Vaseline...or Vicks VapoRub?

[Ian Afloat]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

 

[Al the optimist]

So are you going to sleep head to toe with someone?

 

[Ian Afloat]

So are you going to sleep head to toe with someone?

No , just apply a little before I go to sleep.

 

[C clearly]

So are you going to sleep head to toe with someone?

I was going to ask if you sleep with your feet near your nose. If so, sounds like a good dual-purpose product.

 

[whariwharangi]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

Part of the problem of blisters is heat.

I can't see how adding vicks vaporub to your feet is going to subside the heat issue.

 

[Paddington Bear]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

I know some people use these but surely your socks would be a complete mess by the end of the day and impossible to wash?

Ian I looked at your blog and I have a few thoughts:
1) Your shoes were too small or at least the toe box was. You have to have a good fit around the heel but enough room to wiggle your toes. Walk on a ramp in the shoe shop - you shouldn't slide foward in your shoes.

2) you left it too long to tend to you feet.
The minute you feel a hot spot or pain, stop, take your shoes off and deal with it. On the side of the path if necessary. Take and use compede and a lot of it. Drink lots of water and listen to your body - especially your feet. Take your socks off in the middle of the day and let your feet breath and your socks dry out.

I think the right socks and the right shoes are better than vasaline or Vicks but others might have different opinions.
Good luck this time.

 

[Hutton24]

I agree the right socks are key however, nothing can really prepare you for the long continuous, day after day, pounding on your feet. I know of a marathon runner who uses Vaseline on their feet and then places socks on top and has never had a single blister.
I have used Vaseline with some eucalyptus oil in it, worked quite well. The idea behind the vaso is that it prevents the friction of socks/shoes on the feet. Some are going to have a different idea about this and that is ok. I would suggest trying it first and see how you go in your training walks. We are all individual, have different feet, shoes and socks so we will not have the same results or experiences.
You don't use a huge about, perhaps a teaspoon worth and rub that over your feet and then put the socks on top. The Vicks could be a little 'heating' which may not be helpful. Trial and error will show you what to do. Provided you don't use a tub of it your socks should wash out quite well.
Buen Camino.

 

[Robo]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

Don't know John Roy...Sorry.

My two pence worth......... (Having clicked on the blog link)

1. Never let your feet get into that state. You would have felt something was wrong very early on. 'Soldiering on' leads to feet that look like that

2. Your footwear was probably the wrong size and not well tested on training walks. Most people buy a size larger than normal as your feet swell and need room to move.

3. Socks. Did you wear double layer socks? One thin 'wicking' pair and one thicker? With vaseline in the high risk areas of your feet.

Personally I wouldn't risk Vicks. There may be added ingredients that could cause problems and plain vaseline works great. And No, Vaseline doesn't goo up your socks. By the end of the day it has just about gone. I even add more half way through my day....

 

[Kanga]

Can't stand the smell. I'm trialling some Striderm this camino. It's a silicone based product, I think a bit like Body Glide (which I've not tried, but some people swear by).

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have used it, however, SportSlick, vaseline and silicone, is a better foot ointment. However, Vaporub on feet has been shown to be good for a headache!!

 

[Tia Valeria]

I don't vaseline my feet but use some 'Funsol' foot powder - bought in Spanish farmacias. (Be sure to ask for 'polvo' if you buy any.)
On the basis that most of my packing has to be good for more than one purpose I would opt for the VaporRub. It is less greasy than vaseline, rubs in better and less marking on clothes. I use it if my knees are sore as a massage and it works well. That also gives you the remedy if you are congested - and there has been some reporting that if you have a cough rub some on your feet at night. Interesting!

 

[Bradypus]

I have read in other places people suggesting long-term use of Vicks VapoRub as a treatment for fungal nail infection. Anecdotal reports only and often disputed. The essential oils may have a mild antiseptic and antifungal effect which might also be useful in relieving the mild itching of athlete's foot. However, if you are plastering enough over your feet for the vapour to be effective in clearing your sinuses then you may be overdoing it and treating the rest of the dorm to some unwanted medication

 

[Deleted member 3000]

2. On Your Tootsies
Applying Vicks to your feet provides nighttime cough relief. Generously rub VapoRub all over your feet and cover them with socks. Within moments your cough will subside—in the morning you’ll wake up hacking-free.

