How To Prevent Foot Blisters When Hiking? Blisters are a painful and worse condition that can happen to someone. Foot blisters are ordinary in hikers because they wear boots for hours.
No hiker can go on the longer trails of 8km or 10km without getting a tough time with the hiking boots. Hiking boots are not the only cause of these painful blisters, the weather, socks material, and the type of terrain are all involved.
Blisters are among the most common injuries that happen to hikers while conquering the trails. The itchy tingling sensation when the boots and feet have friction creates blisters.
So, how do you prevent foot blisters when hiking? Luckily, some tips and tricks can help you minimize the risk of blisters and enjoy the hike. However, we can’t say that these tips work 100% because it varies according to the foot condition.
How Are Blisters Formed? Weather conditions cause the foot blisters. How? The feet get sweaty when the weather outside is hot. Due to sweat, there is moisture inside the foot, which causes the socks to get wet.
Then socks rub against the soles of the boots, and your feet stats to touch the toe box. Also, you get a pinching feeling from the shoes, which will result in blisters.
So, the main culprits are heat, humidity, and stress. To prevent the blisters from hijacking your hiking venture and making you scream with pain, we have curated some tips to minimize the blister’s appearance. If you’re suffering from them, then through our guide, you’ll get a cure.
Let’s dive deep into the tips and tricks, followed by the prevention ideas and first aid kit necessary to be inside your backpack.
Tips On Preventing Foot Blisters When Hiking
Type Of Hiking Boots
It is essential to choose the proper footwear when going on a hiking venture. It is so because the hiking boots cause the feet to slide against the rough surface of the soles and get blisters.
To avoid the moisture inside the shoes, they must be breathable. If you’re hiking on hot terrains, try wearing trail runners instead of hiking boots so that the feet stay dry rather than wearing hiking boots with low breathability.
However, hiking boots are best if the trail is rocky or muddy because they are water-resistant. In contrast, the shoes will be less resistant to water.
Perfect Fit
The boots must be of a proper size so that they are not wiggling nor are too tight that it feels like you can’t even wiggle a finger. If the boots are more familiar, you’ll not be able to move the feet in any way, feel like the boot is pinching you from everywhere, and hence get the blisters.
Similarly, if the boot is too spacy, then your feet and the shoes will slide against each other, creating friction; it will cause low traction on the trail, and also, your feet will get painful.
Foot Changes On Trail
You must be wondering if your boot size perfectly fits, then there is no chance of getting blisters. Wrong! It is not all about the perfect size.
When you travel or hike on the longer trails, then due to continuous stress and pressure on the feet, they widen in scope. Feet can now touch the boot surface, glide against them, and hence cause blisters.
New Hiking Boots
You should not wear new boots on any trail. Before going on to the hiking ventures with new boots, try to put them on at home or take short walks with them. Hiking boots ate stiff; they take time to adjust to the feet’ shape. So, try to walk in them for several hours, then try your luck on the incline surfaces and see if the boots are a perfect fit or not.
You can also try to Tip pie toe walk so that the boots align with the foot shape and are comfortable enough on the terrain so you can hike blister-free.
Keeping Feet Dry And Clean
While hiking, you need to keep your feet dry and clean. Before wearing the boots, tap the feet with a dry towel to remove any debris or dirt that may have been on the feet. Also, don’t make your feet wet by going into flowing rivers.
If you accidentally wet your feet because the surface was muddy, immediately put the boots off and dry them at the camp. Wet and dirty feet are an attraction site for blisters. So, don’t put yourself in a mess.
Choosing Socks
The type of socks you’re wearing on the trail is also a culprit in forming blisters. For instance, if the socks are made of nonbreathable nylon material, your feet will get wet due to the sweat, and after a few hours, you’ll feel blisters coming in.
Try wearing the trail socks created from the comfortable, breathable material that keeps the feet dry to avoid this situation. Also, try to pack an extra pair of socks when you go on hiking so that you can swap them on the trail so that the feet remain dry. Pin the wet socks with the backpacks so that they can dry out and don’t stink.
Applying Foot Powder
Some manufacturers have made foot powders that keep the feet dry and prevent them from getting friction against the feet. The alternative to it can be petroleum jelly, you can rub it all over the feet before wearing the hiking boots, but it creates a mess.
You can also make DIY foot powder by mixing baking soda with baby powder. Baking soda will prevent the odor, while the powder will keep the feet dry.
Tight/Lose the Laces
We tighten the shoe laces most of the time so that the feet feel fitted inside the shoes. But as the time passes and you take longer trails, the feet expand, causing them to ache.
To avoid the situation, consider loosening the boot laces so that the feet can breathe and you can prevent blisters. However, don’t make them so loose that feet tend to touch the boots’ front size or toe box.
Take Short Breaks
To avoid blisters:
- Take short breaks in between the laps.
- During the break, put the shoes off and remove the socks.
- Stretch the feet in the open air so they can dry, and there is no moisture left inside the boots as well. The muscles will also get relaxed while you feel the beauty of nature.
Now you have an answer to the query on preventing foot blisters when hiking. But if you have already got red, itching skin and need to know what you can do while on the trail. We got you covered.
Treating Blisters During Hike
- If you feel any discomfort or pain during the hike, you must stop and take a break. Remove the boots and let the feet rest before continuing the venture.
- If you feel like a spot on the hiking boot is causing discomfort, try tapping the boot with a duck tape so that it doesn’t pinch anymore.
- Take antibacterial ointments to apply them to the feet if any red spot or an initial blister is formed.
- If the pain continues, try Band-Aid tapes, and don’t remove them unless you get back home. Try to discontinue the hiking journey if you feel severe pain.
- Don’t use dirty hands to treat or touch the infected area. It will cause more inflammation.
- If you can, sterilize the equipment like a needle or a pin, try to pinch the blister, and take away the fluid from it.
- Donut-shaped bandages can be placed on the feet if you feel the blister is painful and you cannot pop it.
- Try to put foot powder into the boots too. It will keep the feet dry, and they won’t slide in front of the shoe.
- Don’t try to wash the feet with cold or hot water as the feet will get wet, and when you wear shoes after it, the blisters will get worse.
Final Thoughts
Blisters can be harmful and cause severe pain. It is widespread for hikers to get blisters on their feet. These painful cysts can make your hiking venture a nightmare. Therefore, take extra care of yourself and try not to get them while hiking. How do you prevent foot blisters when walking? Some tips help in soothing the feet during the hike.
To prevent yourself from getting injured is wise, so take proper measures before hitting the trail. Avoid wearing new boots to the terrain, and wear quick-absorbing socks, to begin with. Keep your feet dry and clean while sitting in front of the tv.
If you’re still getting foot blisters because your skin is sensitive, try stepping up your foot care regime. If you have just started going on the hikes, then try to relax and lessen your frequency so that your feet can adapt to the changes. Experience different types of hiking boots and shoes to know which one suits you the best.
Hiking is all about the experience and experimenting with different things while being on the terrain or planning to go. With time, when you’ve become a pro hiker, the hiking experience will get much better.