Here's The Rub
Are you tired of painful, red blisters appearing just a few kilometres into your hike? We understand how frustrating that can be. Blisters can quickly turn an exciting trek through beautiful landscapes - whether in the Drakensberg, the Garden Route, or the WildCoast—into a painful ordeal, so, we’ve gathered the best advice and practical tips to help you prevent blisters, manage hot spots, and keep your feet comfortable.
Understanding Blisters: What CausesThem?
There are two schools of thought here. The more complex, modern thought is that blisters are actually caused by skin stretching back and forth (called shear deformation). Shear is the “give” in your skin, and it happens as your bones move back and forth within your foot, every single step you take. Shear is normal, and your feet can put up with a lot of it. But when shear becomes excessive and repetitive, like it can do in multi day hiking, a tear occurs under the skin surface. This is the initiation of the blister injury. Fluid slowly fills the injured site, and within 2 hours, you have a blister.
The more traditional train of thought is that blisters develop when your boots/shoes and socks rub repeatedly against your skin, causing the outer layers to move more than the sensitive inner layers. This friction creates a “hot spot” and, if it continues, fluid fills the space between skin layers as your body attempts to create a buffer, resulting in a blister. Moisture from sweat or water crossings, common on South African trails, accelerate this process.
Imagine rubbing your thumb against the skin of a ripe peach: the skin shifts, wrinkles, and eventually tears. The same thing happens to your feet under constant friction.
How to Prevent Blisters Before You Hit the Trail
A little preparation can save you from a lot of discomfort on your next hike:
Choose Proper Footwear:
Invest in boots or trail runners that truly fit your feet. As a general rule, craftsmanship of the shoe increases as the price of the shoe increases as more attention to detail can be afforded. Buy the best you can afford and, ideally, fit them in-store.
Break in your footwear – especially Leather Boots:
Wear them around your home, on short walks, and day hikes before tackling longer trips like the Otter Trail or the Amatola Hiking Trail. Use duct tape on rough seams to reduce friction.
Pick the Right Socks:
Avoid wearing cotton socks, as cotton traps moisture, which accelerates friction as the sock 'clings' and develops ridges. Opt for snug-fitting, synthetic or wool (or, even better, a blend) socks that wick sweat away. Layering a thin synthetic sock under a thicker wool sock can be very effective, especially in cooler mountain regions like the Drakensberg. This system creates a layer of separation between the socks to allow some movement of fabric on fabric rather than fabric on skin.
Use Supportive Insoles:
These help keep your foot stable inside the boot. The goal is to ensure that your shoes or boots fit snugly enough to prevent your foot moving/slipping inside the shoe, but not to tight that you restrict blood flow.
Keep Toenails Trimmed:
This prevents pressure points inside your boots.
Pre-tape Hot Spots:
If you’re prone to blisters, apply tape. Use duct tape because it allows for slick, smooth and slippery on the shiny side, reducing friction) to vulnerable areas before starting your hike. Careful cutting and shaping of the tape will add to a successful application.
On the Trail Foot Care Tips
Keep Feet Dry:
If you are very prone to blistering, change into fresh socks after every 5 to 8 kilometres and let the sweaty ones air out on your pack.
Clean Your Feet:
Rinse them when you can to reduce dirt and bacteria, which can worsen blisters or cause infections. Many South African trails have streams or rivers perfect for this.
Use Padding:
If tape isn’t enough, try placing loose Merino wool over hot spots under your socks to reduce friction. Alternativly there are a range of commercially available Blister kits which will have moleskin cut-outs ready for easy application.
Fixing Boots That Cause Blisters
If your boots cause pressure points but fit well otherwise, you can soften and stretch the leather. It is less easy to stretch synthetics, but if the pressure point is on a seam, it is possible to soften the seam manually.
- Remove laces and pull back the tongue
- Apply mink (or leather care) oil to the problem area to soften the leather (skip this for synthetic boots)
- Use a rounded, blunt object like a broomstick handle to knead and stretch the leather, creating extra space.
