6 Clever Tips to Protect Your Feet From Hot Sand

Many people love the idea of visiting the beach in the summer. And, they’re right because it is almost second nature for the body to crave the cool breeze and beautiful scene the beach provides. The problem comes in when you get to the beach and you have to walk from your car to your favorite beach spot. Of course, you are not going to have your shoes on when making this walk from the car to the beach spot. You’re going to have to take off your shoes and it is at this moment that you’re going to find out the temperature levels of the sand below.

The thing is, the sand comprises of small particles that are good at contacting the heat from the sun during the day. You will find this out when you step barefooted on the floor of the beach. Pun-intended. You do not want to do that. The sand gets really hot to levels as high as 1400F and this could cause serious burns on your soles.

This article is going to share tips on how you can protect your feet from the hot sand at the beach. We shall be covering the following;

• Choose the right beach sandals & flips flops
• Walk under the shade
• Avoid dark-colored beach sand
• Wet the sand and your feet
• Step on beach towels
• Increase your walking speed

Now let us look at each of the tips in depth:

6 Ways to Protect Your Feet at the Beach

1. Choosing the right Flip-Flops and Sandals

   By now, it is almost obvious that everyone knows not all sandals are beach sandal. This also applies to flip-flops. But, let’s not take the chances of assuming that this is common knowledge. Protecting your feet from burns at the beach begins with the selection of the right pair of beach flip-flops or sandals. Most of all, if not all, have soles made from plastic, foam resin, rubber, and neoprene base just to mention a few. These materials have properties that help to create some kind of insulation between your feet and the ground.

   Heat transfer from the sand on the ground to your feet happens through conduction. This explains why beach shoes are designed with soles made of the materials mentioned above. Since they are poor conductors of heat, this will delay or even cut off the transfer of heat from the ground you’ll be stepping on to your feet.

   Flip flops and sandals make up the largest percentage of beach shoes. They are lightweight, compact, and easy to put on and take off. However, if you anticipate long hours of direct exposure to the sun at the beach, then open shoes would not be ideal as they are going to expose your skin causing sunburns. In such a case, then a closed pair of beach shoes would be great. There are lots of varieties you can choose from on the market. You just need to bear in mind the weight and material of construction. You do not want to get a pair that will heat up and instead of protecting your feet, it ends up facilitating the burning process.

2. Walk under the shade

   It may seem like a lot of work but it certainly does the magic. During the day when the sun is at its peak, not all surfaces at the beach get heated up. Some of the areas spared by the scorching sun include the shades under the lifeguard chair, palm trees, and beach umbrellas. If you can, take note of these spots and make use of them when making your way to or from your beach spot. It will go a long way in saving you the trouble of nursing blisters under your feet.

   

3. Avoid dark-colored beach sand

   This tip comes from the scientific principle of dark surfaces being heat absorbers whereas light ones are reflectors. The same applies to sandy beaches. If you have been observant enough, then you’d notice that dark-colored surfaces at the beach are hotter than their lighter variants. This is because they absorb a lot of heat from the sun and retain it for a while. So, when you step on such a surface, you are much more likely to get burnt than when you step on a lighter one.
   In this regard, it is recommended for you to avoid those paths at the beach that have dark surfaces. The color of the sand depends on the composition of the materials. Dark-colored sand usually comes from volcanic rocks (ballast) and it absorbs a huge percentage of the sun’s radiation during the day making it hotter than the lighter colored sand. If you happen to find yourself at the beach barefooted, you should do everything you can to avoid dark surfaces. This way, you will protect your feet from burns.

4. Wet the sand and your feet

   This is another tip that seems like a lot of work but it actually is worth it. If you accidentally or purposely came to the beach without your shoes and you do not want to endure the heat from the ground, then you can simply wet your feet and also go ahead and wet the part of the ground that you will be stepping on. This will of course require a lot of water especially if the distance to your beach spot is long. The tip is used by a huge number of professional volleyball players. The only problem is that the technique only works for as long as your feet are wet. Once they dry, you begin to feel the heat.

   

5. Step on beach towels

   This is a simple trick to implement. Just get a couple of beach towels. Two to three are enough. Now, here’s the drill. Spread the first one before you and walk over it then spread another one while you pick the one behind. Do this over and over until you get to your favorite beach spot. The good thing is that the towel will not get dirty since sand does not get stuck on fabrics. The process can be tiring if the distance to be covered is long. But it is worth your while as it helps to protect your feet from the hot sand.

6. Increase your walking speed

   This sounds like a basic tip that anyone can use. However, it may not be that basic to everyone. Hence, a little reminder would be necessary. Just to bring to your attention that hey! You can avoid the hot sand by simply speeding up. Well, the trick will not entirely prevent the heat but it will reduce significantly the duration of your feet being in contact with the hot sand.

Summary

Nothing compares to basking on the beach during the summer but your safety should come first. The sand at the beach gets really hot during the day and you cannot afford to step on it barefooted but if you have no otherwise, please make use of the above tips that we have shared. They will go a long way in saving you the trouble of enduring the pain. This way, you will have all the time to yourself to enjoy savor the beauty at the beach.