3 day hiking help

[jon342]

Hi i am new to this forum
I wasn't sure where to put this question
I am soon going on a 3 day 2 night hike,this will be my first the only thing i am worried about is blisters i will be wearing the berghaus explorer light but how many lairs of bridgedale socks will i need And what do i do with socks at night
Thanks

 

[1911]

Break-in your boots/shoes well before you go on your hike. Take some mole skin in your pack you in case you get any blisters.

 

[LR Max]

WARNING: This information is from 1995-2003 when I was backpacking like, once a month. I stick to this. However I know that camping equipment and techniques have evolved significantly so what I have to say may not be valid anymore. I hope others can weigh in on this to change/update what is said here. That said, here I go.

Yes. Taking care of your feet is a significant priority. If your feet got to crap, you are in trouble.

From my experience, I would always wear silk liners then thick socks. Of course my boots were broken in with this sock configuration.

Whenever I would get a hot spot, I'd stop and put duct tape on my foot. Removing duct tape from foot > big toe engulfing blister.

Rotate out your socks. Carry a fresh pair for each day. Keep your feet dry. Oh FYI, DO NOT dry your boots out next to the fire. Guess what kills waterproofing of your boots...

Try to bring a set of campsite shoes. I always use lightweight Chacos for this during the summer and I have these little insulated booties for winter. They look goofy as all get out but omg they are so warm and comfortable. By doing this, you give your boots extra time to dry out and to give your feet a rest.

Keep said shoes handy if you end up doing one hour lunch breaks. Great time for your foot gear to dry out from the morning sweat. Keeping your camp shoes on a carabiner on the back of your pack is great IF you have good weather. Otherwise put them in the top of your pack so they are right there when you stop.

Carry an ACE bandage with you and learn how to do a proper ankle wrap. Youtube should help you with this. Learn how to properly apply heal locks and figure eights. If you have ankle issues, this can really help keep you going. An improperly wrapped ankle can help, but a properly wrapped ankle can make you feel brand new.

If you don't have legit hiking boots, get those first.

For break in, make sure they are clean and just start wearing them. At work, as long as I'm not wearing a suit, no one notices when I'm wearing hiking boots. I'll wear my boots a week before I do any major hiking or if we have inclement weather here (why kill my nice leather shoes when my boots are Goretex?).

Lastly, trim your toe nails one week before you go. That way your toe nails aren't so long that they stab the toe of the boot, but your toes aren't tender from the recent trimming. I know, TMI, but crucial.

So yeah, that is all I know on the subject.

 

[graynomad]

What LR Max said really.

I always wear two pairs of socks, thin in the inside and thick on the outside. The only time in living memory I can remember not doing this I had a blister start within 3-4 miles.

As soon as you feel a blister starting fix the problem, do not soldier on or you will be a cripple before you know it.

Light camp shoes or sandals are a must, your feet will thank you and they can be used to ford creeks to save your boots from getting wet.

Toenail trimming, yes. I lost a toenail once because I forgot. The walk (just a day walk) was agony towards the end (I had to walk backwards on the down hill parts) and the nail went black and fell off a few days later.

Wear your boots for quite a while before doing a long walk, to work, then around the block, then a morning or day walks etc. Just wear them as much as possible, with extra weight if you can.

what do i do with socks at night

I just lay them out to dry inside the tent, depends on the weather I suppose. If you have changes for each day it doesn't matter, but I often go for 5-10 days and I don't carry that many socks.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

In the last 2 weeks I hiked about 40 miles for the elk hunt, just wore my Smartwool socks with my Keen hiking boots and my feet were very happy.

 

[Hilldweller]

Welcome to the forum!

Where are you hiking? What's the expected weather? Do you train otherwise? Elliptical or treadmill? Weights? Walk in the neighbourhood?


Since going to minimalist gear, I just wear a light shoe and toesox and haven't had a blister, twisted ankle, or complaint since.
I usually use the NB Minimus 10V2 on easy stuff and Altra Lone Peak on rougher terrain:
http://www.ems.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=11961302
http://www.altrazerodrop.com/fitness/en/Altra/Men/lone-peak-15-mens

I do at least 2 miles every morning in this sort of thing though. Takes a while to strengthen muscles...


I put these in my hikers at night:
http://www.woodlore.com/sportsdry-adult/

I don't need camp slippers; my hikers are slippers...

 

[graynomad]

In the bushwalking fraternity I used to belong to there were two schools of thought re boots/shoes.

Some swore by heavy leather boots, others by light "runners".

I was/am in the "heavy boot" camp but both approaches have pros and cons. The main argument for boots is that they support your ankle, I have never seen that to be true at all, but I do like having a hard soul as it isolates my feet from rough terrain. That said a pound in your footwear is like 10 pounds on your back, so there's a lot to be said for light boots/shoes.

 

[84scrambler]

Everybody pretty much hit each key point when going hiking. My feet are more prone to blisters and I do everything I can to prevent it from happening. Make sure your boots are comfortable and well broken in. try and get a nice innersole for them if you are having issues. The two sock rule works really well, get a nice silk or synthetic liner that is snug to your foot and then put a wool sock over that. any friction that occurs will now focus mostly between the liner sock and the wool sock. At the first sign of a hot spot forming, take a break and treat it, your feet will thank you for it. Just follow everything else that is mentioned, trim your nails, and let your boots dry out when your at camp and wear fresh sock every morning.

With the boots vs. shoes comment, I have done both and they both definitely have there advantages and disadvantages. Shoes are light and breath really well but lack the support. Boots are heavy, provide protection, and give good support. If you have weak ankles or are packing heaving or going into questionable weather I would go for the boots. If you don't twist your ankles much and really want to take advantage of shoes that breath then shoes (and by shoes I mean light day hikers) might be a better choice.

 

[MadMedic]

As a fellow brit and assuming that your walking in the uk in the next few weeks and knowing the weather is going to be C*** and very wet. if your feet get wet then that is real blister zone, also if your boots are not broken in then again real possibility of blisters.

as said before if you feel the onset of a blister then stop and fix it asap.

Also out of interest where are you walking and what for. is it something like a DofE or similar.

Sam

 

[Hilldweller]

Light, minimalist, goretex lined
http://www.merrell.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/32158M/0/Mens/Proterra-Mid-Sport-GORE-TEX

They just don't make one big enough for me...

 

[madmax718]

foot powder! oh and washing your feet with some warm water and letting it air dry helps immesely in keeping your gear stink free and your feet happy.