Can You Reuse Hikers Wool? | Hikers University

As a widely-used product to prevent blisters when going on hiking or camping trips, a popular question asked by hikers and campers is: can you reuse hikers wool?

Ask anybody who has gone on a long hiking trip, and they will tell you about the many difficulties that one faces while out in the wilderness - one of which is sores and blisters on your feet from all the walking.

If your blisters have not been bleeding or contain pus, Hikers wool can be reused on other hiking trips. Hikers wool wicks away sweat and perspiration, allowing your feet to breathe by adjusting to the temperature. You can reuse hiker's wool if you wish, but only if it is clean.

Since using hikers wool is a great way to prevent blisters or relieve pressure points on your toes, it is recommended for longer hiking trips. In fact, there are many who swear by its benefits, which makes it a smart addition to your hiking gear.

As outdoor enthusiasts who frequently go on hiking and camping trips, we’re here to provide you with all of the information you need on hikers wool.

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Using Hikers Wool

Hikers wool is made entirely of lamb's wool. Hikers wool is lanolin-rich, soft, cleaned, and carefully carded to give your feet a gentle cushioning sensation. Wool's amazing ability to wick moisture and perspiration away from your feet allows them to breathe, keeping them toasty in the winter and cool in the summer.

Heat and/or friction generate blisters, which are fluid-filled sacs. Hikers fear blisters, which can make finishing a walk excruciatingly uncomfortable. Even over long distances, Hikers Wool will provide friction-free comfort, preventing blisters and suffering.

So, who can benefit from using hikers wool? In case you’re wondering, athletes, walkers, shoppers, and of course, hikers can all benefit from using hikers wool. It will also provide comfort from painful pressure points on the feet for the aged. Hikers Wool is well-known for its effectiveness in pointed shoes.

Wool for hikers and runners can also help prevent 'black toenail.' Replace the sock and footwear after applying a generous amount immediately to the tender area. You may not need to remove your sock entirely, depending on the position of your hotspot/blister. Hikers Wool will naturally bond itself to the sock during the course of the day. Hikers Wool will stay in place as long as your sock does. If necessary, you can quickly add or replace items.

How Does Hikers Wool Help?

We've all experienced weary muscles, blistering feet, or hurting joints, whether we're training for a long journey or going out on a short stroll. Injuries like this might sabotage your training efforts as you prepare for your next big adventure.

You may eventually get hot patches or blisters if you love to go on frequent hiking trips. Blisters are better avoided than cured, so if you see a hot patch on your heel, immediately stop trekking and cover it. Some individuals, such as my wife, do this before going on a trek to avoid hot places. Blisters, hot patches, black toes, and unpleasant pressure points may all be avoided using merino lamb's wool. The lanolin absorbs sweat and prevents friction, while the wool provides gentle cushioning for hard-working feet. You may also use wool after applying a dressing to reintroduce some friction control (essential) without the risk of the dressing slipping off (like it would when using a lubricant).

So long as the toes aren't too stiff, blisters on the tops of the toes would benefit as well. You will also enjoy that the toes can slide against one another without producing blisters and without adding too much bulk, such as gel toe caps or toe-socks. If the wool doesn't work and you develop a blister, you can easily switch to utilizing adhesive dressings (island dressings, plasters) to treat the blister.

Other friction-management agents, such as lubricants and powders, will slow down the adhesion of dressings, making blister treatment difficult. When you remove the wool, this won't be an issue. You can also use wool after applying a dressing to reintroduce some friction.

The problem with recycling wool is that when sweat or water is mixed with friction, the scales on the fiber open up and tangle with one other, causing the wool to feel and clump. But if you’re careful, you may also use wool after applying a dressing to reintroduce friction control without the risk of the dressing slipping off.

How to Use Hikers Wool?

Wool is classed by the diameter of its fibers, which is measured in microns. We'll be looking at wool with micron counts ranging from 19 to 37. A strand of human hair, on the other hand, is about 100 microns thick. The softer the wool, the lower the micron. Various sheep breeds produce wool of various microns.

Because there's nothing holding the wool in place, you'd expect it'd move around and wind up at the bottom of your sock or under your arch. However, this isn't always the case. Take a look at how his blister-prevention wool blends in with his wool socks. Also, see how it forms a cocoon around the toes? Remove it with care, and the cocoon will keep its shape.

Remove it with care, and the cocoon will keep its shape! Even better, watch Jim pull his socks off in the 15-second video below. Untangling and combining fibers to make a continuous sliver of wool is known as "carding." It separates any clumps of wool and aligns the individual fibers so that they are parallel to one another.

Hikers wool is not a single sliver of card with all of the fibers going in the same direction. The fibers are 'crosshatched' twice during the carding process, making the result significantly stronger. For example, placing a piece of hikers wool over the whole toe region will keep the toes from poking out.

While lambswool is warmer, Merino wool breathes better, allowing for improved core temperature management. It's used to manufacture a greater range of knitwear, and you may layer Merino wool to be better prepared for changes in weather.

If you hike, it is strongly advised you pick up a bag and try it out for yourself. It's very pleasurable to walk without getting blisters. You get 30 grams of pure, unprocessed Merino lamb wool, enough for a week-long hike or weeks of pain treatment.

Lanolin is a natural technique for Mother Nature to minimize moisture and friction. Lanolin is a naturally occurring oil found in the fleece of sheep. Perspiration and moisture are repelled by the wool, letting your feet breathe. The lanolin wicks away sweat decreases friction, and improves healing, while the wool provides gentle cushioning. Blisters, hot patches, black toes, and unpleasant pressure points are all avoided with Trekker's Wool.

It's also fantastic for healing dry heels, which may happen to anyone at any time. Simply pull a tiny strand of lambswool around the digit and gently spin one or two times. To prevent fungal skin infections or macerations between the toes, weave a longer strand of lambswool in between all five toes.

 

About THE AUTHOR

Peter Brooks

Peter Brooks

I’m a hiker, backpacker, and general outdoor enthusiast. I started hiking out of college while working for the National Forest Service, and have been hiking ever since. I’ve been solo hiking and leading hiking groups for two decades and have completed hundreds of small hikes and some majorones such as the Appalachian Train and the Pacific Crest Trail, and hiked on four continents. I’d love to share some of my insight with you.

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