How to keep your feet healthy in the jungle
Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes….and you’ll get blisters.
I remember reading about the Glastonbury music festival that takes place in the UK over three days and being astonished to read that, during a particularly wet festival, around 100 people a day were being treated for Immersion Foot (aka trench foot). It seemed incredible to me that anyone could damage their feet so quickly, and carelessly, in what is hardly a wilderness scenario…and yet all these people did.
The fact is our feet don’t appreciate prolonged periods of being damp/cold/sweaty and can demonstrate their displeasure if we abuse them for too long by swelling up and becoming painful to walk on.
In the jungle looking after your feet is a high priority as unless you are in a group of remarkably accommodating friends who are prepared (and able) to carry you, then the only way out of the jungle is to walk out….although if there was a deep enough river you could possibly float out (but I wouldn’t bank on being able to do that!)
Swollen feet, skin deterioration, leech bites, fungal infections and blisters can all cause problems for the jungle trekker and even if you do manage to hobble out the experience is not a pleasant one. So, in the video below I look at some simple precautions you can take to ensure your feet stay in good shape. None of it is rocket science and the fact is that I have never had a problem with my feet in all the years I’ve been jungle trekking so, as long as you apply some discipline, there is no reason why you should either.
The key to keeping your feet in shape is to pamper them as soon as you set up camp and have washed yourself. Pampering them is simple: keep them clean, keep them dry, keep them warm (but not so much that they sweat) and keep them aired. I also like to put in some intensive hammock time to take the weight and strain off my feet.
As a result from say 3pm to 7am the next day (i.e. for 16 hours) my feet are treated very well and given the chance to recover for the stress of walking in wet shoes all day and ready to go again. I am careful to keep the dry socks I use in the evening bone dry and if there’s even a chance they’ll get wet (e.g. when collecting water) I take them off and leave them in the hammock.
Hi Paul.
If there is one thing that I have got from all the Ray mears jungle stuff was a pair of seal skin waterproof socks. The last time I was over I had a pair and found them better to wear at night in the hammock than during the day as they didn’t breath that well and I had sweaty feet. So using them at night I found that my foot stayed dry if I accidently got water on them or stood in a damp area. So they now only get used for my dry kit.
Hope all is good mate.
Swampy.
Hi Swampy,
Great to hear from you – how are things over there in Australia? I remember you brought in seal skin socks last time and I meant to ask you about them at the end of the trip as I’d read somewhere that they are a problem in hot, humid environments where your feet are sweating – so very useful to get your feedback here and a good point about using them in the evening (when sweating isn’t an issue but standing in a puddle can be!
Anyway, hope all well and thanks for the update,
Cheers!
Paul
Hi Paul,
Yes even here in Queensland where its not as tropical but in the summer just as hot and humid by the coast I just work with the same methods as being in the jungle. Wet and dry kit. Can never go wrong with crocs and have a lightweight pair now thats a mix of fabric top and croc sole but the down side is they take longer to dry but take up less space (fold flatter together) in the bergen. So only ware bamboo socks now in my boots and have a good foot routine in the evening Wash, dry, and powder in foo foo bag then air out in crocs with the seal skin socks in the hammock at night. Never have a problem now.
Swampy.
Hi Swampy,
Thanks again for the tips and sorry this is such a slow reply but I’ve been tied up with other stuff over here and not had the chance to do any junglecraft (or camping) for the last two months!
Funnily enough I was just replying to someone else about the idea of the talc-in-a-bag (your foo foo bag!) and I couldn’t remember what you’d called it but hopefully he’ll read you post now.
Anyway, hope all well with you and that you’re getting more camping in than I am!
Cheers!
Paul
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the video (I didnt know thoses new crocs).
I used trails shoes, but the problem is they are too long to dry for me, so I went to minimalist trails (500g for both shoes), and next time I hit the rainforest, I’ll go with kampung adidas, or barefoot.
My feet don’t manage humidty well enough not to bother…
Hi Wawa,
Many thanks for the comment and I think all of use have tried various different types of evening wear shoes …for me Crocs work the best as they are so light, dry fast and super comfortable. I also thought about taking in kampung adidas but they are really quite heavy when compared to something like Crocs. I also tried out these thin rubber over shoes (can;t remember the name) but they were no good as they didn’t ventilate at all so your feet sweat.
I wouldn’t want to risk going barefoot myself (although I’ve done it when I had too) as the problem is if you get up at night and need to go to the toilet then there is a risk of standing of something sharp (or something that bites!)…also harder to keep your feet dry if the ground is wet. But, saying that the Orang Asal often go barefoot (but the soles of their feet are like hardened leather!)
Thanks again,
Cheers!
Paul
Hey Paul, good to see. We use trekking flip flops ourselves for nights but just take one pair and share them since only one of us is outside the tent at a time. We were lucky to pick up flip flops in Philippines that have a very aggressive tread designed for steep muddy slopes, also they’re the kind of flip flops that have the extra strap that goes around the back of your Achilles’ tendon so they cannot fall off.
Hi Grayson,
Many thanks for the comment and particularly like the idea of sharing a set of footwear…on almost every trip I go on everyone carries their own stove, water filter system etc and, although it’s more convenient it does mean that we carry more weight than we would if some items were shared. Just not organised enough I guess!
When I lived in Africa (thirty years ago!) I used to wear flip flops all the time and travelled everywhere (and walked miles) in them but, for some reason, I can’t get comfortable in them anymore. It’s weird and maybe just my feet are more delicate than they were back then. Also, in Africa, I wore rubber shoes made from car tyres (with straps cut from inner tube) that were incredibly hardy but quite tough on the feet.
Anyway, thanks again for the tip.
Cheers!
Paul
Hey Paul..
I just wanted to say regarding the feet in the jungle… Take in a small plastic pot or tub with talc power…
Or even better than talc is baking soda… Baking soda will kill all kinds of existing footrot and all bacteria that can cause footrot, helps with blisters too…
It’s gonna sting a bit initially if you have an open wound or blister but no pain, no gain as they say…
Take care,
neilo
Hi Neilo.
Thanks for the comment and sorry for the slow reply but I’ve been tied up with domestic stuff for w while now and not had any time to do junglecraft stuff. Sorry.
Anyway, thanks very much for the tip about talc or baking soda and I have a friend who does the same thing using a bag that he stuffs his feet in at the end of the day (with the talc inside) and he swears by it. I don’t seem to get that sort of the problems but maybe I’m just lucky as I know others do have problems, but then again I’m also pretty religious about keeping my feet dry in the evenings too.
Thanks again,
Cheers!
Paul
Hi Paul
Interested to know which jungle boots do you use for long expedition?
Hi Andy,
Many thanks for the comment and sorry for this slow reply but it’s been very hectic over here. As for your question, to be honest the longest treks I do these days are five days max and usually 4 days/ 3 nights as it’s hard for me to get away for longer. Depending on where I’m going I’ll use the jungle boots or the mudclaw innov8 trainers (which are very light and have excellent grip).
Cheers!
Paul
Thanks, Paul. Will check Mudclaw.
HI Andy,
Mudclaw are definitely y worth a try – I like them!
Cheers!
Paul