Topic: Foot Care

[Nomad]

Foot care
Anyone who has worked a lot on there feet, done long backpacking or worked in conditions where feet are constantly wet knows the importance of proper foot care.
 Carring foot medicated powder in your gear on long hikes helped keep my feet a little dryer, absorbs
moisture and in some cases will reduce irritation.

The general points are
•proper fit boots
•wool socks
•blister care
•athletes foot, jungle rot, trench foot
•keeping feet dry

What are some of your foot care ideas.....

[RGinIdaho]

I like a pair of liner socks and a pair of good wool socks. It keeps the friction layer between the socks, not your feet and the single sock. Using a good polypropolene liner helps wick perspiration away from your feet.

[e11charlie]

You could spend more money on special socks, or just by a pair of calf or knee high pantyhose. A hell of a lot cheaper. Wear them underneath your wool socks. Works great. You could always tell when a unit was getting deployed when the PX would run out of panty hose.

[Scarecrow]

Socks f'n matter.  A good pair of socks will go a long ways towards keeping you happy when you're on the move all day.

[NGO]

take care of your shoes.

Neatsfoot oil to keep the leather flexable.


and a quality water proofing spray...silicon.

I recently had a pair of boots wear out...the sole was almost smooth, had them since 2003. Wore them all the time too. The leather was thin in places and finall split open. But the still fit good and had plenty of suppot.


Buy quality, you won't regret it! And take care of them!

[RGinIdaho]

Another good sealant for leather, particulary in wet winter conditions:

Get a wax toilet seal, preferrably new. 
Cheaper by far than most commercial applications. Add a little warmth and the wax penetrates and seals quite well.

[No-One]

The best foot powder bar none , especially for those who struggle with foot fungus , is Zeasorb . I had athletes foot that nothing could cure for over 20 years . A friend reccomended Zeasorb to me and within a few weeks my Wife asked me why my socks didn't stink anymore . I keep a bottle of it in each of my BOB's as well as several pair of brand new socks . Something about brand new socks that makes me feel like I could walk for miles . Glen Seekins told me that he used to buy all his new socks just before going hunting every year since putting on a new pair every day made him feel just that much better about being dirty , filthy and cold while walking 15 miles a day searching for game

I like Obenaufs for keeping my boots oiled up and I have a small container of that in my BOB's as well .

Blister band-aids and good fabric band-aids are also pretty important to me as well .

Good boots are priceless .

I have pretty screwed up feet so keeping them in good shape is a top priority for me .

[ballardw]

Toe-nail clippers and how to use them! The use them! And make sure your boots fit your toes to begin with. Don't believe salesmen that say the boot will stretch to fit.

Inspect your boots occasionally for nails working through the inside. I do not like remembering how I learned this one.

Removable insoles if properly fitted can help feet breath.

And I agree about good spare socks. Lots of spare socks. Don't be afraid to change them at mid-day.

[danno12345]

Can't not think of this: 

LT. DAN              There is one item of G.I. gear that can be the difference between a live grunt and a dead grunt.

                         Socks, cushion sole, O.D. green. Try and keep your feet dry when we're
                         out humpin'. I want you boys to remember to change your socks wherever
                         we stop. The Mekong will eat a grunt's feet right off his legs.



***********

LT. DAN              Two standing orders in this platoon.
                         One, take good care of your feet.
                         Two, try not to do anything stupid, like gettin' yourself killed.

FORREST            I sure hope I don't let him down.