Taping your feet to avoid blisters?

[RoryGentry]

I'm leaving for my camino in 11 days! Starting to get the pre-trip jitters, wondering about strategies, etc... LOL

I'm wondering, does anyone "pre-tape" your feet to avoid blisters? I'm taking Smartwool socks, which I've always worn, but this will be my longest trip in quite a while. I've heard of people using simple duct tape on their feet each morning to avoid blisters. I can't comfortably wear 2 pairs of socks, so I'm debating if tape might be a good preventative measure.

Any input would be appreciated!

 

[indyinmaine]

Rory,

I started with Smartwool and quickly switched to Dahlgren backpacking. I had my foot taped for a bad ankle while walking last year and when they took it off the whole bottom of my foot peeled!

Indy

 

[Maggie97520]

Rory,

I started with Smartwool and quickly switched to Dahlgren backpacking. I had my foot taped for a bad ankle while walking last year and when they took it off the whole bottom of my foot peeled!

Indy

Same here. I started with smartwool and switched to dahlgren's, too. They are the best - for me, that is.

 

[dougfitz]

I have taped my toes as a preventative measure for blisters, and have assisted treat others using similar materials (fixomull for larger areas, or micropore for toes). These are both porous, and can be kept on for a several days at a time.

I have also strapped my feet address bruised heel and plantar fasciitis. Strapping tape is non-porous, and should be removed every day and the strapping re-applied the following day. I wouldn't leave it on for longer. The skin would not be able to breathe underneath the tape, so removing the strapping is important to keep the skin healthy.

Regards,

 

[thetravellingpen]

I use micropore surgical tape on area potential blister areas before I walk. It's so thin you don't even feel it, and it doesn't roll up/peel loose like plasters do. It breathes, and it's cheap and it works wonders to prevent a blister. When you want to take it off yourself, it comes off easily and painlessly, but only when you want to take it off. Never needed any other blister prevention than this easy to use system. So put a strip at back of heels and at little toe where it slightly rubs on the shoe, and no problem at all! Never had a blister using this and don't even feel it on.

 

[MendiWalker]

As some of the people above have mention I also tape potential blister areas specially heels when I have a brand new pair of boots. I put 2 or even 3 pieces of tape one on top of another and remove them when I have finished my walk and have a relaxing shower. I avoid blisters in this way.
Buen Camino!

 

[npazaky]

I just completed the camino in June and taped my feet everyday of the walk. It became a joke between and my camino buddies as I had the morning ritual of taping each heel and all my toes. I walked for 28 days and apart from 3 tiny blisters, I never had a problem with my feet. Out of all the people I walked with, I suffered the least when it came to foot problems. For me it worked and I used cheap, standard medical tape bought along the way at chemists or even $2 shops. Nothing expensive. Just a standard tape to create a barrier between my socks and the skin. I also wore expensive, good socks and had no problems the whole camino. So for me, it worked a treat. When I walk it again (someday) I will do the same thing. If you have good shoes and socks, I think this should be fine.

 

[SYates]

...

I can't comfortably wear 2 pairs of socks, so I'm debating if tape might be a good preventative measure.

...

You could try using nylon socks as the inner socks, extremely thin and quite effective. Also don't forget to use foot cream both mornings and evenings. I tape only when and if I feel a hot spot, not before. Buen, blister-free, Camino!, SY

 

[StuartM]

I tape when hotspots start to appear. Something I found by accident was that if you wear your boots with no socks for about ten minutes you'll quickly start to feel where the rub points will be. Preventative taping in these spots can be useful.

I use just the fabric tape they sell in rolls in Spanish pharmacies. I think it is called Sanoplast. Zinc oxide/strapping tape leaves a horrible residue especially if it comes off in the shower.

 

[Cejanus]

I would definitely tape my feet. I walked in April of this year. Each day I placed micropore tape around my big toes and also my two smallest toes on each foot and also a strip of tape across the heel of each foot. However before i did this I used Silic 15 cream on my feet, in between the toes and on the bottom of my feet. I also wore two pairs of wool socks - an inner light weight sock and an outer mid-weight sock. Walked 800 kms and not one blister. On the only occasion that I felt a hot spot (on my heel) i stopped straight away and put on another layer of micorpore tape. It took me about 10 minutes each morning to get my feet ready for the day. All the best. Buen Camino. (Silic 15 Cream is available in Australia and I don't know about other countries or equivalent creams. (Oh and I washed out my socks each and every day without fail.) Some pilgrims use Vaseline but this was not for me.

 

[Pruden]

For me using a feet cream, vaseline or similar and a good pair of socks was enough!
I massage my feet after shower and also before walking every morning.
Buen Camino.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

people using simple duct tape

There are too many tapes superior to duct tape. If you tape, choose one of them. I found that duct tape curled up and created hot spots. Surgical tape, mole skin, Compeed, and others stay in place better.

 

[nreyn12]

Duct tape works perfectly for me, and it is such an affordable solution that I can refresh the tape daily without hesitation. I wrap a long length of duct tape around each of my trekking poles and unroll it off as needed.

