NEW SITKA Ambient 75

Blisters

Lawnboy

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
3,655
Location
Bozeman, Montana
Just wondering if anyone else gets blisters from there boots? Another question is do you find that the insoles or the socks help remedy said blisters?
I have always had problems with my heels rubbing in any boots probably because I wear orthodics and they move my heel up and out of the pocket.
So far my Kenetreks are working great but I do have one foot that seems to get hotter than another.
 
I too am plauged by blisters, mostly on my heels. They were really bad in my Kenetreks and one foot was worse that the other. Wearing a good light/mid weight sock and a liner sock has helped but the thing that made the real difference as I took them in to Carter's in bozeman and they streched the heels for me. I took the boots in and showed them right where it was bugging me and they were able fix them for me. It has really turned the boots around for me, it doesnt matter how comfortable the rest of the boot is, if every climbing step feels like you have glass in your heel pocket, it just doesnt work. But Carter's fixed me up. I know if you got them from Kenetrek, you can also bring them back there and they will take them to Carter's for you, if you talk to Mark he will get you hooked up.
 
By chance I ran into a person at The Sportsmans Show in Redmond, Or. last March. They were selling socks made from alpacca wool, she said her Vet wears them all the time, winter and summer and is always comfortable. They were a little spendy, $30.00 or so but they might be worth looking in to. Sorry I can't be more help, good luck in your search.
 
When I was working as a younger lad selling boots to sheep hunters, it seemed that the thing that I spent most of my time doing is remedying blister problems. The biggest thing that you need to do is keep your foot from moving within the boot. If this is achieved through insoles and orthodics, then that is what you need to do. Another thing to try is to wear your socks in layers. This means that you might need to buy a thin liner sock under your main sock. The idea is to dissipate any heat that might be generated between your foot and the boot. I know for guys headed into the hills, I always recommend Koflach plastic boots for serious sheep and goat hunting. I know that they usually come in pretty flashy colors but that never seemed to bother the sheep and goats that I killed.

I guess my point here is try to keep your foot from moving in the boot and try layering your socks. If that doesn't work, try some new boots with different contours.
 
I got blisters pretty good when I first got my Kenetreks last year...and it took months to heal. I went through various sock combos just to get through the year. This spring I started wearing my boots as much as I could to work, etc. just to work on toughening up my heals. I also ended up with a liner and merino wool sock combo. They of course got a little warm, but nothing like what happened the fall before. I also added some Sole insoles to them which I think helped lift my heals up higher. That heal stretching sounds like the ticket though, that might also help. I may look into that. I'm surprised that a boot that expensive would have such crappy results with their heals...that part I'm not impressed by at all.
 
Good topic Lawnboy. Same trouble here with a new pair of Kenetreks. I am recovering from a blister right now from last weekend. I am trying a felt pad in the back, same stuff you would put on the riser of you bow to knock down arrow noise. The little I have wore them to work and such has felt good. Different insoles are next.

Mine seem to rub at the height of the rand. It must be something with the construction of the boot in that area. I can tell that they are going to take some time to break in.
 
I'm surprised that a boot that expensive would have such crappy results with their heals...that part I'm not impressed by at all.

So far my heels hold no bias to brand. They seem to rub weird on everything. I do think another key is to wear them more often to begin to toughen up my heel. Don't get me wrong I love my Kenetreks. I was just curious about the different combos everyone uses in whatever boot setup they have. Seems I'm not alone with heel issues.
 
I'm surprised that a boot that expensive would have such crappy results with their heals...that part I'm not impressed by at all.

this is exactly the kind of posts I think of every time someone mentions how great these boots are..just doesn't seem right to me..:confused:
 
I keep Band-Aid blister block bandages in my pack all the time. They are a life saver if you have a bad blister, makes you feel new again. So far my Kenetrecks and Asolos havent given me any trouble.
 
I don't get blisters anymore. Two pairs of socks, boots that are soft enough that you can tighten the ch it out of them. Nothing moves but the toes.
 
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Mudranger i'm 45 years old and i can tell you Kenetreks are the greatest boots in the world for my feet,they may not work for you though. I would suggest to anyone,get a pair and take them for a test drive,if they dont work for you move on to one of the German made boots.
 
I had the same issue before someone told me to wear a pair of thin polypropylene sock liners under wool socks. Always have an extra pair in my pack. I wear all types of different brands of wool socks. Has not made a difference to me.
 
Best fix I found for blisters is to put duct tape on the known locations you get blisters before you hike.

Might make it out sheep hunting. Not sure yet ; )
 
I’ve gone through a couple pairs of lowa’s with no problems. I wanted a uninsulated pair of hikers so I picked up a pair of Kenetrek hardscrabble hikers the other day. One short hike later I now have a blister on each heel. I think the last time I had a blister I was about 14 years old. I am ready to leave these boots on the curb.
 
PEAX Trekking Poles

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