WanderLearn Forum with Francis Tapon

Francis, how do you take care of your feet when hiking long distances? I have talked to many long distance hikers and the number one problem that some of them have is taking care of their feet. Do you use rubbing alcohol to toughen up your feet? Is the secret to choose the correct shoe? Do you tape up your feet before you begin? How can a city dweller who has soft feet (but is in shape) suddenly hit the trail without destroying their feet? I realize you could probably write many pages on this subject but any suggestions would be appreciated.

-- mountain_cat8

MountainCat,

Great question! I've been fortunate: I didn't get a blister on the AT or PCT. I got a pair blisters on my small toe in New Mexico on the CDT, but since then I haven't had one. Here's what I do:

• * Whenever you take a break of more than 5 minutes, take off your shoes and socks, even if it's cold. Wring out your socks if they're wet.
  
  * Don't cross streams with your shoes and socks. Go barefoot and dry your feet with a towel (or your shirt) once you get to the other side. If the creek is nasty, then leave your shoes on, but take off your socks. In short, don't let your feet get wet - that's what causes blisters and also helps bacteria (athlete's foot) grow. By keeping your feet dry, you avoid the two greatest threats to a thru-hiker's journey.
  
  * If you have the time, clean your feet before bedtime. I almost never do this, but I do use my fingers to rub the dirt off my feet before getting into my sleeping bag.
  
  * Sleep barefoot. I do this even in snowy conditions. If you get cold feet easily at night, then have a clean pair of socks to wear during your 8 hours of rest.
  
  * I don't use rubbing alcohol to toughen my feet. I've heard of some adventure racers soaking them in iodine, but I'm not sure if that helps. Look into it and tell us what you find.
  
  * I use an athlete's foot lotion every morning and sometimes put it on at night too. Key preventative strategy.
  
  * If I expect to go across a miles of snow or rain, or ford multiple creeks, I pack in some Hydropel. You can find it on Amazon.com. Great stuff that helps minimize blisters. If your feet sweat easily or you get blisters easily, this is a great preventative cream.
  
  * Although I've worn many brands of shoes, I've settled on Inov8. I prefer their wider shoes (anything with a number/weight of 300 or more). Shoes are very personal. I'm fortunate to have easy going feet - it's hard to find a shoe that doesn't fit me. I've worn shoes that are too big with no problems. Other hikers are very finicky about their shoes. The key is to expect that your shoe size will increase after hiking 500 miles. I typically go from a size 10 to a size 12. Lisa, on the AT, went from a size 9 in women's to a size 9 in men's. Thru-hikers who don't plan for a size increase, typically get ill fitting shoes, blisters, lost toenails, and general misery.
  
  * I don't tape my feet. I'd only do it if I had a major blister and I needed to push some miles. I prefer letting a blister air out, if possible.
  
  * I'm a city dweller (I live in San Francisco a few months a year). I run in parks that have dirt trails. Running is high impact, which is a decent substitute to hiking 20+ miles a day. Run on uneven ground (like trails) to strengthen your ankles and ligaments. Obviously, watch your step!

I hope that helps!

Tell me what works for you.

My secret to foot care is to choose a good shoe to hike in. My favorite is to use a running shoe with a durable outer shell. I like running shoes because they are well padded and lightweight. I have heard that a pound of weight on your foot is worth 10 pounds of weight on your back.

Another thing is to test your shoe out before you set out to hike the PCT in it. Make sure there are not sharp corners on the inside of it that will cut your foot. Once you find a running shoe you like, buy several pairs of them, mail them to various locations along the PCT and you are set.

I liked all you suggestions you had in your posting about foot care, Francis. Thanks much for the suggestions. If I can think of anything else I will post it.

-- mountain_cat