posted by admin on Sep 16

Treating Blisters On The Move

The correct treatment for blisters is still a controversial subject with some contrasting ideas being put forward. However, here at Bivi Bag we believe in a common sense approach, and so if you have a small blister whilst on the move, which has not yet burst, we recommend that you do not pop it, take whatever steps you can to stop any rubbing or friction on the point of the blister and if possible cover it with a plaster or bandage to provide an extra barrier. If you have access to them then the circular pads with a hole in the middle are ideal as they will let the skin continue to breathe.

Special Forces - Anti Blister Sock £9

For larger blister, pop them, make the incision as small as possible and try to use a sterile knife or needle. For sterilization tip some of that whisky you’ve been saving for emergencies over the blade or heat it briefly with a lighter to kill off bacteria. Don’t peel off the skin of the blister, this provides a nice barrier. If available put some antibiotic cream on the area to stop infection and wrap a clean bandage around it. Then get back to whatever it was you were doing, inevitably after some time walking the pain wears off in most cases.

Just remember, that at night you should take off the bandage as this will hasten the healing process and if possible put on a fresh bandage every day to keep chances of infection at a minimum.

Bivi Bag

posted by admin on Sep 14

Prevention of Blisters – Some Quick Tips

Blisters can be a real annoyance and have the potential to hinder movement and take the enjoyment out of your bivi bag adventures. First of all it is important to address the problem of blisters before they arise, this is done by wearing in boots and taking care of any potential areas of friction prior to setting off on a trip.

Special Forces Anti Blister Socks £9.95

Wearing breathable boots made from a fabric such as gore-tex will allow your feet to breathe while remaining dry, which in turn decreases the chance of blisters as any area that it damp for a prolonged period will become a strong candidate for developing a nasty case of blisters.

Don’t ever wear socks that are made from too much of an abrasive material as this will really wear the skin on the feet, this is often found in thicker socks. SAS trooper Chris Ryan was unfortunate enough to have on an army issue pair of socks at the time of his heroic escape from behind enemy lines in Iraq, and sites this as being a major cause for the horrendous state his feet eventually got in.

Clearly you will not be facing anything of this magnitude but it is a point to keep in mind. Some studies also show that 100% cotton socks are most likely to cause blisters as they do not allow the skin to breathe, so perhaps looking to avoid these may be a good idea.

Some also say that soaking the feet in white spirit every day for a week or two before any major hike can harden them up nicely and help prevent blisters, although the choice is entirely yours.

However if blister do apply then there are various ways to treat them to reduce the pain and help you get on. This will be discussed a future article.

Bivi Bag

posted by admin on Aug 31

Why a Bivi Bag?

There are numerous reasons why so many people choose to opt for the use of a bivi bag over the more conventional idea of a tent, perhaps for many the number one reason is the sense of freedom it provides, allowing you to feel closer to nature and more in tune with the elements. A feeling of adventure is far more prominent whenever you are camped up in your bivi bag and this is something that just cannot be felt whilst in a tent and being out in a remote part of the country can camped up in a bivi can be an extremely liberating and thoroughly enjoyable feeling.

Amoung the other reasons for choosing a bivi bag is the ease at which it can be carried, with a biovi you do not hav to lug all that extra weight around with you and the ease of setting up a bivi as opposed to a tent you can be sure that it is a hassle free form of shelter that you can use just about anywhere without the problems of a tent. Whether you are looking for a bivi bag as your primary means of shelter or not, it is always a wise idea to carry a bivi , even if it is no more than a cheap emergency shelter as you never know when you may become unexpectedly stuck out in adverse conditions.

Often traveling around to find some of the better places to go bivi bagging can be difficult without the use of a car as many starting points can be somewhat remote and so like the author, if you don’t have access to a vehicle try to team up with someone who does or even hire a car. Cheap Car Hire is easy to find and for a small fee you can have the freedom to travel to places public transport can’t reach.

Having outlined some of the positive elements to bivi bagging there are also numerous down sides, however, many of these can be overcome with a little planning and fore-thought which is discussed at more length on the pages of our site.

Bivi Bag