How much water do you carry?

[santaman2000]

......Be interesting to see how a group of us, say 8, survived with just 1 litre of water for two days. We take water for granted for the most part... its all too easy to turn on the tap. Given a situation where the tap isn't an option, and lets say for arguments sake the purification straw is broken... who would be thirsty after 48 hours.

I'd wager I'd be a thirsty one given my current knowledge.

In moderate weather, say below 75f (21.1c) I get thirsty after an hour; two at the most. In warm weather and with a bit of activity? Every half hour or so. But as my earlier post inferred, I carry less water than it appears y'all do. Well, sorta anyway. I usually try to have a 3 gallon water cooler in the truck; but when hiking I've never carried more than 2 quarts (whether in 2 separate 1 quart canteens or in a single 2 quart one) Not even on horseback when I obviously had a higher weight tolerance, nor in the desert. Apart from the desert, I always try to camp near water.

 

[dewi]

Most of that article looks pretty accurate. It does seem to contradict itself on one point though. It states that while the old standard of 8 glasses (8 ounces each) per day (or a total of 2 US quarts) is probably more than really needed; yet it then states that contrary to current thinking, thirst is a reliable indication of when you need to drink. Either assumption taken alone might be valid but in reality I drink between 1 and 2 quarts per meal due to thirst alone when sedentary. MUCH, MUCH more when active in the heat.

That said, the question of whether I would actually dehydrate to a point where it was dangerous if I failed to drink that much is open for debate. I've certainly ran out of water before and still made it just fine albeit with a HUGE uncomfortable thirst for the rest of the day.

The article also relies on the premise that you're in peak physical condition when you set off and it heavily relies on the fact that you're average body weight and fitness levels.

Different people require different amounts of water... its not rocket science. If, like me, you enjoy a bit of booze, its obvious you're going to have to replenish the reserves come the morning sun. If you sweat more, or equally if you have to urinate more, that is going to effect the amount of water in your body.

Personally I reckon each person knows what their body needs... some will be effected by a cup of coffee, some won't. Some people will be comfortable with a litre, some with 2 or 3.

For anyone to presume they know best about this, they're bonkers. We're all different, we all have a variety of different factors that effect our bodies.

Or to put it another way, better to carry more weight and take more than you need than be a candidate for idiot of the year when you have to call mountain rescue because you didn't carry enough water.

 

[santaman2000]

The article also relies on the premise that you're in peak physical condition when you set off and it heavily relies on the fact that you're average body weight and fitness levels.

Different people require different amounts of water... its not rocket science. If, like me, you enjoy a bit of booze, its obvious you're going to have to replenish the reserves come the morning sun. If you sweat more, or equally if you have to urinate more, that is going to effect the amount of water in your body.

Personally I reckon each person knows what their body needs... some will be effected by a cup of coffee, some won't. Some people will be comfortable with a litre, some with 2 or 3.

For anyone to presume they know best about this, they're bonkers. We're all different, we all have a variety of different factors that effect our bodies.

Or to put it another way, better to carry more weight and take more than you need than be a candidate for idiot of the year when you have to call mountain rescue because you didn't carry enough water.

Agreed everybody's different. That's been my regimen since I was a young and healthy teenager and it really hasn't changed a lot. Just takes less activity to trigger it now.

 

[SCOMAN]

Three litres in a camelbak. If I don't use it fine but I'd rather have too much.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Better to have and not need than need and not have.
At least with water

 

[Corso]

Agreed everybody's different. That's been my regimen since I was a young and healthy teenager and it really hasn't changed a lot. Just takes less activity to trigger it now.

seems quite excessive are you sure your not diabetic?

 

[boatman]

Spending the dy out with our have a go archery, probably drink two small to medium cups of coffee, 1 bottle of water (8 ozs?) and a few sips on the way home. Will be working hard all day. No problems and why should there be? Oh yes, n apple and and orange.

 

[Jaeger]

Aye Up All,

My H20 plus regimen –

2 x 1 litre Brit Army water bottles plus mini filter pump plus dump pouch with tough poly bag. (see attached image and/or previous post).

Carried 2 litres is for drinking and heating food.
I don’t rely on thirst indicator, just drink small amounts frequently and especially after pee-ing - (water-out - water-in) watch pee colour!
The carried 2L is also for first aid - stick/debris-in-the eye/injury wash/burns etc.

Collection of ‘raw’ water from natural sources via filter pump into dump bag at relevant times and I still boil it before use especially if it has come from a non-running source.

Something that I experienced re H20 intake/excretion in recent years worth knowing –
On continuous patrol days (12ks+ with 40lb ruck) in warm/hot weather (and copious sweating!) even if I thought that I had hydrated enough I still suffered a severe inner thigh cramp a couple of hours after activity had ceased.

