Wondering if you guys use anything other than water in your hydration packs. I guess I'm asking for the western ,or mountain hunters about additives for electrolites . Thanks
water only in my camel back. If I drink a sports beverage I will consume half, fill back up with water, then drink the diluted drink. Putting sugar in your hydration bladder can make it smell and taste funky.
Camelbak sells some flovor tabs but I haven't used them yet. I usually carry a water bottle, some Mio and fill from my quick link.
All water here.
Usually water only but sometimes I do add powdered gatoraid to H20 when I know it's going to be HOT out and a long day of hiking...
It helps!!
Water only. I may drink a Gatorade or something like that before I head out, but you are supposed to drink AT LEAST twice as much water as any kind of electrolyte drink.
Emergen-C makes an electrolyte mix, this isn't their vitamin C thing you take to keep from getting sick, it's an electrolyte mix and each pack makes a whole liter of water and has kind of a lemon lime flavor. No calories either. It comes in a green box, here in Denver I buy it at Sprout's Market. I also like the Camelbak Elixir tablets you put in water bladder.
I'm not allowed plain water out doing such. I have to have at least electrolytes, but most of the time the nutritionist will harp on calories as well. If I don't have electrolytes, my heart gets funny. I tend to go with something like Gatorade, but honestly I'd rather find a better balanced solution. I always used Powerade in my Camelbak when I could distance cycle, but I need to look into it better for this year's hunting.
I fill up my stomach with water last thing before I walk out, and carry only a quart for a few hours hunt, just to sip on. Big fan of gatorade but I agree with Awbowman about 2 to 1 water to gatorade.
There is enough stuff that can grow in your bladder with only water in it. Anything else just adds to the growth.
MAP
Altitude and heat compound the hydration problem. Waterin the bladder. Some type of electrolyte replacement in canteens. Carry more than you think. Packing a deer out of canyon at noon almost downed me due to lack of water. Will not make that mistake again
QuoteOriginally posted by Michael Pfander:
There is enough stuff that can grow in your bladder with only water in it. Anything else just adds to the growth.
MAP
That's why an occasional bleach bath or citric acid bath is in order. But your definitely correct, I proved you right the other day when I poured the brown fluid out of my camelback from turkey season. Been sitting with bleach water in it for 5 or 6 days, put some water and lemon juice in it tonight, put fresh water and electrolyte mix in it tomorrow and all will be well again!
When i used only water I had real problems with loss of co-ordination and mental acuity. This was pushing all day at or above 9500 feet.
My body needed electrolites and when I went to adding them to my water the above problems went away.
This is why I use a nalgene 32oz bottle. I don't think bladders are that good for what I do.
You don't need a steady dose of them, but they are very helpful in keeping your body at peak performance.
Joshua
I don't have a hydration pack, but I do carry a water bottle/canteen. Been working for me in the mountains on my western hunts for the past 30 years.
I like water in my hydration system it makes the clean up easier. I have use gator aid and tang when using purifying tablets in the past. Now I take a extra full gator aid or water bottle and powder if I need something extra. Sometimes I just need something besides water after several days on the trail.
I tried wilderness athlete hydrate and recover on a backpack mule deer hunt last year in my hydration bladder. I liked the taste and it doesn't have near the amount of sugar that some gatorade powder does. It really seemed to help with muscle cramps at night after a long day of hiking up and down ridges. I seemed to drink more of it than just plain water but I always keep an extra bottle of just water in my pack. It didn't leave a real sticky residue in my hydration bladder but I always clean it thoroughly when I get home.
Water only in the camelback, and with the "straw" attached to the shoulder strap of my daypack I can sip quickly/easily/frequently. Never liked the sports drinks and never felt so good as when you've drank nothing but clear mountain water for a week.
For you guys who use electolytes, what brand do you like? I have always used just water or maybe some Gatoraid but last year opening day of Elk camp I had a real issue mid morning that turned into severe leg cramps right after lunch. A gallon of water later I finally urinated for the first time so dehydration was definately a factor. I am now wondering if I also had an electrolyte imbalance because dehydration has never affected me like that before.
Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS ) is another option without the sugars.