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

Duct tape works perfectly for me, and it is such an affordable solution that I can refresh the tape daily without hesitation. I wrap a long length of duct tape around each of my trekking poles and unroll it off as needed.

Great idea!!! I am going to "Steal" that idea for my training hikes. Thx....

 

[SYates]

Be careful with ductape people! Yes, it works for some, but in some cases (fine, thin skin) it can actually damage your skin when "ripping it off", SY

 

[dougfitz]

I have carried gaffer tape for general repairs to kit in the past, but last year carried strapping tape for my feet and used that for the couple of clothing repairs that I needed to do as well as for strapping my feet. The cost of strapping tape is not that much more in the quantities I used that it I felt I needed to use the cheaper option.

 

[SuGardner]

I just finished a glorious Camino at the end of July and had no blisters along the way. I wore 1 pair of smartwool socks or other merino wool brands and at various times I used bandaids, compeed, and moleskin when I got "hot" spots or had tenderness on my Achilles. I HATED compeed. It stuck to my socks and was incredibly messy. Maybe it was user error, not sure. The moleskin worked best for me, though I never had to apply it to the bottom of my feet or my toes. When my kids joined us in Leon, I had them bring extra moleskin. It seemed to be popular with fellow travelers. Have a great camino! (by the way, there are so many pharmacies along the way that if one solution doesn't work, you will find something else. don't stress)...Susan

 

[paul.ferris]

"Walk in a relaxed manner and drink plenty of water", is the best advice I received. Lose the jitters Rory. Take it easy. Listen to your body. The Camino is not that hard. Children do it, old people do it. You'll be fine.

 

[sarsos]

I'm leaving for my camino in 11 days! Starting to get the pre-trip jitters, wondering about strategies, etc... LOL

I'm wondering, does anyone "pre-tape" your feet to avoid blisters? I'm taking Smartwool socks, which I've always worn, but this will be my longest trip in quite a while. I've heard of people using simple duct tape on their feet each morning to avoid blisters. I can't comfortably wear 2 pairs of socks, so I'm debating if tape might be a good preventative measure.

Any input would be appreciated!

Petroleum jelly (Vasoline) every morning, good socks good boots/shoes with proper in-soles, keep toe nails clipped and a nightly inventory for hot-spots and you'll be grand.
Buen Camino
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
W.B. Yeats (1865–1939)
"He Wishes For the Cloths of Heaven"

 

[backpack45scb]

We frequently will pre-tape with stretchy breathable tape. Micropur as mentioned above for toes, and 2 inch wide Hartmann's Omnifix for larger areas such as ball of foot. Omnifix is available in Spanish pharmacies.

 

[RoryGentry]

"Walk in a relaxed manner and drink plenty of water", is the best advice I received. Lose the jitters Rory. Take it easy. Listen to your body. The Camino is not that hard. Children do it, old people do it. You'll be fine.

They are good jitters... The kind of "excited anticipation" ones that come when you have just enough time left before the trip to think about everything, but not enough time to do anything about it. LOL (You can only re-pack your backpack so many times, you know!)

Thanks to everyone for the great advice! Lots of good info to think about. I do have 1 pair of liners, but I haven't really found them useful during training. Maybe I'll drop them in the pack just in case. I can always leave them behind somewhere if they don't get used.

 

[NicoZ]

Remember there are all kinds of tape.


Duct tape isn't really designed to be removed. Gaffer tape is. Gaffer tape will cost more usually and you might need to find a pro photo /video shop to get it.

If you are going to use tape TEST it before hand or the warnings about pulling off skin etc might end up being a real life nightmare.

 

[nreyn12]

I have found that the duct tape comes off easily after my afternoon shower. But great advice to try it out for yourself - one of the great lessons of the Camino is that you have to find and follow your Way.

 

[MendiWalker]

If I want to arrive to my destination in the best condition I have to take extra special care of my feet.
If my boots are new - I tape those hot spots every morning and everyday . I use this - http://deportesmanzanedo.com/catalogo/images/esparadrapo.jpg
I remove the tape when I go to the shower after the day´s stage. And I retape my feet again in the morning.
If my boots aren´t new - I just use mentholated vaseline.I apply it every morning generously on the heel,sole and between my toes. Works for me
I also carry some Compeed "just in case" - I end up giving them to others
It´s better to take that little time every morning, and look after your feet than regret it along the day.
Buen Camino!

 

[indyinmaine]

Petroleum jelly (Vasoline) every morning, good socks good boots/shoes with proper in-soles, keep toe nails clipped and a nightly inventory for hot-spots and you'll be grand.
Buen Camino
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
W.B. Yeats (1865–1939)
"He Wishes For the Cloths of Heaven"

What a wonderful quote! Would that we all could tread so softly.

Indyinmaine

 

[trecile]

Taping your feet can be dangerous. Your feet need to breathe and get rid of moisture

The tape that I use, Omnifix lets the skin breathe.