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Blisters, hotspots, fatigue and pain affect most candidates’s feet at OCS due to the incredible amount of stress and limited recovery time afforded, on top of breaking in new boots in often-wet environments. Don’t forget–wet is the enemy! We surveyed successful candidates on their top tips for foot care at OCS, and curated the top ten suggestions we heard again and again. Get yourself some … Continue reading The Ten Commandments of Foot Care at OCS
The most common injuries at OCS which derail candidates’ performance are shin splints and foot blisters. A combination of excessive running and marching, sweaty or wet feet, and adjusting to combat boots lead to the perfect storm for blisters. Luckily there seems to be real progress made by science on solving this issue–pioneered by Standford scientists who work with runners covering over a marathon per … Continue reading Tale of the Tape: A Cheap, Easy Way To Prevent Blisters
Candidate’s Question Two questions about the packing list: Is there a specific brand of running shoes they want us to bring to OCS? Is it really necessary to bring two pairs of go-fasters to PLC Juniors or seniors considering they are both only six week segments? Answer First, very moto use of the term “go-fasters.” No need to use that OCS-specific word for “running shoes” … Continue reading Packing List Discussion: “Go-Fasters,” or “Running Shoes”
Patrol FEX Your Patrol FEX (field exercise) will most likely consist of four 4-6 hour long patrols through dense brush and vegetation with a full combat load.  So it’s a lot of walking.  I am normally extremely careful with my feet–even to the point of regularly applying preventative moleskin before strenuous physical events to avoid the creation of hot spots or blisters. Here, I put on that … Continue reading Guest Post: The Tragic Result of Using New(er) Boots During Week-Long Patrols at TBS
Candidate Question: Question about boot sizes. How much toe room should one have in the boots? And if there is too much room what happens? A: Brian, have just enough room for a bootsock liner (just use a dress sock) and a thick, cushioned bootsock. If there is more than just a little extra room, your foot will slide forward and back while running and … Continue reading Candidate Q: Boot sizes
A short primer 2009–Yes Bates Lights were used and were “kosher” for any and all events when I attended OCS. They were especially useful for the E-Course, but were disallowed or discouraged on the O-Course since they have terrible traction on the rope. 2011–Banned? Bates Lights were disallowed from OCS totally, according to multiple sources. “I am going to OCS on May 27 this year. … Continue reading Bates Lights boots at OCS
