The Game is a Foot

Humans are bilaterally symmetrical bipeds. As such, we're designed to spend a lot of time on our feet. Unfortunately, Americans generally don't do enough of this. Both extremes of these circumstances can lead to a variety of health issues, specifically foot problems. Thankfully, in addition to balancing our activity levels, we also live in a time where a number of products are available to help maintain foot health.

Keep Your Feet Clean & Dry

I keep packets of baby wipes in my car, as well as my toiletry kit for travel. These can be used to clean any part of my body, not just my feet. A similar product called Dude Wipes is also available.

https://amzn.to/40rxJYA

When our feet are wet, they are more susceptible to fungal growth (such as athlete's foot) as well as abrasion injuries, so keeping them dry is in our best interests. Microfiber towels are remarkably absorbent, and have a variety of other uses aside from their drying power.

https://amzn.to/4hafoF9

Talcum powder is a finely ground and extremely soft mineral that absorbs both moisture and (to some degree) odors. It can be applied directly to the feet (especially between the toes) and sprinkled inside shoes to help keep our feet dry. Many types of commercially available talc-free powders are blended with anti-bacterial medications as well.

Wear a Clean Pair of Wool Socks

For colder weather, or situations where we might not be able to change them regularly, merino wool (or other wicking material) socks are recommended. For those with circulatory issues, compression socks can help reduce blood pooling in our feet, a condition that can lead to increased mobility issues, neuropathy, and foot pain. Spare socks should always be part of our Bug-Out, Get-Home, or any other travel supplies.

Protect Against Injuries

A good pair of insoles will cushion our feet against shocks while simultaneously supporting our arches. Regardless of the type purchased, they should be replaced every three to six months.

https://amzn.to/4h89m7P

If we do suffer an abrasion injury to our feet (whether due to poor fitting shoes, moisture, or some other cause) it needs to be dealt with quickly so as not to become debilitating. A product called Moleskin is available, both as adhesive sheets and as little donuts for use on blisters.

https://amzn.to/40uoPsn

Finally, keeping our toenails trimmed is important for comfort as well as health. When wearing closed toe shoes, long toenails can impinge against the shoe, frequently leading to pain on even a relatively short walk. Bacteria can also find a cozy home under untrimmed nails.

https://amzn.to/4h7KI78

For those with other health related foot problems, such as diabetes, please seek out the care of a licensed podiatrist.

Foot Note

While not everyone is able to toe the line, this is a subject that touches our sole.

Follow-Up Reports

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Herein is an assortment of further information on topics I've discussed earlier. 

Rockpals Freeman 600

I am pleased to report that using this as an uninterruptible power supply for my CPAP works perfectly. Last month our neighborhood lost power from early morning until about 1 pm, and I didn't experience a change in performance as the Freeman 600 switched from pass-through charging to onboard battery. I am very happy with how this system operates, so unless there are hidden issues with the unit which only crop up after months or years, I consider this experiment a resounding success and recommend the Freeman 600 for all my CPAP-using brethren. 

I haven't yet tested the recharging speed/capabilities of the solar panels. That's on my list of "Things I want to do but first need to find the time to do them."

Foot Care/Bunion Prevention

The Caretras Bunion Splint is doing its job of pulling my toe back into alignment while I work at my desk or watch television. However, the velcro doesn't hold as tightly as it once used to do, despite having been laundered and the hooks free of any lint. However, I have achieved a workaround with something I ordered for a different problem. 

https://amzn.to/3Uqecl3

This 20-piece set of velcro ties for cable management works a treat for keeping the splint on my foot. The smallest (8" long) wraps around my big toe, and the next smallest (12" long) secures the brace around my instep. I have plenty of each, so if these start to fail I can just use the others, and I still have straps left over to secure the cables I wanted gathered up.

On a related note, I have discovered that wearing these gel toe separators while going for walks or running errands is a useful preventative measure. While they don't prevent my toe from cramping, they reduce the intensity of the discomfort and the time required in the splint to correct it. 

https://amzn.to/3unxnRT

Lock Laces

Back in 2018 I mentioned using Hickies-brand no-tie shoelaces for my daily shoe and boot usage. As it turns out, while version 2.0 is more durable than version 1.0, they do still experience material fatigue and failure from repeated use. 

