Never again. Never would I suffer from blisters again.

Never again. Never would I allow my feet to take such a pounding.

Never again. Never would I let my feet fall into such a neglected state during an outing that it would lead to the loss of nine of my 10 toenails.

Never again.

It’s become my mantra, ever since I ran a 100-mile race in 2003 and my feet were so covered with blisters I couldn’t wear socks for a week, and my toenails were blackened so badly they looked like I had taken a sledgehammer to them. For two weeks after, in a procedure that is probably even more painful than what I’m writing here, I would have to sit down at night, bite the inside of my mouth in agony and peel off toenail after toenail.

Never again.

Although my example is extreme, it’s presented for a reason. I’ve spent the better part of the last four years figuring out how to make feet blister-proof, how to ensure that the only toenail problem I ever have again is how to handle the torrent of compliments showered upon me for having such beautiful looking nails.

Treating your feet with thought and care shouldn’t be something that you do after you’ve spent several hours hiking or running. Before any trail activity, you should sit down for a few moments and decide how best to ensure that your feet don’t end up taking a beating.

Here’s are three simple things I’ve discovered as my feet have healed and now seemingly smile back at me following any trail race, run or hike I take.

1. Start with the socks. A lot of people would say start with the shoes, which is important, and is something I’ll deal with in a moment. But socks, I’ve learned, are maybe even more critical than the shoes. Why? I’ve always run, raced and hiked in good socks, made of the finest performance material that will wick the moisture away from your skin and dry out quickly. I was still missing the boat, though. It hasn’t been until the last year or so, when I switched to Injinji socks, where I have really seen a marked difference in the wear and tear of my feet. The concept behind these socks – for lack of a better term, they are “toe socks” – is simple. The creators of Injinjis look at your feet the way you would look at your hands. Mittens on a hand will keep your hands warm, but they offer poor dexterity (ever try to tie your shoes with mittens on?). Gloves, on the other hand, will keep your hands warm as well, but obviously offer fingers a much freer, a much greater range of motion. Your toes are the same. Toe socks enable your feet to perform naturally, without the unprotected friction, and heat and moisture buildup that will occur when wearing a conventional tube sock. The likelihood of blisters, hot spots, moisture buildup and neuromas can be greatly reduced by wearing toe socks. In my own experience, I’ve run 50-mile trail runs for the last year wearing Injinjis, and have yet to experience even the slightest blister.

2. Now, worry about the shoes. There are a number of really fine trail shoes out there. Montrail, Vasque, Columbia, The North Face, as well as mainstream labels such as Nike, New Balance, Brooks and others all offer superior products. In general, try to find a shoe with excellent midsole support, as well as a wide heel, particularly if you have a tendency to pronate (if you’re as knock-kneed as I am, pronation is a way of life). Again, over the last year, my knowledge level has increased. I’ve decided to run in a shoe that is a half-size larger than my normal shoe. I did this with some trepidation, thinking that it would lead to heel blisters. Instead, the extra half size has been a nod to the fact that in my 40s my feet have flattened a bit and they now need the extra room. In addition, with a more spacious shoe, there is less chance of having your toes smash directly into the toe box as you walk or run downhill.


3. Use BODYGLIDE, or some derivative of this product, on your feet. Not enough people take the time to apply a product such as BODYGLIDE to their feet (as well as to their underarms, groin area and other chafing-prone areas. Lubricating your feet with a product like BODYGLIDE will provide your feet with natural waxes that will help create a soft, invisible barrier that will greatly decrease the likelihood of blisters or chafing. There are many products out there similar to BODYGLIDE – including plain old petroleum jelly – but BODYGLIDE is unique in that isn’t messy, sticky or wet. It comes in a 2.5-ounce stick that is easily applied. You can find BODYGLIDE at most outdoor recreation stores.

There you have it. Three simple things that will make your feet feel very thankful the next time you hit the trail. It’ll ensure that “Never Again” will never in the first place plague your next outdoor outing.

* John Trent has been partaking in the trails of the Sierra since he was 11 years old, when he got lost on the road leading from southwest Reno to Hunter Lake near the Mountain Rose Wilderness (yes, eventually he did find his way home, but not after getting really sunburned and running out of water). Since then, he’s run the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run from Squaw Valley, Calif., to Auburn, Calif., eight times – seven of them in under 24 hours. He’s a former Outdoor/Recreation editor for the Reno Gazette-Journal who still regularly writes and reports on outdoor recreation. He lives in Reno with his wife and two daughters.