I didn’t notice it at first but eventually clocked that on those occasions my base layer stank of ammonia (not yer normal sweat – neat ammonia!). Doktari advised that it’s not just the fluid that I needed to replace but the salts/minerals etc. That prompted the addition of electrolyte & magnesium tabs to my H20 kit. I don’t add them to the bottles (compromises 1st aid aspect!) I just crunch one up and swill it down with plain water – since then no cramps.

 

[Macaroon]

Read this and lighten up
http://www.lightandmatter.com/article/hiking_water.html

This agrees entirely with my personal experience and general water regime.

 

[santaman2000]

seems quite excessive are you sure your not diabetic?

Actually the opposite: I'm sure I am diabetic. But as I said, it was the same even back when I was young and healthy (I've only been diabetic since about age 40) I'm guessing it's part climate and part cultural; I was counting the iced tea and other drinks as well as water with meals (neither of which is available on extended trips so I automatically shift back to water then)

 

[Philster]

I usually take two 1L Nato bottles as well as a few tins of beer. In the heat of summer the 3L Camelbak comes out. If I know it's going to be raining then collecting water off the tarp for cooking, etc means I can lay back a bit on how much I carry.
Water's always a worry and I prefer to stay fit so I can carry more than I need than risk running dry. Where I overnight there's no rivers or streams, just ponds of manky water that I would prefer not to have to dip into

 

[greg.g]

I carry 1lt and my other half the same, but I also carry a sawyer mini and am pretty happy taking water from running sources in upland areas. I know that its not 100% safe though. I also carry some chlorine tablets in case of emergency, but its like drinking a swimming pool!

 

[santaman2000]

seems quite excessive are you sure your not diabetic?

Sorry; I've just re-read my post and you're right. I meant to say between 1 and 2 pints per meal rather than quarts. Correcting now.

 

[Tiley]

On a half-day out, I carry 1 litre; for a full day or any longer, I carry 2 litres along with a filter, usually a Sawyer Mini, for making more potable water, should the need arise.

 

[Leshy]

3 ltr for day hike,

Any overnighters I'll do the same but add a filter and a empty collapsible vessel for sourcing more ( just in case...) .

 

[GadgetUK437]

None.
But I do carry one of these,

(And a couple of containers)

--
Gadget.

 

[NS40]

If it's a day hike, I carry a 3 litre camelbak. If family are with me I make sure they each carry water too, whether it's in the two other 2 litre camelbaks we have or the US quart canteen/osprey bottles.

I like camelbaks as it encourages people to drink as they need it rather than having to decide to pop off your pack and dig about for a water bottle.

The reason I never go less than 3 litres (unless I'm literally out for an hour and less than a couple of miles from a tap) is that I always need to have a cuppa when I'm out. Annoys the hell out of my wife as I won't use a flask and would rather whip out a firebox, monkeyboy stove or biostove. Is it just me or is there a greater theraputic value in taking those moments to spark up a fire to brew up than simply pouring from a flask? Anyways...

I also carry a sawyer mini and 2 litre platty in both my daysack and my bergan so chances are I can top up when out and about as needed. If I see a water source close to camp I'll fill the platty and carry it onto camp to filter later. Even though I sterilize the platty, camelbaks, etc...unfiltered water only ever goes into the platty.

 

[barbourdurham]

for a day trip, a 1ltr Nalgene and my bilmo-bag (aka millbank bag). any longer and its 3ltrs of water and the bilmo-bag. I drink then filter, purify and refill every opportunity i get.

 

[TarHeelBrit]

Wife and I used to carry 2Ltr insulated canteen each for day hikes that was enough for a drink on the way and for a brew/food when we stopped and there were plenty of mountain streams you could drink from without purification. We always carried some Oasis tablets in the front pouch if we came across suspect water. The fleece lining did a surprisingly good job and keeping the water cool

 

[Dave]

Depends what Im doing and if i have to boil or not.
Ive got a 20 litre plastic 'jerry' can for the car. A nato water bottle. Platypus bottle with the tube. Few nalgenes. Ortlieb ten litre water bag, ballast for canoe. Great thing is, my filter is very light, fast, and fits all of them. Also carry chlorine water tablets. For the arctic, Ive got two flasks, one wide mouth pioneer, and one 24 hour thermos.
On a normal hike in the UK, I rarely carry over one litre, but begin the day by drinking at least that much before i set off.

Did you hear the one about cups of tea?

Apparently this is the latest thing to give you cancer, as the heat effects the oesphagus!

More milk needed then. Drink it like the gurkhas do!