Michael Walker
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2014
Three of us walked Leon to Santiago in April May last year. While walking fast one day on alot of pavement I developed Hikers Rash. This looks like a splotchy sunburn on the lower legs and feet. It sometimes itched but was not painful. A google search by my wife identified this condition as Hikers Rash, a form of vascularitus. The cure is 3 days of rest. If you keep hiking with this condition you can land in the hospital. I didn't have 3 days to rest so I chose to walk "gently" the rest of the trip and the condition went away. Watch for this and don't ignore it.
Boots: my wife tried out about 5 pairs of boots (walking in them for a week each) before she found a pair that worked with out blistering feet. We both wore goretex equipped boots and took them off several times per day. Then it was trying out socks. Research on socks told me that ones containing coolmax fibers wick moisture away from feet the best. We used these and they do work. Blisters: If you apply duct tape (grey tape) to hot spots on your feet you won't blister in those spots. just leave the tape on till it falls off then replace. It sounds funny but it works.
Clothing: Buy smartwool, (or icebreaker) marino wool everything. My wife and I wore smartwool undies and shirts and were amazed at how well they worked. They wick really well and dry fast. They won't pick up odors like polypro garments will. Smartwool is expensive and worth what it costs.
Trekking Poles: We took poles but only ended up using them on steep downhills and in rock strewn gullies. If you are prone to knee swelling the poles will help.
Buen Camino
Boots: my wife tried out about 5 pairs of boots (walking in them for a week each) before she found a pair that worked with out blistering feet. We both wore goretex equipped boots and took them off several times per day. Then it was trying out socks. Research on socks told me that ones containing coolmax fibers wick moisture away from feet the best. We used these and they do work. Blisters: If you apply duct tape (grey tape) to hot spots on your feet you won't blister in those spots. just leave the tape on till it falls off then replace. It sounds funny but it works.
Clothing: Buy smartwool, (or icebreaker) marino wool everything. My wife and I wore smartwool undies and shirts and were amazed at how well they worked. They wick really well and dry fast. They won't pick up odors like polypro garments will. Smartwool is expensive and worth what it costs.
Trekking Poles: We took poles but only ended up using them on steep downhills and in rock strewn gullies. If you are prone to knee swelling the poles will help.
Buen Camino