Happy Feet

Got happy feet? Then you'll never notice them during rugged outdoor travels, and that's good. A couple of blisters, though, and the sad state of your heels and toes can suck the joy right out of your day. Preventing blisters is easy with a little planning ahead of time and some common sense while you're on the move. Here's how. Before a hike, get: ·  Footwear That Fits - Boots and shoes for hiking need to be the right size. Wearing new footwear around home breaks them in before you're on the trail. ·  Socks That Absorb - Expert hikers wear heavy socks over thin liner socks. Made of material that wicks away moisture, the liner socks protect your skin if your feet slide a little inside the heavier socks. Carry spare socks, too, so you can change out of those that become damp with sweat or rainwater, or soaked as you splash through puddles and streams. ·  Armor That Protects - Have a history of blisters? Use moleskin before a hike to shield tender places on your feet. Some hikers have good luck protecting healthy skin with duct tape, too. The slippery face of the tape slides against boots and reduces friction. While you're on the trail, follow:
Three "No Blister" Rules These simple rules guarantee almost no blisters: 1. Check for hot spots! 2. Check for hot spots! 3. Check for hot spots! Stop often, take off your shoes and socks, and examine your feet for redness or tenderness.  Those can be warning signs that a blister is starting to form. Reinforce hot spots with moleskin and you'll have a good chance of stopping blisters before they can stop you. Patching the Damage Despite your best efforts, a shoe can rub you the wrong way until a hot spot turns into a blister. Take action the moment you notice it. The classic treatment is to cut moleskin into the shape of a donut and fit the bandage around the blister. That takes pressure off of the injury so that you can continue hiking. Gel bandage pads such as Spenco® 2nd Skin® can be placed directly over a blister. Used alone or with moleskin donuts, gel bandages offer sterile protection and relief from friction. If you need thicker padding to protect a serious blister, stack additional moleskin donuts on top of the first one. Or cut a corner from a closed-cell foam sleeping pad, shape that into a donut, and fit it around the injury.