4. Get Rid of Nasty Nail Fungus
Rub VapoRub on your toenails if you suspect you have a fungus. Within days, the nail will turn dark—this means the Vicks is killing the fungus. As your toenail grows out, the dark part will grow off and you will have fungus-free feet. Keep applying the ointment over a period of two weeks to fully cleanse nail beds of any remaining bacteria.

7. Headaches Be Gone
Rub a small amount of Vicks VapoRub on your temples and forehead to help relieve headaches. The mentholated scent will release pressure in your head and instantly relieve pain.


If only it worked on bed bugs...

 

[wcsjms]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

Frances 2016 - vasoline (vasolina) no blisters

 

[Patch]

When I do a marathon I always apply Vaseline to my feet- never get a blister but I always seem to loose my big toe nail. Whether they are linked or not who knows

 

[t2andreo]

FYI and reference, I depart in nine days for my fifth Camino from Lisbon, starting on 27 April.

I have chronic problems with callouses on both feet, but the right foot is decidedly worse. If I fail to deal proactively with it, I can get broken bleeding and cracker calluses in less than a week. In 2013, on my first Camino, infection of the right heel necessitated a three-day rest stop with in-office foot surgery at Burgos. THAT is where I had my "come to Jesus" moment, regarding preventative foot care. That doctor saved my Camino.

Now, my callus prevention regimen is to get a proper pedicure just before I leave home. I mean a PROPER foot treatment, by someone who does this for a living.

The spa I go to literally uses a sterilized inox or stainless steel rasp to grind off all dead skin, think a hand-held cheese grater about 20 cm or 8 inches long. The amount of skin that comes off in my monthly treatments is amazing and frightening. A thorough softening routine and a very nice massage follows.

My feet are baby soft coming off this treatment. This is why I do it a couple of days before I boot up and get on the plane to fly over the pond. Yes, I wear my hiking boots on the plane as they are heavy...

Daily, before I "sock-up" (two pairs BTW), I apply a petroleum jelly-based product called Callex. It contains mostly vaseline petroleum jelly, PLUS peppermint and two enzymes that actively "eat" and mitigate the production of calluses. It soaks into my skin leaving them moist but not greasy. My liner socks get hand-washed daily, so grungy socks are not a problem.

If I run out of Callex before my Camino ends, I just use regular petroleum jelly, available anywhere in Portugal or Spain. In the US, one can buy Callex online, or at Walgreens pharmacies. It comes in a two-ounce plastic "tin" with a screw off lid. I pack it with my toilet kit.

I hope this helps.

 

[musicman]

When I do a marathon I always apply Vaseline to my feet- never get a blister but I always seem to loose my big toe nail. Whether they are linked or not who knows

Never lost a toenail since I started using toe socks - polymer - get em on Amazon .

 

[daesdaemar]

BodyGlide and thin liners such as Injinjis are best for blister prevention IMHO.

 

[Giopomerol]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

Ln

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

'NOK' cream can be purchased here in France where I live. For those of you leaving from St Jean you can buy it there or in any French pharmacy. It is far superior and also aids in soothing swollen feet ( in fact it avoids getting your feet swollen). Has a pleasant smell too.

 

[Patch]

Never lost a toenail since I started using toe socks - polymer - get em on Amazon .

Thanks for heads up. It's just marathons tho. I guess it's probably my running style as I never loose nails walking despite carrying/walking some crazy loads/distances - tho not on the Camino . TBH I try not to buy anything special that I cant use everyday - apart from my bivi bag and sheet bag

 

[LesBrass]

ME... me... me I use Vicks

When I walked my first Camino a friend of mine suggested Vicks for blister prevention... she was an army medic and it had been their Standard practice. I knew nothing so took a jar... but didn't use it until I got about a dozen blisters. After this (When they had healed) I tried everything. I slipped into a routine of reapplying Vicks every 2 hours and it did feel lovely... and no more blisters.

On my second Camino I read that Vaseline or other creams can actually exacerbate the blister problems and also my new Drymax socks came with a warning saying don't use creams... so that time I never used vicks and I also never got blisters.

Now I stick to a routine of good fitting shoes, my Drymax socks and regular rest and airing of feet and What I continue to do is apply Vicks regularly at the end of a walk to moisturise my feet... and it feels wonderful AND it is brilliant for prevention or getting rid of nail fungus.

