How can I increase my barefoot hiking distance without my soles getting so sore?
My longest barefoot hike has been about 8 miles, but the bottoms of my feet become extremely sore and sensitive as the hike continues, especially on gravel. Eventually, every little rock or twig starts hurting more and more.
I’ve tried gradually training on gravel and increasing the distance over time. I’ve also worked on building thicker calluses, including shear training. My soles have definitely become tougher, but it hasn’t meaningfully increased how long I can handle rough terrain. The soreness seems to come from repeated pressure rather than the skin becoming raw or damaged.
Has anyone dealt with this and successfully increased their distance? Did anything besides building calluses and gradually adding mileage help?