TAMARACK HABILITATION ENGO BLISTER PREVENTION PATCHES
Richard Lyon

Tester Information

Male, 60 years old
6' 4" (1.9 m) tall, 200 lb (91 kg)
Dallas, Texas, USA
rlyon AT gibsondunn DOT com
Shoe size: Depending on brand and model, between 11½ and 13

I've been backpacking for 45 years on and off, and regularly in the Rockies since 1986.  I do a weeklong trip every summer, and often take three-day trips.  I'm usually camping in alpine terrain, at altitudes 5000 to 13000 ft (1500 - 4000 m). I prefer base camp backpacking, a long hike in with day trips from camp, but I do my share of forced marches too.  Though always looking for ways to reduce weight, I'm not yet a lightweight hiker, and I usually choose a bit of extra weight over foregoing camp conveniences I've come to expect.

INITIAL REPORT

September 11, 2006

Product Details.

Manufacturer: Tamarack Habilitation Technologies Inc., Blaine, Minnesota
Web address: http://www.oandp.com/products/tamarack/ for the manufacturer; www.goengo.com for a discussion of the blister patches.  Picture courtesy of the manufacturer.
Product supplied: A "Six Pack" that includes four large oval patches (3 x 2 in/76 x 51 mm) and two small oval patches (2 x 1.5 in/51 x 38 mm), plus one rectangular patch (3.75 x 2.75 in/95 x 70 mm), all stored inside a small instruction folder that is packed in a 3 x 6 in/76 x 152 mm Ziplock bag.  
MSRP: $11.95 US for a Six Pack (without the rectangle).
Also available: A "Variety Pack" of 12 large ovals, 12 small ovals, and 3 rectangles at $38 US; an "Introductory Pack" of two large ovals at $4.95 US.  Each size is also available individually in a "Value Pack": 30 small ovals for $38 US, 30 large ovals for $41 US, 15 rectangles for $38 US. 
Warranty: From the goengo website: "If you are unhappy with Engo for any reason, please contact us at 1.866.795.0057. We want to do everything possible to make your experience with us a pleasant one." From the product brochure: "ENGO is guaranteed to prevent blisters when applied as recommended."

The goengo website includes instructions, testimonials, statistics from various athletic programs that have tested the patches, a page for ordering online, links to "online partners" from which the products may be ordered, a list of "retail partners" that sell the products, FAQs, and a graphically illustrated PowerPoint presentation on the patches' use and advantages.  I found this website easy to navigate, easy to read, and informative.

Tamarack takes a new approach to blisters.  The ENGO patches are intended to prevent blisters from developing, rather than treating a blister that has formed or started to form.  The large ovals are for heels, the small ovals for toes, the rectangles for "skates, boots, helmets and custom trimming."  Each patch has a blue underside and a white strip of backing across the adhesive side.  Unlike many blister prevention remedies, these patches are affixed not to the skin, but to the other object – shoe, helmet, hiking pole, rake handle, etc. – that may cause unwanted friction.  The directions are simple: make sure the surface to which the patch will be supplied is dry, peel off a portion of the backing to make a tab, place the adhesive at the desired location, and peel off the remainder of the backing while applying the patch so that fingers never touch the adhesive.  When I affixed a patch to the spine of the heel of a hiking boot I found that application is as easy as these instructions indicate.  A patch should be replaced when the white of the adhesive becomes visible through the blue side.

Test Plan.  I intend to use the patches primarily, perhaps exclusively, for preventing heel blisters.  I normally wear all-leather boots for backpacking and either trail shoes or fabric-paneled leather boots for day hikes.  I have a narrow heel and heel blisters have been a problem when hiking and backpacking with any hiking boots or trail shoes since summer 2005, when my most reliable boots wore out.  Though the boots' demise was expected, I hadn't broken in a replacement pair of boots.  I thought that some newer Scarpa SL M3s were ready this past summer, but a recent backpack in Montana proved me wrong.  They need some more miles and more Sno-Seal.  I am also currently in the process of breaking in two other pairs of hiking boots: a newly-purchased pair of Alico Summits (full grain leather midweight boots similar to the Scarpas); and a pair of Asolo Fugitives (suede leather with Gore-Tex panels) that have had some use this summer.  I may also use the patches on a pair of Kamik Chase trail shoes that I am testing.

