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Backpacking Without Foot Blisters

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Nothing can ruin a hike or backpacking trip as quickly as foot blisters. The pain can be intense, and walking further on blistered feet can cause them to get worse, or to break and get infected. So how do you just avoid them altogether? Here are ten things that have worked for others.

1. Wear running shoes instead of hiking boots. Not everyone will agree with this, nor can everyone forgo the extra support that a boot offers, but this is a big part of what stopped me from getting blisters. I also enjoy hiking much more without heavy weights on my feet.

2. Try different socks. Wearing light nylon dress socks was another of the best changes I made. Blisters are caused in part by heat, so heavy boots and socks add to the problem. Try a couple different kinds, to see what works best for you.

3. Be sure your shoes or hiking boots fit properly, with no spots that will be rubbing on your toes, the back of your heel or the side of your foot. Not sure how to fit your shoes? Go to a footwear store where serious runners go.

4. Treat “hot spots” early. If you feel an irritation or hot spot on your foot, stop and apply some moleskin before it becomes a blister. Duct tape may work as well, if that is all you have (but it can be messy to remove later, and if a blister develops it may tear it open when you try to remove the tape). Small bandages can be used too.

5. Lace up your shoes well. When shoes are loose your foot can slide around inside, and the resulting friction can lead to foot blisters, so lace up well. Tighten the laces evenly along the shoe, not just at the top.

6. Keep your shoes clean and comfortable. Shake them out before putting them on. Stop to remove sticks, stones or other objects promptly. Adjust your socks if there are wrinkles or seams against the bottom of your feet.

7. Try insoles. Some people swear by their “gel” insoles. Even cheap foam ones may help keep your feet more comfortable. Also, if foot movement inside the shoes is causing blisters, an insole may make your foot more snug, preventing this. Experiment.

8. Bring extra socks, and change them often. If you use light socks as suggested above, this is easy to do, even on a lightweight backpacking trip (my socks are one-ounce per pair). Changing into clean cool socks is a pleasure, and it also helps prevent foot blisters. You can rinse out the dirty socks in a stream and hang them on your pack to dry, so you will be ready for the next switch.

9. Take care of your feet at home. Prior to any hike, deal with athlete’s foot or other skin conditions that can soften or weaken the skin. Healthy feet are less likely to develop blisters on the trail.

10. Remove shoes and socks during breaks. When I reach the top of a mountain, I try to go barefoot for a while. I recommend taking your shoes and socks off several times during a day of hiking. This allows your feet to cool, and your socks and shoes to air out and dry. Keeping your feet cool and dry is a sure way to prevent foot blisters when hiking.

Follow the foot care tips here for healthier, happier feet. But if you do get foot blisters, here is the treatment routine: Apply a piece of moleskin with a hole cut out for the blister to rest in. This keeps pressure off the spot, so it won’t get worse. You generally shouldn’t pop blisters, but if you do, sterilize a pin with alcohol or a flame and insert it from the skin along the bottom of one edge. Push out the fluid gently, cover the blister and keep it clean.

Know The Basics Of Wilderness First Aid For Safe Backpacking

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Most major injuries can be avoided, but sometimes no matter how careful you are an injury will occur.  Even if it is minor it still needs attention.  Every backpacker should understand the basics of wilderness first aid.  If there is a major accident then help could be miles away, so having basic first aid knowledge can be critical.  Even if you do not suffer a major accident, there are still some simple things you can do to prevent problems on the backpacking trail.

The very first thing you need is a good first aid kit.  This is an important piece of equipment.  You will need to have some basic items in your kit to ensure you are ready for almost anything that can come your way.  The following list is what should be in your kit:

Band aids of different shapes and sizes, Antibiotic ointment, Hydrocortisone cream, Moleskin, Alcohol pads, Ace bandages, Hand sanitizer, Gauze pads, First aid tape, and Cold pack.  You may also want to include a powered energy drink which is a good item if you were to get stranded to help keep your energy up. 

Lastly, You need to let your family and friends know about your backpacking plans.  If something were to happen you would be more likely to be found if someone knows you should have been back from your trip.  Give them a copy of your route and let them know where you will be along the path at certain times during your trip.  Also make sure they know exactly when you should be home. 

You can not prevent everything, though, so you should also learn basic first aid.  One of the biggest things is to try to keep all supplies sanitary.  This includes trying to clean hands as best as possible before treating a wound or injury.  Bacteria grows quickly and once it is introduced to an injury things can get worse quickly.  You should take a first aid course to brush up on the basics, so if you should veer need them you know them.

Get more ideas on backpacking visit Light Backpack and also Backpacking First Aid

How To Think Like An Ultralight Backpacker

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What goes on in the mind of an ultralight backpacker? A reporter for a backpacking magazine asked me this in a  recent interview. I’ve gone backpacking in winter conditions with as little as eleven pounds total on my back, so I do think light. In fact, there are some basic questions that seem to automatically come to mind when I am either planning a backpacking trip or looking at gear. I suspect other lightweight backpackers ask themselves the same things.

