Two words ... ALASKA PICKS. They are the greatest invention since sliced bread. Have always fingerpicked with bare fingers. I pick hard, so there's no trouble hearing the guitar strings, but it can also cause nasty blisters on my pickin' hand. Tried several times to use regular fingerpicks, to no avail.

Ordered Alaska Picks from musiciansfriend.com @ $1.99 each. They fit over the top of your finger and under your fingernail. They can be clipped and filed to accommodate whatever your picking position is, i.e., from the side or straight on. I ordered mediums and they feel a little tight, but there is a tension strip which can be cut to make the pick less stiff. I'm going to wait a few days to see if they loosen on their own.

Also, rather than a regular thumbpick, I'm using the Alaska Pick on my thumb, as well as my fingers.