Blister Assister Launches Anti-Blister Stick

Arguably the number one enemy of walkers everywhere, the common or garden blister stalks the outside with predatory intent, striking down those with ill-fitting boots, gnarly matted socks or simply sweaty, softened feet.

The best solution is, obviously, cool, dry feet, good quality socks and well-fitting, breathable boots with no hot-spots. Sometimes though, even that's not enough, which is why Compeed has come up with the Anti-Blister Stick. The brand's best known for its second skin blister plaster system, so the new product's a logical extension.

Looking like a miniature anti-perspirant stick, you simply smooth the vegetable oil based ointment over blister prone areas of your delicate footsies and go walk. The prinicple seems to be the same as that used by runners when they smear vaseline on their feet, but the Compeed stuff is a little less greasy and smell quite pleasant into the bargain.

By reducing friction, it should lessen the tendency to blister and, according to Compeed, in tests involving 200 guinea pigs - human ones as real guinea pigs don't blister - it stopped blisters and chaffing in nine out of ten people.

As the boot-hardened OM test feet aren't really blister prone, it's hard for us to say whether it works, but there's a definite lessening of friction without any obtrusive mess or greasiness, so it has to be worth a try. The stick applicator also means you don't get vaseline all over your fingers which is always nasty if you're off scrambling or climbing.

Available from shops at a cost of around four quid, which seems an awful lot for quite a small 10-gramme stick though maybe the multiple chemicals listed as ingredients make it cleverer than simple Vaseline ... Maybe you could use it as lip salve as well?