Hydration Question

[toadmeister]

IMHO you need to drink when you are thirsty.

I would very much disagree with that statement.

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[Poser]

I would very much disagree with that statement.

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I’ll rephrase: if you’re thirsty and you’re not drinking, then there is a problem with your water strategy.

I try and always have a surplus of water and replenish often. Running out is a disaster. Once on a big wall ascent in Yosemite, my partner and I ran out of water late one afternoon and had to go the night, finishing a few pitches the next morning in the direct sun and pack our heavy big wall gear down some treacherous goat trails for a few hours to get down. About 15 hours without water and it was ******* terrible. I couldn’t even speak. Never have I ran out of water since.

 

[sneaky]

I’ll rephrase: if you’re thirsty and you’re not drinking, then there is a problem with your water strategy.

I try and always have a surplus of water and replenish often. Running out is a disaster. Once on a big wall ascent in Yosemite, my partner and I ran out of water late one afternoon and had to go the night, finishing a few pitches the next morning in the direct sun and pack our heavy big wall gear down some treacherous goat trails for a few hours to get down. About 15 hours without water and it was ******* terrible. I couldn’t even speak. Never have I ran out of water since.

Sounds like an experience I had with a partner in Yosemite when I lived in the Park. Last time I went climbing with him. Ended up drinking water out of a catch basin on top of a boulder. Never again.

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[seawolfxix]

I would very much disagree with that statement.

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Go on...

 

[Poser]

Sounds like an experience I had with a partner in Yosemite when I lived in the Park. Last time I went climbing with him. Ended up drinking water out of a catch basin on top of a boulder. Never again.

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One detail that I forgot to mention was that a previous party had left some (unopened) cans of tuna at the summit. I was too parched to eat anything but I drank the water out of the tuna cans.

 

[Mike 338]

I take about a half gallon with me regardless of temperatures. Stumped around the AZ desert many many times with just that and it's usually plenty. If I get thirsty, I get thirsty. Of course I tank up when I hobble back into camp and throughout the evening. You can take a Nunn hydration tablet with 16 ounces of water to replenish electrolytes lost during the day and that's probably not such a bad idea, especially if your pack'in meat. IMO, the incessant need for a sip of water is less about hydration and more about habit.

 

[.204smokechaser]

4L is nothing, for me anyway. While hunting in areas that aren't near any water sources, I have a minimum of 2 gallons. I've Carried 3 gallons before and probably will do it again sooner than later.

I usually have myself on a schedule to drink water and get myself through the day. Usually a quart every 1-1.5 hours.


A good rule of thumb is you need to be drinking (water) in ounces 1.5 × your body weight per day and mix in/dilute a sports drink 2-3 times a day. Of course hydrate before and after the hunt.

 

[5MilesBack]

A good rule of thumb is you need to be drinking (water) in ounces 1.5 × your body weight per day

If I did that, I'd be drinking 2.5 gallons every day. I drink about half that on average on an elk hunt while hiking 10-12 miles a day, and I tend to over-hydrate at 11k feet. I regulate my intake based on the color of my pee. Yellow or darker I drink more, clear I drink less.

 

[sneaky]

4L is nothing, for me anyway. While hunting in areas that aren't near any water sources, I have a minimum of 2 gallons. I've Carried 3 gallons before and probably will do it again sooner than later.

I usually have myself on a schedule to drink water and get myself through the day. Usually a quart every 1-1.5 hours.


A good rule of thumb is you need to be drinking (water) in ounces 1.5 × your body weight per day and mix in/dilute a sports drink 2-3 times a day. Of course hydrate before and after the hunt.

I believe you're confusing protein intake with water intake. You could literally drink yourself to death at that level of intake. I tend to drink a lot of fluids, but hardly ever exceed 4L of water a day on a hunt. If I was carrying 3 gallons it would be for a 3 day hunt in the high country with no water available.