In addition to regular day hiking in North Texas, I have a two- or three-day backpacks planned in Montana in October, and I'm working continuously to break in my new boots by wearing them on weekends and on morning walks with my dogs.  The Scarpas will be the main focus as I really want a non-blister producing pair for winter and spring hiking here in Texas. 

I shall look for the following in the ENGO Blister Prevention Patches:

Blister prevention.  This has to be the essential criterion – how well do the patches perform their intended function? As I understand the theory, these patches work on the same principle as Moleskin or duct tape - reducing friction on the skin in sensitive areas – except that the patch is applied to the boot rather than the skin.  How effectively can a patch on the boot eliminate friction? More importantly, for how long? My unscientific but occasionally logical mind tells me that after some period of time the patch would simply act like a part of the boot itself, requiring a new patch unless the surface can continue to prevent friction.  The manufacturer claims success for "weeks to months" with a single patch.  Can a single patch reduce friction against my heel throughout the entire four-month test period? Since my usual alternative (Moleskin or duct tape) requires daily application, I shall consider effectiveness of the ENGO patches for as little as one week (the length of my longest backpacking trip this year) a real improvement.  Will wearing socks of different thicknesses and materials affect performance? May I dispense with liner socks, which I ordinarily wear even on day hikes? What happens if a blister starts to develop in a new spot (one that doesn't already have a patch) – can a patch be moved or overlaid with a new patch without loss of function?

Ease of Use.  Are the patches always as easy to use and remove as the directions on the website indicate – apply by peeling the release paper and attaching to the proper point on shoe or insole, and removing by simply pulling it off?  Will the adhesive leave a residue and, if so, will the residue stick to my sock or hamper application of a replacement patch? Will pulling off a patch mean pulling off a piece of boot liner?

Other Durability Issues.  How will sweat from my feet or water on the boots (from a river ford, for example) affect performance and durability? The manufacturer gives these patches an unlimited shelf life if stored in the package in which they are delivered; 24 months otherwise.  Both claims extend far beyond the test period, but I'll store one patch (the rectangular one, or pieces of it that I don't cut up for custom-sized patches) outside the packaging and test its adherence at the end of the test period. 

Customer Service.  If I have any questions or issues about the patches, I'll check the availability and helpfulness of Tamarack's customer service, using the number given in the "guarantee."

This concludes my Initial Report.  I shall submit a Field Report with preliminary testing results in mid- November 2006, and a Long Term Report in mid-January 2007.  My thanks to Tamarack Habilitation and BackpackGearTest.org for the testing opportunity.

FIELD REPORT
November 19, 2006

The guinea pigs.  During the past two months I have applied ENGO patches to four pairs of shoes:

Clockwise from top left, Scarpa SL M3 leather/Gore-Tex hiking boots, Alico Summit all-leather hiking boots, Kamik Chase trail shoes, and Asolo Fugitive hiking boots (suede leather with Gore-Tex panels).  All except the Summits are size 12, regular width.  After deciding that my feet had flattened somewhat and that a larger size would improve foot comfort I bought the Summits this summer in size 13.  I selected this brand and model in part because Alico, unlike most other bootmakers, offered a choice of widths.  With my narrow foot, narrow ankle particularly, I prefer a narrower boot.

Applications.  As stated above, my only blister problem has been heel blisters, so I have placed a single large oval ENGO patch just to the outside of the spine of the heel of each shoe.  I subsequently added a small oval in the left Summit boot, at the bottom of the heel, slightly overlapping the large oval.  I've placed small ovals at the middle of the cuff at the heel of the Kamiks.  Using the patches on eight shoes, and scheduled replacements, required in excess of the eight large ovals originally supplied, so I requested and ENGO generously supplied six more large ovals.

