Adventure with Alex

What is a review of foot deodorizer doing on Adventure With Alex? Well it’s quite simple really. I am genetically predisposed to having stinky feet. You can ask my mother. Or my wife. My feet reek. Add that to the fact I rock climb, ice climb, ski, hike, mountain bike, and paddle more than 200 days a year that puts me at an extreme need for some anti-odor ammunition. Long ago I gave up on the big name foot powders. They left my socks a bit grimy, smelled a bit too “minty”, and after a few weeks left me with a weirder funk than when I started… I tried spraying my shoes down with “Steri-fab” which seems to work wonders on our rental climbing shoes and plastic mountaineering boots that have different sweaty feet in them all year long. It didn’t work on my shoes, just everyone else’s. I truly have some awful smelling feet.

Stinky climbing shoes no more!

So it was with a bit of skepticism that on a late night of internet wandering I came across Friendly Foot All Natural Foot Powder.  I can’t remember the exact connection but I know it was through LinkedIn. Regardless, the company caught my eye so I pulled up their website. A small company started by a long-time climbing guide in Washington State who was into environmental responsibility, organics and “paying it forward”… well I had to reach out. The connection was positive and a week later I had a 4 oz bottle to try out and review on my fledgling blog. The timing was impeccable as I was leaving for a 6,000 mile 48 hour 4 flight 2 night 1 day avalanche instructor course on the opposite side of the country the next day. I’ld be starting my day normally at 6am, flying out of Boston at 4:30pm, and arriving in Reno 8 hours later for a total same sock wearing time of 19 hours. Then ski boots for the day. Then return at 6am the next morning. A perfect test run!

After that extensive test I spent a few more weeks using the powder daily. My scientific control was asking my wife daily if she smelled my feet after coming home and removing my shoes. Normally I wouldn’t have to ask, she would let me know that those boots/shoes/socks had to go down stairs to the gear room immediately and I needed to wash my feet before I contaminated the whole kitchen. Now when I ask her she hesitantly says… no….

What sets this foot powder away from others is the scent. It is pleasant, not over powering. Tea-tree, Lavender, Eucalyptus, with a bit of Peppermint make up the main ingredients. Instead of smelling like strong medicated foot powder or floral baby powder it’s a more subtle, but effective scent, similar to the smell of quality massage oils.

I’ve dabbed a bit in my ski boots, climbing shoes, hiking boots, and house slippers, and the difference in odor is quite measurable… I even left my wet boots after ice climbing for 7 hours up stairs and my wife never noticed!

So yes, foot powder is now something I am using daily. Since I use it before and hiking with Alex I figured a review of the product would fit in just fine here. In full disclosure I was provided the product at no cost, but the opinions here are solely my own. If you know my wife you are welcome to ask her opinion on how  well this stuff works!

Also, the kind folks at Friendly Foot have offered a 10% off discount to any Adventure With Alex readers! Just use coupon code “FF14” at checkout!