Should You Pop Blisters?
Traditional advice says not to pop blisters to avoid infection. However, experts like Buck Tilton from the Wilderness Medicine Institute recommend carefully draining blisters in the wilderness, especially those in high-stress areas, to prevent them from bursting uncontrollably inside your boot.
How to safely drain a blister:
- Sterilise a needle or pin with flame or alcohol
- Gently pierce the blister’s edge
- Massage out the fluid without removing the skin covering
- Keep the skin intact to protect the sensitive layer underneath.
Treating Blisters Properly
Hot Spot (before blister forms): Stop walking, remove shoe and sock, and cover the area with several layers of duct tape to reduce friction. Wrap toes separately if needed.
Fully Formed Blister: Clean the area with soap and antiseptic. Drain if necessary (see above). Apply antibiotic ointment.Use a moleskin “donut” patch around the blister to protect it, then cover with duct tape.
Blood Blister on Toe:
Apply antiseptic and cover with a bandage or moleskin. Avoid popping if possible. If it pops, clean and cover it to prevent infection. Elevate and ice to reduce swelling and pain.
Healing Time and Additional Tips
Most blisters heal within one to two weeks if properly cared for. Avoid peeling off the blister’s top skin, as this increases infection risk.
Special Care for Heel Blisters Using DuctTape
Heel blisters can be especially painful and often appear early in long trips when carrying heavy loads. Here’s a quick method to manage them:
- Clean and disinfect the blister area
- Apply tincture of benzoin around the blister to help tape and padding stick better
- Use Glacier Gel or similar blister treatment gel on open blisters
- Secure moleskin and gel with slippery duct tape to allow easy sock and boot movement
- Stretch a 15 to 20 centimeter piece of duct tape horizontally over the blister for added protection
Blister First Aid Kit
Must-haves:
- Moleskin
- Duct tape
- Safety pin or knife
- Alcohol or antiseptic wipes
Optional add-ons: Tincture of benzoin, abalsamic tree resin with antiseptic, aromatic, and adhesive properties, is a valuable addition. Available in various forms—impregnated cotton swabs, small liquid vials, or sprays—this can be found at pharmacies and medical supply outlets.
Keep a small amount in your first-aid kit and use it to:
- Enhance the adhesion of any blister treatment by applying it to your foot, letting it dry until tacky (a few minutes), then applying your dressing.
- Protect un-blistered skin from friction by creating a hardened, protective layer like a second skin
- Seal an existing blister as a last resort
Tips for Hiking with Blisters
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, blisters happen. Here’s how to manage the discomfort until you reach the trailhead:
- Distract yourself by chatting with your hiking partner, listening to music or podcasts, singing, or focusing on positive thoughts to take your mind off the pain
- Keep minimizing pain and preventing new blisters by regularly changing your socks and keeping your feet clean
- Keep a positive attitude - smile or fake it til you make it. It can help you feel a bit better
How Long Do Blisters Take to Heal?
If treated early, blisters usually don’t cause long-term trouble. Skin begins to recover within six hours, toughens within two days, and typically heals fully within a week. However, continued irritation prolongs healing and raises the risk of infection.
Blister Myths
Deodorant prevents blisters:
While antiperspirants reduce sweating, applying deodorant like Old Spice on your feet can increase irritation and friction, making blisters more likely.
Foot powder prevents blisters:
Sweaty powder tends to clump and increase friction between your foot and sock, which can actually cause more blisters.
My Gear
Available at most pharmacies
Purpose knitted socks means that the sock manufacturer has specifically chosen the most suitable yarn (or yarn combination) and stitch construction for the activity. More expensive socks will have graduated compression zones, articulated heel and seamless toe construction, all features adding to comfort, performance and reducing hot-spot areas.
Well fitted, quality hiking boots will go a long way to keeping you blister free and a happy hiker.
Well fitted, quality running shoes will go a long way to keeping you blister free and a happy runner.
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