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Reviews > Health & Safety > First Aid Kits > ENGO Blister Prevention Patches > Leesa Joiner > Test Report by Leesa Joiner Initial Report
Engo Blister Prevention Patches September 15, 2006  Personal Information: Leesa Joiner leesaj@gmail.com Southwestern Maine 45 years old Female 5'7" (1.7 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Background: My camping, hiking and backpacking experience has included trips varying in length from one-day hikes to two-week trips. My experience hiking began with my father when I was about six years old. We hiked along the river pathways in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. While enjoying the outdoors with my friends and family, I spend time hiking, geocaching, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and camping. Although I am not a lightweight backpacker, I am trying to ‘lighten up’. I spend almost as much time outdoors during the winter as I do during the summer. Product Information: Manufacturer: Tamarack Habilitation Technologies Inc., ENGO Year of manufacture: 2006 Advertised Weight: n/a Weight as delivered: 3.2 oz (90 g) ~ for the whole package. Manufacturer Website: http://www.goengo.com MSRP: Not available on website for this package. Product sizes: Small Oval listed: 2 x 1.5 in (5.1 x 3.8 cm) As Measured: 2 x 1.5 in (5.1 x 3.8 cm) Thickness: .12 in (.3) Large Oval listed: 2.75 x 1.75 in (7 cm x 4.5 cm) As measured: 2.75 x 1.75 in (7 cm x 4.5 cm) Thickness: .12 in (.3) Rectangle listed: 3 x 4 in (8 x 10 cm) As measured: 3.0 x 3.75 in (8 cm x 9.5 cm) Thickness: .12 in (.3) Product Description: The Engo Blister Prevention Patches are extremely thin, smooth patches that adhere to the insides of shoes, boots or socks. They can also be used on the inside of helmets, or on the handles of ski or hiking poles. When unused, the patches have two layers. The top layer is blue and has very a smooth, slippery feel. The other side is a thin layer of plastic that peels off to reveal the sticky side of the patch. The patches arrived in a small, resealable plastic bag. Included was a small card that provided user tips, directions for installing and pictures of the product. The Blister Prevention Patches are much thinner than I had pictured. They are also very smooth, not anything like a typical blister patch (soft, thick, 'cottony'). I am anxious to use them. I have a pair of hiking boots that rub uncomfortably on the back of my ankle, and also a rough spot on the ball of one foot. I will be trying them in those spots first, to see what effect they may have. Testing Plan: As mentioned, I will put one blister patch on the inside, back of my right hiking boot and one on the bottom of my left boot. Since I wear my hikers quite a bit in the Fall (after being barefoot or in sandals all summer), this will provide a good picture of how well they work. I will be looking for development of a sore spot on the back of my ankle, which tends to happen with frequent wear. I will be interested to also see the effect the patch has on an already existing rough spot. Testing will also show how long the patches last, how well they stick, how easily they can be removed and replaced, and overall performance. I am curious as to how perspiration affects them and if constant movement will make the edges roll up. I recently bought a pair of walking shoes, and will also look for spots in those shoes that would be appropriate for placing a patch. If we have enough snow before the test period is over, I will also place some in the boots I wear with my snow shoes. The added weight of snowshoes seems to cause more friction between my boots and the top of my foot, often leaving a raw spot. Test Locations, Conditions and Time Frame: Living in Northern New England, I have the good fortune of being able to experience at least 4 seasons (sometimes within days of each other!) and some of the best outdoor areas around. During the nest four months our temperature range will run from the current average of 72 degrees F (22 C) down to about 0 degrees F (-18 C). Our first average frost date is September 27th. October and early November tend to be very rainy. Our first measurable snow is usually mid to late November. While hiking in northern New England, many of the trails are unimproved, meaning that I spend lots of time climbing over rocks and brush. We also tend to camp in remote, unimproved areas, as opposed to ‘camp grounds’.
Field Report
November 22, 2006 I have had the opportunity to use the Engo Blister Patches in both my hikers and walking shoes. I've placed patches on the inside, back of my right hiker and walking shoe, and the bottom, left of both. I've worn both pairs of footwear at least ten times in the last two months. The patches themselves have held up well, showing minimal wear. In both types of footwear, I found that I don't feel the patches. The patches that are in the back of my hikers show some wear on one side. The ones in the walkers don't show the wear, most likely because I wear the hikers for longer periods of time. I have not had any rubbing on the back of my foot, no blisters or raw spots. Most of the hiking I have done recently has been on fairly flat terrain. I plan on doing a little hiking that involves some climbing and will hopefully be able to report on any differences in performance. I found that I was able to slide my foot into my hiker without disturbing the patch. While wearing my walking shoes, I also had similar results. The patch attached firmly, isn't disturbed when I put them on or take them off and is unnoticable while wearing. The patches I placed in the bottom of both pairs of footwear showed almost no wear. While wearing them in my walking shoes, I noticed a reduced amount of friction against the rough spot I already had on the bottom of my foot. Usually after wearing the shoes for a few hours of hiking, I would have irritated the spot on my foot, making it feel 'hot' and sore to the touch. The patches appear to create enough of a cushion to reduce this problem. While wearing the hikers, I haven't had as dramatic a result from wearing the patches. Normally, I wear a heavier weight cushioned sock with my hikers and don't have as much of an issue with sore spots on the bottom of my foot. I did wear a light weight sock with my hikers on a full day hike. The patch kept my foot from rubbing uncomfortably and becoming irritated. I am looking forward to using these while cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Both of those activities really put a strain on my feet, and I'd like to see if the patches help. I really like that they don't require much space in my footwear. While there isn't much to report, that is mostly because the patches do their job, without much thought on my part. They attached easily, work well, and haven't needed to be replaced yet. I have noticed some definite benefits from using them, and will continue to use them giving them a more vigorous test over the next two months. Things I like about the patches: Easy to use Unobtrusive in my footwear Stay in place Things I dislike about the patches: Nothing at this point Long Term Report
I can't say that I'd given
much thought to blister prevention before this test. I've always
tried to avoid them by wearing footwear that fits well, and treating
blisters that do appear. I am so
glad that I tested these - they are really great. Being able to
prevent a blister, or sore spot, or at least interrupting it before it
gets too bad is great! January 24, 2007 I have continued to use the Engo Blister Prevention patches, unfortunately, not while participating in any of my usual winter activities. We are just now getting adequate snow for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. I continue to use them in the bottom of my hiking boot, and they are finally worn to the point that I will most likely replace them before too long, most likely before I do any snowshoeing. Snowshoeing puts a lot of strain on my feet and I want to be sure that the patches are up to it. The patches in my walking shoes are okay, and will last a while longer (going by the rate they've worn up to now). The rough spot on the bottom of my foot has shrunk and is much less noticable (both visually and by feeling). Most of the wear time has been day hiking while wearing my hikers. I have also worn my walking shoes quite a bit, but that has mostly been for doing chores, and general outdoor activities. My day hikes range from 2 - 10 miles (3 - 16 km) lately. These patches are good - they stay where I place them, increase comfort and don't interfere in how my footwear fits. Definitely an 'out of sight, out of mind' product. Not much I can add to my field report - other than my opinion of the patches is even higher now. Good things really do come in small packages! Thanks to backpackgeartest.org and Engo for the opportunity to test these patches! Read more reviews of ENGO gear Read more gear reviews by Leesa Joiner Reviews > Health & Safety > First Aid Kits > ENGO Blister Prevention Patches > Leesa Joiner > Test Report by Leesa Joiner | |||