Leukotape is a rigid athletic tape with a durable adhesive that was designed for realigning the shoulder and holding muscles in place during athletic activities. It has been adopted and adapted by many thru-hikers for foot care. The goal is to replace blister treatment with blister prevention and overall foot health; to put it simply, Leukotape is used to entirely prevent blisters. I haven't had any blisters for several years, and that's with hundreds, if not thousands, of miles thru-hiked each season.

 

Leukotape is one step in my foot care protocol which includes the careful selection of suitable hiking shoes (usually trail runners), use of a balm such as climbOn each night, and taking time each day to air out my feet during long hikes. The first step is to try to reduce the need for Leukotape; STOP and clear out your shoes and socks if you suspect a small stick or tiny piece of gravel or anything else has made its way to your foot. Friction against the layers of skin is the cause of blisters - these tiny hazards are a leading cause of this friction. Don't worry about the five minutes it will cost you to clear out your footwear as it will save you much time and suffering later on.

 

However, even if you're painstakingly cautious with detritus removal it's still possible to feel a "hotspot" forming. There are spots on everybody's feet that seem to rub against the shoe more than the rest of the foot. My left heel is the spot for me. My left foot is just slightly longer than my right. I could buy two different size shoes for my feet, but the size difference is minimal and going up a size, or half-size, might cause other problems. The difference is enough, though, that on occasional hikes I start to feel a bit of irritation on the heel. It's at that point that I stop and apply Leukotape. The tape has a strong adhesive and will stay on the foot for a couple of days and often longer. I add tincture of benzoin for additional adherence and have had the tape remain on my for five days until I manually removed it. Once the tape is on the irritation subsides and I have no more problems with the heel.

 

Leukotape can be easily prepared for ease of use and storage in your pack. There's no need to carry the entire roll with you. There are just a few simple steps to cut small pieces of Leukotape and store it on release paper. The video describes these steps.