1. How do I make it lighter?

Habitually ask this of every item you bring. Foam sleeping pads can be trimmed, a stuff sack could be left behind if the sleeping bag can just be stuffed directly into the pack. Shortening a toothbrush and cutting the edges off maps won’t lighten the load much, but modify enough different items, and the weight savings can add up to a pound or two.

2. Is there a lighter alternative?

This is where you really save weight, especially if you start with the “big three;” sleeping bag, shelter and backpack. Buying new gear may be necessary, but you can also find the lightest choice among the things you already own. Pick out your lightest t-shirts, for example, or take your light tarp for a short trip, instead of a tent. This can make a big difference in how light you go. Many years ago, I went from a 88-ounce (5 1/2 pound) backpack to a 14-ounce one, and from a three-pound sleeping bag to a one-pound one.

3. What can I leave behind?

“Do I really need to bring this?” Ask that of each item. One shirt may be enough, for example. Ask, “will I use it?” For several trips I carried a small chess set, but never used it. If with a group, see if someone else in the party has an item you are considering. A group of three only needs one stove. Not sure if you can leave something behind? The last three questions may help you find an answer.

4. Are there multiple-use items I can use to cut weight?

If I cook at all (unusual), my pan is my bowl, and my spoon is my fork. Some ponchos can be used as a shelter. A trekking pole can be the support for a tarp shelter or even some tents. The stuff-sack from your sleeping bag can be filled with clothing to use as a pillow. Find ways to use the things you have for more than one purpose, and buy things that have multiple purposes. This is classic ultralight backpacker thinking.

5. Are there strategies can I use to lighten the load?

An extreme example: eat a low-carbohydrate diet for a few days, then load up on pasta the day before a trip. In this way you can store up to a couple pounds of extra carbs in your body, so you won’t need to carry as much food. Called “carbo-loading,” it’s been used by endurance athletes for decades. Another strategy: plan according to the weather report. If no rain is predicted, you can leave the rain gear behind, or bring just the top. In an area with many water sources, you can carry just a one-pint plastic soda bottle, if you fill it up every time you come to a stream or lake.

6. What skills and habits can I work on?

This is partly about learning survival skills. Why? Because being at home in the wilderness makes it safer to go lighter. If, for example, you know how to make a warm bed of dried leaves and grass, it’s safe to try that light sleeping bag which otherwise might not be quite warm enough for you. Being able to identify and eat wild edible plants makes it safer to carry less food. In fact, if with sufficient survival skills, an ultralight backpacker can be prepared for almost anything.

Copyright Steve Gillman. To get the ebook “Ultralight Backpacking Secrets (And Wilderness Survival Tips)” for FREE, and to see photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit The Ultralight Backpacking Site.

Enjoy Campfire Cooking During Your Summer Holidays

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One thing that is important to remember with campfire cooking is to keep it as simple as possible - especially if you are relaxing during your hard earned summer holidays. Campfire cooking is often carried out during holiday backpacking trips, where backpackers require energy filled, nourishing food, bursting with calories.

Here are the main campfire cooking methods:

Fire roasting is by far the easiest campfire cooking method, often used for hot dogs, marshmallows, or almost any other food that can be stuck on a skewer and held above an open flame. A recent fad for campfire cooking is to use long-handled iron molds, known as “pie irons” to heat sandwiches over hot coals.

Grilling food is another favorite method of campfire cooking. Use a hand-held grill to warm food, make toast, or grill burgers, meat, or vegetables. If you’re not comfortable grilling over a campfire, bring a small hibachi or kettle-style grill with you on you camping trip, and grill your food there.

Frying your food is probably the most difficult method of campfire cooking, but it can be done. The main problem with frying food on a camping trip is packing the frying pan. Frying pans are heavy, and their handles make them awkward to pack and carry. An alternative is to use a pan without a handle, and move the pan in and out of the fire with a clamping device.

Boiling food is a very common type of campfire cooking. Most fresh foods are too heavy to carry in backpacks because of their moisture content, so hikers pack dried foods that must be reconstituted in boiling water.

With the right preparation, campfire cooking can be a real pleasure and can really help to cut cost during those cheap summer holidays. Why not start planning your next trip today? 

Camping and Hiking Are An Ideal Holiday Alternative

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Camping and hiking are two activities that are almost always available no matter where a person might live and an ideal activity to plan during your summer holidays.  There are usually state parks, rivers, open plains, mountains, forests or other natural environments that are located just outside of cities and towns where an individual can get away from it all and enjoy nature, whether it is for a weekend, or even a week long excursion.

