Blister defense

[sweetlee213]

Hello all! I am less than two weeks away from my Camino!
I ordered compeed on Amazon a long while ago, but while tracking my purchase saw that I wouldn't receive it until after I left for Europe. So now, I am looking for a compeed alternate that I can find state-side, preferably something I don't have to order.

Any suggestions? Has anyone tried Spenco 2nd skin blister pads from REI?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

BandAid (Johnson and Johnson) makes a Compeed equivalent, but the adhesive is not as good. Some folks think that it is an improvement!

You can get Compeed everywhere, so you can wait until you are on the Camino to get a supply.

 

[sweetlee213]

Fantastic! Thanks Falcon!

 

[Homer-Dog]

I found compeed in just about every drug store along the Frances. Should be easy to find it there before you start walking.

 

[Chacharm]

Compeed is EVERYWHERE. Pharmacies in Spain cater to this or that area. One will be all about make-up and cellulite and the next will be all about baby stuff. But they ALL carry a huge display of compeed.
I took along a LOT of mole skin that I had already cut up and I used that on my heels every single day just to prevent blisters. When I ran out, I got blisters. Bad blisters that took me out of the game for a few days.
So heed the warnings. Use the needle and thread and change your socks if they get too wet or sweaty.

 

[Kitsambler]

Since Compeed is a "repair" item (applied after you have developed a blister) (at least, in my possibly faulty understanding), the idea is to not need the stuff. Always good to carry some in case of need, of course.

Compeed is a blister treatment, rather than a blister defense, in other words. Blister defense would actually include several different methods for eliminating friction between your foot's skin and what's next to your skin, such as: liner socks, dry foot powder, wet foot lubricant, moleskin, airing out your feet at every break so they can dry, etc.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Compeed is a blister treatment, rather than a blister defense

I respectfully disagree. You can use it like moleskin to cover a hot spot before a blister develops. The Compeed takes the friction. I personally add a little petrolatum over the Compeed to reduce friction.

 

[daesdaemar]

The point, of course, is to prevent blisters and use Compeed/moleskin and similar products to treat them if they develop.
I use Body Glide on my feet, then a pair of the thin Injinji liners under my hiking socks and have never even had a hot spot. I truly believe that with proper care it is possible to NEVER develop a blister.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Body Glide:

Active Ingredients: Allantoin (Comfrey Root) (Skin Protectant)
Inactive Ingredients: Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract, C18 36 Acid Triglyceride, Capric/Caprylic Stearic Triglyceride, Tribehenin, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)

Use whatever works for you, but the lead inactive ingredient is a moisturizer, the exact opposite of what is needed to prevent blisters, and the active ingredient is an herb that has no anti-moisture properties. The triglycerides are fat like Crisco with some lubricating properties. Petrolatum, silicone, simethicone, dimethicone, and talc are lubricants that repel moisture. If you experiment with products, be sure to include some that have ingredients that might work-- maybe even Crisco!

 

[Snake]

As a former ultramarathon runner, I found the book "Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for Athletes" by John Vonhof very informative, not only in blister prevention/treatment but other footcare techniques. It is a very large book,not recommended to carry with you, (except kindle) but is a must read for anyone using their feet for long periods of time.

Amazon has used versions for a little over a $1 + shipping.

Hope this helps.

Snake

:wink:

 

[cote.lesta]

I have walked two Caminos and not a blister to show for them, I feel the success for me was, training before hand, good, well worn, well fitting shoes, double layer socks, eg: (1000 miles), dry and clean feet and socks, aired between stops, never carried a plaster or compeed in my pack, no lotions or potions. Buen Camino
Cote. 8) :arrow:

 

[Dael]

Hi,
It has been frequently posted elsewhere on the forum that prevention is better than cure. I am firmly of the opinion that a a good layer of "Vaseline" or "Bag Balm" on your feet, then lining socks "coolmax" and finally good quality treking socks prevents blisters. In 5 caminos I have never had a blister.
Years ago I fell into the trap of toughing up my feet by washing them with Surgical Spirit. Yes I got thick hard skin but the blisters which developed were under a thick layer of hard skin and couldn't be drained.
Bag Balm, for those who haven't heard of this magic concotion is available on Ebay USA. It's a tad expensive to us in Europe. I will leave you to find out where its name derived from but I love this stuff for feet and hands.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

"Bag Balm"

It was developed for softening and conditioning cows' udders, hence the name. It is just Vaseline that has been hydrogenated a bit more and with a little lanolin added.

