Blisters and new boots!

Try sheep's wool, which contains lanolin. It can be bought from chemists if you don't like the idea of it in the raw. There is a lot of information available if you Google it.

Alternatively 1000 mile socks are made up of two layers which are good for preventing blisters. They are sold in several different styles for walking or sports.

Can't help there but I always carry a pack of Compeed around in case I actually get a blister when backpacking. It provides a stick on patch that is frictionless and enables painfree walking

shysal My son swears by 1000 mile socks for his running shoes when he has new ones to wear in.

Compeed plasters in the places you would normally get blisters, before you get them.

Some styles of 1000 mile socks are actually guaranteed to prevent blisters. I have worn them for years and never had one.

but do they have wool in them Shysal?

Blister plasters of all varieties, put on prior or as soon as a blister starts. Carry them with me. Some socks can be too thick for normal shoes.

Thanks all. I find blister plasters come off while I am walking and I do a lot of walking so I will try the 1000 mile socks especially with my newly purchased winter boots

Wearing two pairs of thin socks can help. The socks rub against each other, not the foot.

Try vaseline. Put it on in all the places that may rub and between your toes and then put your walking socks on. It is brilliant and enabled me to walk the coast to coast walk (192 miles) without any blisters. I used to renew the vaseline after my packed lunch. My son also used it when he walked 1200 miles across India. Simple, cheal and effective.

I too will look at these socks providing they don't contain wool. Incidentally Compeed does not come off when walking. It is not the same as a plaster and usually falls off when in the shower several days later. Good for small burns too as it occludes the area.

That’s interesting izabella will check compeed out ( have never heard of it before).

It seems that some of the 1000 mile styles contain Merino wool, but that would be for the outer layer only I think. I have always had cotton or Tactel ones, but they are years old and the technology may have moved on.
1000mile.co.uk/material

Jenpax I feel your pain I am juts the same. I wore some new shoes out to a local restaurant last week and tore the skin of both heels- could quite make it home so DH had to abandon me on a corner, go and get our car and come and get me ( he hadn't been drinking alcohol). Compeed blister plasters helped them heal(!) up but they are very expensive.

thanks Shysal. I had a quick peek whilst out today after a walk and so many in the shop contain wool.

I tried Compeed plasters once and swore never again, because they entered some kind of symbiotic relationship with my blisters and were nearly impossible to get off.

When buying new shoes or boots I put ordinary plasters on all the places where I know I am prone to getting blisters before I go shopping and wear plasters while I am breaking in the new shoes or boots.

If a shoe or boot is not comfortable when I try it on, or is more then very slightly stiff then I don't buy it, because experience has taught me that I cannot break them in.

Try and find the make that suits your feet and never buy another make. This may seem expensive, but one pair of dearer shoes that you know you can use for ever and a day is cheaper in the long run that three or four cheaper pairs that end up in the charity shop.

Always try on new footwear with the stockings or socks you will be using in them.

Just bought some compeed which were twice the price of the rest so hope they don’t stick to my blisters grandtante, that would not be good at all. Your plaster plan sounds sensible.

Silk sock liners. Also get your boots properly fitted in store. Your feet may have changed size/width over the years and you may not be wearing the correct size any more (ref bras, and other clothing). After all hoe many of us are the same size as we were at 18? Not me!

For anyone who may be unsure of the use of Compeed, it SHOULD stick to the blister. That ensures it is allowing the blister to heal. The instructions state this quite clearly. I backpack all over the world (having a break at the moment) and would not be without it.

How about using surgical spirit to harden the skin where the blisters usually come. Isn’t that what dancers and gymnasts do?

Yes midgey a lot of people advocate that. Problem is it will not necessarily prevent one and if you do then get a blister it will occur under hardened skin

Compeed is brilliant, always worth keeping some handy.
The old remedy for shoes and boots that rub is to rub soap into where on the shoe that us causing the problem.

I should say inside the shoe of course! ?