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Thread: Carrying Water

  1. #21
    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
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    Use the resources available to you; guidebooks, apps, water reports, maps etc., and make an informed decision as to your requirements.

    I always take a minimum capacity of 3 quarts and increase that as the hike dictates. How much I actually carry is dictated from the above data sources and what I am trying to accomplish on any given day. Longer mileage days I carry more so as to minimize the breaks. Although I can't, as a rule, cover the distance per quart that Garlic does, I have learned that it isn't difficult to get 6 - 7 miles per quart even in hotter desert environments. Over the last several years I have been experimenting with a drinking regimen whereby I drink a given amount of "sips" at set time intervals and have found that this works really well for me. I augment this by leaving water sources mostly hydrated having tanked up by drinking up to a quart of water. My test environments have been southern sections of the PCT, Big Bend NP epic hikes (twice), and NM/WY portions of the CDT.

    As an aside I almost always dry camp. I think this comes easy for me as my body doesn't seem to require many fluids once I stop moving. At least I don't experience thirst. It isn't uncommon for me, aside from meal requirements, to drink less than 8 - 12 oz after establishing camp. Perhaps this is an indication that my hydration strategy during the day is effective...

    The point of all this is to learn your body and what works for you specifically. It is, however, my observation that most carry way more water than necessary.
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

  2. #22
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    I always carry a 1 liter Poweraide bottle with my cook pot (Snow Peak 600) snugged onto the bottom, plus a 20 ounce Gatoraide bottle. Through drier stretches, will carry an additional 1 liter wide mouth disposable bottle. For camp, I use a 2 liter Platypus.

  3. #23
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    Lot of great advice and things to consider. Thanks to all! Reeko

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Deadeye View Post
    Waaaaaaaay off... obviously one should carry 2 one-liter Smart water bottles and a 2L platy bladder for storage/treatment. I mean reeeealy!
    Busted, hope no one would notice.

  5. #25

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    i read that drinking 16 oz of water immediatley after waking in the morning is one of the best things u can do to start many metobolic processes in the body and get them running, is it true ?

  6. #26
    Registered User One Half's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BongoTheOneEyed View Post
    i read that drinking 16 oz of water immediatley after waking in the morning is one of the best things u can do to start many metobolic processes in the body and get them running, is it true ?
    there was a study in europe I believe that studied this. It was actually 17oz and I wondered why so years ago I went and found the study. 16.9oz equals a half liter so it made sense to me that the study was 17oz. Also, while you sleep you dehydrate through perspiration so fluids are necessary when you wake. The metabolic processes will "run" regardless of what you do but they will "run better" when properly hydrated.
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  7. #27

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    I carry a liter and a half in two one liter bottles and have at least two two liter bags just in case one should fail.
    One thing that's nice about multiple bags is the time you save going to fetch water;particularly if the source is a ways from where you camp.

  8. #28

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    one of the best thing u can do for your circulatory system in the morning is to drink 16-24 oz of water right away upon waking up. It initiates all sorts of bio systems in the body to keep them hydrated. Better to store water inside u than on your back carrying it around.

  9. #29
    Registered User Crossup's Avatar
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    Default Excessive?

    Not a recommendation but being a do it my way guy,for the AT, I carry 2x 1L bottles, a 16oz. bottle with marks at 1oz increments, a 100oz bladder and a 6L Dromedary. Overkill? less than you might think. The two 1L bottles carry daytime water, the 16oz is for Gatorade mixed strong and in camp is used for cooking water(I eat mostly MH which take various quantities to rehydrate hence the marks)

    Most days I get to the camp area empty and when the trail provides water I start with less than full bottles. So I do carry reasonable quantities most times...

    In camp the 6L Dromedary is the evening cooking supply, body cleanup and bottle refill source from the camp area creek/stream etc. Every other day the Ddromedary is my shower supply(yes I take showers) and the bladder is then the cooking/refill source. So never more than one trip to the camp water source.
    Occasionally the bladder carries extra trail water when the destination water source is questionable or non existent. That allows me to camp with less regard to water logistics. Each time I've decided to use my extra capacity I've been really glad I had the capability, for example-

    3 times now I've come into camp areas with no water source and ended up giving away up to 8L of water to those who naively did not think it was necessary to arrive with water.
    The one I will always remember was 4 Mile campsite(I think thats the name, the just before HarperFerry IRC) where almost no one had water for the evening nor the short hike to town. Each of those times I was regretting the work to get that much water down the trail only to find that in fact it was all needed- by someone.
    I should add I dont hike light, doing 7-10 days no resupply sections so usually 40lb of pack. So 10-12L of water on top of that is a big load for a little guy like me, thankfully its generally only for a few miles I'm loaded up that much. HYOH for me means never being out of water.

  10. #30

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    I like both of these responses, Dogwood and HooKooDooKu. I was going to add the 1 more basic step that Dogwood hints at--each hiker has to know his/her baseline...this should be part of training hikes--how much do YOU need ...on a windy day, on a hot day, on a flat hike..on a hilly hike? Isn't this what allows us to estimate the water we need 80% of the time?

  11. #31
    Is it raining yet?
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    The only real concern I have when backpacking is.....running out of water. So I carry 2, 1L Nalgene bottles. I prefer not to finish my last bottle until I reach another good water source.

    Nalgenes aren't THAT heavy and they are virtually indestructible.
    Be Prepared

  12. #32
    Registered User swjohnsey's Avatar
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    Camel up when you hit water and carry a 1 liter Gatoraid bottle full. I carry 2 Gatoraid and 3 liter platpus and fill them up before last stop at night.

  13. #33
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    I carry a Platypus 3L filled to about 1 or 1 1/2L depending on the section after just drinking a Liter. I use the 3L full at nights once at shelter or Camp for that night and the morning.


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