 

[ffp13]

Good fitting broken-in footwear that keeps out water, and dry absorbant sox, if your feet perspire a lot change your sox as required, 3 caminos and 20 years in the army never a blister on my feet.


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?4ipdqm

 

[sweetlee213]

Compeed is a blister treatment, rather than a blister defense

I respectfully disagree. You can use it like moleskin to cover a hot spot before a blister develops. The Compeed takes the friction. I personally add a little petrolatum over the Compeed to reduce friction.

That's what I read about compeed falcon. Although now I'm thinking I didn't buy enough moleskin....

 

[Deleted member 3000]

For me, moleskin is not as good as Compeed. It curls up, has poorer adhesive, and if a blister forms, leaves adhesive everywhere and allows bacteria into a broken blister. If a blister forms under Compeed, just do nothing! The wet wound technology will absorb the fluid when the blister breaks, and the covering is sanitary. Start with only a small supply of Compeed, and replenish it everywhere in Spain.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Years ago I fell into the trap of toughing up my feet by washing them with Surgical Spirit. Yes I got thick hard skin but the blisters which developed were under a thick layer of hard skin and couldn't be drained.

Very interesting. I had to give up my camino this year due to continuous rain and blisters needing emergency hospital treatment. When in the hospital, they were discussing cutting open the skin to drain the blisters, then sewing them up. :cry:

In the end they just bandaged them.

However, for three months prior to the pilgrimage I had been using Surgical Spirit: that would explain the hospital discussion! The skin was too tough for simple draining. I was also wearing Wrights double-layer walking socks, and had anti-blister tape on my feet. The blisters still came.

I'm back to gentle walking now - no more than 7 miles [12 kms] but the blisters have gone - they took seven weeks to heal completely.
Buen camino!
Stephen.
P.S. I'm thinking about the Camino Ingles maybe for 2014 ....

 

[OzAnnie]

Very interesting. I had to give up my camino this year due to continuous rain and blisters needing emergency hospital treatment. When in the hospital, they were discussing cutting open the skin to drain the blisters, then sewing them up. :cry:

In the end they just bandaged them.
However, for three months prior to the pilgrimage I had been using Surgical Spirit: that would explain the hospital discussion! The skin was too tough for simple draining. I was also wearing Wrights double-layer walking socks, and had anti-blister tape on my feet. The blisters still came.

I'm back to gentle walking now - no more than 7 miles [12 kms] but the blisters have gone - they took seven weeks to heal completely.
Buen camino!
Stephen.
P.S. I'm thinking about the Camino Ingles maybe for 2014 ....

Oh Stephen
You poor wounded soldier. You had a rough trot!
I think I'll take from your post in prep for September, "to make sure my feet are not too hard/tough to start". I'm presently trying some natural stuff. (Organic). Something to try/test. One can only read the research and feedback and see how it works. At least Stephen, you've now worked out a method to cross off the list, as not working for you .

Buen Camino

 

[Charliemag]

Do you have to wear a second sock over a liner sock?

 

[Piccata]

To answer the OP's question: I have used Spenco 2nd skin blister pads and liked them a lot. The plastic covering portion is thinner and to my mind slipperier than the outer plastic on either Compeed or the Band-aid product. That combination of thinness and slipperiness works well for me. The adhesive is not as strong as Compeed, but maybe it doesn't need to be because it is thinner and slipperier, so there's less likely less friction working to tear it off. It is only available in one rather large size; however, unlike Compeed which comes in almost unlimited sizes.

And to answer this question:

Do you have to wear a second sock over a liner sock?

You don't have to. Some people prefer the thinness of liner socks, but some prefer to cover them with another sock to get additional padding and/or friction reduction.

Also, while it's great to hear that many people are able to walk their entire Caminos without blisters (I was too), none-the-less I was very happy that I had my plan and products for dealing with hot spots, my plan and products for dealing with blisters, and my back up plan for dealing with blisters in case the first plan didn't work. I first learned about the Camino Frances from a friend whose trip was ended by terrible blisters and I really didn't want that to happen to me. There are times when you need to walk many km to get to the next pharmacia and those km would be potentially painful and damaging if you don't have something with you to solve hot spot/blister problems at the moment they POP up!

 

[indyinmaine]

At last count there were 19 replies and all somewhat different. Here's another! One pair of socks, keep them dry, don't take off your boots until you're "home", and put your feet in cold water at the end of the day = no blisters.

