# How do people who hike multi hundred mile trails prevent blisters **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 30, 2019, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-who-hike-multi-hundred-mile-trails-prevent-blisters/834768 "2019-05-30T14:41:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-who-hike-multi-hundred-mile-trails-prevent-blisters/834768/21 "2019-06-01T13:23:08Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > No, very few running shoes even have more than one basic width fitting. I think for off-the-shelf shoes the economics of carrying a wide variety of fittings are difficult. But there’s considerable variation among brands, and 20+ brands out there. It a time-consuming trial and error approach at first, but once you find a couple of brands that work for you, they are usually (but not always) fairly consistent across their range. Some of them are better than others, yes. But none of them are right; because what I need is a combination last. (For those who don’t know: wide toe, narrow heel.) The economics seem to allow for carrying a wide variety of various other features; and until some point in the 1980’s allowed combination lasts in the better-quality off the shelf shoes. ETA: I’m not actually looking for running shoes, though if something works I don’t care whether it’s called that. I’m looking for shoes and boots for fieldwork and for casual walking. Some of them do come in widths; but when the toe’s wide enough the heels are sloppy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-who-hike-multi-hundred-mile-trails-prevent-blisters/834768.md?page=1)