I suffer very soft feet,but rarely from blisters. My secret!Lightweight boots plus one size,Two pairs of stockings "Thorlos" summer liner& outer double pile hikeing. I change every 20MLS on the 100 no creams or anything and no blisters. Unless i cut my toenails too short then thats a whole new ball game!!!

I've just discovered a product which seems even better then Badger balm - Gehwol Foot Cream, which claims to 'rejuvenate overstrained feet; & prevent blisters, ie can be useful both pre & post-event. I used it on Bullock Smithy & had no blisters. It also smells quite nice (at least compared to my feet). You get it from health shops.

Ha! Ha! Not so fast at the moment - the mud is getting deeper and deeper and most of our fields are of the paddy variety. But at least it keeps the feet soft! Will it ever stop raining?

Hope to see you there, Anne. But I probably won't. You travel so fast, you are just a blur when you pass us lesser mortals.

Really looking forward to Dorset Giant. We have entered already!!

Hi Nick,

Soft and supple works for us. For both Deirdre and myself, blisters are usually rare and insignificant, even on very wet (or hot and dry) challenge events including 100K and more. With thick hard skin, you just get deeper and more painful blisters.

The trick is to use plenty of good quality hand or foot cream on your feet regularly before and during the event

We use Palmer's Cocoa butter Formula with Vitamin E (try any large Boots or Superdrug) - a good inexpensive product available in large squeezy bottles and handy tubes.

(Note that vaseline does not work like this and is not a substitute))

We mostly wear trainers on long events in the summer, and always carry several changes of socks (good thick ones with at least 40% wool content) We may get through seven or eight changes of sock on a hundred, but carrying them is a small price for the pleasure and ease of undamaged feet.

Good socks are also important, read the label to see what they are made of. In my view, no matter what the manufacturers say, pure synthetic yarn socks don't work on a really long distance walk. And neither does cotton mixtures...

Particularly in very wet conditions, we change our socks often and really slap loads of cocoa butter on every time we do. It is quickly absorbed into the skin, and any excess stays in the sock) Cocoa butter cream acts as a lubricant, and is an excellent skin conditioner. This works to prevent both blisters and "trench" foot.

Of course everyone is different and regular walking also helps to condition the feet, but try it and see. The "Cocoa Butter Procedure" has been thoroughly 'field tested' in a wide range of conditions.

Good walking and hope to see you readers on the Dorset Giant

regards

mike childs

My ten pennorth for what it is worth is as already been stated, and that it is primarily down to getting the footwear right.

For me depending on the terrain and distanc i always wear either Walsh fell Shoes or a good pair of Trail shoes, combined with Mono skin socks.

I have not worn Boots for a good decade now even when carrying sacs weighing up to 30kg.

My feet would probably give a chiropodist nightmares/dreams of big fees. but they are normaly comfortable up to 100 miles.

as has already been said a lot of trial and error is needed to find what works for you.

Good luck John

Michael is absolutely right; it's down to what works for individuals, and this involves some trial & error. Even when you think you know your own feet, they can surprise you with unexpected blisters etc. I personally don't remove hard skin, although I do use 'Badger Foot balm' (a bit like vaseline but made from olive oil/herbs) on potential blister spots & also after long events because it smells nice!

I never found that hardening my feet with surgical spirit was any use, but trying to make them soft was no use either. The chiropodist wasn't much use either. Some boots and trainers just give me blisters and now I just rely on finding comfortable footwear. I think you just need to experiment and find what's right for you.

In my view it is better to keep your feet soft. I have more problems in the summer when my feet become drier and therefore harder and the skin starts to crack around the heels, sometimes quite deeply. This gets painful.
I never get blisters, provided I massage some sort of moisturising cream into my feet after showering.
You wouldn't want to see my toenails though!!

Come on, all you hardened walkers. Aren't you prepared to share your hard won experience?

There appears to be two schools of thought regarding hard skin on the bottom of feet, one being that the harder and more "leathery" the sole of the foot the less prone to blisters the foot will be and the other is that it is better to keep the soles of feet soft with any hard skin being removed. I can appreciate that any calluses could well irritate the foot causing blisters like a small stone in a sock or boot may do so but what about general hard skin. Before I venture off to a chiropodist, I would very much welcome any views/experiences, painful or otherwise!