However, I have found something better! Lock Laces are a single strand of elastic cord with a spring-loaded lock to gather them tightly into place. This keeps them securely attached to my feet, but with enough "give" that I am able to quickly slip them on and off as needed. 

https://amzn.to/3VsINzZ

There is even a heavy-duty boot version. 

https://amzn.to/3FppIck

I have been using Lock Laces for almost a year now and they continue to stretch and return to form. While I am certain the elastic will eventually fail, they have stood up to daily wear & tear and I am impressed with their durability and performance. I recommend them to anyone who wants to be able to save time putting on or taking off their footwear. 

That's all for now, but I will update you on any changes. 

Bug Out Foot Care

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Ever since adolescence I've had an annoying tendency to roll my ankle, and recently my right big toe has been acting in an uncomfortable bunion-like manner. While painful, neither of these conditions are debilitating... at home. In an emergency situation, though, either of these could slow me down enough that it could mean the difference between being rescued and being stranded. I have added the following items to my Get Home Bag in order to prevent just such a thing happening. 

Elastic Ankle Brace

https://amzn.to/3K4UNCI

This is my solution to a rolled ankle. It's breathable, doesn't slip, gives a comfortable amount of snug support, and I can even walk with it on.

Yes, I could probably achieve the same effect with an Ace Bandage, but this is faster and easier to put on, and much easier to adjust than an Ace -- and besides, this allows me to save my Ace for something else. At $6.64, it's also cheaper than an Ace. 

Pair it with a SAM Splint and you have a handy solution to a host of ankle injuries. I have two, one for each ankle, just in case. 

Bunion Splint

https://amzn.to/3whstHI

While it's possible to walk with these on, given that it effectively immobilizes the big toe by splinting it along the side of the foot, such movement is awkward at best. Hobbling between rooms of my house is one thing, but I wouldn't want -- nor do I think I would be able -- to hike with it. 

Fortunately for me, I don't have to. I've caught my bunion in time, so it's neither particularly bad nor does it hurt all the time; instead, it mainly flares up when I've been wearing shoes with a narrow toebox, and a few hours with the bunion corrector on serves to drag my to back into alignment. In a bug out or get home emergency, I would put this on only right before bed, and I'd sleep with it on to get maximum effect from it before taking it off in the morning. 

Other Footcare Items

While the above are for my specific foot problems, there are some preps which everyone should have in their GHB and BOB:

• Wool socks, because wool traps heat even when wet. 
• Gold Bond Powder, to help keep your feet (and other body parts) dry and prevent chafing. 
• Terbinafine Hydrochloride 1%, to treat athlete's foot in case your feet were wet for too long. 
• An Adventure Medical blister relief kit to prevent hotspots from becoming blisters and to treat those which do.  

Take care of your feet now, and they'll take care of you when you need them most. 

Walking It Off And On

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

I have never had a job that was behind a desk, or one that allowed me to sit for long periods of time. I've always been standing, walking or moving to do my job. Now is no different, and staying comfortable is important.

How Important?

So important that the National Safety Council published several reports on workplace injuries that show fatigue is a major factor in injuries and deaths on the job. 

Now, I am not driving a big rig, flying planes or operating complicated equipment, but I am doing work that could seriously injure myself or others if I'm not careful. That's why I want to be tired at the end of my day, but not even close to exhausted.

I walk somewhere between 3-5 miles a day for my work. That is a lot of walking, but it doesn't really help me be or stay fit, since I don't get in any sustained walking. It certainly wears me and my shoes down though, much faster than I'd like, and the shoes in particular are a problem. I have very wide feet (EE or EEE, depending on the brand) with very high arches. Complicate things with a bad Achilles tendon, and this combination makes finding shoes that fit difficult and usually expensive. 

I've gotten around this in the past by finding inexpensive boots that come in wide widths, only for the brands to drop the style I need. Lately, though, even the brands I've bought have had their quality go down to the point where I'm not getting a year's wear before the boots fall apart. Relating my problem with shoes elsewhere brought a comment that perfectly illustrates my problem:

“The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.

Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.

But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.

This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness.”   

