Oh no! Sorry, LE. Poor little footsies

That's why shoes get rated “by hours” in my world. You were wearing 2-3 hour shoes for longer. That equals pain and blisters.

I guess you only really know once you’ve put shoes through their paces. And doctoring them afterwards also helps.

Angie's "hour" system is so smart and so practical. I also have shoes that are comfortable for a couple hours and short walks, but once I hit x amount of hours or longer commutes I feel the rub. I always cover the ouchy part with band-aids afterward and try not to wear shoes that touch that area... not very inventive, I know.

I also wish there was a way to truly test drive shoes but I think it's almost impossible. Sometimes you try on a shoe and you just know that it wont work... others are more suspicious. Wearing them at home for a few hours isn't a true test run either, sadly, as we all know.

I sometimes have problems with shoes rubbing my heel/achilles and I've found that padded heel strips really help.

I'm not much help but I feel your pain. :)

Oh no LE, I literally feel your pain and I know exactly what you mean. It's just impossible to tell how long shoes will stay comfortable for.

The good news is that all my blisters are long gone. They went away completely within a couple of days, so they probably will for you too. The bad news is that the place where I skinned my toe is ugly as can be and still needs to be covered at all times, but it's healing at least. Today after trying on my FL shoes, the back of my heel really hurt and I noticed a scab coming off! Apparently I had a wound there that I didn't even know about. My feet are a hot mess right now. Friday is actually going to be 65 degrees and rainy so I'm tempted to just wear nice comfy boots to my interview...after all the hassle I went through...

Bella and a few others recommended getting a friction/blister block stick which I intend to do tomorrow. I have been stubbornly resisting such a thing because it just seems absurd to me that I should even need it. Shoes should just be comfortable without all of these extreme measures. But I'm waving my white flag and accepting defeat. As long as shoes are made with no regard to their actual utilitarian purpose, shoe doctoring and foot remedies are a part of life. Hope your feet feel better, and I'll let you know how the blister block works for me.

Blister Block is your friend and mine. I have it in my bag at all times, and whenever I am breaking in new shoes for extended periods of time I use it as soon as I start to feel a little sore (and sometimes before if i know the shoes are tight or cheap).

Do you get frequent pedicures? I've noticed I'm much more blister-prone, even in my 8-hour shoes, in the days following a pedicure. Because they buff off all the tough skin!

The moleskin works great for me, so do try that first. At the drug store I found some that comes in a little dispenser, very convenient, just toss it in your purse so you always have it on hand just in case!

Woo hoo! I found Hue liners at Nordstrom Rack for half their listed price. :) Seriously, I might have to mark my shoes with my 'hour' ratings. Sigh. It would be so much easier if all my shoes could be worn in all conditions so I wouldn't have to feel like I have so many! At least they all serve a purpose!

Maya, I may copy your sandals that don't touch much of your feet! :) Free, open feet sound nice.

The poor toes are looking better. I only broke skin around my heel, and that's not bad. I found some wee little bandages i've been using, and I've used a little burn/wound salve that always helps my skin heal faster. I'll keep an eye out for the blister block and a shoe stretcher!

Shiny, I haven't gotten a pedicure in months, but I don't tend to get callouses or rough spots anyway. :-/ I did notice my feet feel more sensitive afterward I would get a pedicure, though. Thanks to all for your input!