go to a shop, as you ll be able to try on a wider range of hiking shoes without having to commit to buying them first. Now, I know most of us already know what size our feet are, but when it comes to running trainers, hiking shoes, cover’budge ing boots etc., more often than not you ll need to size up from your usual shoe size. The reason in/with regard to’concerning’regarding this is that when we cover’budge in/with regard to’concerning’regarding long distances our feet acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure hot and expand, so there needs to be abundant’ample’plentiful room in the shoe to accommodate this. However, simultaneous’synchronous we need the shoes to not be too enormous’vast’massive’tremendous as well, otherwise it s blisters all round.

A rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent way to test whether a pair of hiking boots are too enormous’vast’massive’tremendous is by cover’budge ing up and down a small ramp or anything that s on a slight incline. If the boots are too enormous’vast’massive’tremendous , you ll notice your heels sliding towards the back of the boots when you cover’budge up, and your toes hitting the front of the boots when you cover’budge down. This isn t rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent . You don t want any movement at all.

You should notice straight away whether a pair of boots are too small in/with regard to’concerning’regarding you, because it will be hard to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure them on, they ll feel instantly uncomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table and as despite’in spite of’albeit you want to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure them off, and your toes will feel squished. You want abundant’ample’plentiful room to be able to wriggle your toes but not so much room they re flapping around all over the place in there.

Ask in/with regard to’concerning’regarding advice in the shop, as certain brands of hiking shoes will be better in/with regard to’concerning’regarding wider feet, different pronation etc. And remember you can always buy a pair of insoles to pop in your shoes if you re between sizes or if you need extra maintain’sustain .

3. Tie Your Laces Correctly

Blisters are caused by repetitive rubbing against the skin, which can happen in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is because your shoelaces might not be tied correctly. If the laces on your hiking boots are wrongly positioned or tied too loosely it can cause friction on the surface of the skin, which as the miles rack up so too do your chances of acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting a blister.

If you want to prevent blisters when hiking long distances you need to lace your footwear tightly. Not just the top part of the lace, but the whole length of it. This will help maintain’sustain the foot, holding it in place, so that there is less chance of movement within the shoe. It s also worth remembering that your laces will become looser throughout your hike. Make sure you check them e grossly so often, retying if needed, to assure’guarantee the fit is as it should be.

4. Socks Make All The Difference

Arguably as significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative as the shoes you hike in are the socks you wear inside them. Socks really do make all the difference and don t in/with regard to’concerning’regarding one minute claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate you can acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure away with wearing those cotton flowery ones you wear round the house, because they really won t cut it.

Choose the wrong type of socks and you re destined in/with regard to’concerning’regarding blisters. You want a pair of high-quality socks that possess’own’nurse been specifically created with hiking in mind. Things to look out in/with regard to’concerning’regarding include:

Material Cotton may be comfy, but they hold moisture and aren t breathable so shun if you don t want blisters. Instead look in/with regard to’concerning’regarding socks made from moisture wicking, breathable fabrics such as Merino wool.
Thickness This depends on the time of year and weather conditions. Thicker socks will keep your feet warmer and will cushion your feet better, but remember if it s hot your feet will sweat more. Thinner socks on the other hand are great when the weather is warmer, just bear in mind that they won t offer as much cushioning between your skin and your boots and so there is an multiply d risk of rubbing.
Size The socks you wear when hiking need to be comin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table and that means acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting the size right. Just as you would try shoes on bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e you buy them, try socks on too. You want to make sure they fit snugly and don t create wrinkles, as these could cause friction when you cover’budge . Also, consider whether you might be cover’budge ing in long grass, in which case choosing a longer length sock will help conserve’preserve your legs.
Liner Socks These are a thin sock that you can wear underneath another pair of hiking socks to create a double-layer between your foot and the boot. Particularly rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent in/with regard to’concerning’regarding individual who are prone to blisters.
Toe Socks Aside from looking mildly’faintly odd’peculiar , toe socks do offer the benefit of keeping your toes separate from one another and therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e reducing the risk of chafing on the skin in between.
5. Break Your Shoes In

Just like any new pair of shoes, it s always recommended to wear them in a bit bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e taking them on any long outings. New shoes take a while to soften up and mould to the shape of your feet, and hard leather hiking boots in peculiar are going to give you all kinds of problems if you possess’own’nurse n t broken them in.

