Foot comfort on extended hikes

Ardent

Ardent

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Northern BC, Coastal BC, or Africa. Depends on the
I get out of the way when hunting and fishing, my last fly fishing trip was just under 50kms on foot. My feet survive it fine, well I should say though don't hurt too bad, but my biggest issue is they get damp even in breathable footwear and this causes undue friction and softness that can allow for blisters. I've tried foot powders, but besides them being just not practical for a lot of these situations, and more weight to carry, their effect seems short lived.

What do you guys do? Any tricks? I imagine the military's got a few good tricks for this. I probably should be bringing more socks and changing several times a day, but haven't tried this yet.
 
a good pair of full leather boots, lots of extra socks I sometimes change twice a day. I have also on very extended trips taking an extra pair of insoles and swapped them up during the day.
 
What kind of boots and socks are you using? Are you using an insulated boot on your hiking trips?

Are your feet normally sweaty or is it just when you strap on the boots and go hiking?
 
Moleskin works well for me, but you have to feel the onset of the blister, and apply before you actually have a blister. I also use a polypro sock against my foot which seems to help.
 
Socks are probably the most overlooked item there is, and everyone cheaps out on them because good socks are expensive. Look for a cushion sole sock of 80% wool and 20 % poly for durability and comfort, and expect to pay around $20.00 a pair. The weight of the sock should reflect on your boot fit, and the weather.

Lots of people like ankle height boots, but I'm not one of them. I like the support and protection afforded by high leather uppers. Stitched soles are evidence of a superior boot, but glued on soles have come along way. I like the Acadia and FT. Lewis boots by Danner, although because I have a wide foot, it takes a while to break them in. Until the weather turns very cold, I prefer a minimal amount of insulation in my boots, because once a boot with heavy insulation gets wet, your feet are wet for the rest of the day. Around here it is seldom you can hike for more than a few hours without going over the tops of your boots in water at least once, and more often it happens throughout the day.

The country you hike in and the weight of the loads you pack should determine the stiffness of the boot. If you check out Mtn Equipment Co-op's catalog they have good suggestions on how to choose boots that are well matched for the country you hike and for the type of hiking you do. Never, never , never buy boots from a catalog - always go to a store and try them on with the socks you will wear while hiking.

In extremely cold weather I have yet to find a boot that is suitable for extended walking distances. The best I have found for combining warmth with comfort is the Acton military boot with the wool duffle liner. These things tend to be so roomy that your foot slides around inside the boot, and after a days hiking the soles of your feet become quite tender. This can be mititgated by running the laces through the loop on the heal of the boot, and while this does tend to keep your foot to the back of the boot, it is at best a medocre fix. One trick I have learned for cold weather hiking is to put a plastic shooping bag between two pairs of socks. This hold the moisture in the first sock, and prevents the sock from freezing to the bottom of the boot.
 
Extra socks - and good ones ... the little bit of extra space they take and the few minutes it requires to change pay-off big time. If you're near water (and the temperature allows it ) ... wash & dry your feet well when you change . You'll notice a big difference with three or four changes a day when putting on a lot of k's. Time and effort well spent.
 
fester said:
a good pair of full leather boots, lots of extra socks I sometimes change twice a day. I have also on very extended trips taking an extra pair of insoles and swapped them up during the day.
Click to expand...

I'll start switching socks more, but not big on leather boots, I find them unnecessarily heavy and they don't breath very well at all in my experience.


Brambles said:
What kind of boots and socks are you using? Are you using an insulated boot on your hiking trips?

Are your feet normally sweaty or is it just when you strap on the boots and go hiking?
Click to expand...

Sometimes they're sweaty normally, but nothing serious, it's more just covering 30kms in a day through mountains that'll get them really bad. I usually wear lightweight, breathable Columbia trail shoes. Leather boots are just too heavy and awkward for scrambling down mountain ridges and the like I find.
 
I bought a pair of Danner Marine GTX boots this year, and they're great. Non-insulated, totally waterproof, light and comfortable. The high tops give lots of support.

Otherwise, changing socks is the #1 way to keep your feet cool and comfortable.

I prefer lightweight, thin socks myself. Helps the feet to breathe. With a good pair of properly fit boots, you really shouldn't need to rely on your socks for cushioning IMO.
 
try polypropylene liner socks under wool socks even in the summer.
polypro are paper thin but get the moisture off your skin and nothing insulates like real wool.
 
As soon as you feel discomfort, stop, clean and dry your feet, appy moleskin if necessary and then put on dry socks. Do not let blisters start to form, once they have you will be restricted to low mileage.

In a very wet environment, properly fitted high quality rubber boots, sized to allow you to wear high quality socks and moisture wicking Bama over socks are often a better choice to leather or goretex boots.
 
I wear double-layer running socks as liners - the two layers slide against each other, rather than against your foot. Moleskin can work if you put it on before you get blisters, but if your feet get sweaty, it can slide off, bunch up, and become a pressure point. Tincture of Benzoin (sold as an inhalant for mild laryngitis, but what do they know?) applied to *unbroken* skin with a Q-tip leaves a sticky patch that helps the moleskin stick.

If you already have blisters/broken skin, but still need to hike out, I've found these newfangled gel bandaids work really well:
http://www.alertservices.com/browseproducts/Johnson---Johnson--Blister-Relief-Pads.html
and similar ones by other manufacturers. They're expensive when you're looking at them in the store, but *cheap* when you're six hours from the car and your heel opens up :) Some people use Spenco 2nd skin, but I had a buddy who argued against it for heavy-duty use, as it's basically gel held together with a fiberglass mesh. Works great for burns that aren't subject to rubbing, but if you hike many miles with them on your feet, it can occasionally happen that the gel breaks down and leaves a fiberglass mesh to scrape you up even more...
 
polypro liner socks and a light wool (blend) sock.

the cats ass. I spend all day on foot for work and pleasure. keeps your feet dry and blister free.
 
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Foot powder seems useless in my experience. However, I do use spray on antiperspirant ( the unscented underarm kind) on my feet if it is critical that I take good care of them, like on a wilderness hunt. I did this on three hunts in the Yukon, and my feet stayed dry and blister free even when hiking & climbing mountains in rubber boots. No moisture = not much friction with good fitting boots. Also use polypro inner socks and wool outer.
 
Smartwool socks (they are expensive, but worth every penny) and a proper fitting pair of hiking boots. I do a lot of hiking and this is the key to your feet surviving.
 
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