Tips for Hiking in South Africa Without Getting Blisters

Your boots are broken in. Your pack is sorted. Then, three kilometres in, a hot rubbing sting starts up on your heel, and the rest of the hike turns into a negotiation with your own feet instead of a walk through the mountains. 

Blisters end more good hiking days than bad weather does, and knowing how to deal with them, preferably before they appear, is something every hiker should know.

Waterfall seen on Bermanzi Hiking Trails

Why Blisters Happen When Hiking

Friction between skin and sock causes most hiking blisters, not the distance covered. 

Research on long distance hikers puts blister rates anywhere from roughly 9 in 10 people, depending on the length of the trail, the footwear and the conditions. 

Moisture is the biggest culprit with hikers wearing wet socks facing close to double the risk of blistering compared with those who keep their feet dry, because damp skin softens and grips fabric more than dry skin does. 

Heat, pressure from ill-fitting boots and repeated rubbing on the same spot do the rest.

Match Your Prevention to Your Trail

A two-hour amble needs less preparation than a route with more elevation and a greater distance. 

Short outings mostly call for well fitted shoes and clean, dry socks. 

Longer days, especially ones through kloofs, river crossings and mountain terrain, need a proper system like socks changed at the halfway mark, boots broken in over several shorter walks first, and known hot spots taped before they turn into a blister rather than after. 

Hikers tackling multi day routes need to treat foot care as a daily task, not a once off decision made at the car park.

A Quick Prevention Checklist

  • Wear a thin liner sock under a thicker hiking sock to reduce the friction between skin and fabric.

  • Lace boots firmly through the ankle to stop heel lift on descents, a common cause of heel blisters.

  • Apply tape or a blister plaster to known problem areas before setting out, not once the skin has already broken.

  • Break in new boots over at least 20 to 30 kilometres of shorter walks before a long hike.

  • Carry a spare pair of socks and change into them if your feet get wet, whether from sweat, rain or a river crossing.

Hiking shoes on Bermanzi Hiking Trails

A Comparison of the Best Prevention Methods

Method Best for When to use
Liner and outer sock combination Long or multi day hikes Every hike, from the first step
Blister tape or moleskin Known hot spots and repeat offenders Before symptoms start
Hydrocolloid blister plasters A blister that has already formed As soon as it appears
Gradual boot break in New or stiff footwear Weeks before a big hike

Mpumalanga’s trails, including the multi day routes through the Komati Valley at places like Bermanzi, cover exactly this kind of varied terrain. If you are planning a hike from Bermanzi, you’ll want to make sure that you cover all the prevention basics, least you end up with a painful blister or two to ruin your weekend away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Friction between the skin and a sock or boot causes most hiking blisters. Moisture, heat and pressure from poorly fitted footwear increase the risk by softening skin and creating repeated rubbing on the same spot.

Wear moisture wicking socks, break in boots before the hike, tape known hot spots in advance and change into dry socks whenever feet get wet. These four habits address the main causes of friction blisters.

A thin liner sock worn under a thicker hiking sock reduces friction between skin and fabric, since the two layers move against each other instead of against the skin.

Leave a small, unbroken blister alone, since the skin protects the wound underneath. Drain a large, painful blister with a sterilised needle only if it will otherwise burst on its own, then cover it with a plaster.

Clean the area, cover it with a hydrocolloid blister plaster or padded tape, and adjust the lacing or sock to remove pressure from that spot for the rest of the hike.