― Terry Pratchett, Men At Arms

I am in a position (finally!) to buy the proverbial $50 boots this year, which I did. After shopping around and looking at and trying on several different brands, I found what fits me the best are shoes from Red Wing. Not only do they offer wide widths, there are multiple options for inserts to give me the arch support to keep my feet from hurting at the end of the day. No joke: it took a good 45 minutes to swap shoes and inserts to arrive at what fit me the best.

Red Wing #8336

https://tinyurl.com/3k4cnhcj

Stay fast, cool and comfortable on your feet in these lightweight, light-duty soft toe shoes with abrasion resistant mesh upper, plus electrical hazard protection. CrossBreeze technology surrounds the foot with an instant cooling effect. Underneath, the Vibram SpeedSole delivers best-in-class slip and abrasion resistance.

I have worn these shoes for two months now, and while they are not a work boot nor have steel toes (which, fortunately, aren't a requirement for my job), there is more than enough support to keep my feet comfy. When I told my co-workers about these, one of them said "Hey, my sister is the district manager for Red Wing! I should check them out and see if there's a discount I can get!" 

This shoe also isn't waterproof or even water resistant. This isn't a big problem for me, since in the worst case I'm less than half a day's walk home, and as long as I'm moving wet feet have never bothered me as long as I have wool socks. With California's drought conditions, the chances of me walking home with wet feet are slim!

I know there are fans of other work shoes and boots, especially currently serving and former military friends who have their favorites (Danner) that I would really like to try on; my problem is no one close has a big selection to allow me do that, and I really do need to try before I buy. I also know I am able to order direct from Danner but I really, really hate the whole buy-and-return complication of online ordering. So while I certainly have nothing against another popular, well-respected and friend-referred brand, I had to use what was close.

Recap and Takeaway

• I am finally able to shop smart. Not only for shoes, but other parts of my prepping supplies.
• Sorry, there is no Amazon link for these shoes, and they are a bit more expensive than Capt. Vimes' boots, but they are worth it.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

You and Your Feet (Again)

Seven and a half years ago I wrote a post about taking care of your feet. Nothing has changed in that time; you're still likely to be relying on your feet for transportation after TSHTF. 

Back then, I wrote about a friend who had a minor wound on his foot get seriously infected. That wound is still a problem today. More recently, I've been working with a homeless vet for the last two weeks, trying to get him into a job and a place to live. He's living in conditions that most of us wouldn't have a clue about how to handle: no car, no income, nowhere to sleep, living hand-to-mouth off of the kindness of strangers. 

We get a few panhandlers at our local truck stop, but this guy wasn't begging, just looking for a way out of his crappy situation, so I'm doing what I can to give him a hand up rather than a handout. I have a good line on a job and am trying to arrange an interview with a place that has temporary housing for employees.

I gave him a tent and sleeping bag, and got him set up in a nearby park that charges $5 a night for tents. This gives him access to running water and bathrooms, and he now has a place to sleep where he can stretch out rather than trying to sleep in a chair at the truck stop. 

One of the problems he ran into was his feet. Being in a public place, he wasn't able to take off his boots for most of two weeks. He didn't have a change of socks or extra shoes, and bathing was limited to a sponge bath in the restroom sink. I got him a collection of toiletries so he could clean up at the park, along with some clean clothes and socks, but he'd already done some damage to his feet: edema (swelling due to fluid retention) of his lower legs was pretty bad, but being able to sleep laying down was reducing it. 

Today he contacted me to let me know his feet were getting worse. He took off his socks and found that flies had laid eggs in the open sores while he slept. That's right, he had maggots living in the skin of his feet. Maggots only eat dead flesh, so he was on his way to developing a serious infection that could cost him a foot. I made a few calls and got him a ride to the hospital, where the Emergency Room folks will get him patched up for free (it's a small, church-based hospital), but I'm out of town for work all week and can't check on him until Friday. I'll write an update this weekend after I get a chance to get more details, but it's looking like he'll be unable to work for a few weeks. 

Taking care of your feet is not optional. Read the post from the past for details, but you need to keep your feet in good shape if you want to be able to move without crutches or a wheelchair. Clean and dry feet are the main goals, with attention to blisters and treatment as soon as possible. Without access to modern medicine, failure to care for your feet will kill you as surely as catching a bullet.