I lost 5 toenails following cancer treatment and for a few years had terrible battles with nail fungus... I noticed after that first Camino that my nails were in great shape and the fungus almost gone... I keep using it for that reason alone and it has worked where everything else (including some really horrible prescription medications) have failed.

I really don't know if it does or doesn't prevent blisters but it feels lovely and is great for the fungus... maybe give it a try and see how it works for you? I honestly think that some folks (me included) are prone to blisters... hope this helps a little

 

[Ian Afloat]

ME... me... me I use Vicks

When I walked my first Camino a friend of mine suggested Vicks for blister prevention... she was an army medic and it had been their Standard practice. I knew nothing so took a jar... but didn't use it until I got about a dozen blisters. After this (When they had healed) I tried everything. I slipped into a routine of reapplying Vicks every 2 hours and it did feel lovely... and no more blisters.

On my second Camino I read that Vaseline or other creams can actually exacerbate the blister problems and also my new Drymax socks came with a warning saying don't use creams... so that time I never used vicks and I also never got blisters.

Now I stick to a routine of good fitting shoes, my Drymax socks and regular rest and airing of feet and What I continue to do is apply Vicks regularly at the end of a walk to moisturise my feet... and it feels wonderful AND it is brilliant for prevention or getting rid of nail fungus.

I lost 5 toenails following cancer treatment and for a few years had terrible battles with nail fungus... I noticed after that first Camino that my nails were in great shape and the fungus almost gone... I keep using it for that reason alone and it has worked where everything else (including some really horrible prescription medications) have failed.

I really don't know if it does or doesn't prevent blisters but it feels lovely and is great for the fungus... maybe give it a try and see how it works for you? I honestly think that some folks (me included) are prone to blisters... hope this helps a little

Goodness...someone who has actually used it...only took 20 posts! Thanks!

 

[Ian Afloat]

Thanks for everyone's input. I have exactly 100 days to start experimenting before I start from St Jean on my second attempt.

 

[kmrice]

BodyGlide and thin liners such as Injinjis are best for blister prevention IMHO.

Body Glide and boots with a good sized toe box and half a size larger than normal solved all my blister problems. My wife's, too.

 

[cher99840]

At home I use Vaseline on my feet in the morning and Vicks at night. On Camino I use Vasoline morning, evening and mid-day. The reason I don't travel with Vicks is because of not wanting to carry two products and not wanting to use anything "smelly" in a communal setting.

 

[Hutton24]

Wish I had taken a tub of vasoline with me because I have blisters now which are painful and I have had to stop walking and it was my day 3 of the Camino. Feeling

 

[BetzNH]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

 

[BetzNH]

Honestly .... I think making sure your toes have wiggle room - perhaps buying a half to one size larger is key. I messed up two Caminos having the wrong size footwear - without a big enough toe box. I have tried just about everything ointment wise - but I swear by Leukotape. I know where the "hot spots" on my feet are .. and I tape them up before I take one step. I leave the tape on till it is falling off (usually a couple of showers), and then I reapply. I shared my tape with a lot of other pilgrims as well. Worked like a charm for me. Try different techniques on your practice hikes before you leave - you will figure out what works for you. Buen Camino!

 

[Desmond Walsh]

Ln

'NOK' cream can be purchased here in France where I live. For those of you leaving from St Jean you can buy it there or in any French pharmacy. It is far superior and also aids in soothing swollen feet ( in fact it avoids getting your feet swollen). Has a pleasant smell too.

NOK cream is also amazingly effective in treating groin chafing. It is also available in Canada at MEC

 

[Ian Afloat]

NOK cream is also amazingly effective in treating groin chafing. It is also available in Canada at MEC

I've got a little tub of Sudacrem nappy rash cream for that!

 

[Ian Afloat]

Honestly .... I think making sure your toes have wiggle room - perhaps buying a half to one size larger is key. I messed up two Caminos having the wrong size footwear - without a big enough toe box. I have tried just about everything ointment wise - but I swear by Leukotape. I know where the "hot spots" on my feet are .. and I tape them up before I take one step. I leave the tape on till it is falling off (usually a couple of showers), and then I reapply. I shared my tape with a lot of other pilgrims as well. Worked like a charm for me. Try different techniques on your practice hikes before you leave - you will figure out what works for you. Buen Camino!

