Taking care of your feet

Happy Feet

For maximum comfort, keep your feet drier and cooler.

By Kristin Hostetter

The average foot has some 250,000 sweat glands that ooze as much as 1/2 cup of sweat a day. Not a problem if you're strolling sockless in a pair of sandals. Big problem if all of those sweat glands are swaddled in a sock and encased in a leather boot. Trapped moisture promotes blisters and breeds stinky bacteria and fungus. "There isn't a whole lot you can do to stop the sweat," says Buck Tilton, director of the Wilderness Medicine Institute (WMI) and Backpacker contributing editor. "What you can do is effectively handle the moisture buildup." To keep your feet drier and cooler, try the following:

Wear synthetic socks. They're cooler and wick sweat from your skin faster than wool does. Also, wear a thin polypropylene sock liner to absorb sweat unless the socks' manufacturer recommends against this.
Change socks throughout the day as they get wet. Wear one pair for 2 to 3 hours, take a rest break, air-dry your feet, then put on a dry pair. Slip damp socks under a compression strap on your pack to dry as you hike.
Carry small amounts of foot powder, such as Dr. Scholl's, in recycled plastic spice shakers and apply it twice a day to dry feet.
Apply underarm antiperspirant to your feet. Seriously. Some backpackers swear by this, but before you try it in the backwoods, experiment at home to check for an allergic reaction.

The Sock Fits

Socks are as important as the footwear we buy. Follow our two-step buyers' guide.

By Eileen Portz-Shovlin

Let's face it, most of us don't put a lot of thought into the socks we wear. Yet nothing ruins a hike faster than blisters, which are caused by moist feet and friction. Today's high-performance socks not only keep your feet dry and comfortable, but they also cushion and support your feet and even improve overall foot health. And there are a variety of socks to choose from. Some are synthetic; some are all-natural; and some are a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. Some socks are thick; others are ultrathin.

Some have padding, and some have a tight weave in the middle that helps support the arch of the foot. You probably had no idea there were so many choices.

Confused? Don't be. Just follow our quick two-step buyers' guide.

Step One
Stay away from 100-percent cotton socks. On an hour's run, your feet produce enough sweat to fill an 8-ounce glass. Cotton socks will absorb all this moisture, your feet will feel soggy and uncomfortable, and you will, quite possibly, develop a blister. "It's important for a sock to move moisture," says Roy Pirrung, a champion ultramarathoner who's been testing socks for Wigwam for many years. "A sock should be able to wick moisture away from the foot. An all-cotton sock can't do that."

Look for socks made from either synthetic fibers (acrylic, CoolMax?, nylon, Polartec) or a blend of natural fibers (cotton, wool, alpaca) and synthetic fibers. Both wick moisture away to keep feet dry and warm in winter as well as dry and cool in summer.

Step Two
Pay special attention to fit. "Fit is crucial," says Pirrung. "If the sock is too big, it will bunch in the shoe. If it's too tight, it will restrict toe movement. Also, it's important that the sock fits around the heel."

Not only do your socks need to fit your feet; they also need to fit the footwear you're going to wear them in. After all, what good is a high-tech pair of socks if they make the shoe fit tight? "The shoe and sock must work together," says Pirrung.

As for special features, some socks have padding in high-impact areas like the heel and toe. Consider these if you have a heavy footstrike or are prone to blisters. Remember, though, that padded socks are thick, and if you like them, make sure your socked foot will fit into your shoe.

Expect to pay $5 to $16 for performance socks. That's not cheap, but it's a lot better than blisters and clammy feet.

Sock suggestions
With all the great high-performance socks available these days, it isn't easy deciding what to buy. Here are five guidelines:

Don't buy 100 percent cotton socks. Choose those made from synthetics or a blend of synthetics and cotton. Synthetics such as acrylic and CoolMax® disperse blister-causing perspiration and keep your feet drier and cooler.
Watch out for toe seams--they're one of the biggest cause of blisters. Consider socks that are padded in high-impact areas, like the heel and toe, especially if you have a heavy footstrike or are prone to blisters in these areas.
Pick out socks that have a tighter weave in the middle of the foot. This provides support and helps prevent slippage. Make sure you buy the correct size. This prevents bunching and slipping and, thus, blisters.

Fixing A Blister

A simple blister remedy gets you back on the trail fast.

By Kristin Hostetter

1 Clean the blister area with soap and water.

2 If the blister is not too swollen or painful, skip to Step 4. Otherwise, use a match flame to sterilize a pin or the tip of the sharpest blade on your pocketknife, then carefully cut a small slit at the bottom of the blister to drain the fluid. Leave the skin flap in place to protect the wound and speed healing.

3 Apply antiseptic ointment or a small circle of a nonadhering sterile dressing, such as Spenco 2nd Skin, directly on the blister.

4 Cut a doughnut-shaped piece of moleskin with a hole that's slightly larger than the blister. Place it over the blister and sterile dressing to create a pressure-free pocket for the sore. Cover the entire doughnut with a second piece of moleskin.

5 Secure the moleskin patch in place with medical tape. In a pinch, duct tape will do the job. For heel blisters, run tape strips along the sides of your foot toward the toes, then secure the ends with a few loops run around the instep.

6 Promote healing by keeping the blister moist with ointment or sterile dressing.