Portyanki

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Despite what it sounds like, a portyanki isn't a monster from Dungeons & Dragons. It's actually the Russian name for "foot wrappings", and they were commonly used by the armies of many nations through the 20th century in lieu of socks.* In fact, the Russian army wore portyanki up until 2013!

A portyanka (that's the singular term) is simply a piece of cloth -- ideally rectangular and roughly 3 feet long by 1.3 feet wide, but square and triangular cloths will also work -- that is wrapped around a foot like a bandage and tied into place. It acts like a sock to cushion and insulate the foot, wicking away sweat and protecting against blisters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footwraps#/media/File:FootClothFromFinnishDefenceForces.JPG

Benefits
At this point, you're probably wondering why I suggest you learn to tie cloths around your feet when you have perfectly good socks. While socks are clearly the superior technology, there are several good reasons for knowing how to wrap your feet:

Portyanki are Easy to Make 

You might find yourself barefoot during a disaster, or your socks might become damaged or lost in a long-term SHTF scenario. Socks can be difficult to replace or repair in that situation, but portyanki can be scrounged from fabric like sheets, pillowcases, t-shirts, and the like, and they will fit any size foot. 

Portyanki can be Re-wrapped 

Socks with holes in them aren't very good, but since portyanki are wrapped, a hole isn't that big of a deal; just turn the cloth over and re-wrap it to cover the hole. 

Wet socks aren't pleasant, either. If you're wearing long enough portyanki (this is why I said the rectangular ones are better), you can take them off and re-wrap them so that the part which was wrapped around your shin (and are hopefully dry) can go around your foot, and the wet portion is now on the outside and higher on your leg where it can dry. 

Portyanki are Easy to Clean
Speaking of drying, because they are single pieces of cloth which lie flat, portyanki dry quickly in the air. Since the cloth is thinner than most socks, they are also easier to clean -- in fact, the standard Russian manner of cleaning portyanki was to boil them!

Portyanki are Disposable
Easy come, easy go. You didn't put a lot of effort into making them, so when they're worn and threadbare, you can throw them away without regret.

Drawbacks
Despite all these advantages, there are areas in which portyanki fall short.

Portyanki are Slow to Put On
Socks are easily and quickly pulled on, but portyanki must be tied in a specific manner. It is possible to put them on quickly -- Russian soldiers were held to a standard of getting dressed in 45 seconds -- but that requires practice.

Portyanki Must be Tied Properly
Improperly tied portyanki will result in painful blisters! Make sure that all folds and wrinkles are smoothed out as part of the tying process.

Summer vs Winter
Summer portyanki can be made out of cotton (and if you're scrounging them, that's probably the material you'll use). Winter portanki were traditionally made out of flannel, although wool would be best.

Tying Your Socks

So how do you properly tie your portyanki? I'll provide you with a step-by-step procedure, but the easiest way to teach you is for you to see the process yourself. I've provided several videos of the process from different angles, in case a certain step isn't clear. If you only watch one of them, watch the first one.

1. Place your foot on the portyanki such that most of the material is on the same side as your big toe. (We will call this the inside.)
2. Leave approximately one foot-width of material on the same side as your little toe. (We will call this the outside.)
3. Some people like to have their feet parallel to the sides; others place theirs at an angle, with their heel near the corner. Experiment to find which style works best for you. 
4. Take the outside edge corner and wrap it over your toes, tucking it under the ball of your foot. Smooth out any wrinkles. 
5. Take the inside edge and wrap it over your entire foot and ankle, smoothing out any wrinkles. Make sure that the cloth stays taut around your heel and ankle.
6. Continue the wrapping motion and go under your foot, stepping down again once the material is smoothly wrapped. 
7. Grasp both corners of the inside wrap and cross it, so that the front corner is in the back and the back corner is in the front. 
8. Wrap this portion around the upper ankle and shin. You will have one corner pointing up your leg and another behind your leg. 
9. Take the corner behind your leg and wrap it around to the front, tucking the loose end into the wrap you've made. 
10. Tuck the final corner down into the wrap. 

Congratulations, you've tied your first portyanka! Now you get to do it again for your other foot!

https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/8125/how-to-put-on-footwraps-correctly

*  Prior to the 20th century, socks were considered luxury items that were only given to officers.