Yes I've started my training walks this week firstly to get my feet used to the pounding and secondly to identify the spots which are prone to blistering with my intended footwear set up.

 

[margaret kinane]

I know some people use these but surely your socks would be a complete mess by the end of the day and impossible to wash?

Ian I looked at your blog and I have a few thoughts:
1) Your shoes were too small or at least the toe box was. You have to have a good fit around the heel but enough room to wiggle your toes. Walk on a ramp in the shoe shop - you shouldn't slide foward in your shoes.

2) you left it too long to tend to you feet.
The minute you feel a hot spot or pain, stop, take your shoes off and deal with it. On the side of the path if necessary. Take and use compede and a lot of it. Drink lots of water and listen to your body - especially your feet. Take your socks off in the middle of the day and let your feet breath and your socks dry out.

I think the right socks and the right shoes are better than vasaline or Vicks but others might have different opinions.
Good luck this time.

I fully agree with this post. Competed is brill but the shoes and socks are really what matters.

 

[Magnara]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

I haven't looked at what is in Vicks but I don't think Vicks would do the job of Vaseline, which is to lubricate your feet. You probably need to compare the ingredients list to see if they would work the same way. (I know Vaseline sounds as if it would be horribly messy but once you have tried it you'll be hooked - it isn't sticky at all and your feet end up at the end of a camino soft and sweet whereas everyone else's look like old car tires.)

 

[trecile]

I think that Vicks is primarily petroleum jelly, aka Vaseline, with other aromatic ingredients, like camphor. So it should work as well as a lubricant as Vaseline.

 

[Ian Afloat]

I think that Vicks is primarily petroleum jelly, aka Vaseline, with other aromatic ingredients, like camphor. So it should work as well as a lubricant as Vaseline.

Its base ingredient is paraffin wax, so yes it is a lubricant, but it is a lot less stiff than Vaseline so it's easier to apply.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Sudacrem works well between the toes and can be put onto blisters as it is OK for healing as well as protection. I have done that, being careful not to spread it out over or under the toes because it sticks like glue to socks (needs really hot water to get it off). I had a sore place between my toes here in the UK and it healed it up and prevented further chafing.

 

[trecile]

Its base ingredient is paraffin wax, so yes it is a lubricant, but it is a lot less stiff than Vaseline so it's easier to apply.

There are the ingredients in Vicks

Active ingredients: Camphor, Eucalyptus Oil, Menthol

Inactive ingredients: cedarleaf oil, lemon fragrance, nutmeg oil, petrolatum (aka petroleum jelly, or Vaseline), thymol, turpentine oil

 

[Ian Afloat]

There are the ingredients in Vicks

Active ingredients: Camphor, Eucalyptus Oil, Menthol

Inactive ingredients: cedarleaf oil, lemon fragrance, nutmeg oil, petrolatum (aka petroleum jelly, or Vaseline), thymol, turpentine oil

Yes I left the bit off about being paraffin wax (aka petroleum jelly) mixed with turpentine oil (and the other oils) which makes it less stiff. My bad.

 

[Registration]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

I use old fashioned milking cream that I rub into my feet at night before retiring and on any other place on my body where chafing might occur. Have also found it to be an excellent moisturizer for my face so no extra jars or tubes necessary.

 

[johnroyYHZ]

Hello,
So in one of his videos the not totally insane John Roy suggests using Vicks VapoRub instead of Vaseline for blister prevention. Has anyone tried this? I tend to get a little congested when sleeping, so thought it might double up to help prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night all bunged up. Any thoughts?

Hi, I'm the "not totally insane John Roy"(youtube.com/johnroyYHZ)...and I used Vicks from Pamplona (where I was taught the tip) to Santiago...and blisters were nearly non-existent, especially compared to the way up to that point. It nicely cools the feet, and can be used for a few different uses as previously stated. Has no negative effects on feet, socks, or shoes that I've experienced either. Worth the weight in my opinion.

 

[Ian Afloat]

Hi, I'm the "not totally insane John Roy"(youtube.com/johnroyYHZ)...and I used Vicks from Pamplona (where I was taught the tip) to Santiago...and blisters were nearly non-existent, especially compared to the way up to that point. It nicely cools the feet, and can be used for a few different uses as previously stated. Has no negative effects on feet, socks, or shoes that I've experienced either. Worth the weight in my opinion.

