ENGO Blister Relief

Like moleskin for your shoe, ENGO patches are touted to reduce friction and prevent blisters. Essentially Teflon-coated stickers, the small blue patches can eliminate that most common of blister-causing problems: Friction.

In my test, the patches worked. I used them with a pair of shoes that typically gives me blisters. On two occasions — after walking around for hours at a stretch — my heel was blister- and pain-free.

The company touts the patches to last inside a shoe an average of four weeks. Beyond just shoes, you can stick them to trekking pole grips or other surfaces that might rub skin raw.

ENGO, a Blaine, Minn., company, is offering Gear Junkie readers a free trial. To get a sample patch, e-mail your name and mailing address to info [at] goengo.com. Put “Gear Junkie” in the subject line. (U.S. readers only.)

The patches are available at www.goengo.com starting at $8 per pack.

—Ryan Dionne