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.  


Here is a picture with the cover. It is the only one I have with the cover. It is hanging off my belt.

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.