Field use.  As I am still breaking in the Scarpas and Summits, I have worn them regularly around town on weekends and on daily morning walks with my dogs (these latter from one-half to two miles), in addition to day hikes and around North Texas and in Montana.  I've day hiked in the other shoes as well.  With all but the Kamiks I've worn a liner sock and heavy merino wool hiking socks; with the Kamiks it's generally been a merino ankle sock.  North Texas is flat, and many of the trails are paved; all treated shoes have spent more test time on asphalt than on hiking trails.  I did wear the Fugitives on a trail hike in Montana, a long day hike with a full pack (carrying food and fishing gear for two in addition to water, rain gear, and first aid kit), probably a forty-pound (18 kg) load.  I've done some rock scrambles, walks in the rain, and puddle jumping in the Kamiks.  Temperatures have been from 50-90 F (10-22 C), at low humidity.

Results.  On the main test criterion, nothing to report. No news here definitely means good news – no blisters.  The only blister possibility was a hot spot on my left (smaller) foot while wearing the Summits.  When this occurred I put on a Moleskin patch during the hike, and when back home I placed a small oval ENGO patch at the point of the heel where the hot spot had occurred.  After two weeks and many more miles, no recurrence of the hot spot.  No blisters is especially impressive on the Summit boots.  These boots are full leather – leather liners as well as a heavy Norwegian-welted outer boot and they are STIFF.  Even after three applications of Sno-Seal and as much walking as I could, I have a long way to go before they are ready for an extended hike. 

I am equally pleased with the patches' preventive work on the Scarpas.  As reported above I had serious blister problems when wearing these boots on a weeklong backpack this past summer. I've had none, not even a hot spot, after applying the ENGO patches. 

The Kamik trail shoes are slightly shorter than the other boots (not all size 12s are created equal) and for that reason more likely to rub against my heels, particularly at the cuff, when I walk or exercise.  This is why I added the second patch to each.  Once again I have no blisters to report.

No patch has worn through, but for testing purposes I've just replaced a large oval on one Summit boot and one Kamik shoe.  Each patch came off easily, without taking part of the boot liner with it.  All the patches remain firmly affixed to the boots, although I have noticed a loose corner on the Scarpas.  This happened where the corner had been placed right at a seam, so it may be due to an uneven surface at the edge of the patch.  Wearing the Kamiks in the rain, or heavy sweat from my heavy socks when wearing the hiking boots hasn't yet affected adhesion or performance.

Further testing.  Over the next two months I'm going to build up mileage on two pairs of boots, the Summits and the Fugitives, the better to test the durability of individual patches.  I have just replaced the patch the right Fugitive boot so that I can compare performance of the first patch with the newer patch.  I'll apply a patch to one ski boot to test adherence and performance in cold conditions.  I shall cut a couple of smaller pieces from the rectangle and use them to supplement the heel patches in place, to see if they adhere as well as a precut patch.

My conclusions at this point.  I didn't get blisters wearing any of the footgear, and I did when wearing all the tested boots (except the newly-purchased Summits) before applying the patches.  While there's a degree of post hoc, ergo propter hoc reasoning in attributing the improvement to the ENGO patches, I think I've found a winner. 

This concludes the Field Report phase of my test.  Check back in late January for my Long Term Report.

LONG TERM REPORT
January 22, 2007

Field Conditions.  As promised, since filing my Field Report I have concentrated analysis of the ENGO patches on two pairs of relatively new boots, my Asolo Fugitives and Alico Summits.  I've worn the Fugitives on several day hikes in the Dallas area (elevation 200 ft/60 m) in temperatures ranging from near freezing to 80 F (24 C).  Most of the trails here are paved, but I've tramped around the park adjacent to my house in muddy conditions, once or twice stepping into some hidden ooze.  I wore my Kamik Chase trail shoes, with patches affixed, on a moderate day hike in Wissahickon Valley Park outside Philadelphia (also near sea level) in late November, a jaunt that had me dodging puddles and occasionally rock scrambling.  In order to hasten break-in of the Summits I've made it a point to wear them during errand-running, dog walking, and most of the rest of Saturday, and I also wore them on a moderate day hike New Year's Day.