 

[Perejil]

I recently came across a sock liner called ArmaSkin
A sock liner sold here in Australia which prevents blisters on your feet. The claim is that if you were to get a blister while using the product then your the first and they will give you a full refund. Well with a claim like that I thought I'd give it a go.
My personal experience with the liner has been great. I've been gradually building up my walking regime, which has proven beneficial, because I've learned what equipment suits me best. I found around the 15km mark I consistently developed 'hot spots' on the sole of my feet, and as you know hot spots can develop into blisters if not addressed. I introduced Armaskin sock liner into my regular walking routine and found they eliminated the hot spot feeling, allowing me to walk easily beyond 20km. A second bonus is I no longer have sweaty feet at the end of the day.
Just out of interest I train one a week where I walk with a 10kg pack for 20+km on local walking trails in 4hr. I use Adidas boost shoes with Marino smart wool socks or the synthetic equivalent and now the sock liners. Later I plan to use them with my hiking boots for hiking through forrest trails in the Hinterland Mountains.
For me that are great because they are extremely light weight and there is no need to carry bandaging tape, blister pads, talk powder, lotions, potions, needle and thread or; good heavens a knife to alleviate the pain of walking with blisters.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I am just back from the Camino Ingles. I had NO blisters!!
There has been much talk on the forum about BLISTERS - the bane in the life of so many pilgrims. This was my 4th camino. On the previous three I needed hospital treatment for severe blistering, which took much of the pleasure from the trek. I have tried all the usual remedies - vaseline, powder, walking socks, massage, etc etc all to no avail.
This year I decided to use panty liners. If you fellows don't know about panty liners, just ask the lady in your life.
I would place the liner on the floor, sticky side UP, then carefully place my foot down onto it, so that it was at the same angle as my toes - and gave me protection along the ball of the big toe, and across the whole sole of my foot just below the toes. Just position it where you usually get blisters.
On occasion I had to buy the extra long liners from chemists in Spain: the same principle applied, and the ends of the liner were simply folded across the top of my foot. I then put on my normal walking socks.
I am not suggesting for one moment that this will cure everyone's problems. Only that they cured mine. So it might be worth a try.
I also limited my walking distances to no more than around 22-24 kms a day - ideally down to 15 kms approx.
If that helps just one of you to avoid blisters, my time has been well spent.
Buen camino! [Without blisters ]

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Oh Stephen
You poor wounded soldier. You had a rough trot! I think I'll take from your post in prep for September, "to make sure my feet are not too hard/tough to start". I'm presently trying some natural stuff. (Organic). Something to try/test. One can only read the research and feedback and see how it works. At least Stephen, you've now worked out a method to cross off the list, as not working for you . Buen Camino

Hi Annie!
Have a look at my post [above]. Just over 200 kms and NO blisters
Buen camino!

 

[OzAnnie]

Thanks Stephen
Now that has me scratching my head ?
I'm wondering how your 2012 post popped to the top of my unread posts. I was sure it was current and I did wonder what happened to your panty liner method. I had read a comment from JennyH94 which included the idea.
Very glad to hear it worked for you and you enjoyed a totally blister free Camino

May there be many more. Buen Camino
Annie

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Thanks Stephen Now that has me scratching my head ?May there be many more. Buen Camino Annie

Well you know what it's like - when one camino 'ends' another begins - albeit only in your mind
Having seen the beautiful coast of Galicia for the first time this year, I'm thinking .... just thinking you understand! ... about Finisterre and Muxia for 2015!
My 2014 diary and Photo-album are now downloadable from my web site.
Buen camino, amiga Annie!

 

[SanJo]

The point, of course, is to prevent blisters and use Compeed/moleskin and similar products to treat them if they develop.
I use Body Glide on my feet, then a pair of the thin Injinji liners under my hiking socks and have never even had a hot spot. I truly believe that with proper care it is possible to NEVER develop a blister.

We bought some Injinji socks....if it gets warm/hot weather, can we just wear them without wearing hiking socks overtop?

 

[daesdaemar]

We bought some Injinji socks....if it gets warm/hot weather, can we just wear them without wearing hiking socks overtop?

There is a difference between Injinji liners and socks. You can wear the socks alone but the liners are very thin and probably would not offer much blister protection on their own.

If your feet get too hot a lot then consider the shoes/boots may be part of the problem.