Date: 2013-12-28
To: Gear review and lessons learned
Miles today: 0.0

Probably one of the more elusive things Crunchmaster dealt with was finding the right footwear and learning the right things to do to take care of the feet. He wore out 2 pair of shoes and hiked in 5 different shoes throughout the journey. He started with New Balance lightweight trail runners - Leadville 1210. These were lightweight and worked well during dry conditions. Getting a good fit is critical and having someone knowledgeable to help assure a good fit is important.There are hiking shoes that, along with good gaiters will keep the feet dry even during an all day rain. The problem is these typically weigh more and once you've hiked in lightweight trail runners it's hard to accept the extra weight as worthwhile. I personally believe the extra weight is warranted when walking in rainy conditions. Unfortunately you can't carry extra shoes and wear what the weather dictates. Trevor dealt with 3 extended rainy periods, once in VT, another time in northern VA, and the last time near the end in NC & GA. Each time his feet would get wet and would soften up and leave him vulnerable to blisters.Everyone's feet are different, though all require much attention and care. Here are some of the things that one can do to help care for the feet:Wear an thin inner sock to reduce friction and to help wick away moisture during warm or hot weatherTie laces snugly but not too tightlyremove dirt/sand from socks regularly to reduce irritation and the 'sandpaper' effectStop during the day, possibly during a lunch break to remove shoes and socks to air out the feetSoak feet in cool waterRemove shoes and socks immediately upon reaching camp for the night, allowing feet to air out and be free from restrictionsProp feet up while in camp giving them a break from carrying weightClean and dry out socks while in camp whenever possible so the day can start out with clean, dry socksThere are countless other things that can be done for the feet and I believe each person needs to try different things to see what works for them. The best advice I could offer is to take the time to care for the feet, they deserve all the attention you can give. If you don't you will suffer and run the risk of not being able to continue your hike.A general review of clothing follows:All of Trevor's clothes were light weight, moisture wicking, and comfortable. He hiked in the same clothes every day. He always changed into camp clothes every evening as soon as possible when getting into camp. Clothes were washed at every opportunity. Carrying extra clothes is not needed. While putting on dirty and smelly clothing takes some getting used to, it becomes apparent quickly that an hour of hiking in warm weather will render fresh clean clothes in the same condition as your dirty smelly clothes, so why carry the extra weight. Its just something you learn to adjust to. It's not something that others who are not thru-hikers adjust well to because multi-days of sweat and grime can get quite strong and offensive. Sweating cannot be avoided, even when hiking in the fall or winter so you learn to live with it."Darn tough" socks are darn tough. Inner socks make a big difference.Next posting we'll deal with the cost of hiking 14 states and 2186 miles in 5+ months.Hope everyone had a merry Christmas and hope you have a Happy New Year, as well.Will close with a few photos from Crunchmaster from his hike at elevation yesterday at St Mary's Glacier in CO.