Blisters drove me off the mountain

[5MilesBack]

DaveC, thanks for the input buddy, how do you suggest I toughen up my feet living in Houston at about 100' above sea level? I trained with a pack on and put 20-25 miles on these boots before taking them with me.

You get the heel lift going up steep hills. So, find some steep hills or a steep stairmaster and see what happens after several miles. When you start to feel anything, tape it up with the Leukotape and press on. Get the feet ready all summer so that come September you're good to go.

 

[Flyrod]

No hills to train on…….any high rise buildings that you can get access too for training in? Stairwells will help pinpoint the hot spots….. and build your cardio too!

 

[Ruskin]

I tried the leukotape p for the first time this past weekend and it worked great. Before we left I asked my buddy if his boots ever gave him blisters he said yes so I gave him some tape also. I worked well for both of us, 22+ Miles is two days and no blisters for either of us. My boots had given me a blister on the heel of my right foot on a hike two weeks prior. I don't even carry moleskin anymore, just leukotape and athletic tape wrapped around the platic cup part of my jet boil.

How did you tape? Just a strip horizontal across the heal? Or more like a sports injury from the ball to top of the calf?

 

[justinspicher]

I've never tape my feet, but I've had plenty of friends who have and they usually start just past their heel (towards the toes) and tape back to the heel and up the back of their leg just past the ankle. Seems to work. Does that make any sense?

 

[fillthefreezer]

idk if its the best way but heres one of travis' pacthes

 

[DaveC]

Rodney, REI mountain gaiters, darn tough socks (merino), and a silk liner.

DaveC, thanks for the input buddy, how do you suggest I toughen up my feet living in Houston at about 100' above sea level? I trained with a pack on and put 20-25 miles on these boots before taking them with me.

That's a tough nut for sure. First, I'd say quadruple the break-in miles on whatever boots you use next time, at least. Footwear has a period of use after it's been broken in and tested well enough to be trusted, but before it starts to break down and you risk failure. I always have a couple pairs rotating to keep multiple trusted and approved pairs in service at all times.

The steepest stairs you can find, both up and down, are a good start, but there's no substitute for off-camber terrain. Find a park with dirt trails to hike laps in, do hill intervals on a steep grass pitch in a park, and so forth. Even hiking in the grass and/or ditch rather than the sidewalk will add up.