[pct-l] Re, blister prevention

[Jeffrey Olson]

Blisters are caused by heat, friction and moisture.

To deal with heat, wear shoes that breathe and stop every hour for 10 
minutes and take your shoes and socks off.  This is actually hard to 
force yourself to do I've found.  Also, shoes should breathe. Low boots 
or goretex running shoes trap heat more than running shoes with a 
semi-mesh forefoot.

To deal with friction wear thin, tight socks.  You don't want socks 
rubbing on skin.  You want the foot and sock to be one.  It's ok to 
change socks halfway through the day.  Six pair of thin socks weighs 
little.

When socks get sweaty/dirty and dry out, they no longer are a second 
skin.  Change them.  Rinse them and carry them on the outside of your pack.

The shoe will always move a bit against the foot, and it's up to you to 
find lace tightness and shoe size to minimize repetitive rubbing.  I 
like loose shoes.  I like the feeling of my feet floating around in the 
shoe.  I think it was Deems who talked about how you walk differently 
with a light pack and shoes.  You don't clomp.  You more feel your way 
up and down the trail.  You're more on top of  your feet than with 
boots.  The impact of each step is less than if you're striding with 
boots or a thicker soled shoe.  It just feels different...

With new shoes put a piece of good quality duct tape inside the heel 
part of the shoe running from underneath the insole and up and around 
and down the outside part of the heel.  This really does a good job 
reducing friction.  If the shoes are dirty, this doesn't work as well.  
One piece of duct tape can last the life of the shoe.

Moisture control comes with breathable shoes and stopping every hour and 
taking shoes/socks off.  Your feet get incredibly filthy, but so what?  
I would rather have dry, dirt impregnated, strange looking feet than 
pink, clean sweaty feet with always threatening hot spots.  Keep a pair 
of socks solely for sleeping to protect your expensive sleeping quilt.

Wearing dirty girl gaitors keeps the blister causing dirt out.  The 
stuff that comes through the mesh is more dust than anything larger.

Jeff
Arcata, CA