Prevent and Treat Blisters on the Camino, Our Favorite Ways

Our favorite ways to prevent and treat blisters on the Camino have served us well through the years. Preventing blisters on the Camino is preferable to treating them after they form. We do our best to prevent them. But if we do get blisters on the Camino we have discovered how to keep walking if we get them.

The ways we prevent and treat blisters on the Camino have helped many, many other pilgrims. Blisters and foot care are popular topics at Camino gatherings. After all, our feet are carrying us hundreds of miles. We test all our equipment and break in our shoes at home. That way we can discover potential problems before we get to the Camino. As the saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Our Favorite Camino Shoes and Socks

In other blogs we will share more about our Camino-tested favorite Wright socks and Merrell shoes which play a BIG role in our foot health. Let’s say you have found your favorite sock and broken in your favorite, good fitting shoes for 6-8 weeks. Here are our tips for preventing blisters from forming in the first place.

hiker putting bandage on foot blister Camino de Santiago Camino Provisions

We discovered our favorite ways to prevent and treat blisters back in 2007 before walking the Camino for the first time. In the years since then these products have helped countless other pilgrims be blister-free, or heal their blisters as they keep walking. We still prefer these over other treatments we have tried through the years. However, many people don’t know about them.

Our Recommended Foot Care Products

First we begin our preparations/training before we get to the Camino. We "fit up" our shoes to be the most comfortable they can be. This is an important step to prevent and treat blisters on the Camino, or back home. Once we tested shoes and had found our favorites, we might still need to tweak a couple of things while they are new. In addition, when we are breaking in new Camino shoes, we may notice some hotspots where some part of our shoe is causing a spot on our foot to become hot and red. Think of this as a pre-blister. We make sure this does not indicate a shoe that does not fit.

Next we adjust our lacing as needed [see our demo video] to make it as comfortable as possible. It might just mean we have to get used to the new shoes. We prevent further friction with a product called Engo Blister Prevention Patches. These adhesive-backed teflon patches attach to the parts of your shoes that are causing hotspots, and stop the friction.

hiker's feet resting on orange backpack with Pyrenees mountains in background Camino de Santiago by Camino Provisions

Our Camino Foot Care Routine

So how do we prevent and treat blisters on the Camino? Here is our Camino foot care routine each morning and after our end of the day showers. Before setting out to walk and after showers, we apply an anti-chafing lubricant to your clean, dry feet. Trail Toes is a favorite anti-chafing lubricant of ultra marathoners, and it is now our favorite. It comes in a 2 oz. jar, which will be the right amount for a month long Camino for one person, and weighs only 3 oz. Apply it to your feet and between your toes, and anywhere else you want to prevent the chafing and friction which lead to blisters: inner thighs, inside upper arms, etc.

In addition to Trail Toes, an honorable mention goes to Glide lubricant, which comes in a couple of sizes, in the form of a crank up "solid" similar to some deodorants. It is a bit easier to carry, but a bit more difficult to apply. Some pilgrims like petroleum jelly (Vaseline), and it is readily available in most farmacías in Spain. After your foot lubricant, put on dry socks, then your hiking shoes.

Camino hiking shoes on the Camino propped up on backpack Camino Provisions

As We Begin to Train

As we begin to train at home, and as we increase hours of walking on the Camino, we take short, 10 minute breaks more frequently. We have learned to take time this way to prevent blisters. In those first days of our walk we take off our hikers and socks and let your feet dry out for a few minutes. We elevate our feet and legs if possible. If our socks are damp, we switch them out to a dry pair. Next, we put our hikers back on, and lace them to our present comfort. As our distance increases and the day grows longer, even healthy feet swell some because of the work they are doing. Airing our feet, keeping them dry, re-lacing, and building up our mileage gradually are good ways to prevent injury.

two pairs of feet in hiking shoes at rest on the Camino de Santiago in the Pyrenees by Camino Provisions

If We Get Blisters Here's What We Do

If you do get blisters, our favorite treatment is Spenco 2nd Skin Gel Squares. These allow your skin to heal and provide cushiony comfort to keep walking. We have tried all the remedies and bandages on the market, even the European ones promoted everywhere in Spain, and the Spenco gels are still our favorite.

Before you go to Spain, If you are walking the Camino solo, get one or two of the Spenco 2nd Skin Blister Kits. The kits are about $10 each, and contain some gel squares and knit adhesive tape. Or, you might prefer to invest in the following two items in bulk, even though you may not need to take all of it with you. If you are walking with friends, you could share the cost of these two Spenco products to divide among you: a jar of 200 Spenco 2nd Skin Gel Squares and a box or two of Spenco Adhesive Knit Sports adhesive tape.

Here's How This Treatment Works

Here’s how this treatment works: The gel squares are moist pads you put directly on your clean, damaged skin. The gel square is held in place with a piece of the adhesive knit tape. These not only bring immediate relief to your damaged skin, but provide a soothing cushion allowing you to keep walking without doing more damage. This stuff is amazing!!! We cannot recommend these products highly enough.

two men resting with feet propped up on their backpacks on the Camino de Santiago in the Pyrenees by Camino Provisions

The Most Important Thing to Know

The most important thing is to keep all damaged skin clean, dry, and protected with these or other bandages. Change the treatment every day, or any time it gets wet. Take rests or food breaks during the day. Take off your shoes and socks to let them and your feet dry. Check bandages to determine whether or not they need changing. Keep your feet happy, they are working hard for you.