Don’t let blisters ruin your trip!

Blisters: we’ve all been there. That dreaded hot spot you feel rubbing with every step, which you try to ignore until it’s too late. Blisters can ruin an otherwise perfect day in the mountains, and at their worst they can lead to severe pain and infection that could end a trip prematurely or curtail a summit bid.

Here’s a little story of how blisters almost stopped me becoming a mountaineer, plus some tips and tricks to help deal with boot and blister problems.

Sore Feet, Sore Face

For my first trip to the Alps, I hired a pair of La Sportiva Nepal boots (the men’s model, because that was all that was available). After the first day practising crampon skills on the Mer de Glacé, I had developed sizeable blisters on both heels. I’m not sure if I ignored the classic signs of hot spots developing, or whether I was just too excited getting to play with sharp spiky things and relishing my first time on a glacier to notice. By the time we climbed back up the ladders to the Montevers train, it was too late; the damage was done. I slapped on some Compeed and hoped for the best. On the second day, we walked up to the Albert Premier hut ready to tackle my first Alpine peak (Gran Paradiso) the next day. Looking back, the sensible thing to do would have been to approach in trainers and carry my boots to give my feet a rest. I didn’t sleep a wink in the hut that night, as the pressure of resting my heels on the mattress was excruciating. The Compeed wasn’t really staying on, so I added a couple of layers of zinc oxide tape and hoped for the best.

The next day we climbed the normal route, and while I loved the summit ridge exposure and the feeling of achievement at the top, I definitely wouldn’t say I enjoyed the experience as my heels screamed with every step. Perhaps Alpinism wasn’t for me after all.

After a much-needed shower, the tape — which had congealed with the Compeed into a gungy mess on my heels — was hanging half on, half off. I pulled the rest of it off, taking most of the skin from my heels with it. So now I had two completely de-roofed open blisters which proceeded to weep and bleed for the rest of the week. Needless to say, when I tried to put on rock shoes the next day it ended in tears.

I’d like to say at this point that this experience didn’t actually put me off Alpine climbing for life. Nor did I learn how to manage heel blisters properly for quite a few more years —but I feel like I have now found a multi-tactic system that helps prevent them *most* of the time.

Now, I’m not a qualified boot fitter. Obviously good foot/boot compatibility is the first tactic for preventing blisters, but sometimes you don’t have much choice (especially as a woman). There aren’t that many boots warm enough for high altitude use, and vanishingly few options specifically for women’s feet size and shape. So many of us end up in less-than-ideal shaped footwear, and just have to try and make it work. I would take blisters over frostbite any day of the week, so don’t be tempted to wear your comfy boots up something too high/cold if you really need the extra insulation of a warmer pair of boots.

However, there are things you can do to help prevent heel blisters, even if (like me) you are in a pair of men’s boots with too much volume for the average women’s foot.

Tip 1: Volume adjusters

First, ditch the standard insole and put in your tried-and-tested supportive/insulated/orthotic footbed of choice. If you still have too much space in the boot, you can use a flat foam insole underneath this to raise your foot and take up some of the extra space. This didn’t work for me in my Sportiva G2 SMs, as I ended up with not enough space over my toes and forefoot — which I knew would lead to cold feet. However, I still had too much space in the heels and was getting the dreaded heel lift which causes me so many problems. So I used a pair of heel lifters (a wedge of hard foam) and a pair of ¾ length Superfeet insoles to help take up the volume where I needed to, and not where I didn’t.

Tip 2: Anti-friction patches

My next modification was to put some low friction patches (Engo patches) inside the back of the boot, so that any movement that still happened didn’t cause so much friction on my heels. This can be done in advance; the patches can stay in your boots and should last for the duration of a month-long trip. You could probably simulate a similar effect using gaffa tape if you have to do a running field repair. I find this makes a massive difference, so I do this in all my hiking and climbing boots now.

Tip 3: Compeed stick

I make sure I have time in my morning routine to prep my feet before I put on my boots, whether I’m hiking or climbing. I use a Compeed stick on my heels and little toes, which helps moisturise and again lowers the frictional forces between the sock and your skin. This has been a game changer for me.

Tip 4: Sock combo

I subscribe to the two-sock system: I wear wool liners as I find they keep my feet comfortable and feeling drier than synthetic socks. Moisture is a key ingredient in the recipe for blisters, so fresh socks (or ones dried overnight) is a must. Then I wear a thicker outer pair of socks, synthetic or wool mix, and here I focus on the fit that works best with the boots I’m wearing. Avoiding bunching or excess bulk which can create pressure points is critical. I also inspect my socks regularly to check if the heels are wearing thin, and if they are I downgrade them to ‘bed socks’ only. Wearing two pairs of socks helps to move any friction away from the skin layer.

Tip 5: Blister plasters

The preparation steps above generally help prevent hot spots, but if I do feel something start to rub, I try to stop as soon as possible and apply a hydrocolloid blister plaster (e.g. Compeed). These plasters really work if you get them on early enough: they need to completely cover the affected area and should be left on for 5-7 days until they start to come off of their own accord. The reason is they help absorb the fluid in the blister without breaking the skin (called ‘de-roofing’) and create a protective, cushioned barrier to promote healing. If the skin is broken, you shouldn’t use these types of plasters and instead focus on keeping the area clean and dressed to avoid infection.

Tip 6: Gel socks

My final piece of defence against heel blisters is a pair of gel-padded recovery socks. These are a half sock that contains a gel pad in the heel that helps soothe and moisturise the skin overnight, making sure it’s recovered and ready for another day in boots. I find these very comfortable to wear, and sometimes sleep in them. They are slightly compressive which can help with muscle recovery and swollen/puffy ankles that I sometimes experience after a long day and/or higher altitudes.

Hopefully some of that will help you enjoy blister free days in the mountains.

See you out there!

〜 Ronnie