Editor’s note: Mike Clark – better known as Muddy Mike – is the founder of Big Muddy Adventures and its senior guide. He is one of the most accomplished canoeists and guides in America, having logged more than 20,000 miles of big-river paddling experience. He’s also happy to share his paddling knowledge and experience with others. So we decided to pick his brain and ask him a few questions. Enjoy!

Hey Mike, how do I avoid getting blisters on my hands when I’m paddling?

It’s pretty hard to not get sore hands or blisters if it’s the first time you’re paddling. But it is possible. It starts with how you hold the paddle. The only time you really have to grip the paddle tight is at the point of impact when the blade is in the water. And so me personally, I don’t hold the paddle. I just kind of play with it in my hand a lot. Also, when I clasp the shaft of the paddle with the pull-through, I move it around on my paw so that I don’t let it sit in one place. This is why, for as much as I paddle, I don’t have big calluses. Because I don’t hold the paddle tight. Once the paddle is in the water, I do have to clasp it and I’ll pull it through the water. But once it’s out of the water, then I just kind of let it rest in my hand. That’s how I avoid it.

Any other ways to avoid blisters?

Gloves. Paddling gloves would help, for sure. Some paddlers wear cycling gloves. But there are paddling gloves, too. They’re made out of neoprene or Terraprene. A lot of long-distance paddlers wear gloves. I don’t like them myself unless it’s cold. I don’t know why I don’t like gloves. I just don’t.

Anything else?

As soon as you feel a hotspot on your hand, before it gets to be a blister, take a second and apply something to it – Vaseline or a Band-Aid – before it becomes worse. Keeping it a bit lubricated with Vaseline helps. Once you’ve got blisters, treat them with Neosporin or something like that. Because with water activities like paddling, getting something like that infected is so easy because it’s always getting into the water.

Last question: Let’s say you’re holding the paddle loosely to avoid blisters, and the paddle slips out of your hands. Then what do you do?

Slow the boat down because the paddle will float. If you stop your boat’s forward moment, generally the paddle will catch up to you. If it doesn’t, turn around and go get it. And if you’re in your own boat, you should always have a spare paddle.

Got a question for Muddy Mike? Send it to shawn@terrain-mag.com. Put “Muddy Mike” in the subject line.

Top image: Muddy Mike on dry land. (Reiss Wegman)