Happy Feet, Happy Hikes: Foot Care for Walking & Long Distance Challenges

If there is one thing that can bring a brilliant day in the hills to an abrupt halt, it’s sore feet.

Whether you’re heading out for a 5 mile walk, taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks or stepping up to a 30 or 40 mile challenge, looking after your feet can make an enormous difference.

At YTO we spend a lot of time on our feet, so I asked the team for their tried-and-tested advice too. Unsurprisingly, we all have slightly different preferences, which highlights one of the most important points of all:

Find what works for YOUR feet and test it before the big day.

Prevention is better than cure

If you know you have an area that regularly rubs or blisters, don't wait for it to happen. Pre-tape it. Zinc oxide tape is a firm favourite amongst several of our guides. Apply it firmly and completely flat against the foot with no wrinkles or creases, as these can create additional friction and cause exactly the problem you're trying to prevent.

Some people prefer blister plasters such as Compeed, and Superdrug's own blister plasters are another team recommendation. There isn't necessarily one right answer, use what works for you. If you feel a hot spot developing during a walk, stop and sort it straight away instead of waiting for the next checkpoint or lunch stop.

Five minutes now can save you a very uncomfortable few hours later.

Let's talk socks

Good walking socks are worth investing in.

Bridgedale came up repeatedly amongst the YTO team and offer different weights and styles for different seasons.

Other team favourites include:

• Darn Tough – pricey, but known for their lifetime guarantee and a firm favourite with one of our guides.

• BAM – soft, comfortable and foot-forming, particularly liked by one of our year-round boot wearers.

• 1000 Mile – their double-layer options are popular with walkers who suffer from friction.

• Tesco sports socks – sometimes simple works! One of our team finds these particularly good during summer.

  
  

Whatever you choose, your socks should fit properly. You don't want excess material moving around and creating friction.

For very long or wet days, carrying a spare pair of socks can also be worthwhile. If your feet get absolutely soaked, changing into something dry can make a huge difference.

That said, one of our guides has another excellent rule:

“If your feet are dry, comfortable and happy, sometimes the best thing you can do is leave them alone!”

Lubricant, talc and moisture

Blisters are often caused by a combination of friction, heat and moisture.

Some walkers find lubricant or anti-chafing products useful on areas prone to rubbing. BodyGlide, Vaseline and specialist foot products can all help reduce friction.

Others prefer keeping their feet as dry as possible and use foot powder or talc.

YTO leader Lindsey Collins highly recommends sex lube, hear all about it in her podcast

The most talked about blister barrier cream at YTO is Gehwol footcream

Neither approach is universally better, so try them on your training walks and see how your feet respond.

Your footwear is just as important

You can have the world's best socks, but they won't compensate for badly fitting footwear.

Don't buy a pair of walking boots or shoes simply because somebody online says they're amazing.

As one member of the YTO team rather brilliantly put it:

“Just because they fit big Kenneth on the Lake District scrambling Facebook page doesn’t mean they’ll fit you!”

Go somewhere that allows you to properly try footwear on. Different brands and models suit completely different foot shapes.

A wider toe box can be particularly useful because it gives your toes and forefoot more room to spread naturally as you walk.

Feet can also swell during a long day. Some of our team choose walking footwear a size larger than their everyday shoes for this reason. Rather than automatically sizing up, however, the important thing is having footwear that fits properly while still giving your feet room for swelling and downhill movement.

For women around menopause, hormonal changes can also affect ligaments and foot shape, so footwear that has worked perfectly for years may start to feel different.

Don't forget your toenails

Simple but incredibly important.

Keep your toenails properly trimmed. If they're too long, repeatedly hitting the front of your boot or shoe, particularly on long descents can lead to bruising and lost toenails.

Perhaps the most specific YTO foot-care advice of all:

“Don't wear fake toenails inside Timberlands for a 25 mile walk. 👍”

Apparently this particular piece of advice has been learned through experience!

Experiment with your lacing

How you lace your boots or shoes can make a surprising difference.

If your foot slides forwards inside your footwear, particularly on descents, different lacing techniques can help lock your heel into position.

There are various techniques for different problems, including heel slipping, pressure across the top of the foot and allowing additional room in the toe box.

An additional knot around the bottom of the tongue can also help prevent your foot sliding forwards.

There are some great instructional videos online demonstrating different techniques, but as with everything else - try them on your training walks rather than experimenting for the first time on challenge day.

Don't overlook your insoles

The standard insoles supplied with some walking footwear can be fairly basic.

Replacing them with a good-quality insole can sometimes make a significant difference to comfort and support.

Again, don't put brand-new insoles into your boots the morning of a 30 mile challenge. Introduce them during training and give your feet time to adjust.

Look after the skin on your feet

Foot care isn't just something to think about on walking days.

Keeping the skin on your feet healthy can help too. One product recommended by the YTO team is the Scholl Cracked Heel Repair Restoring Balm Stick, particularly for soothing dry or cracked heels and keeping the skin in good condition.

If you regularly suffer from foot problems, pain, significant calluses, recurring blisters or nail issues, spending some time with a podiatrist can also be money very well spent.

Train your feet as well as your legs

If you're preparing for a long distance challenge, your training isn't only about cardiovascular fitness and getting miles into your legs.

You're also learning what happens to your feet after 10, 15, 20 or 30 miles.

Use your training walks to discover:

• Which socks work best for you

• Where you develop hot spots

• Whether you prefer zinc oxide tape or blister plasters

• Whether lubricant or powder helps you

• How your footwear feels when your feet swell

• Whether a wider toe box suits you

• Which lacing technique works best

• Whether different insoles improve comfort

• When changing socks helps

Most importantly, don't introduce something completely new on your big day.

Build a little foot-care kit

For our longer YTO challenges, we'd recommend carrying your own small personal foot-care kit.

It doesn't need to be enormous. Consider carrying:

• Zinc oxide tape

• Blister plasters

• A small amount of your preferred lubricant or powder

• Spare socks for long or particularly wet days

Your feet are personal. Carry the things that you already know work for you rather than relying on somebody else having them.

The YTO takeaway

When people prepare for a big walking challenge, they understandably concentrate on getting fitter and increasing their mileage.

But your feet have to carry you through every single one of those miles.

Get your footwear properly fitted. Find socks you love. Trim your toenails. Pre-tape known problem areas. Experiment with lacing. Carry your own foot-care supplies. If something starts rubbing, don't ignore it.

There is no magic combination that works for everyone — even within the YTO team you'll find Bridgedale devotees, BAM fans, Darn Tough converts, boot lovers, shoe lovers, zinc oxide enthusiasts and different approaches to keeping feet happy.

Use your training walks to find your combination.

Because whether you're walking 5 miles or 40, happy feet make for a much happier adventure.

Please note: these are general walking and foot-care tips based on our experience and aren't medical advice. If you have persistent pain, wounds, loss of sensation, recurring problems or concerns about your feet, seek advice from a podiatrist or appropriate healthcare professional.