Feet are the unsung heroes of /out/, they carry us through all of our adventures, yet we never spend much money keeping them happy.

I've got a 50 mile challenge hike coming up in a week, I'm in good physical and metal shape, but thanks to a busy schedule, I haven't been able to get out and toughen my feet up for the day, I'm scared shitless about how much they're gonna hurt.

What do you do when out hiking to prevent blisters, hotspots and general foot pain? I've heard that smothering your toes in Vaseline and sticking a blister plaster over them is suppose to stop blisters from forming in the first place? Also, does changing socks really help to stop your feet from getting too bad?