A few months ago we were given the chance to try yet some more anti-blister product, this time from the local operation of Blister Bomber. Now, given I have bullet-proof feet, the product was going to be of limited use for me, so we put out the call for some of Australia’s worst blister sufferers once again to put this bullet-style tube of paste through its paces. Afterall, what better way to get products tested than to have unbiased reviews from people who can really put the product through its paces?

First up, we have a review from long-term blister and all things chaffing sufferer, Stephen Rae. Ina  week or so, we’ll have an additional review from another Ultra168 reader.

Stephen recently completed a mammoth 160km run in Tasmania with two fellow trail runners to help raise awareness of climate change – you can check out his epic run in this video.

Running Out Of Time from Mark Horstman on Vimeo.

But onto the review. While it would have been great to get Stephen to test out Blister Bomber for his run, he did manage to put it through his paces in the torrid conditions that Tassie is well-known for. Take it away Stephen…

When I volunteered to test and review Blister Bomber – a Canadian invention initially developed for the military to prevent the development of blisters, I had a great test run in TNF100 in sight. Unfortunately snail mail to Tasmania can be trying and I became in receivership of the product the Monday after the race. My testing has therefore been a little limited however I can categorically say I have had no blisters since using the product on six training runs.

My background history with blistering is that I have in the past suffered greatly along the arch of my feet and the pads near my great toes. I suffer quite a bit from nipple chaff and occasionally the arms when the sweat is up and weather is hot. I therefore take greater care of these areas and through trial and error my go to products are ‘body glide’, good ’ol Vaseline and tape. I believe good socks and footwear certainly go a long way in prevention. I recently spent 48hours straight running 164km along the South Coast of Tasmania. Running a great variety of surfaces my feet were constantly wet or drying from mud and apart from looking like cadavers at the finish, my feet were essentially blister free.

The application

Taking the Blister Bomber out of the package the product is a great size and shape in terms of portability, and space-saving, especially when taking out on long runs/races. The design of the product is as the name describes, shaped like a WWII bomb. Removing the cap, the application pad is skin coloured and according to the instructions a simple dab is all that is required to release the blister proofing required to areas vulnerable to blistering and chaffing.

On my first application of the product, I found I was unsure if it was being applied, which was probably the most disappointing aspect. The pad certainly didn’t feel overly engorged, and when applied it is a clear non-oily coat. It was only in the right direction of light could I tell something was coming out, and it certainly didn’t have the ‘glide’ I was prematurely expecting.

I also found I wasn’t able to increase the amount of application through either squeezing the tube to increase flow (its military tough). If you want to apply more, you have to get used to the re-dabbing of the tube, which is a little different from most products. I tested the product on my feet and nipples and underarms and proceeded to head out the door.

Putting it to the test

Running in normal clothing and on a cold, wet day – typical Tassie weather, I headed bush with a mate for a two-hour run. The first thing I noticed with Blister Bomber is that I didn’t have any foot slippage that I sometimes get from applying too much Vaseline or body glide.

I tried my best to actually cause myself to blister up. I ran through a lot of water, did lots of sharp climbs and steep technical descents trying to get foot movement in my shoe. I moved my shirt continuously to try to simulate what a much longer effort might have on my nipples and underarms.

So after two hours and looking like I was running with flees or trying to deliberately cause self-harm, I returned home to inspect the damage. To my happy surprise the areas I had applied the product were blister free. I had a small amount of red tenderness on my nipples and on the backs of both heels (no application) but otherwise things were looking good. There appeared no mess from the product on my clothing but as a trail runner, dirt is all part of the game.

The verdict

So would I buy this product? Right now, probably not. I’m very happy and fortunate with the blister management I currently use. I will however test it out further on more varied conditions. I liked the portability and ease that reapplying would be during long runs or races.

Despite me having a good solution already, this might well be the answer to other people’s blister issues. So if you aren’t happy with current management this product could certainly be worth trying for sure.

Pros

• Great shape easy to carry on the trails
• Comfortable to use especially the application pad
• No mess application
• No noticeable foot slippage in socks

Cons

• Was hard to tell if I had applied enough product – it’s a very thin layer
• The tube is hard plastic so can’t squeeze the product, also means hard to tell if you have run out of product

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Dan

I'm a mediocre runner who can bat above his average when I train hard. A man of extremes, I do enjoy everything life offers and consider it an absolute pleasure just to be able to put one foot in front of the other and let my mind wander somewhere different.