Boots rubbing heels

[Chinkapin]

Tengu, Shoe fit / foot problems came up another time on another thread not too long back. Just let me say this: I have hiked a great deal and I have never had a blister unless I violated my own rules. 1st : be sure that your shoes fit. If they are too tight, get rid of them. If they are way too loose, get rid of them. If they are a bit loose, put in a pad in the bottom and/or a heel cup.

2. Buy you shoes with the socks on that you intend to wear in those shoes.

3. The absolutely best set up is a thin pair of tight fitting socks, either silk or polyproplene, topped off with a thick pair of good wool socks. This is a very warm setup for the winter and amazingly, it is not hot in the summer. This combo will wick away all moisture. Your foot will stay dry. The thin sock will allow you foot to move about some in the wool sock without causing any friction problems.

If you do get a blister or have a problem area on your foot there is a product called Second Skin that is sort of like a pre-manufactured blister. It is somewhat like a band-aide (plaster?) that is a gel. It is very protective of injured skin. Get some of those and put one on before you start out.

 

[Nonsuch]

Two pairs of socks, either wool our modern synthetic blends, never cotton.

Old fashioned stiff leather boots used to take ages to break in. I remember I had a pair of Scarpa Bronzos in the eighties. They ate my feet for the first few times I wore them, then after that they gave in and became bissfully comfortable for ten years. However, in the end I had to throw them out because the inner leather lining rotted exactly where I had tried sticking in padded heel grips to stop them slipping and rubbing when they were new. Doh.

 

[Jared]

That is flipping genius. I never had any idea about those lacing tricks!

http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/ whole website dedicated to shoe lacing...

 

[tetra_neon]

for general walking, I second the thin silk-y sock/thick wool sock combo.

- but heel problems from new, hard boots can even cause blisters through two pairs. I bought some new german army boots on ebay and had to wear duct tape on my heels for about two weeks until they softened. now they're fine.

 

[Tengu]

Ive since given up on those boots and have now scrounged several comfier pairs.

Yes, I am a cheat.

 

[Templar]

Hmmm, I see you have others now... but have you tried refitting the heel socket?

to do this all you have to do is heat the heel of the boot fro the inside with a hair drier and then push the sides out (or where ever the rubbing is) to reshape the heel... we used to do it with service boots and I still do with my hiking boots and have no problems with heel rubbing... but... as for a nice foot rub... I'll not say... lol

Karl