Good day fellow LARPers! Today we’re going to talk about those much-maligned and unloved extremities, the feets. Unless you, like the subject of that vine, have lovely furry toes and hard pads of callous, your feet will require some TLC to keep them tidy and healthy while doing exercise. LARP - a hobby which often involves wearing unusual footwear, walking/running more than you might be used to in daily life, and staying on your feet for extended periods - is a recipe for bad feet.



This is the simple foot care routine I use when on military exercises; it adapts very well to outdoor LARPs. If you get into the habit of doing this every night you’re camping out, you’ll stave off most of the foot problems that you might otherwise develop.

Photo by @tomgarnett, from Empire LARP.

1. MORNING ROUTINE

Change out of your sleeping socks. If they’re dry and clean enough to sleep in again, ball them up and tuck them into your sleeping bag. If they’re wet or dirty, discard them into a laundry bag and replace them ready for the night.



Wash (a wet wipe wash is fine) and dry your feet thoroughly with a clean towel.

Take care of any blisters / cuts / wounds; refresh and discard any dressings, apply fresh antiseptic.

Dust your feet and the insides of your socks with a thin layer of talcum powder.

Don at least one pair of thin, dry, CLEAN cotton socks.

If required, don a second layer of socks (waterproof if that’s your style) - but make sure the layer nearest your foot is the thin cotton one.

2. NIGHT ROUTINE

Remove your daytime socks and discard them into the nether hells, never to be seen again. (Inner layer only - if you’re using Sealskinz over liner socks, you can usually re-wear for a few days in a row.)

Wash and dry your feet again.

Check your feet carefully for any new and existing blisters, hot spots, cuts and the like; take care of them.

If you MUST pop a blister (see below), now’s the time to do it.

Rub in some moisturiser or foot cream (I use this Body Shop foot lotion which is SO GOOD I cannot even begin to tell you how LIFECHANGEINGLY HAPPY I was when my mother-in-law sent me a bottle of this stuff in Afghanistan it is AMAZING).

Don your Arctic sleeping socks, with optional cracked handwarmer.

Photo by Oli Facey, from Falling Down.

3. HOT SPOTS, BLISTER PREVENTION AND BLISTER CARE

What’s a hot spot? A hot spot is an area where your footwear rubs against the skin of your feet and causes a mild burning sensation, possibly with redness and a bit of pain. If you allow the rubbing to continue, a hot spot is likely to develop into a blister. When you find a hot spot, take a moment to zinc tape it (see below) to prevent the blister. Common sites for hot spots are the back of the heel, the insides of the big toes and the top of the third toes.



A hot spot is an area where your footwear rubs against the skin of your feet and causes a mild burning sensation, possibly with redness and a bit of pain. If you allow the rubbing to continue, a hot spot is likely to develop into a blister. When you find a hot spot, take a moment to zinc tape it (see below) to prevent the blister. Common sites for hot spots are the back of the heel, the insides of the big toes and the top of the third toes. Zinc tape? A type of canvassy, adhesive athletic tape that sticks heavily to your skin and provides an extra layer to stop the friction from your boots causing blisters. Put a strip of zinc tape across the vulnerable parts of your feet; if you’re worried that it will rub off, secure it with perpendicular strips. Don’t use cheap Boots or pharmacy own-brand zinc tape - it’s crap and not worth the money. I use Strappal brand at 2cm thickness.

A type of canvassy, adhesive athletic tape that sticks heavily to your skin and provides an extra layer to stop the friction from your boots causing blisters. Put a strip of zinc tape across the vulnerable parts of your feet; if you’re worried that it will rub off, secure it with perpendicular strips. Don’t use cheap Boots or pharmacy own-brand zinc tape - it’s crap and not worth the money. I use Strappal brand at 2cm thickness. Toenails? Keep them as short as you possibly can, cut flat across, to help prevent black/lost toenails and skin tearing.

Keep them as short as you possibly can, cut flat across, to help prevent black/lost toenails and skin tearing. Help me LARPHacks! I’ve got a blister! - Okay, don’t panic! You’ll be fine.

