Hiking, running and other activities that requires time on your feet may often cause foot blisters. Walking with blisters can be an unpleasant experience.
Here are some tips on how to manage foot blisters.
Prevention
1. Buy the right shoe size - choose a pair of shoes 1/2 inch larger than the actual size of your feet. Some foot maybe a bit larger than the other, so choose a pair based on the larger foot.
2. Wear the right socks - your feet will sweat more and will retain moisture in cotton socks. This makes your skin become soft and more prone to blisters. Use wool or drymax socks.
3. Lubricate your feet - Applying some lubricant help reduce the friction between the skin and the shoes. I've found petroleum jelly to be the cheapest option and is available from the grocery store. Rub them between your toes and areas prone to blisters. This will feel funny at first, but you will soon get used to it.
4. Go sockless - the best way to toughen up the skin on your feet is by going sockless. This thickens blister hotspots.
Cure:
1. Check your feet - even at the slightest discomfort, remove your shoes and see what's causing the the problem. You may have to remove some rock and pebbles that penetrated your shoes.
2. Keep your feet dry - stream crossing, rain and sweat may increase the chances of having a blister. Integrate a routine during long walks to dry your feet, change a pair of socks or apply more lubricant.
3. Tape - taping your feet maybe necesarry to prevent further damage. A good tape is waterproof and durable.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Monday, 10 October 2011
How to Find a Hiking Trail
One of the added challenges when going out on the bush is to find a good hiking route. With internet technology, there are some maps and information that can help you.
Internet - most parks and public land information are now available online and there are printable maps you can use for you trip. These maps will show information on facilities such as parking, toilets, water and picnic grounds. Most important, it will also show popular hiking routes with estimated distance and time to complete a route. In my experience, Parks information provides updates on closed tracks and closed facilities -so it's also important to check the website closer to your planned outing date.
Orienteering Clubs - local orienteering or rogaine clubs also retain maps and direction to local hiking trails. They have resource persons who are familiar with the trail. They can give you tips on local conditions and hazards to expect in the area.
Stop by a local Information Centre - towns, regionals centres and tourism areas have information booths. They provide maps and can suggest information on nearby hiking routes.
Trail races - trail race organizers also creates maps of running routes they have organized. They often map out these 'running routes' via gps and provide you downloadable gps info through their websites.
Google Earth - Most of the time, I end up creating my own route by linking trails in google earth. You can determine the elevation profile of the route you created. I find this a very valuable tool in judging the difficulty of the route.
Internet - most parks and public land information are now available online and there are printable maps you can use for you trip. These maps will show information on facilities such as parking, toilets, water and picnic grounds. Most important, it will also show popular hiking routes with estimated distance and time to complete a route. In my experience, Parks information provides updates on closed tracks and closed facilities -so it's also important to check the website closer to your planned outing date.
Orienteering Clubs - local orienteering or rogaine clubs also retain maps and direction to local hiking trails. They have resource persons who are familiar with the trail. They can give you tips on local conditions and hazards to expect in the area.
Stop by a local Information Centre - towns, regionals centres and tourism areas have information booths. They provide maps and can suggest information on nearby hiking routes.
Trail races - trail race organizers also creates maps of running routes they have organized. They often map out these 'running routes' via gps and provide you downloadable gps info through their websites.
Google Earth - Most of the time, I end up creating my own route by linking trails in google earth. You can determine the elevation profile of the route you created. I find this a very valuable tool in judging the difficulty of the route.
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