Blister prevention solution

[BillK]

Greetings everyone,
A couple of weeks ago, I took my wife on her first winter hiking trip. During the hike, she developed blisters on each of her heels, and needless to say, it wasn't a pleasurable experience for her. My goal now is to prevent this from happening again this coming weekend. Based on my research, (both here at VFTT and externally) some of the common prevention methods are:

moleskin
molefoam
tincture of benzoin
duct tape
surgical tape
athletic tape
etc., etc., etc.....the list goes on

Whatever solution we decide upon, it's important that it remains on for the entirety of the hike. I don't want to have to re-visit this during the hike.

Based on the information that I've compiled thus far, I'm leaning towards applying tincture of benzoin on a daily basis leading up to the hike. The morning of the hike, apply the solution once again, primarily for adhesive purposes, and then use a moleskin patch, (rounded), to cover each blister prone area. I'm unsure as to whether or not tape will be necessary, and if so, what tape is recommended? Should I skip the moleskin and just use tape? I'm open to suggestions here.

Based on your experience, what seems to work best for you?
My wife and I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you may have.

Thanks,
- Bill

 

[sierra]

apply moleskin then tape it in place with athletic tape not duck tape. By the way that helps a blister in place but you should also concentrate on the cause ie. heel lift, wrong size boot, wrong sock combo ( I use a liner sock then heavy sock) there are two main culprats of blisters, foot movement in the boot and moisture, eliminate these 2 things and you should be good.

 

[BillK]

Thanks Sierra. It's a Columbia PAC boot and there's a small amount of
heel lift, but not much. She did wear a liner sock and a medium weight wool sock. I found out after the hike that it was actually starting to bother her shortly into the hike. I have a small amount of heel lift in my Columbia
PAC boots as well, but it hasn't caused a problem for me. It seems harder to prevent the PAC boots from lifting versus traditional hikers.

 

[sierra]

That is very commen, that is to say people feel the hot spot but do not fix it. Blisters can be stopped by stopping and covering said area before the skins integraty is broken. Ive done it myself, dont feel like stopping but it is worth a few minutes.

 

[AdkWiley]

My g/f had the same problema with a pair of columbia boots. Her first mistake was not listening to me! her old boots were performing so poorly and casuing her feet to get wet and cold she tried to break new ones in on the trail, thinking that sore feet woudl be better than cold wet feet, boy was she wrong! She had wicked blisters on the back of each heel. We did what we coudl to make them feel better, she even walked backwards in some spots to cut down on the friction, quite amusing but i didn't let her on to that. We tried the tape and mole skin for a hike the following weekend and she jsut stayed home because she could feel her blisters after we taped them and what not. She kept applying ointment to her heels on a regualr basis and after missing a few weekend trips she was ready to go. After that i tried to convince her to wear her hiking boots to school while she taught, but they were brown, her pants are black , yada yada yada. So far so good, no more blisters and the boots are great.

 

[Chip]

Does anyone know who still makes the old, white moleskin ? All I can find now is the biege/flesh tone Dr Scholls Moleskin, which is worth nothing.

I've used standard band-aids, white medical tape, duct tape and the old white moleskin to prevent blisters ahead of time. Just tape the "usual suspect" areas.

 

[fior1212]

Bill,

Try the blister block made by Band-Aid. They work great for me. Just make sure you apply them to a dry foot. I then use medical tape to put over it. It has smooth surface and won't stick to the sock. If you put it on pre-existing blister then don't remove the patch because it will pull off you skin with it. That tends to hurt.

http://band-aid.com/footcare.shtml

 

[BillK]

Thanks fior1212. That BLISTER BLOCK looks interesting. Maybe I'll try that with some athletic or medical tape. I still plan on applying the tincture of benzoin to toughen up the skin as well.

 

[jfb]

I have a pair of boots that originally had a bit of heel lift. To prevent blisters from forming on my heels, I replaced the footbeds with a pair of thicker red SOLE footbeds. No more heel lift and no blisters (so far).

 

[pilgrim]

A simple solution that has worked for me for years is to wear a liner sock and lubricate heels, toes, and ball of foot with a water-soluble body lubricant such as Bodyglide

 

[BillyRay]

I have used Scholl's moleskin for years (ok, decades), and continue to rely on it. The most important thing is to identify hot spots before they become blisters: I have never gotten a blister under this moleskin. People often don't want to take the time, and end up waiting until the pain - and blister - are severe. Hot spots pretty much always do become blisters, so stop and put some Scholl's moleskin on em as soon as possible, and you'll have happier feet.

I have just recently learned to cut a sheet up into assorted sizes before a trip, minimizing the amount of time I need to spend applying it in the field.

I'd like to hear more about why folks don't like this stuff.

