When I was new to hiking, I used to get a ton of blisters. Switching to good hiking shoes and merino wool socks helped a lot for day hikes, but I was still getting wrecked on multi-day trips. So I kept refining my setup, and now I’m happy to say I haven’t gotten a single blister in 3 years. In this video, I break down exactly what changed for me so you can replicate it on your own hikes. The biggest thing, in my opinion, is good-quality merino wool socks—because moisture is the enemy. Cheap “merino” socks tend to be stretchier, move around more, wick worse, and wear out faster, which is basically a blister recipe. I also talk about why you should try hiking shoes on in person (they should feel perfect immediately), how wet conditions can still cause blisters even with a dialed setup, and what I do to manage humidity: airing out feet on breaks, carrying at least two pairs of socks, and keeping socks clean by rinsing them every couple days. I also show my lacing technique to keep the toe box looser while locking the heel down, plus when to tape hot spots (fast), and an optional trick if you’re still struggling: liner socks under your main socks so friction happens sock-on-sock instead of sock-on-skin.