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.
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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.