Boots
- Start with good boots. Get them at a camping supply store. You will pay
more, but you will get boots that fit your feet properly. Good boots have inserts
to cushion your feet and solid ankle support. Go to REI, AOGG or Whole Earth Provision
and plan on trying on lots of pairs of boots. There are lots of good, well-designed
and well-made brands. I prefer Vasque boots because they are light but supportive.
I have a pair for summer and an almost identical, heavier, more expensive pair
made with Gore-Tex for winter or mountain hiking. Other people prefer leather
boots (Asolo makes good ones). Never buy boots by mail order or over the Internet
unless you are buying identical replacements. Even then, I would be wary. Take
your time. Talk to experienced boot fitters (not those young punks at the discount
store). Take two pair of socks with you for testing boots - heavy hiking socks
and light nylon sock-liners (I use men's dress socks and they work fine). Make
sure you buy boots that fit well with bulky socks without cramping your toes.
Spend a lot of time finding boots with a toe box that will not cramp your toes
on the downhill. All decent boot stores have a carpeted incline for testing the
toe box. It has steps on the back and a steep carpeted incline to allow you to
test the boot in a down-hill simulation. Make sure you test every boot you are
interested in on the incline. Let the boot fitters show you how to lace your boot
properly to protect your toes on a steep incline. Still not sure after looking
at all those boots? Rent a pair. The selection is not always great and they tend
to rent boots that are sturdy and leather, for obvious reasons, but it will give
you an idea of how your feet will feel in hiking boots and may help you avoid
the purchase of a boot that will not work well for you.
If you buy boots, make sure you spend some time breaking them in before you take them on an outing. Almost all boots are stiff at first (although one reason I like the Vasque brand is that they need very little break-in.) Wear them around all weekend on several successive weekends. Pay attention to where they rub or constrict your feet, toes or ankles. Read the break-in and care instructions.
Buy moleskin. Moleskin is a layer of felt-like padding with an adhesive backing that can be put anywhere on your foot where your boots rub or chafe. Until your boots conform to your feet, use moleskin to keep that 'hot spot' from becoming a blister.
Here is some good advice from Dr. Preston, Author of Wilderness First Aid.
Date: May 08, 1998 08:46 AM
Author: Dr. Gilbert Preston
Subject: Blisters
As you've discovered so painfully, the best treatment for blisters is prevention. And prevention begins with good fitting boots-no lift in the heel, snug over the instep, satisfying wiggle room in the toes. Feet swell over the course of a day spent hiking, more so with a heavy pack. Better to judge fit on a new pair of boots later in the day. And bring along your own sock combination-store socks never fit and who knows what you can catch from such grody things.
Foot problems are way high on the list of things that most commonly require medical attention in hikers and backpackers, so the next step is be prepared-a decent foot module in a realistic first aid kit should include duct tape or the equivalent, thin moleskin, a clear self sticking bandage material often sold under the tradename "Tegaderm" which is kind of like "Gortex" it allows water vapor out, but won't let water droplets in. In addition, try to find a surgical dressing we use for bedsores sold as "Duoderm." Surgical supply stores sell it. Buy some individual packets of Betadine cleanser. The duct tape is for prevention-cover your known hot spots, the places you always-get-a-blister-if-you're going-to-get-one with the duct tape before you start to hike. Stop and cover any hotspots that develop along the trail(It helps to soak your feet in cold creek water if you have the opportunity, to reduce the thermal injury before you cover the hotspot). If you develop a blister in the early stages, clean the area with the Betadine, and cover it with a piece of the Tegaderm. Cover the Tegaderm with molefoam, and tape it all in place with the duct tape(Adhesive tape is good for dressing wounds in the hospital and clinic-not so good for tough trail duty). For the serious "I got blisters so bad I gouged a hole in my foot and I can't walk another step" circumstance, clean the area with Betadine, cover with the Duoderm, and tape it in place with the duct tape. Voila! Pain virtually gone, healing begun, walk on home.
Good hiking.
Water - Running out of water is one of the most common and dangerous mistakes inexperienced campers and hikers make. Experts argue about exactly how much water you should take and people consume water at different rates, but everyone agrees that you need at least a liter and a half for a simple four-hour hike, so plan on starting with that amount. Increase that amount significantly if you anticipate a hot hike without much shade or a hard hike in which you gain a lot of altitude. You should always drink before you are thirsty and you should always drink a little more than you think you need in order to keep your body properly hydrated on a long hike. Always plan on tanking up on water about an hour before you leave on the hike. Avoid coffee and tea (you don't need a diuretic) and consider taking at least one bottle of GatorAid or orange juice to help keep up your energy and blood sugar and electrolytes.
Again, some good advice from Dr. Preston:
Date: May 07, 1998 09:30 AM
Author: Dr. Gilbert Preston
Subject: Dehydration
Great question! More wilderness epics start with dehydration, and deteriorate from there, than you might imagine. Hard hiking in hot weather, or at altitude, can easily cost you 4-6 liters of water-you can lighten the load by preloading-drink a quart or so before bed the night before, and another quart before leaving camp in the morning. Carry a minimum of 2 quarts with you, 3 if you can carry that much. The only reliable rule of thumb is the advice to watch the color of your urine-if its colorless, or nearly so, you're well hydrated. The darker it is, the less well off you are. If you allow yourself to get thirsty, you are already 3-5% dehydrated, and after that, you begin to lose strength, endurance, and ultimately, your faculties. Remember to start hiking before dawn in the desert, and stop during the hottest part of the day. Resume travel as the sun starts to slide.
Love those Mountains!!
