Blisters and Boots

[Warrior-Mentor]

Blisters come from two contributing factors. If it was a math formula, it might look like this:

MOISTURE + FRICTION = BLISTERS

Minimize or eliminate friction and moisture and you minimize your chances of blisters.

Moisture comes from external (rain, swamp, etc) and internal (sweat) sources. There are ways to minimize each of those.

Friction comes from walking (not much you can do about that) and from your foot sliding around in your boot (you CAN DO something about that).

Training (road marching) toughens your feet to increase your resistance to blisters through calouses. There are tricks to help accelerate the toughening process as well.

Check out GET SELECTED FOR SPECIAL FORCES at www.warrior-mentor.com.

The Chapters on Foot Care and the Anatomy of a Boot alone are worth the price of the book.

Cast or Tab,
JM

[Goog]

Don't listen to Goog. The way to do it if you don't want blisters is to wear your socks/boots for a good 3-4 days prior to the foot march. The toe jam and foot crud will stick to your bottom of the sock creating a second skin. This will stop friction and just about everything else. You may laugh but it works, only if your feet are not wet. Oh yeah, lighten your load in the field by not carrying toothpaste. Copenhagen does the same job. What's up Jim!

Cliff never used to bring shit paper either. All his t-shirts were sleevless and by the end of the field problem, he walked liked he just got released from prison.

[paracowboy]

Hey Rangers,
I belong to a Canadian Army-related website, and I'm always giving advice to the recruits and pudgy PONTI types on how to get fit. If you don't mind, I'd like to plagerize some of the points brought up in this thread and others.
I plan on starting a super-post over there, to stop the constant bombardment from civies, wanna-bes and crap-hats.

[AFPhil]

Blisters come from two contributing factors. If it was a math formula, it might look like this:

MOISTURE + FRICTION = BLISTERS

Minimize or eliminate friction and moisture and you minimize your chances of blisters.

Moisture comes from external (rain, swamp, etc) and internal (sweat) sources. There are ways to minimize each of those.

Friction comes from walking (not much you can do about that) and from your foot sliding around in your boot (you CAN DO something about that).

To cut both moisture and friction down go out and buy yourself a couple pairs of really light weight Capaline socks from a local outdoors/camping store (Patagonia makes it). make sure you get ones that fit your feet really well nothing so loose your foot can move around in it and nothing so tight that you feel like your losing circulation.

Wear that under a heavier sock I would also use capaline (they make both a light weight and a heavy).

The light weight sock will both wick away the sweat and absorb the friction.

It can be a little spendy but in the long run it will pay for itself in moleskin and other shit.

If you wanna go cheap use nylon and wool. Cotton is bullshit.

[Kilted Heathen]

Blisters come from two contributing factors. If it was a math formula, it might look like this:

MOISTURE + FRICTION = BLISTERS

Minimize or eliminate friction and moisture and you minimize your chances of blisters.

Moisture comes from external (rain, swamp, etc) and internal (sweat) sources. There are ways to minimize each of those.

Friction comes from walking (not much you can do about that) and from your foot sliding around in your boot (you CAN DO something about that).

To cut both moisture and friction down go out and buy yourself a couple pairs of really light weight Capaline socks from a local outdoors/camping store (Patagonia makes it). make sure you get ones that fit your feet really well nothing so loose your foot can move around in it and nothing so tight that you feel like your losing circulation.

Wear that under a heavier sock I would also use capaline (they make both a light weight and a heavy).

The light weight sock will both wick away the sweat and absorb the friction.

It can be a little spendy but in the long run it will pay for itself in moleskin and other shit.

If you wanna go cheap use nylon and wool. Cotton is bullshit.

Hey AirForce, that shit isn't on the fucking packing list.

Soooooooooooo...




Shut the fuck up.

[AFPhil]

I apologize Ranger Kilten Heathen.

Wool Socks, Cushioned Heel 16 pair

Double em up the basic idea here is to transfer the friction between the cloth and not your foot and the boot.

I've been doing that on hunting and hiking trips for years.

[Kilted Heathen]

I apologize Ranger Kilten Heathen.

Wool Socks, Cushioned Heel 16 pair

Double em up the basic idea here is to transfer the friction between the cloth and not your foot and the boot.

I've been doing that on hunting and hiking trips for years.

Is that shutting the fuck up?

When is the last time you were on a fucking 10 week hunting trip?

With Bambi and fucking Bullwinkle as OPFOR?

The guy that started this thread is preparing for SFAS where he'll hump over 200 miles, the rest of the fuckers reading it are preparing for Ranger School not a weekend in a fucking duck-blind!

Shuuuuuuuuuuut the fuck up.

[Slims]

I don't have a whole lot of experience but for the last couple months I have been fighting blisters of all kinds. For the small ones on the backs of my heels and on the tops of my feet I use Band-Aid Blisters. You can get them at wal-mart. They are the only thing I have found that will actually stay put when I have to march soaking wet. They won't work for big blisters, but for anything smaller than a dime they are great.

Another option that may not have been mentioned is gutting your boots. You can take your boots to a boot-shop and have the heel cup taken out or stretched so it won't rub. Also, if you have the tin spike shield taken out of the sole of your boot (on jungle boots) they won't be as stiff and may pull less on your heel.

Good Luck,
Greg