The Comfort of Wool

Cold weather has arrived a bit early this year, so I've had to break open the tubs of warm clothing before Thanksgiving. Most years I can get by working outside in November wearing insulated underwear under my jeans and a few more layers on the top half of my body, but not this year. Snow on the ground before Halloween isn't a good sign around here, we're in for a long winter.

I realize that some of you are laughing at me right now, since you live in areas that rarely see snow or temps below 40°F. That's fine; laugh all you want as you're slapping mosquitoes in December. I've lived in a lot of different climates, and know that even in the desert it get cold at night, so I try to plan ahead for cold weather or having to live without heat. The camping trips and other overnight stays in the great outdoors have instilled in me a sense of appreciation for warm clothes. If you ever travel at night in the winter, you should at least have warm clothes in your vehicle bag.

There is an old saying about winter clothing: “cotton kills.” It's based on the fact that cotton loses its insulating value if it gets wet. Sweating in cotton long-johns is a good way to learn about hypothermia, so it's best to avoid either sweating or cotton. Most of my insulated underwear is cotton, but I have learned how to adjust my clothing to avoid sweating in it.

The whole concept of dressing in layers is designed to allow you to remove clothes as you start to warm up, and it's always better to be a bit chilly than to start sweating in winter. The sweet spot is between shivering and sweating, and it varies from person to person. I'm one of the people with single-digit body fat so I don't have a lot of natural insulation, I have to buy my warmth instead.

• Silk is a fair insulator, and I do own a few undershirts and socks made of it. Pleasant on the skin, but expensive and very touchy to wash/dry. Silk socks don't work very well in boots because they're too “slick” and tend to slide around my feet as I walk. Since I don't want to deal with the hassles of wearing garters, I avoid silk socks now.
• Modern fibers like polypropylene (PP) don't absorb moisture and will retain more of their insulating value than cotton when wet, but they aren't as comfortable to wear as a natural fiber. I have PP long-johns, but they're stiff fibers and tend to be more irritating to the skin than natural fibers. 
• Polyester (PE) is one to avoid, since it doesn't “breathe” very well and will trap moisture next to your skin, making you feel clammy and cold.
• Nylon is a tricky one. There are so many different ways to spin nylon into a yarn that it's hard to know how it's going to treat your feet. Basic nylon dress socks are horrible; they don't breathe worth a darn and will trap moisture inside your footwear. Some of the “fluffier” nylon yarns that I've seen fall between the PE and PP fibers for insulation value.
• For basic winter socks, I prefer wool. I've had wool socks last for up to four years of daily wear when properly cared for (the Army used to issue only wool socks, and I wish I had a good source for them now). They're expensive and need to be washed with care, but they breathe enough to allow sweat out and will retain their insulating value even when wet. I've inadvertently tested this several times over the years, by having a foot break through a thin layer of ice and ending up knee-deep in water. You extract your foot, pour the water out of your boot, wring out your socks, and put them back on. While not exactly pleasant, a wet wool sock will keep your foot warm. Cotton and cheap plastic socks need to be dried before putting them back on or you'll lose more heat from your feet than if you went without socks. Wool also has the advantage of being a lot easier to dry with unconventional heat sources; plastic fibers are prone to melting before they get dry near a campfire, while wool and cotton will be completely dry before they start to burn.

This post came about because I haven't had time to do much laundry lately and I ran out of wool socks, so I dug down to the bottom of my cold-weather tubs and found some “insulated” socks that were received as a gift a few years ago. They were cheap and mostly polyester, so while they were abundantly thick and warm for a few hours, by noon I had to change them out because they were wet from the moisture they had trapped inside my boots. The 16 hour days meant that I had to change socks twice during the day and that just meant more laundry to do when I got home. I think those socks are going to be relegated to the rag bin when they come out of the dryer. 

Miscellaneous Updates

Since this is my 201^st article on this blog, I'm going to update a few of my previous posts.