Really enjoy your Camino vids by the way John.

 

[Ian Afloat]

Sudacrem works well between the toes and can be put onto blisters as it is OK for healing as well as protection. I have done that, being careful not to spread it out over or under the toes because it sticks like glue to socks (needs really hot water to get it off). I had a sore place between my toes here in the UK and it healed it up and prevented further chafing.

Chafing between the toes was not where I was thinking about...

 

[johnroyYHZ]

Really enjoy your Camino vids by the way John.

Thanks so much! More to come soon so stay tuned!

 

[Magnara]

I think that Vicks is primarily petroleum jelly, aka Vaseline, with other aromatic ingredients, like camphor. So it should work as well as a lubricant as Vaseline.

I like the sound of that - your feet would not only be soft but also smell sweet - very different to most pilgrims' feet when the boots come off

 

[Cmeckley]

I am a die hard Vaseline user on the Camino. A number of years ago, along the frances, I wandered in to a farmacia in search of more vaseline after running out. "Ahhhhh!!!!," the pharmacist said, "Beeks Bapo Roo!!!" I have lived part time in Spain for nearly 20 years, but it still took me some time to get that he meant Vicks Vapor Rub! Vicks will always be Beeks to me now. Long story short, I prefer Vaseline, but would happily use Vicks if that was all that was available. I never get blisters but I also believe it is because I compulsively swap out for dry socks during the day, and let my feet breath during request rest stops.

 

[Pilgrim1960]

I did not prepare for my Camino from Madrid to Santiago. I had a problem with my feet and had heard that Vicks could help. I took a container with me and did things that helped me. I would not shower in the morning and kept my feet very dry in the morning. I used good quality merino wool socks and finally I rubbed my feet with Vicks in the morning. I rubbed it in well and massaged my feet at the same time. I had minor issues with my feet and the antiseptic effect of Vicks I think kept things working well. Oddly enough I had foot fungus at the start and had tried for 2 years to get rid of it on a big toe nail on my left foot. After two weeks, the toe nail grew very fast and the fungus disappeared- from that bit of communication, it should be evident I am not trying to endear myself to the opposite sex! But honestly it really did the job and it has been awhile now and it has not returned. I would not do a long hike without Vicks but I do feel a little weird putting it on and wondered if others in the albergues were appreciating the smell or not. I went during COVID and I figured most people could not smell anyway

 

[malingerer]

I did not prepare for my Camino from Madrid to Santiago. I had a problem with my feet and had heard that Vicks could help. I took a container with me and did things that helped me. I would not shower in the morning and kept my feet very dry in the morning. I used good quality merino wool socks and finally I rubbed my feet with Vicks in the morning. I rubbed it in well and massaged my feet at the same time. I had minor issues with my feet and the antiseptic effect of Vicks I think kept things working well. Oddly enough I had foot fungus at the start and had tried for 2 years to get rid of it on a big toe nail on my left foot. After two weeks, the toe nail grew very fast and the fungus disappeared- from that bit of communication, it should be evident I am not trying to endear myself to the opposite sex! But honestly it really did the job and it has been awhile now and it has not returned. I would not do a long hike without Vicks but I do feel a little weird putting it on and wondered if others in the albergues were appreciating the smell or not. I went during COVID and I figured most people could not smell anyway

as a mere male I am very wary of putting Vick anywhere but on my chest! I would follow up with thorough washing of the hands else the early morning saunter to the loo would wind up with piercing screams as the nether bits went on fire! This would not endear one to the fellow pilgies, even the ones like me with the ear plugs rammed in

Buen camino and hooray for merino socks, proper fitting boots and compeed.

Samarkand.

 

[Canada Wanders]

When I was in the army, they taught us if you take care of your feet, your feet will take care of you.
Much of the Camino is like a military exercise, eat, walk, sleep…bunk beds, packs…but if anyone can find it, one of the best care products for your feet for running or walking long distance is called sport slick. Antibacterial, anti fungal, doesn’t sweat off…http://www.sportslick.com/
I swear by it. Also works well if you get some rubbing or ‘wear’ spots in other areas of the body!