FeatherSticks · Gear
Hiking Boots & Foot Care: Fit, Lacing, Socks and Blister Prevention
Most blisters are decided in the shop, not on the trail.
Quick facts
- Fit rule
- About a thumb's width in front of the longest toe
- Try on
- Afternoon, with your own hiking socks
- Socks
- Wool or wool blend, 1 spare pair per day
- Best for
- Every trip, every season
What you need
- Well-fitting boots or trail shoes, broken in
- Wool or wool-blend hiking socks (1 spare pair per day)
- Thin liner socks (optional)
- Blister plasters, tape and small scissors
- Light camp shoes or sandals
- Gaiters for wet, snowy or tick-rich terrain
- Leather wax or care product for the boots
Step by step
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1 Choose shoe or boot for the terrain
Trail shoes for dry paths and light packs, mid boots as all-rounders, sturdy leather boots for rough ground and heavy loads.
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2 Fit late in the day with your socks
Feet swell during the day. Try boots on in the afternoon, wearing the socks you will hike in.
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3 Lace to lock the heel
Snug over the instep, a heel lock at the top: the heel stays back and the toes stay free on descents.
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4 Break new boots in gradually
Wear them indoors, then on short walks, then on a day hike before any multi-day trip.
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5 Stop at the first hot spot
Warmth or rubbing is a blister starting. Stop, dry the skin and tape it smoothly straight away.
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6 Dry feet and socks every evening
Air your feet, change into dry socks and camp shoes, and open the boots so they can dry overnight.
Common mistakes
- Starting a long trip in brand-new, unbroken boots.
- Buying boots in the morning with thin socks – they are too tight by afternoon.
- Ignoring a hot spot until it becomes an open blister.
- Wearing cotton socks or socks that wrinkle under the foot.
- Drying boots right next to the fire until the leather cracks.
- Sleeping in the damp socks worn during the day.
- Lacing loosely at the top before long descents.