QuoteOriginally posted by NBK:
Water only in the camelback, and with the "straw" attached to the shoulder strap of my daypack I can sip quickly/easily/frequently. Never liked the sports drinks and never felt so good as when you've drank nothing but clear mountain water for a week.
I'm with Mike. I may take an EmergenC or two and mix it in a water bottle but 99% of the time it's water only in my Platypus bladder. Besides, I wait all year for the taste of that water!!
All I use is water. At the end of the day I may drink Gatorade.
My colleagues and I study hydration for a living often in the longer duration work bouts similar to what happens across several days hunting. From our research some things to keep in mind
1. water quenches the thirst - NOT what you want - if your thirst is satisfied, you will drink less - possibly allowing greater dehydration
2. the electrolytes - esp salt in the sports drinks function 2 ways - a) at the kidney - they make your retain more fluid and b) b/c they are salty they MAKE YOU DRINK MORE - a good thing (same reason there are peanuts and pretzels on the bar - they sell more beer if they keep you thirsty)
3. Not drinking enough (as pointed out is a problem) MOST often the only problem with drinking too much is having to stop and urinate more often.
4. good info on the potential for bacteria in the rubber bladders - if you don't want to fool with cleaning often, use water in those.
5. WHEN FLUID SUPPLY IS LIMITED (such as you have only one canteen for the next couple hours or for the afternoon), SIPPING every 30 min is better than waiting and gulping the entire volume at once. When a large volume is taken at once, the bladder over reacts and dumps fluid. We hardly ever retain 100% of what we consume but we retain less when we gulp and more when we sip.
6. be safe and post pictures while I sweat out your elk season with jealously here in 100 degree (and same humidity) Alabama.
best of luck to all of you.
matt Green
ps - the research I spoke of is mostly published if any of you are nerd enough (like me) to want copies.
best: mg
Thanks Matt, makes sense. When shopping for electrolyte powder what should I be looking for? Are there good and bad brands or are they pretty much the same?
Pete. I sent you an email.
Another thing I thought I'd share: if you can, freeze your sport beverage or water the night before (yeah, not possible in all situations i know - but if you can). As it melts drink it. This keeps it colder longer and forces sipping (preferred) rather than guzzling.
Mg
Being a Union Ironworker in Las Vegas, I know a little about getting dehydrated. Out here we take a potassium pill in the morning and it works all day. You can eat all the bananas you want and it won't gave you the potassium that's in that pill. Then just drink plain water. you'll be fine.
I use water only.
When it's been hot or I start to feel leg cramps I'll hit it with 40meq of potassium and a few Motrin.
But if you have any heart problems the potassium might not be the best idea.
Just water here!
as pointed out - careful with the potassium. Prevention is worth a million -if you get cramps, you're too late - like shutting the gate after cows get out. take fluids along the way and sip a lot.
another thing not mentioned so far is fitness - improved fitness and esp acclimated to the heat goes a long way.
mg
I only put water in my hydration sack. I also carry a light platypus bottle I put Wilderness Athlete or EmergenC in.
This picture shows the Platypus I keep my Wilderness Recover in. It has a camo cover I use but this is it without.
(http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv324/distantmeadows/Colorado%202011/DSCN0071.jpg)
Here is a picture with the cover. It is the only one I have with the cover. It is hanging off my belt.
(http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv324/distantmeadows/Colorado%202011/DSCN0043.jpg)
Water only in my camel back I carry a 3 liter bladder it's water the body needs plus I can wash my hands after field dressing and god forbid if I get an injury I can use the water to clean a wound before treating it can't use gator aid for that.
Its water the body needs, yes, but if you are like me the body needs more.
I wonder if diet plays a role in individual needs- I don't have a lot of high salt foods in my diet as a rule anyway.
All I know is if all I drink is water working hard at 8k and above, I am headed for trouble.
Know thyself...
Joshua
The army had a rash of dehydrated soldiers so they started forced hydration. Lost some soldiers from flushing all the electrolytes out with just water. Started forcing oral rehydration salts. Then some genius figured out that if you just ate your mre, or at least a little of everything, and some of your salt packet you would be fine with plain water. All this "sodium is the devil" talk is killing us in the woods.