- Okay, don’t panic! You’ll be fine. If the blister is still closed, apply a non-adherent dressing or some Hydrogel to cushion it, then layer zinc tape over the top. Don’t apply zinc tape directly to the blister - you’re likely to rip it off when you remove it.

apply zinc tape directly to the blister - you’re likely to rip it off when you remove it.

If the blister has burst or ruptured, then clean it and the surrounding skin as soon as possible and apply antiseptic. I prefer a dry spray antiseptic (like this one), though they can sting like fuck. Then apply a dressing. Hydrocolloid dressings are good for absorbing the weeping fluid from the blister and keeping the rest of your foot dry.

I want to pop it. In general you should aim to leave blisters intact while you’re still in the field; broken skin is an invitation to infection.

In general you should aim to leave blisters intact while you’re still in the field; broken skin is an invitation to infection. No I *really* want to pop it. However sometimes a blister is unbearably painful or in a really inconvenient place, and you’ll need to drain it.



However sometimes a blister is unbearably painful or in a really inconvenient place, and you’ll need to drain it. Prepare a clean needle or pin.



Disinfect your hands, the area around the blister, and the pin with antiseptic, soap, water, fire and holy incantations.



Carefully push the needle through the upper skin of the blister twice - in and then out again - as if you were about to pull a thread through it.



Remove the needle and allow the blister to drain gently into a sterile absorbent gauze or pad.



Apply additional antiseptic cream/gel/spray.



Apply a dressing, then cover as above.

And when I sleep? Depending on the state of your feet, you may wish to sleep with a clean, fresh set of dressings on, or give them a chance to dry out. Personally I find that I heal much faster if I let my feet dry overnight and don’t leave them dressed, but you need to be sure that your socks are clean and won’t rub anything open before you try that. Press to test - people’s bodies heal differently.

Depending on the state of your feet, you may wish to sleep with a clean, fresh set of dressings on, or give them a chance to dry out. Personally I find that I heal much faster if I let my feet dry overnight and don’t leave them dressed, but you need to be sure that your socks are clean and won’t rub anything open before you try that. Press to test - people’s bodies heal differently. What about callouses? Some people religiously file or pumice off their callouses in the belief this helps prevent blisters. Personally I only have a few callouses which are genuinely inconvenient (on the tips of my toes); the others are pain-free and don’t cause any trouble. There’s no reason not to pumice down your callouses if they are causing you issues, but you shouldn’t have to do this every night - it’s a once-a-week sort of job.

Photo by Steph Morris, from Empire LARP.

4. FOOTWEAR

Your walking-around boots should be well fitted, with good cushioned insoles that are appropriate for your gait and foot type.



If you don’t know what your gait is like (do you pronate? High arches or fallen?) then most running shops offer free gait analysis and a bit of advice about your foot type. They’re doing it to try and convince you to buy expensive trainers.



I strongly recommend Sorbothane brand insoles - I use Sorbo-Pro because I pronate badly, but I also hear good reports of the Double Strike and Full Strike models.

Your boots should be as waterproof as you can manage for the setting / costume requirements - but carefully consider your game before you decide you want Goretex lined boots (these will come with “GTX” or “Winter” in the boot name). They’re great for keeping the dew off, but if you are ever going to be immersed over the ankle, they will keep water in and stop it evaporating instead of drying out like a lighter leather boot would.

your game before you decide you want Goretex lined boots (these will come with “GTX” or “Winter” in the boot name). They’re great for keeping the dew off, but if you are ever going to be immersed over the ankle, they will keep water and stop it evaporating instead of drying out like a lighter leather boot would. If it’s leather, your footwear should be polished or dubbined every morning to keep the water out.

Your local LARP may have different standards, but my very strong opinion is that my kit ends at the ankles - I will unashamedly wear modern boots and shoes for the sake of comfort and safety, no matter how good the rest of my costume physrepping is, and thoroughly encourage others to do the same.

Photo by @tomgarnett​, from Empire LARP.

