Tony is right, every one's foot is unique, however reducing friction and acting promptly is of the essence and the place to start the trials.
I agree with Peter too, 1000 miles socks are very good with trainers, another way is to use liner socks which are helpful in boots with normal socks.

Vaseline is not unpleasant if you use it sparingly, not much is needed and it can also be used to protect against clothing friction which can be horrendous.

But a lot of other creams will do, including those to remove hard skin.

'Nice' creams like Nivea do not work for me.

My wife sometimes gets a line of tiny blisters around the base of her heel. These are difficult to deal with so if anyone has found a preventative, please post.

When I started hiking, boots were not available in half sizes and blisters were almost a normal feature of walking. Now we have half sizes and we choice of width, I can set off in a new pair of winter leather boots and be confident of comfy dry feet at the end of the day. this is progress.

Unfortunately this is one subject where trial and error is called for - what works for one is no good for others. I am lucky enough not to suffer too much from blisters. For the Hundred I use a pair of trainers/approach shoes a size larger than normal, which avoids blackened and painful toe nails as your feet swell. I wear my thickest socks to start with to avoid excessive foot movement. Sudocreme nappy rash cream applied liberally does a good job of eliminating friction and is nicer to use than Vaseline. I try to avoid Goretex or similar, your feet are bound to get wet and I find that non-Goretex shoes dry out more quickly. Didn't work in Wales of course - nothing dried out!

I recently experimented with 1000 mile socks - they have two layers, so one layer touches the skin, allowing the second layer to rub against the shoe or boot.

I was a serial blister former, and earlier this year, after doing 10 days on the Coast Path, covering about 22 miles a day, not a blister in sight!

Its friction between the deep layers of the skin, and the superficial top layers, at the junction between the dermis and the epidermis. This is made worse when the feet and socks get wet, and if the feet get hot.

I found the 1000 mile socks dealt with the friction, leaving my skin to get on with the walking ;-)

Before I used the 1000 mile socks, I used to have to protect my heels using carefully crafted adhesive semi-compressed felt (7mm) chamfered at the edges, with a cut out to accommodate my heels. My condition was made worse by having developed heel bumps (Haglunds Deformity) on both heels, caused )I think) by excessive pronation, leading to heel rocking. This encouraged the heel bone to 'protect itself', resulting in thickening of the bone.

I have no connection with 1000 mile socks, and I understand other twin walled sock are available. :-)

May be worth trying?

1000 Mile Socks

Altberg boots http://www.altberg.co.uk have a variety of width fittings to suit the most uncooperative feet

A thin layer of vaseline wherever blisters are expected, or where you experience rubbing, act early, can prevent them.
You have to act early as a blister can swell up in under 20 minutes if the friction is there.

Compeed will often enable you to carry on walking but prevention is better!

http://www.compeed.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwlv6dBRDC7rGfrvidmJgBEiQAjd3hMPIT5Q4NUD58qadDRZmCZvDuTHcWwKCoRSmKpkF4tSAaAvg88P8HAQ

I have had blisters in my sole when walking along way in trainers, and on my heel with new boots. But never with Altberg boots

Thanks for that - the boots are actually a year old and haven't caused me too many problems before this year, but I guess I have been walking in warmer weather lately so may need to consider getting new ones with more room - I have very wide feet but narrow heels / ankles which makes fitting a nightmare!

Hi Lindsey . Blisters tend to be caused by these three problems. Ill fitting shoes are a big factor always buy your shoes at the end of the day when your feet are swollen most and buy 1" bigger than normal ( the thickness of your thumb between your toes and end of shoe ). Also trainers designed for running have bigger heels for cushioning which do cause blisters at the back of the heel ( which I found out painfully on the Games 100 ) .buy trainers with a minimal heel drop. Dehydration also a big factor as our bodies are 80% water and once we dehydrate our skin becomes less flexible causing blisters ( i always get them at London Marathon every year after running hard )
Also invest in a good pair of socks . I wear the dry fit knee high compression socks which let the feet breath and dry quick in wet weather and also stop leg fatigues hence keeping blisters at bay

Hope the above is of use

Hello all

I am completely new here but a passionate walker - nothing like putting one foot in front of the other and listening to the birds, leaves and having a natter too.

I have recently walked the Isle of Wight end to end and the Clarendon way - both walks of around 30 miles which my legs coped fine with, but the blisters I ended up with on my heels (between the base and the back, if that makes any sense....) were horrific. I walked one in boots and the second in trainers, thinking the boots were the problem. Best guess is that as my feet got hot, the socks got damp and rubbed.

If any of you have any ideas how I can get around this, I would be SO grateful. I am hoping to walk the Test Way soon and then spend a week in the fells in Cumbria and I would rather do them with feet that weren't complaining......

Thank you in anticipation :-)

Lindsey