# Help with blisters while touring



## GregT943 (Apr 1, 2019)

My wife has 32 TM2 XLT boots for split boarding. She develops these blisters on the inside of both heels on the inside near her Achilles. She doesn't feel her heel moving at all, and the outside and back of her heels are fine, which is where you would expect blisters to form if her heel was slipping. I think the friction is simply being produced from her ankle flexing slightly during touring? Any ideas on how to prevent this? Anyone have issues like this before and figured out how to stop it from happening? Also she rides 32 TM2 double boas on her solid board with no issues, so the problem occurs only during touring. Her boots are sized properly and they have been heat molded.

She uses Darn Tough Function 5 snowboard socks - Darn tough Function 5 socks

This is where she is getting the blisters since it's hard to explain where they are forming. This is the inside of her heel.


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## toaster (Jun 12, 2021)

As a former Outward Bound instructor I've seen TONS of blister issues from new boots, or boots that don't fit properly. The best solution I've come across is to cover the sensitive area with a patch of moleskin, then add a layer of duct tape over that. If there's an existing blister or open wound, cut the moleskin in the shape of a doughnut, then cover the entire thing with duct tape. The smooth surface on the duct tape reduces friction between the patch, sock and boot.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Perhaps try wearing a very thin hiking nylon liner and then a pair very thin smart wool snowboarding socks....so the rubbing occurs between the sock layers and not the sock and skin.


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## mark84 (Mar 10, 2019)

Had the same issue with Burton synthetic socks last season. I switched to smartwool phd socks and don`t get blisters since.


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## Etienne (Apr 2, 2021)

I've had blisters in all kind of shoes, snowboard boots and socks… but also didn't have them while touring for hours and hours or running medium/long trail races. So there is a solution, that's the good news.

I think the most important part is the sock. If it doesn't move, it will protect you against everything. My snowboard boots have grown a bit to large and slightly move in them, especially uphill. Yet I don't have blisters while touring (while I sometimes did when riding inbound in the past) and I really feel it's just because I have the right socks. I use Stance and PHD merino ones for snowboarding and icebreakers and Norona for trail running (when I wear some).

Then it could be the boot itself. I had some hiking shoes that would just destroy my feet no matter what, while I could run 5 times longer in my trail running ones. A bit of physio tape did the trick, but really changing the shoes was the solution in the end.


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## GregT943 (Apr 1, 2019)

Turns out it was the liner for that year TM2 that is the issue. We took them to our local shop and he said he had the same problem with his own TM2s that year and has had a lot of customers come in with the same issue. Apparently the J bars in the liners for that year are really hard and tight and rub right in that area. He said there was basically nothing he could do, he has tried everything and he was never able to get them to work. Just sticking my hand in my Jones TM2s and my TM2 double boa boots and I can feel the difference. Hers are really tight and hard compared to the J bars in my liners. Too bad we go on a trip in 10 days and thirty two basically have zero customer service and I have zero chance of getting a new set of liners from them before the trip.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

GregT943 said:


> Turns out it was the liner for that year TM2 that is the issue. We took them to our local shop and he said he had the same problem with his own TM2s that year and has had a lot of customers come in with the same issue. Apparently the J bars in the liners for that year are really hard and tight and rub right in that area. He said there was basically nothing he could do, he has tried everything and he was never able to get them to work. Just sticking my hand in my Jones TM2s and my TM2 double boa boots and I can feel the difference. Hers are really tight and hard compared to the J bars in my liners. Too bad we go on a trip in 10 days and thirty two basically have zero customer service and I have zero chance of getting a new set of liners from them before the trip.


I'd just take a dremel and grind off a tad where the j bars pressure. either do it from inside the liner or the exterior of the liner. You could see if you could get some new intituition liners or use some old liners. I personally use my old liners in my newer 32 boot shells thus instant comfort.


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## GregT943 (Apr 1, 2019)

wrathfuldeity said:


> I'd just take a dremel and grind off a tad where the j bars pressure. either do it from inside the liner or the exterior of the liner. You could see if you could get some new intituition liners or use some old liners. I personally use my old liners in my newer 32 boot shells thus instant comfort.


I dont know why I didn't think of this. She could just simply take the liners out of her 32 TM2 double boas and simply put them into the XLT shells. Hopefully her blisters will heal enough by this weekend and we can try this simple fix


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

GregT943 said:


> I dont know why I didn't think of this. She could just simply take the liners out of her 32 TM2 double boas and simply put them into the XLT shells. Hopefully her blisters will heal enough by this weekend and we can try this simple fix


Methinks, it might be due to touring verses riding...thus suspect it's the slight movement during touring. I would try the above noted hiking liner with the thin phd merino sock...so if there is slight movement it is between the liner and merino sock. AND use her old 32 liners. I think it's really hard to eliminate all movement of the foot during touring and would be uncomfortable. In fact, for me, using the liner and merino sock...and keeping my foot a tad loose in my AT boot is the ticket for comfort during touring.

For fast healing scrapes/blisters and such I use the following. I first do a spray of silver colloidal solution then smear on some RAW buckwheat honey...similar to manuka but cheaper if you can find it. And then cover with a paste of pascalite healing clay and cover with a bigger bandaid…change x1/day and soak off the old clay and honey with warm water and re dress. I'm not a doc/rn nor any kind of medical person but know that wound care specialist sometimes use this thing call "med honey". It's just what I found works for me and can get things going in the right direction within 2-3 days.


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## suntaimatty (May 23, 2021)

I've used KT tape for hiking with 100% positive results


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## John.smith (6 mo ago)

I currently have a lace 2020 thirty two tm2 and I can bouch that the firm j bar has caused me blisters, i got them on sale this year and it destroyed my right inside heel. I have had 4 days of riding in them and they are breaking in but the j bar in my right boot keeps rubbing in the same spot as your girlfriend.
The red stuff is betadine antiseptic lotion.


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## carien (19 h ago)

GregT943 said:


> Turns out it was the liner for that year TM2 that is the issue. We took them to our local shop and he said he had the same problem with his own TM2s that year and has had a lot of customers come in with the same issue. Apparently the J bars in the liners for that year are really hard and tight and rub right in that area. He said there was basically nothing he could do, he has tried everything and he was never able to get them to work. Just sticking my hand in my Jones TM2s and my TM2 double boa boots and I can feel the difference. Hers are really tight and hard compared to the J bars in my liners. Too bad we go on a trip in 10 days and thirty two basically have zero customer service and I have zero chance of getting a new set of liners from them before the trip.


 Hi, From which year were her shoes? I have the same problem with my TM2’s..


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## GregT943 (Apr 1, 2019)

carien said:


> Hi, From which year were her shoes? I have the same problem with my TM2’s..


They were the 20/21 TM2's I believe. There was no making those TM2 work. She ended up switching to Vans boots and loved those. I don't remember which Vans model she switched to but they are either the Hana Beaman or Luna Ventana signature boots.


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