Cape to Cape Track (WA) ArmaSkin Ambassador Dr Sophie has been hiking the southern The Cape to Cape Walk Track. This is a long-distance walk trail located in the far south-west corner of Western Australia, 250 kilometres (160 mi) south of Perth. It meanders along the whole length of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, which forms the backbone of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Its start and finish are the lighthouses at the tips of Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. The Track extends over 123 kilometres (76 mi) of coastal scenery, sheltered forests and pristine beaches, and is in close proximity to the...

A single application that provides relief against blisters, swollen feet and plantar fasciitis The foot battleground: Hikers and runners can give their feet a belting.  The internals of the foot stretch and flex to recover and protect themselves.  Each foot engages around 1200 times in a kilometre and each strike is at the equivalent of nearly 2 body weights (BW) (1) assailing solid ground via the shoe sole!  This is described graphically for different speeds in m/sec, with the heel strike load being slightly above the propelling front foot load. Those forces compress and stretch the soft tissues of the...

Positive News from the world of ArmaSkin blister prevention. Tasmania's Overland Track and a chance to WIN an Ah Chair. Overland Track 2021 As we write, Andrea, an ArmaSkin Ambassador is in Tasmania for a challenging through hike of the Overland Track.The Overland Track holds legendary status as one of the finest walks in Australia. Walking from north to south over six days it covers the highest area of Tasmania, from the epic craggy spires of Cradle Mountain to the rainforest-clad shores of the deepest natural lake in the Southern Hemisphere, Lake St Clair. The World Heritage listed landscape is truly...

Good on you for tackling the Camino de Santiago! It is spiritually inspiring while being mentally and physically demanding. The most common physical drama faced by a Pilgrim is blisters! Here are some simple steps to preparing your feet and footwear for the journey to avoid blisters which apart from painful discomfort can result in infections and in the worst case an incomplete pilgrimage.  The following reflect consistent themes we hear from hikers.  1. Select good quality socks which can provide comfort in the prevailing temperatures. They need to be wear resistant and efficiently wick moisture away from your feet....

With a disastrous 2020 behind us and for so many, a tough 2021 ahead, we send out our best wishes to all. We can only hope that with continued community collaboration and adherence to sensible personal prevention measures, losses can be minimised while waiting for vaccinations to be rolled out across the globe.Notwithstanding the global dramas unfolding, ArmaSkin hopes to provide a sense of normalcy and hope for better times ahead.ArmaSkin Team     Overland Track 2021 One of our busiest ArmaSkin Ambassadors is Andrea Bayliss. Andrea, through her efforts in establishing cooperative hiking groups like Ladybirds On The Loose...

With many new people “heading to the hills” to find clear air as well as improve their overall mental and physical fitness hiking is becoming a pastime of choice.While gear for those first hikes might not be a consideration for newcomers, once hiking becomes a part of their life it is time to make some sensible choices about the gear they are wearing and taking with them. A consideration of the pros and cons of what to wear has likely included a question of “Where is it made?” Normally this is a matter of a quality decision, however, with so...