Blister Prevention

First, wear your boots in gradually if you can - round the house, to the shops, for a short walk then a day walk before wearing them on a multiday tramp. Second, consider getting some blister-preventing socks (ask at a shoe shop or outdoors shop). I stick to plain woollen socks for tramping, but was getting blisters from my running shoes while training for a 100km walk/run and found that the "blister preventing socks" actually worked. Some people advocate two pairs of socks (thin inner layer then your woollen socks), that hasn't worked for me but might be worth a try. Third, strap your feet with strapping tape where you know the boots rub - do this BEFORE going on your walk and before they get sore. Fourth, if they are rubbing and painful while you're walking, and you have to / want to keep walking on them, I find Blister Block (band aid or Scholl) is the best. Tape over them with strapping tape. And be careful when you remove it as it can rip the roof of the blister off (ow!) Sometimes once the boots get wet then dry on your feet as you walk they mould more to your shape. Some boots will always cause blisters :-( but most can be broken in

The theory behind using two pair of socks will often only work if the inner sock is a bone fide liner sock. That is (a)it has to be a fine weave to minimise abrasion.This is not generally the case with a woollen sock. and (b)it is best as a synthetic fabric because it will wick moisture away from your foot and into the outer sock. The result being a drier foot. Wet skin will blister more readily.

I would recommend not wearing your foot out while trying to wear the boot in. In other words take it in small stages (gradually). As Chris1 states, wear the boots at every opportunity eg around the house etc. but at the first sign of foot weariness, take them off and come back to them later. Don't take them out for the first time on a twenty km hike. Attempts to wet the boots and wear them may well work for some but in effect you are contributing to shortening the life of the boot.

Good advice. Slightly off topic but if you do get a blister, you can cover it with that blister block stuff then make a protective pad out of a square of closed cell foam with a hole cut in it that corresponds to the size of your blister and tape the pad over your blister. I used duct tape and found after 10 days of walking on my 2 blisters which were an inch wide, that the duct tape came off and the blisters had completely absorbed the fluid and healed. Now I mainly wear sandals and don't get blisters but I got those blisters within the first half hour of my Fiordland traverse with brand new Sportiva Makalus. Serves me right!

I recently did an 80k tramp down Nelson Lakes and while my boots were worn in was a bit concerned about blisters as I have had them before on longer tramps. Did a google search within NZ sites before I went and found a wool product for hikers that worked a treat. You wrap the wool around your feet/toes before putting on the socks. Have to admit that I had my doubts but it worked fine. The only downside is that it molds itself into the sock after the first day and would be virtually impossible to remove later. I ended up leaving it in and reusing the 'woolen underlay' sock as a base over the following days after drying it each night. Now have several small bags of the stuff set aside for longer trips. Some tramping shops stock it or you can get it over the net. A variation on the wool sock I guess. (I have no connections with the company....)

That sounds like Hiker's Wool: http://www.hikerswool.co.nz/ They're based in Waikanae and they've shown up a few times at local fairs, at least near Wellington. It looks like it can be ordered online, or there's also a list of retailers who stock it on their website.

Blisters are a part of tramping. Rubbing Meths onto your feet will harden them up before a long tramp, glaziers do this with their hands. Look and feel for perturbations inside the boot. With experience, you'll feel a "hot spot" developing. A simple removal of the boot, and tweak of the sock can prevent a blister forming, or apply some lube. Walking on a constant surface expression is notorious for blisters, as your feet are repeating the same movements all the time.

I can't agree with statement that blisters are part of tramping. I can't think of anything much more miserable than having uncomfortable footware when tramping. I can hardly think that anyone would bother tramping if blisters were the norm. Modern boots are much better than they used to be and I rarely get blisters now a days. If you feel a blister comming on then it is important to stop immediately and put plaster over the area. You don't want plasters with pads on them, something that sticks to the whole area and forms a second skin. I keep a roll in the top pocket of my pack. Some people routinely plaster their feet before putting boots on if they are prone to blisters, which sounds like a good idea. But make sure you get good fitting boots. I wear 2 pairs of socks, a thin sock liner and then a second thicker pair. When i buy boots I wear them around the house for a day or so to be really certain of the fit. They should be snug around the top of your foot to the heel so your foot is held there. Your toes should have plenty of room and should not be cramed into the boot.

I haven't had a blister in over 15 years and that would equate to 1500 days of wearing boots in the hills. I think if I had on-going blister problems, I'd give up tramping. However a mate of mine has terrible luck. She puts preventative plasters on and the tape causes blisters even! But she is still keen. We did a 5 day trip a few winters ago and she ended up wearing my sandals while I wore her boots. Luckily we had the same size feet.