TRAIL FEET 101

Here are some tips and tricks to keep your feet feeling fresh on the trail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alwNif9Tf00

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The most common misconception about backpacking & trekking trips is that your fitness will be the thing that holds you back. While it helps to be in good physical shape, blisters are often the first thing you will really feel.

Footwear

As soon as you’ve decided to commit to a trek, the next thing you’ll want to do is make sure you’ve got a good pair of hiking shoes. If you wait until the last minute to purchase new shoes, you won’t have time to break them in, and this alone can ruin your trek.

High top boots vs low top shoes

Personally, I prefer low top hiking shoes for treks. They are easier for me to put in the miles needed to train for a trek, and are less bulky and heavy. That said, if you have weak ankles, you might consider a high top boot for more support.

There are other cases where I might personally opt for high top boots, but usually for long distance backpacking trips where I am carrying a heavier load, and the terrain more tricky.

The main thing is that whichever type of hiking shoe you choose, you have to be committed to training in them for the months to follow.

Fit

When you are trying your shoes on, bring a pair of medium cushioned wool socks to get a good idea of the actual shoe size you will need. Often times, you will need to go up a half size to accommodate your socks.

Make sure there’s plenty of room in the front for your toes, and try rolling your ankle a bit to get an idea of how supportive the shoes are.

Socks

The next thing you’ll want to invest in are some good socks.

1. Cotton kills. Wool is naturally moisture wicking, so your feet will stay drier than if you wear cotton. Swampy feet are how blisters are born!

2. More is more. you will want to have at least a pair of socks for each day of the trek. You may be able to do laundry on some of our treks, but you want to put on a clean pair of socks each day. Moreover, you want to keep at least one clean spare pair of socks in your bag. Backpacking trips are obviously different, and I can cover that in another video, but socks are the one thing you really don’t want to skimp on when it comes to trekking.

3. To line or not to line? Sock liners used to be a thing, since they add another buffer between your feet and your shoe to reduce friction, but they can add bulk and ultimately make your feet hotter> sweatier> swampier> blisters> sad trip. Nowadays, there are some great socks out there that will get the job done—I recently discovered a brand called WrightSock, and it’s almost as if they have two thin layers in one sock to reduce foot-to-boot friction.

Gaiters: the unsung heroes of trekking. Anyone who has done long distance treks or backpacking trips knows how wonderful gaiters are. Whether you wear low-top shoes or high-top boots, there is nothing more obnoxious than getting scree in your shoe.

In their most basic form, they cover the tops of your shoes to guard foreign objects from getting in. For most of our treks, you can get by with some basic lightweight running gaiters.

On the trail

Now that we’re on the trail, the goal is not to just deal with blisters as they come, but to prevent them before they start.

Your morning routine:

1. Hair toss, check your nails, baby get to clippin (feelin good as heeey). Seriously though. Get in the habit of keeping your toenails short leading up to the trip, and on the trip keep a small pair of clippers in your daypack (handy for a number of things).

2. Powder up. As you are gearing up for the day, shake a bit of foot powder into your socks and boots to keep things dry.

On the trail

Anytime we take a break on the trail over 30 minutes (lunch), you should consider taking a moment for your feet (don’t be afraid to ask for a break if you are feeling a hotspot come on).

1. Take off your shoes and socks. Lay your socks somewhere to catch some sunshine and a breeze to help them dry out.

2. Put on your hiking flip flops to let your feet air out.

3. Doctor any hotspots (see foot adhesives below) .

4. Apply foot powder as needed.

Evening routine If you have applied any foot adhesives, check them to make sure they are still in place. If they're still snug and secure, go ahead and leave them. Clean any opened cuts or blisters thoroughly

Foot adhesives

Moleskin used to be my everything, but I’m moving away from it. It only makes sense if you precut all the pieces before your trip, otherwise it becomes a nuisance to stop and deal with. Plus it tends to bunch up and slip after a while, so that gets annoying.

Leukotape is great for backpacking purists. You probably won’t run out, and there’s no backing so you don’t have a lot of excess trash to pack out.

Compeed strips are for trekkers who appreciate the finer things in life. They come precut in a compact container that easily fits in the hip pocket of any pack, and they stay put on your feet pretty well.

Packing list (for your feet—full list in trip packet)

• Hiking shoes (broken in!)

• 1 pair of wool socks for each day of the trek+1 emergency pair to keep in your bag

• Gaiters

• Blister doctors (Leukotape, Moleskin, or Compeed)

• Foot powder

• Nail clippers

• Sewing kit **

• Lighter**

• 2 grocery bags

So that’s my routine, and my feet love me for it.

What are your foot care hacks on the trail? Do you use Moleskin, Leukotape, or Compeed strips?

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