As a tactical professional, you know the importance of the right pair of boots for the journey. When it comes to your feet, you want comfort and support. One of the biggest things getting in the way of comfort is the boot blister. When you wear boots for as long as most tactical professionals do, you are prone to these painful blisters and might think they are just a side effect of the job, but here are a few tips to avoid and deal with boot blisters to make it easier.

• Give your feet (and your boots) proper TLC

One of the best tips to avoid and deal with boot blisters is to give your feet the right TLC. While the skin on your feet certainly goes through a lot, it shouldn't be left to fend for itself. You need to make sure you are doing some basic guidelines. For starters, you need to make sure you are dealing with any foot issues as they come up such as filing down calluses to avoid creating tight spaces in the boot where feet can suffer friction and create a blister. You also want to make sure you keep your feet clean and dry before you put your boots on because you can create a breeding ground for some unpleasant foot issues if you don't do so. You also want to follow basic rules of keeping nails trimmed short, wearing clean socks, and keeping your boots as dry and clean as possible.

• Ignore the "hard feet" idea

The old school idea was that you had to get "hard feet" to avoid blisters. This is when the feet are pretty much neglected until they are hard, cracked, and full of dead skin. You don't want to take this route. Not only is it uncomfortable and bad for the health of your feet, it isn't effective in preventing blisters. You also leave yourself more vulnerable to infections when you do get the blisters because your feet are in such bad shape to begin with, so don't take this route. It is also entirely possible for blisters to form under the callused, rough skin so you won't be doing yourself any favors. You actually want to regularly remove the calluses and dead skin from your feet with a pumice stone and then apply a lotion to feet. While it might feel unnatural to you at first, this is an important part of foot care every tactical professional spending countless hours on their feet can benefit from performing before lacing up.

• Use prevention products

One of the easiest tips to avoid and deal with boot blisters is to use the right products. There are plenty of products on the market designed to help your feet deal with this pesky and often painful occurrence. From liquid skin products to body glides, you want to find the right product for your preferences to help create a smooth movement inside the boot in areas where you are prone to blisters. Remember, blisters are caused by friction from the foot rubbing against the inside of the boot.

• Care for a blister the right way

When a blister does happen, knowing the right way to treat it is important. In most cases, you don't want to pop the blister as tempting as that may be. When you pop a blister, you puncture the skin and leave an already damaged area more vulnerable to bacteria and therefore infection. It is a better idea to wash the blister gently with soap and water, cover it with a bandage, and let it run its own course. You want to keep the area clean and regularly check for signs of infection.