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Viewing How You Can be Blister-Free on your Next Outdoors VacationHow You Can be Blister-Free on your Next Outdoors Vacation
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Blisters result from friction between your socks and skin, and, therefore, the inside wall of your boot. Even the best hiking boots and socks allow blisters caused by friction. This article contains several tips for preventing these blisters. By Clinton Maxwell Rather than lengthy travel overseas or costly vacation rentals along a popular beach, you may have decided to try an outdoor vacation. From the many choices of outdoor vacations available - from kayaking to authentic dude ranches - maybe you have opted for a simple hike through a beautiful forest or wilderness. Depending on the location, you may just get into the car and drive to a nearby state park or forest, after which you will find yourself amidst beautiful scenery away from the nearby urban environment. After a few hours on the trail, you realize that you have blisters. This can turn an enjoyable hike into misery! Blisters result from the friction between your socks and skin, and, therefore, the inside wall of your boot. Even the best hiking boots and socks allow slippage of the foot inside the boot, which can lead to blisters caused by the painful friction. A good pair of socks can help minimize this problem. Though cotton, silk, and wool are some of the more common materials, hikers today have a variety of choices. When combined with traditional materials, Lycra and some polyester materials can do a good job as well. Other features of socks are also important to help reduce this slippage and friction. Modern manufacturing methods have solved much of the problem. Thicker sections and a lack of ridges can help. Thermal properties and moisture-wicking capabilities also help improve the general environment around the foot inside the boot. Your selection of quality hiking boots contributes to minimizing the possibility of friction, and, ultimately, blisters. Yes, many stiff hiking boots will loosen somewhat as you wear them, but it really is important to find a boot that fits right and is comfortable right away. If you decide to remove your boots during the hike and slip your feet into a cold creek, be sure to dry them completely before re-booting. Also, make sure there are no ridges in your socks or gravel inside the boot. However, if you still feel a blister forming, remove your boot and use some water to rinse off the area. Disinfect the area with anti-bacterial cream or alcohol if you have it. Then, puncture it horizontally by using a clean, disinfected needle and squeeze out the fluid inside. Do not tear off or remove the skin, but rather place a bandage over the area to serve as an 'artificial skin' until it heals. Once at home, treat the area with Benzoin or another anti-bacterial cream. You may need to cut away the flap of skin - but only if a good portion of the skin has become loose. Otherwise, it will fall off or decay on its own. As you see, the selection of your hiking gear is important. Be prepared so that you can enjoy the entire hike from beginning to end! About the Author: Clinton Maxwell writes articles almost entirely for http://www.alicante-spain.com, an online site covering information on Costa Calida and Xixona. He shares his passion in articles (e.g., http://www.alicante-spain.com/costa-blanca-proper...) about buying property in Costa Blanca. Article source: 111 Travel Directory: Triple1.com (triple one dot com) More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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