Planning for a hiking versus a camping trip is much simpler, only requiring the right sort of clothing and shoes are chosen according to the weather and terrain.  Camping trips require more planning, including the decision to use an RV, camp out of the back of a car, or to hike into the campsite carrying everything in the backpack. However, when compared to finding and booking cheap package holidays, camping is still ideal if you fancy a quick getaway at the end of a stressful week.

Camping and hiking gear have many similar requirements, since hiking is a part of backpacking types of camping trips.  Camping and hiking clothing should match the time of year and also the terrain where the trip will be taken, since going up into the mountains will make the weather cooler, requiring additional clothing needs.  Clothing should always be comfortable with soft materials that will not cause chaffing.  In addition, the material should wick the water away from the skin which helps to keep the individual warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. 

Tent and sleeping gear are also important for camping hiking trips.  The choice in this gear determines the weight that will be carried in the backpack, so special attention should be paid to this equipment.  Backpackers usually choose two man tents even if they are going alone since they provide more room for gear to be stored in the tent while sleeping comfortably as well.  

Camping and hiking gear, whether or not the person is going to stay overnight, will also require some cooking gear, even if it is as simple as packing a lunch.  There are many different types of cook stoves on the market that use different types of fuel and work in all temperatures.  The cooking utensils should all nest within each other so that packing is more efficient.  Water purifiers should be bought so that water does not have to be packed in, adding too much weight to the pack.

All in all camping trips make great family holidays and can be a real adventure if they are well planned in a beautiful destination.

Discover Fitness Resorts

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Many people have been talking about how amazing fitness resorts are. You have heard about it. You have a vague idea on what it is. But you do not know exactly what it offers.

A fitness resort provides an amazing and extraordinary retreat for those who wish to relax, unwind, de-stress and detoxify, and basically pull themselves away from the all the pressures that everyday life brings. The ultimate goal of fitness resorts is to look after the total betterment of your physical and mental health.

Studies have shown that physical detachment from work and other daily obligations that cause stress gives a person the peace of mind and focus on himself or herself. That being said, fitness resorts are usually found in locations that are far from the busy urban environment. Picturesque sceneries of verdant field and meadows as well as calm bodies of water are what fitness resorts offer. However, there are also some fitness resorts that are located right in the middle of a busy city. Those fitness resorts are secluded and are sealed off from the noise outside.

The advancements that humanity has achieved over the past decades have dramatically changed everybody’s lifestyle. To keep up with our society’s unending demands, you have to be flexible and learn to move fast or you will be unable to catch up. Life has become so exhauting that we have unconsciously pushed health back to the back seat.

However, there are still a number of people who would not like to neglect their health. That is why fitness travel is emerging as the go-to vacation for weight loss, for muscle toning and for rejuvenation. A lot of people seek fitness vacations for their holidays or getaways to beef themselves up with a stronger mind and body before they go back to the world of responsibilities waiting for them. The idea of being able to strengthen yourself both physically and mentally has definitely made fitness travel a clear preference over the usual idea of vacations that we are accustomed to.

You do not have to look very far for resources and information to fully understand what fitness resorts really are. As the name suggest, fitness resorts have elaborate training programs geared to aid you lose weight, tone muscles and over all get your body in a good shape. They are armed with the latest innovation when it comes to fitness machines and equipment in their fitness centers that you are free to make use of for the duration of your stay. Physical trainers are also on duty to help you should the need arises. The programs that fitness resorts offer also include amazing and adventurous physical activities. That gives you the opportunity to get in shape and also to explore the beauty of the vast natural ambiance that you are in. What better venue to have your physical training than in one of the most pristine and beautiful places in the world?

Luxury resorts, as we know, have spas or massage and therapy centers for your relaxation. Those are also present in fitness resorts. Fitness resorts have a long list of inviting and pampering full body massages and facial treatments, all to help you relax and rejuvenate. Imagine being engaged in a full day of sweat-inducing, yet gratifying, activities with all your muscles worked up, and then being able to end the day nice and quiet with a muscle-soothing Swedish or Shiatsu massage.

Food is essential in every travel experience. Kiss the notion of avoiding eating to lose weight goodbye. Fitness resorts serve you with delicious and salivating dishes that are sure to please your taste buds. You even get to enjoy decadent “sinful” desserts. The menus in fitness resorts are carefully studied and prepared by nutritionists and dieticians, to make sure you get nothing less than the daily nutritional intake that you are supposed to be getting. In short, fitness resorts allow you to indulge without the guilt.

The strategic locations, the extensive fitness programs and the accommodating amenities of these fitness resorts are definitely going to inpire you achieve your weight goal or body shape. Fitness resorts not only allow you to detoxify your body through the work out and the other physical activities in their fitness programs. They also cleanse your mind and spirit by giving you the opportunity to commune with nature.

 

 

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