[pct-l] Blisters-what not to do

[shon mcganty]

  With the recent blister discussion I thought I'd share my mistake:
 
 
 '05 I hiked aross Japan (~600 miles), going from one ocean to the other, hitting all the 3,000 meter peaks but two.  I started with old shoes that fell apart 2/3 the way into the hike.  I found a shoe store and bought the cheapest pair of shoes.
Once I finished the trail I hit paved road and had to road walk 2 1/4 days of pavement to the Pacific.  After the first 3 hours of hot pavement pounding downhill I spotted a road-side picnic bench and sat for a rest.
After my rest I stood up and felt a thunderclap / searing pain from my foot.  I took the shoe off and saw a lump under the balls of all toes.  I could see this lump slowing grow in front of my eyes.  Touching it was unimaginable pain.  What to do?  I took all my gauze, all my trash, cliff bar wrappers, anything, and taped it under the arch of the foot and walked on.
Two hours later "BAM" again sudden pain in the other foot and I found myself laying in the courtry road looking at my foot..  Again I could see a lump rising below the ball of all toes.  
I didn't want to quit, so I put the shoe on and started 2 days of the worse walking I've ever done, but I made it the ocean.
Moral of the story:  Never buy the cheapest shoes.
I used to always shop at the dollar store, getting my 1st aid supplies, ect., but it's not worth it.  Get gear that works, not just the cheapest.
 
Shon