 

[Chip]

The old white moleskin may have been made by Scholls, I'm not sure.
The new flesh tone stuff does not stay in place for long, needing to be replaced after it balls up. The old stuff would stay in place for days. That's been my experience.

 

[BillK]

Thanks BillyRay,
Do you find that you need to tape over the moleskin to keep it secured? My wife's foot gets pretty sweaty (and stinky, but that's a different story) so I'm concerned that without tape, it'd end up coming off during the hike.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Personally, I wouldn't use either moleskin or molefoam as a preventative measure - not because they don't work (because they do) but they're way overkill and once applied don't come off easily - so you wear the stuff for a few days.

Instead, take preventative measures, like wearing a liner sock under the heavier sock. Blisters are caused by moisture and friction, and the liner sock helps wick the moisture away, and tends to slip instead of the skin on your foot. Explain to your wife that at the FIRST sign of discomfort - stop, pull off the socks, and examine the area. If it's the SLIGHTEST bit red - apply duct tape, and enough so that it sticks - often 2 or 3 strips around the heal are necessary to create a heal cup. Don't wrap it around the ankle as it will bind. Usually one application is enough for a dayhike, but sometimes if the boot is too large and slips around too much you have to apply it again.

If a blister actually begins to form, then you've waited WAY too long, and now you may be stuck with applying moleskin/foam.

 

[keepin' on]

Thanks BillyRay,
Do you find that you need to tape over the moleskin to keep it secured? My wife's foot gets pretty sweaty (and stinky, but that's a different story) so I'm concerned that without tape, it'd end up coming off during the hike.

I have used a gauze pad to cover the blister and wrapped duct tape around my foot. starting with a piece of tape 12-18" in length, I press one end to my inside ankle bone then wrap around to the very top of my foot and around to the heel, lap the tape over itself, hopefull making it around once and over to the outer ankle. This holds ok for a day hike - my feet sweat a lot too.

Maybe Tom Rankin can email you his old avatar (though it might be overkill to wrap like he did!)

EDIT: Just Read Kevin Rooneys post. I have yet to have an issue with binding - maybe it depends on the ankle.

 

[tonycc]

I heard some advice once concerning hiking with inexperienced people. The instructor stated he would "always" get a hot spot 15-30 minutes into a hike and stop to treat it, even though he never actually got hot spots.

Inexperienced people tend to be hesitant for whatever reason about stopping to take care of a discomfort. By having the leader stop first, they would actually own up to their own issues and take care of them. I've tried it a few times with kid groups and it works great!

Tony

 

[MadRiver]

Instead, take preventative measures, like wearing a liner sock under the heavier sock. Blisters are caused by moisture and friction, and the liner sock helps wick the moisture away, and tends to slip instead of the skin on your foot.

I always wear a liner sock and haven’t had a blister in the last three pairs of boots. In fact, the last blister I had was wearing penny loafers 20+ years ago.

 

[Danielle]

Bandaid Blister Blocs

I have used the Bandaid Blister Blocs in the past and have found them to really work. Nothing else I've used seems to work as well. What works best for me is to apply the Blister Blocs to my heels before I start hiking, especially at the beginning of hiking season when my feet aren't toughened up, and before I even have a sign of a blister/hot spot. As long as my feet are dry and I make sure they're really stuck to my foot before I put on socks, I've never had to cover them with tape, etc. They seem to stay on my feet just fine for a day of hiking. Also, I got rid of the liner socks, finding that with only my smartwool socks I had less feet problems than with both the liner and sock. Also, of course, finding shoes/boots that really fit you makes a big difference too!
Good luck!

 

[BillyRay]

I envy MadRiver who claims he never got a blister using liners and heavy socks. Yes, that is the first line of defense, but maybe I just have wimpy feet. I always use liners and thick socks, and still get an occasional hot spot.

To BillK - no, I've never taped over moleskin to hold it in place. I sweat more than your average bear (horse, pig, hiker, etc) but I don't remember ever needing to reapply moleskin. I wonder if size has something to do with it - I typically use a swatch about 1" square. Never bigger than 1"x1.5"... Last summer I had to use some about 6 miles into “The Bonds”… After another 17 miles on a 90F day the moleskin was still in place.

YMMV, but it works for me ;-)

 

[Peaks]

Here's what I have learned about blisters.

First, there is a lot of debate about the benefits of liner socks. Some say that they are not necessary with good hiking socks (Thorlos, smart wool, etc.). They were made for use with the old wool rag sock. I don't know, but in any event, liners can't hurt, and might be beneficial. So, if in doubt, then use them.

Second, if you are prone to blisters, try painting the area with new skin beforehand. It toughens up the skin

Third, like others have posted, I have switched from moleskin to blister pads like Spenco 2nd skin, or the Band-aid blister blocks.

Fourth, if you want any tape or bandage to stay on better, the skin has to be dry. Use an alcohol wipe to dry the area before applying the tape or bandage.