If you love going on hiking trips with your friends and family, then you surely have experienced how painful it is to get blisters at the back of your heels. Do you know what the main reason for those blisters is? It is because of your boots’ heel lift.
Have you noticed the friction that is created at the back part of your boots every time you lift your heel from the sole? This situation usually happens when you are going up a hill.
Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to prevent this from happening.
- Make sure that you are wearing the right boots
If you think that the measurement of your foot is just a number, you’re wrong. There are other things that you should consider to get an accurate fit. You can achieve the perfect fit by measuring your foot’s length, width and volume.
It is also better if you do your research well and try different shoe brands that would be compatible with your foot type. There are companies that make shoes that are narrower compared to other companies. You can tell the sales associate if they have available shoe brands that can cater to your personal preference.
Make sure that you try the boots first before deciding to buy it. It’s true that there are a lot of options and good deals online but it is not guaranteed that it will fit you perfectly. Also, avoid purchasing boots that are too small for your feet. Most people tend to get shoes that are too small for their feet size rather than getting bigger ones. Your foot can swell throughout the day, especially if you are hiking. With that said, it would be best if you have extra space inside your boots.
Lastly, you should do a break into your new hiking boots. Don’t ever think about saving it for your next hike. You should allow your feet to conform to your shoes. You can try wearing it around the house or when you are going on short trips to the grocery store. Do it for a week or more and you’re all set.
- Practice proper lacing techniques
While you are tightening your laces, ensure that the top of your boots has a snug fit. If you can do this perfectly, it will prevent extra movements that usually cause a heel lift.
You can practice the surgeon’s knot in order to provide enough tension to your boots’ laces. This is the perfect technique in keeping your toe box wide and loose but still keeps your boot tight enough around your feet’s ankle. The surgeon knot is also known as a double overhand knot.
If you are wearing short boots, you should use the heel lock technique which can keep your lace tight. It is also recommended that you lace the boot until you reach the part where the eyelets transitioned to hooks.
Those are only some of the tips that you can follow to avoid blisters on your feet. If you want to know more, you can check out https://hikers.shop/how-to-tie-hiking-boots-to-prevent-blisters/.