[pct-l] Foot care secrets in the desert The BIG Secret

[email2bill at cox.net (Bill Wilson)]

Hi all, 

 

We just hiked Section A of the PCT mid March when it was in the mid
80's. Probably not unlike the heat (or more!) thru hikers will get
leaving after end of April.

I think the BIG secret to blister care is prevention by planning your
first week better. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Paul and
Pat at Hiker's Oasis in Anza. Wonderful trail angels who take hikers
into their home up near Anza, about 2 days above Warners.  Pat and Paul
will probably be discussed at the zero day meeting. It's important you
get to know who they are. Hikers Oasis is about 130 miles above the
border. Paul says he has had literally hundreds of hikers stopping by
for foot care, blisters, bad knees etc at their place. This is the foot
hospital of the beginning of the trail!!!  Now there is a big message!!
Think about it

 

The principle reason hikers are there soaking their feet is because they
push too hard the first week. Trying to get in 20+ miles a day!! Your
feet just can't take that unless they have toughed up. Thru hikers feet
will toughen with time and at the end of the trail, you will probably be
able to do 25 mile days with no feet problems.

 

Paul says they bust their buns the first few days, and kill their feet,
all to end up waiting at Kennedy Meadows because they are too early for
the snow.

 

So the best advice is SLOW down at the beginning, do 8 to 10 mile days.
Let your feet toughen, and then in time you can move fast. That is the
BEST blister prevention of all. 

 

I believe him, I think more hikers planning their trip need to consider
this.

 

Other things I learned on my hike (in which by the way, we didn't listen
to Paul's advice, tried for 20+ mile days and GOT blisters!!)

 

*	Was that good old Duct tape should be in your blister kit. It
has about the best adhesion you can get. Johnson and Johnson adhesive I
think is designed to fail so they will sell more tape and bandaids!!
*	Sock liners  yes. I found advice in Yogi's book, forgot who
recommended it, but cheap nylon mens dress socks ( I got at Ross)
worked great!! Wear two one as a liner, worked as good as Smart Wool or
other material.
*	Bring some Benzoin Tincture. Use Qtip to spread it where tape
will be wrapped, not on the blister.  Yep some of you may have heard of
it. It's a brown liquid, hard to find. REI sold some in a small package.
You can get it as some Drug Stores.  It looks almost like iodine
solution. It's used by surgeons to make bandages adhere better in wet
environment. It is called a "protectorant" whatever the hell that is. I
use it surfing. You put some on under a bandaid adhesive and it will
stay on in the surf!!!  It makes your skin REAL sticky (and brown). I
don't think it works with duct tape adhesive, but for bandaids, and
other tape with typical LOUSY adhesion, it works miracles. Because the
other big secret to blister care is when you put a nice pad on the
blister and tape it, you want the bandage to STAY on in your hot, wet
socks, while your swollen feet are rubbing it and making it come
off.tough task
*	I feel you SHOULD NOT break the blister. Let it do its job as a
protective mass. As soon as you pierce it, the air gets to it and pain
begins. Just another point of view. 
*	Stop every two hours and take your boots/shoes off and cool the
dogs. Let your feet cool, fix the tape, relax and take a break.
*	Stop at Hikers Oasis and heal your blisters. They have Epson
salts and pans to soak in!!! 
*	MOST IMPORTANT, I repeat it again, SLOW DOWN in Section A, let
your feet get tough. Do 8 to 12 miles the first week. Some can go 16
miles per day but slow down!!!

 

Hope this helps or is food for thought!

Bill Wilson

email2bill@cox.net