Also I added patches to the inner boots of my Scarpa T-Race telemark boots, a small oval on the left boot and a portion of the rectangle to the right.  As noted in my Field Report I did this not for blister protection but to test the patches' adherence in cold weather.  I wore the boots during three ski days at Alta, Utah (temperatures from 15-30 F/-10 to -1 C) in December and six days in the Jackson, Wyoming area in January, where they were indeed exposed to cold temperatures.  It might occasionally have reached 10 F (-14 C) but for the most part I skied in bounds and in the backcountry at temperatures of -10 to 0 F (-23 to -18 C).  For the non-telemark skiers in the audience, T-Race boots are very similar to a standard Alpine skiing boots, double boots with plastic shells and removable leather and fabric inner boots.  I placed the patches on the liners at the point corresponding to the top of my heels, about the same place that I used on my hiking shoes. 

Observations and Comments.  These follow the headings in the Initial Report section above, with further commentary noted at the end. 

Blister prevention.  First and most importantly, I still haven't developed a blister or serious hot spot when hiking in the treated hiking shoes.  This is a real accomplishment, for I had earlier experienced problems with both new pairs of boots, because the Fugitives are a bit snug and the Summits are quite stiff full leather boots.  It's now been four months of gradually breaking in the Summits and several hikes of six miles or more in the Fugitives with the only replacement patch inserted for testing purposes, not because an original patch came loose or wore out.  Compared to either moleskin or duct tape, my usual alternatives, which require daily application, this is real improvement.  With the patches I've been able to address the fit of the Fugitives by wearing a much lighter hiking sock, always a blessing in the Texas sun, and with my Kamiks I have substituted lightweight ankle socks for my normal sock+liner routine.  I have moved a patch from one spot to another without loss of adhesion or apparent loss of functionality and (on the Kamiks) partially overlaid an existing patch with a new patch without loss of function.

Ease of Use.  The patches are every bit as easy to use and remove as the directions on the website indicate.   Stripping out a patch does not leave a residue on the shoe liner and doesn't tear off any apart of a fabric boot liner, not even on wet, padded ski boots.

Other Durability Issues.  Nor has water affected adhesion, performance, or durability.  I've perspired heavily when hiking in hot weather and have walked through puddles and streams with no impact on the patches.  As noted, the manufacturer's stated shelf life extends far into the future, and the rectangular patch that I stored outside its plastic bag adhered as well as any of the other patches and the uncut portion shows no surface deterioration. 

None of the patches has reached the manufacturer's end-of-life signal, the white adhesive portion's showing through the blue backing.  The only durability issue I've encountered is that oval patches on my Scarpa hiking boots and my Kamik trail shoes occasionally lose adhesion along the seam of the boot or curved portion of the shoe.  When I apply light pressure either quickly re-adheres.

Customer Service.  Except for requesting additional patches for testing as reported above, I've had no need to contact ENGO's customer service.  That's a compliment – the information supplied with the product or available on the website has sufficed for this user at least. 

Other.  As can be seen in the photo, I attached a patch at the cuff of my Kamiks.  The patches' smooth surface acts like a shoehorn; I find it much easier to slip these tight-fitting shoes on my feet  

The cold weather had no effect on my ability to stick on or take off a patch from my ski boot liners, and both patches stayed where I placed them throughout my skiing.

Overall Assessment.  I have already added several ENGO Blister Prevention Patches to all of my outdoor first aid kits.  The patches weigh next to nothing and take up almost no room, appear to be indestructible when stored, are easy to use and unobtrusive while in use, and are easy to remove or move around.  And they work as advertised.  In one sense the patches are breakthrough products.  Alternative treatments are just that – treatment for a problem that has already occurred or is starting to occur.  The ENGO patches, on the other hand, are simple preventive measures that – so far – have kept blisters from occurring altogether. 

The only possible improvement I might suggest is to consider color choices.  When a patch is inside a shoe color doesn't matter, but ENGO promotes the product for visible applications as well.  I'd prefer a color more neutral than bright blue on a trekking pole handle, garden rake, ski helmet, or sandal strap.

My profound thanks to Tamarack Habilitation and BackpackGearTest.org for introducing me to a product that has already improved by hiking dramatically.  A foot blister when backpacking affects my overall well being and attitude; foot pain means general irritability.  I'm now a happier camper.