Help from walkers needed! Blisters!

I did a search and haven't seen any threads like this in a few years so here goes.

I ride a ton and do not have any issues with blisters. The only time I do is when we go on a vacation and do lots and lots of walking in a week.

I usually get them on the outside of my big toes and on the bottoms of my pinky toes.

I've tried all different types of socks and a few different sneakers. Where should I start to try to narrow down the cause?

I have A-lines in my ski boots but I think they only help with my heel and instep although I can try them in my sneakers if you think it'll help.

THANKS!

Are the shoes broken in? That's the easiest thing to check for...

Otherwise, the main cause for me was shoes that were too wide or too big. Shoes that are too big cause your feet to have a ton of extra movement within the shoe, causing lots of problems with blisters. And if they are too small, I would imagine your foot would get more friction than it should, too.

I got my feet fit for shoes at a walk/run specialty store and have never had a problem since they got me the right brand/width/size. But if I wear anything else... :eek:

Have you put Body Glide all over your feet before putting them in the socks? That keeps me from getting blisters.

Good luck! :)

The best, and cheapest, solution I find to blisters is to wear two pairs of socks when hiking. Get a pair of thin liner socks (silk or wool is best in my opinion) and wear them under a good pair of hiking socks (again wool is best). Then make sure the shoes fit you well of course, not too tight not too loose. But the two pairs of socks works wonders.

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Originally Posted by berkeley

I got my feet fit for shoes at a walk/run specialty store and have never had a problem since they got me the right brand/width/size. But if I wear anything else... :eek:

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Thanks - I think I might do this ;)

UK
Isn't 2 pairs of socks hot?

Not when it's two thin layers, a pair of thin silk liners and a pair of thin wool hiking socks is not too hot and feels far more comfortable than cotton socks in any temperature.

I always get blisters on my toes when I'm traveling and walking a lot, unless I protect them with Compeed pads. ("Band-Aid Advanced Healing Protection for Fingers and Toes" in the USA, but the inner packaging still says Compeed.) Definitely follow the instructions about warming the pads for one minute before and after applying, and having the skin really clean, and they will stay on for three days or so.

Keeping the calluses shaved is really important, but if I'm walking a lot without the blister pads I need to do that EVERY night.

I lube my arches for running, but lubing the toes doesn't seem to help prevent the under-callus blisters, for me anyhow.

ETA: From your description I'd hazard a guess that your toe box is too narrow, not too wide, but yeah, like anything, a good professional fit can really open your eyes. Trouble is, unless you go full custom, you can't tweak shoes like you can bike fit, and a lot of us just have to choose the set of compromises we make. But a good fitter can give you guidance as to which compromises are more or less likely to give you problems.

Double-layering socks never did anything for me, but SmartWool socks help a lot (yes in summer too, they are quite cool). In the last year or so I've completely changed my assumptions about what socks and shoes work best for me.

A pair of thin real wool socks will prevent blisters. Cotton and/or poly is not good enough. Smartwool thin summer socks are prefect- very fine merino. They are not too hot.

I have some real comfy Keen shoes that I wore for a 5 mile walk the other day with no socks. Big mistake. Started getting blisters on the ball of my foot under the big toe joint. VERY painful!
I stopped at the good shoe store on the way back and bought some Smartwool thin wool low cut socks, and it saved my feet on the way home.
On long walks, you need some sort of thin socks to prevent friction rubbing, even in comfortable good shoes.

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Originally Posted by MtnBikerChk

I usually get them on the outside of my big toes and on the bottoms of my pinky toes.

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That indicates to me that you are not wearing shoes wide enough for your feet. I have wide feet and I swear I am the blister queen. I use the Body Glide stuff all over my feet and sometimes I just put moleskin (found in the foot section of any drugstore/grocery) on the problem areas. Definitely look into wider shoes.

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Originally Posted by F8th637

That indicates to me that you are not wearing shoes wide enough for your feet. I have wide feet and I swear I am the blister queen. I use the Body Glide stuff all over my feet and sometimes I just put moleskin (found in the foot section of any drugstore/grocery) on the problem areas. Definitely look into wider shoes.

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I'M A FREAK! lol

thanks everyone.