When you first acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure them, wear them around the house to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure used to the feel of them on your feet. After that, start wearing them in the garden, when you take the dog in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a cover’budge , when you go to the shops etc., so that you can acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure used to how they feel on harder ground and in/with regard to’concerning’regarding mildly’faintly longer periods of time. You ll quickly notice any zone’district’region s of potential chafing, but don t be too quick to write them off entirely as it could just be that they need more time to soften up. Better to do that now, rather than when you re halfway through a 25-mile hike!

6. Remove Debris

When you re cover’budge ing long distances it s likely you ll be covering lots of different terrain and parts of this terrain can gradually embark on infiltrate your shoes. Items like sand, pebbles, bits of grit, grass, small twigs etc., can quite easily make their way into your shoe no matter how tight you ve tied your laces. And when they do it can make cover’budge ing really uncomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding table. If you can feel something inside your shoes, always stop and take them off to give them a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent shake out as the friction from these bits of annoying debris can cause blisters.

Some hiking shoes feature a sock like collar, which helps to keep out debris, so if you know you re hiking in in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ests, trails, along the coast in/with regard to’concerning’regarding example where there is an multiply d chance of debris acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting in your shoes, it is well worth looking out in/with regard to’concerning’regarding this as a feature.

7. Blister Tape

OK, so what if like me you ve still got blisters from your last cover’budge ? Like seriously, the last enormous’vast’massive’tremendous cover’budge I did was 3 weeks ago and I m still growing skin back! I don t want to not go out in/with regard to’concerning’regarding another cover’budge , but my blister hot spots are still healing and the skin that is there is incredibly delicate, so the misgiving’fret is that as soon as I put on my hiking shoes I ll be reopening up the old wounds.

We can t always hope in/with regard to’concerning’regarding hike-perfect feet. The theory is that over time our feet toughen up, but in the meantime it s all with regards to’concerning’with respect to conserve’preserve ing them in the best way possible. One solution is to use blister prevention tape, like zinc oxide tape or kinesiology tape. This tape acts as a barrier between your sore skin and your sock, thus preventing further abrasion. It s intense’fierce’exquisite er than standard plasters or blister plasters, so stays in place and conserve’preserve s against dirt and moisture.

And even if you re not starting out your hike with an existing blister, but you know the zone’district’region s on your feet that possess’own’nurse suffered with blisters on past hikes (heels, toes and arches are peculiar ly vulnerable) it s a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent idea to tape those zone’district’region s up in advance. It s also worth carrying some of this tape in your first aid kit. That way if you embark on feel the token s of a blister developing, you can stop to put some tape on the offending zone’district’region and this should be abundant’ample’plentiful in/with regard to’concerning’regarding you to carry on with your hike without causing further impair’undermine .

8. Keep Your Feet Dry

Blisters can be caused by excess moisture being trapped in your shoe. This is either from your foot sweating or if water from puddles, streams etc. has made its way into your shoe. Over time, the moisture softens your skin and when combined with the rubbing movement of cover’budge ing, it can embark on tear and break away, therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e creating a blister breeding ground.

One way to lessen the chances of trapped moisture and therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e being able to prevent blisters when hiking long distances is to dust your feet with talcum powder bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e putting on your hiking socks. You should also keep a spare pair of socks in you day bag, so that you can transform’alter them if you feel as despite’in spite of’albeit moisture could be a problem.

Some individual swear by waterproof hiking boots or Gore-tex shoes, however just be mindful that aldespite’in spite of’albeit they do a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent job of stopping the water acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting in, they also prevent moisture from acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting out. Which means when your feet acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure sweaty, which they no doubt will, there s nowhere in/with regard to’concerning’regarding it to escape to. In my opinion it s far better to go in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a shoe or boot with mesh uppers, which OK yes, they may acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure wet if it rains, but they also dry out a lot quicker, and most significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative ly they allow your feet to breathe. And if your feet do acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure wet from wearing them, simply stop in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a few minutes, dry them with a lightweight travel towel or cloth, transform’alter socks, and continue on your way with fresh feet.

