Eco-Challenge and feet...

A

allenC

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Jun 18, 2000
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Okay, who watched the Eco-Challenge New Zealand?
I've watched several Ecos and it seems that one of the biggest problems is FEET.
As a former Soldier I have did plenty of ruck-marches and I know how to protect my feet when force marching with a ruck, but I've never been on a race that crossed many rivers and then went straight into freezing mountains.
How is the best way to solve the problem?

I think I would want to stop at every crossing, switch in to shoes I brought just for this purpose, and put my dry ones in a waterproof bag, cross the river, and then dry my feet and put my dry shoes back on.
The bad news is that this would take up alot of time at every crossing (maybe pissing off my team-mates), and I would have to lug around extra shoes just to cross rivers.

So would my idea work, and would the time lost be worth the effort to keep the feet in good shape?

Allen.
 
I think it would be well worth the time & effort. Use water socks that you can just slip on to cross the rivers. This would mean less time wasted & lighter weight to carry. Consider the time spent changing shoes & socks compared to taking thousands of steps at a reduced pace. Plus fewer medical stops for bandaging, ointment, etc.
 
how did your protect your feet from the ruck sack marches?

Well I think that for the most part all the folks that go on these treks have great gear. But what I've notice is that its that a lot of people who don't make it don't have toughen feet. I know guys surfer guys that can walk on sharp rocks without feeling a thing. The skin has been toughen from years of roughing it. Much like the difference between shaking the hands of a white collar worker who never done any manual labor versus someone who cowboy... their hands feel like tough rawhide.
 
When I ruck-marched I would coat my feet with alot of vasaline and then put on some thin dress socks, and then my wool socks.
And proper fitting, well broken-in boots, of course.

The vasaline feels slimey and all at first but it prevents the blisters.

I think tough feet would certainly help.

Allen.
 
I think the best is to slowly build up the feet to toughen them. Go out and get some calluses and blisters till they toughen up. I did that in the service and never had a foot problem, and jungle boots are the worst. I would think those sandals like teva's would be good quick change footwear.
 
I worked as a medic at a Army Guard school here in Mass. the avergage hump was at least 6 miles a day, the longest over trail was a 26 mile compass course. I was always bandaging blisters and the like. The was a Doctor from Natick labs who came out to tak to our students about this issue. Calluses are a hard spot on your skin, when the rest gets soft it a place where a huge rip could happen.

The solution to blisters is too remove the friction, water and hot spots. To remove the friction use a sock system. A nice thin slippery polypro sock liner and a heavy boiled wool outer sock (dachstein--VERY expensive but worth it), Boots must be fitted properly, this means fitting with your sock system AND your Rucksack fully loaded. Carry moleskin and put it on any hot spot as soon as you feel one forming. Change socks often. ALWAYS have a dry pair ready.
To r3emove the water from your feet apply a spray on antiperspirant to your feet 3 times a day for a week, then once a day. Thiss will cut water down by 30%.

You CANNOT toughen your feet. You vcan however be used to and know the proper care.

Your Fist aid for feet should include moleskin, tape, New skin. Bandages. Etc. We tried everything, including draining the blister and putting in tincture of benzoin(I have seen grown men cry). Prevention is the best first aid.

Paul
 
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