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Create an On-the-Go Blister Cure

When stiff heavyweight hiking boots or ski boots give you painful heel blisters, moleskin just isn't thick enough to relieve the pressure. MacGyver your way to relief with this clever remedy.
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  • After a 5-mile uphill slog in brand new alpine touring ski boots, our gear editor had a quarter sized heel blister that threatened to seriously cramp the rest of her 5-day gear testing trip in Wyoming's Tetons.
  • The blister had popped from the pressure inside her boot, so we covered the area with Spenco Second Skin Moist Pads (spenco.com <http://spenco.com> ). "The pads are deliciously cool to the touch and felt immediately soothing," she says.
  • We cut a corner off someone's foam sleeping pad and made a donut. The foam is much thicker than typical blister remedies, but it quickly packs down once inside a boot, and it provides a better air pocket to allow a tender blister some breathing room.
  • Next, we duct-taped the donut in place using a few thin strips.
  • Then, using scissors, we feathered the edges of the entire contraption to reduce friction and peeling once inside the boot.
  • We carefully rounded all the tap corners (also to prevent peeling), as this remedy needed to last through the trip.
  • A few large swaths of duct tape held everything in place. The verdict: "That blister was agony & this fix was a godsend. The deep, foamy donut kept the pressure off, & despite stiff boots and countless laps, it stayed put & I was able to enjoy the trip."
>
»
Then, using scissors, we feathered the edges of the entire contraption to reduce friction and peeling once inside the boot.
Image 5 of 7

Then, using scissors, we feathered the edges of the entire contraption to reduce friction and peeling once inside the boot.

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