9. Let Your Feet Breathe

I know you re not going to want to take too many breaks on your cover’budge , after all you do want to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure to your destination while it s still daylight, but if you do embark on feel that tell-tale hot, tingly sensation on your feet, it s wise to stop and let your feet breathe. Sit down, take your shoes and socks off, and let the fresh air blow over them. Feels rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent , doesn t it!

The benefit of doing this is that it will cool your feet down and dry them out, which are two of the things that cause blisters. So yes, your cover’budge will take a bit longer than you planned, but if it means you shun blisters, it s well worth it.

If you really can t bear to stop cover’budge ing, because you re apprehensive with regards to’concerning’with respect to your muscles seizing up or that you ll struggle to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure going again, try something called the “chimney effect”. This involves rolling the tops of your socks down over the top of your boots, which creates a kind of chimney to allow heat and moisture escape from your boots.

10. After Care

Unin/with regard to’concerning’regarding tunately, some individual are more susceptible to blisters than others and you could take all of the precautions above and still suffer from them. So, if you can t prevent blisters when hiking long distances the next best thing is to make sure you know how to look after them if you do acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure them.

The fluid within a blister helps to conserve’preserve the skin while it repairs itself, and so unpopped blisters are best left to heal by themselves. They should naturally heal within 3 to 7 days, aldespite’in spite of’albeit keeping them from popping can be tricky unless you plan on cover’budge ing barefoot eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullywhere in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the next week. Some individual believe that it is best to leave blisters uncovered and to allow the air to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure to them so that they can dry up. However, you kind of don t want them to dry up, because the fluid helps them to heal. I would suggest putting a blister plaster over them whenever you need to wear shoes. These are more padded than normal blisters and should allow the blister to remain intact.

If your blisters possess’own’nurse already popped, it s significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure them cleaned up. Gently pat the zone’district’region dry with some clean tissue, then wipe away any dried fluid or blood with a wet flannel. Dry thoroughly and then cover with a sterile dressing. Depending on the size and severity of the blister, it may take some time bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e the skin grows back fully, so just remember to take precautions if you re planning on going on any long cover’budge s bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e they possess’own’nurse utterly healed.

Closing despite’in spite of’albeit ts

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, my feet possess’own’nurse still not recovered from a cover’budge I did 3 weeks ago, and yet I ve got a 25-mile cover’budge planned this weekend and then a 3-day hike in Italy next month. I need to be taking all the blister prevention I can. So, what possess’own’nurse I learnt?

Well, initially’originally I m convert’transform ing up my footwear. Instead of the clumpy boots that I wore on the South Downs Way, which I ve realised don t allow me to tie the laces as tight as I d like and therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e cause my feet to move around in them too much, I am trying out these TERREX Free Hiker 2 hiking shoes from adidas. As part of the adidas blogger community I am in/with regard to’concerning’regarding tunate abundant’ample’plentiful to be able to try out some of their products, and these could not possess’own’nurse come at a better time!

I ve already worn them on long dog cover’budge s and touch wood they possess’own’nurse n t given me any problems so far. The stretchy sock-like neck means my ankles feel maintain’sustain ed and it also helps keep e grossly thing snug to my skin, therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e decreasing movement within them. The laces can be tied a lot tighter than my other boots and best of all they re super light. I know that my blister hazard zone’district’region s are my heels and in between my toes, so I ve taken precautions to tape those zone’district’region s up and I ve packed a spare pair of socks. I m hopeful that just by changing these things it will be abundant’ample’plentiful to prevent more blisters, but we shall see.

I guess the enormous’vast’massive’tremendous gest thing I ve learnt is that some of this stuff is trial and error. We tend not to misgiving’fret with regards to’concerning’with respect to blisters until we actually acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure them, by which time it s too late. But we learn a valid and painful lesson along the way, which moving in/with regard to’concerning’regarding wards helps us to prevent it from happening again. Here s to lots more blister-free expedition s!

*adidas hiking shoes gifted in/with regard to’concerning’regarding review purposes