Emergency Ration Bars

I wrote a few reviews of some emergencyration bars that I found on Amazon this last summer. I recently had a reason to break a few of them out and eat them and found a few more data points:

• Below 40°F or so, both the Quake Kare ER Bar and SOSFood Lab bars became hard as rocks. I'm not sure if it is the palm oil or some other ingredient, but I found that I had to carry them in a pocket next to my body for a while to warm them up enough to be able to bite a chuck off. 
• Opaque packaging is good for storage (it keeps the light from breaking down certain chemicals), but bad for customer quality assurance. I got one 3-day bar that had been in the oven a bit too long and was almost burnt. It was enough to change the taste, but fortunately not bad enough to make it inedible. 
• Part of the US Coast Guard certification for emergency rations requires that at least 25% of the rations have to be mixable with water. This is to provide a source of food for infants or someone who can't open their mouth due to injury. I ground up a “meal's” worth of one of the bars and made a gruel out of it to test. The taste was the same and while it wouldn't go through a straw, I could eat it with a spoon without problems. 

Vehicle Recovery

In part 2 of my series, I covered various chains, cables, and straps for towing a vehicle. My pickup recently decided that it needed a new starter (with no warning) while I was in a gas station, so I had to go home and get the big truck to drag the miscreant home so I could work on it.

I kept a nylon tow strap in the pickup and a good chain in the big truck. The helper who was steering my pickup while I drove the big truck managed to break both of them. I had to improvise and use a heavy tie-down strap to make it the last half mile.

• The tow strap met its end when it went slack and the towed pickup's front tire ran over it. This has been eliminated for future towing by the purchase of a spring-loaded tow strap that will not go slack and hit the ground. I'm sure that I'll get a chance to use it some time this winter. 
• The chain snapped when my helper stomped on the brakes. Since the big truck weighs a little more than twice what the pickup does, the pickup's brakes weren't going to stop both vehicles. This can only be prevented by further training of my helper (or finding a different helper). As I mentioned in the original article, chain is easy to repair once you have the time and tools. 

Blisters

I discussed how to prevent blisters on your feet a few years ago and recommended that you learn how to treat them, but I never got around to giving the simple treatment. Fall is convention time around here and I've had to teach a few friends how to take care of blisters caused by costume shoes that don't quite fit right. 

Blisters don't just happen to your feet, either. One of my newer co-workers has limited experience with a shovel and hasn't learned that gloves are good things to wear. His first two weeks were painful, but he's starting to develop some calluses.

If you do end up getting a blister, they're not hard to take care of properly. Small blisters will heal themselves if you leave them alone, but the bigger ones will need to be drained to make walking or using your hands possible again. Here's how it's done:

1. Leave the skin covering the blister intact. Don't tear off the loose skin, it's best to leave it there to protect the flesh underneath. 
2. Clean the blister with soap and water. Antibacterial soap or hand sanitizer is best if you have them around. 
3. Find a sharp needle or pin (I've used fish hooks when that's all I had) and sterilize it with hand sanitizer or alcohol. Don't use a flame unless it is your only option, you run the risk of getting soot on the needle and into the blister. 
4. Puncture the blister in several places along the edge where the loose skin meets the good skin. If you feel pain, you're digging into the good skin. 
5. Lightly press on the blister to squeeze out the liquid. Blot it dry with gauze or clean cloth. 
6. Apply a layer of antibacterial ointment (if you have it) to the blister. 
7. Cover the blister with a non-stick bandage. Change the bandage at least once a day until the flesh under the blister has hardened and dried into new skin. 

I'm hoping I can get at least another 199 articles in the next few years, just to make my total a nice even 400. That will also mean that nothing drastic has happened, and that's always a good thing to hope for.

Gun Blog Variety Podcast #144 - The Gross

"A dozen, a gross, and a score,
Plus three times the square root of four
Divided by seven
Plus five times eleven
Is nine squared and not a bit more."
-- Leigh Mercer, wordplay master and recreational mathematician (1948)

• Do you get Holster Funk? Beth tells you how to avoid it while carrying in the hot, humid South.
• Sell stolen guns and hold people at gunpoint? Momma might have something to say about that. Who got shot? Sean takes a closer look.
• Barron is on assignment this week.
• They say “Choose your friends well, for your enemies will choose you.” Miguel shines a bright light on those who have chosen us, and what he sees will shock you.
• In the Main Topic we welcome Special Guest Gail Pepin of the Massad Ayoob Group and the Pro Arms Podcast.
• How do you answer when people ask you "Just how many guns do you really need?" Two-Gun Tiffany gives us her answer.
• After last week's fungal infection segment, Erin follows up with some creams and ointments that every prepper should have.
• A State legislator opens a stand to sell lemonade, cookies... and an AK-47, because he objects to citizens selling their property without government permission. Weer'd points and laughs.
• And our plug of the week is for Carolina Ceramic Coatings.

