How to Prevent & Treat Blisters While Hiking
Nothing can derail an otherwise-awesome day hike or backpacking trip faster than foot problems. Specifically blisters, which are one of the most common injuries for anyone using their feet as their primary means of locomotion. They’re a minor annoyance that can quickly escalate into a more serious problem if not cared for properly. The good news is that most blisters are quite treatable and even totally preventable, with the right gear and preparation. Here are a few of our favorite tips for keeping your feet in top condition while out on the trail.
Find the Right Footwear
A properly fitting, well-broken-in pair of hiking boots or trail running shoes is one of the best investments you can make in your on-trail comfort and enjoyment. Your shoes or boots should fit comfortably snug without pinching or pressure points, and you also don’t want to feel your heel slipping around or lots of empty space above the top of your foot. Lace them up snugly while trying them on, and watch out for any rubbing, seams, or uncomfortable bumps that could potentially cause friction or hotspots.
It’s best to try on shoes at the end of the day, after your feet have swollen up a bit from walking around. Make sure to bring a similar pair of socks as the ones you’ll be using out on the trail. And speaking of socks, they’re so important to blister prevention that they deserve their own section…
Spring for Some Good Socks
A good pair of moisture-wicking hiking socks (or three) is an essential part of any hiker’s gear collection. Wool or synthetic socks are the only way to go, as they pull moisture away from your skin—unlike cotton, which stays wet once it gets wet. Sweaty skin is much softer and more prone to friction damage, so wrapping your feet in a fabric that keeps them as dry as possible is a major part of blister prevention.
Just like with your boots or shoes, getting the right size hiking socks is equally important. Oversized socks can create friction-inducing wrinkles, while too-small socks may slip down and create pressure points by putting seams in the wrong places.
Check In with Your Body
When you’re out on the trail, pay close attention to how your feet are feeling, and pull over for a break as soon as you notice a hotspot. Even if you’re only a mile or two in, trying to tough it out will almost always make things worse. Take off your shoes and socks, and examine the area that’s causing you trouble. If it’s a little (or a lot) red and irritated, that means there’s friction happening that will soon form a blister.
Dry your feet off thoroughly, and protect the irritated area with a bit of surgical or kinetic tape.
If your socks are wet from sweat or stream crossings, changing into a dry pair can also be a big help.
Know How to Treat Blisters
Despite careful preparation, even experienced hikers with callouses like concrete will have to deal with blisters once in a while. Fortunately, if you treat them early, you can prevent them from becoming a more serious problem. Moleskin is a decades-old solution that still works well to prevent hiking blisters from getting worse—simply cut a large enough hole to fit around the entire blister, then secure the padding to the surrounding skin to prevent your sock from rubbing on the area. You can also buy bandage kits specifically made to treat blisters by padding the affected area from additional damage and soothing it with a gel or salve.
Ideally, you want to avoid popping your own blisters, as doing so can create an infection risk. However, if a blister is so large and painful that it’s preventing you from walking normally, you may not have a choice. Be sure to sterilize your needle with alcohol or an open flame, and insert it into the skin at the base of the blister to drain out as much fluid as you can.
Whether you’ve drained it yourself or it’s popped on its own, any “open” blister should be treated like any other wound to minimize the risk of infection. That means washing it carefully with antibiotic soap, and applying antibiotic ointment and a clean bandage before padding with moleskin to prevent further damage to the area. It’s pretty rare for blisters to get infected, but if you notice pain, pus, or red streaks on the skin heading away from the area, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Taking the time to take care of your feet can be harder than it sounds sometimes, especially if you’ve got an ambitious trail objective in mind. But remembering to slow down a bit and focus on how you’re feeling is a good policy for wilderness adventures, as well as for life in general. With some good hiking boots or shoes that fit you well, some quality hiking socks, and a few key first aid supplies in your pack, you’ll be set up to log some serious miles with maximum enjoyment!
TJ Parsons is a semi-reformed snowboard bum who now has a semi-adult career as a professional writer and creative. He's a self-proclaimed perpetual intermediate who thinks the outdoors are for everyone, and who wants to help dismantle gatekeeping and elitism in outdoor sports. When he's not squeezing brain juice into a keyboard, you'll find him riding boards or bikes throughout the Intermountain West.
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