Thank you for downloading, listening, and subscribing. You are subscribed, right? We are available on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and Google Play Music!

Listen to the podcast here.

Read the show notes here.

Thanks to LuckyGunner and Remington for their sponsorship, and a special thanks to Firearms Policy Coalition for their support.

Blue Collar Prepping Transcript:

Useful Creams and Ointments

Last week’s segment about athlete’s foot was unexpectedly popular! I received many replies about it, specifically in terms of home remedies. More than one listener reported that urinating on their feet in the shower cured their athlete’s foot. Other popular suggestions were soaking the feet in vinegar, or a 50/50 solution of tea tree oil and water, or my personal favorite because it didn’t require expensive components, "one tablespoon bleach to a half gallon of warm water for 15 minutes. Then rubbing the feet with olive oil after drying." I’m going to have to try that last one.

Also, I want to give a shout-out to listener Steven Bonaparte, who asked me if I meant Gold Bond medicated body powder, or if there was a special non-medicated version I was talking about. The answer of course is “I screwed up; I meant medicated. There is however an extra-strength version if you want that -- although not in handy travel size -- but there is no non-medicated version. Sorry! I derped!”

So on to today’s topic. I’ve already talked about how necessary it is to have body powder and antifungal cream in a bug out or get home bag, but there are other creams and ointments and deserve a place in your kit. Since we’re already talking about itchy feet, the logical place to begin is with an anti-itch cream. I like Cortisone-10 Maximum Strength, because it tames the itch of my athlete’s foot when the antifungal isn’t enough, but any 1% hydrocortisone cream will do. You can find it in any supermarket or drug store for around $5.

Itching isn’t the only kind of pain out there, and you really don’t want wounds to get infected in an emergency, so you’ll also want a combination pain relief and antibiotic ointment. I really like Neosporin with pain relief, which you can get for around $7 at any supermarket, but the words you’re looking for are “triple antibiotic” and “pain relief.” I know from personal experience that this works on things like rashes and sun burns.

But what if you have pain in the mouth? Not to worry, any 20% Benzocaine oral pain reliever will work. Not only will it soothe cold sores and fever blisters, but it will also help if you have a pain in your tooth and you can’t make it to the dentist immediately. A half ounce tube costs around $6, and you can get it from any supermarket. Sensing a pattern here?

Speaking of cold sores - soothing the pain is great, but when you get an outbreak, those little bastards will just NOT go away. I’ve found that the best way to get rid of them is to use Herpecin L, which not only removes the discomfort but also speeds the healing. It also serves as 30 SPF sunblock. A tube costs around $4 and you can get it in the medicine aisle.

All right, you’re all set for skin pain, but what about deep muscle and joint pain? Get your cheap jokes ready because I’m about to recommend BEN GAY. Yes, it’s stinky, and yes, it has a silly name, but when you’ve got an ache deep inside you, nothing hits the spot like Ultra Strength Ben Gay and the pleasant burn that hurts so good. There are probably other good pain relievers out there, but I just like saying BEN GAY. A 4-ounce tube costs $6 and, again, can be found at the supermarket.

Finally, keep an eye on your medications, especially if you keep them in the car where it’s hot. When they reach their expiration date, don’t throw them away; just cycle them out of your bug out or get home bag and put them in the medicine cabinet where they will be used soon. Medicines within a year or two of their expiration date aren’t bad; they’re just less effective. So keep the effective stuff in your kit for an emergency!

• Gold Bond Medicated Body Powder, Extra Strength - http://amzn.to/2qxR5L9
• Cortizone-10 Maximum Strength - http://amzn.to/2pYiR02
• Oral Analgesic Gel Maximum Strength 20% Benzocaine .42oz - http://amzn.to/2qWUdRB
• Herpecin-L Lip Balm Stick, 30 SPF - http://amzn.to/2q1dw7m
• Ultra Strength Bengay Cream - http://amzn.to/2rwrteU