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[Bubblehide]

Bruce, our military has conducted a bazillion hydration studies. To cut to the chase, if you feel thirsty, you blew it, you are already on your way to dehydration. Our military recommends drinking every 15 minutes during times of activity. The amount depends on the activity level, and environmental conditions. Keep in mind that temps below freezing create a dry environment. However, as has been pointed out to a degree, people have died from to much water intake. There are several types of electrolytes in our bodies, no one type is a replacement for them all. However, sodium and potassium are the two main types. As has already been eloquently stated, you need to maintain a balance of all types of nutrition, this includes water, food, and electrolytes. But the number one thing any of us can do in a situation like you describe is to cut the alcohol at least a week before such a trip and throughout the trip; but better until we have fully recovered. Alcohol dehydrates us, no getting around it, so does coffee. I for one am not giving up my morning coffee, but I certainly do not continue to drink coffee after my morning cup. I know, some guys need a really big cup .

 

[tntrker]

I've always sweated a lot when outdoors so I've learned to drink a lot of water through out the day, whenever I wanted a drink. I just upgraded from a 2 l to a 3l bladder because a few times have I sucked it dry towards the end. I did not carry it on my 2 1/2 mile stalk last fall with a guide and thankfully it had snowed the day before leaving patches of snow for me to scoop up and let melt in my mouth or I would have been in trouble.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Seems like I should just continue doing what I've been doing then. I sip regularly and only back off when I'm down to my final litre. Then I drink just enough to stave off cotton mouth. It's during this time I seem most likely to feel the real effects (cramps, rapid pulse, ect.) so staying well hydrated during the bulk of the day (when it's hotter) makes sense. I also stop in the shade at midday. If I run out of water on the final trek back to the truck I know that 2.5 gallon keg of ice cold water will help drive my pace back. I'll have to check to see if the NUUN tabs have all the right stuff in em.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

They have been teaching for years ,if your thirsty drink as much as you need.
Don,t try to ration,it makes you all the more thirsty.Get out and re-hydrate.
I've lived in Az. for over 50yrs. Heat stroke kills!August Archery Deer season
will teach you about HOT!

 

[S.Clancy]

Okay, lemme try this again as my question is not being answered. You've hiked a long distance to a known spot that always has water and wallows...except this year. Drought has taken a massive toll and even larger, very reliable water sources are gone. You carry supplements, were well hydrated beforehand and carry NUUN tabs to ensure you have electrolytes. You aren't stupid, you know what you're doing, are properly equipped and that's why you are carrying EXTRA WATER IN YOUR PACK. The question is, is there a right way or wrong way to utilize that water when replenishment suddenly ceases to be an option? Is continuous drinking throughout the day wise or only wise to a point? When you hit that last litre of agua you know it can go pretty fast. I have run out of water completely and it absolutely sucks and kills your endurance. I've been on treks where it was so hot that I didn't sweat or pee at all. Spooky early archery elk season experiences that I never wanna relive. We are only addressing the proper way to ration the water on your back. Keep in mind that as you drink, the load on your back gets lighter making it less of a physical demand on your body. Seems like there is a reasonable way to balance this for maximum performance, right? I've only tried continuous consumption throughout the day until the pack is very light. Then I wait until I'm parched.

We went 2 days on 3 liters last year, luckily it was cool. I think it's better to ration, which I did. Do some research on aldosterone, it's the hormone that controls water balance.

Basically its up-regulated when you're drinking a ton of water. If all of a sudden you quit drinking, ie did not ration, your body is still operating like you have a huge intake and is flushing water. This can cause bad dehydration and is the process bodybuilders use before they go on stage to rid themselves of water. Hence, I would and do ration. Hopefully this helps.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Come visit Az. during the summer and rationing is thrown out the window.
Go to a survival seminar and learn the basics.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I've hunted in AZ more than any other and must agree. I won't venture more than 7 miles from my truck there, it's a place of unforgiving extremes.

 

[Cng]

Seems like I should just continue doing what I've been doing then. I sip regularly and only back off when I'm down to my final litre. Then I drink just enough to stave off cotton mouth. It's during this time I seem most likely to feel the real effects (cramps, rapid pulse, ect.) so staying well hydrated during the bulk of the day (when it's hotter) makes sense. I also stop in the shade at midday. If I run out of water on the final trek back to the truck I know that 2.5 gallon keg of ice cold water will help drive my pace back. I'll have to check to see if the NUUN tabs have all the right stuff in em.

Bruce, as others have said, rate of hydration will vary by person and circumstances, but in my opinion you’re not doing yourself any favors by rationing that final liter. There are a lot of stories of folk who have been found dead from dehydration with small amounts of water on them that they were rationing. I know we’re not talking about that level of dehydration here, but the principal seems to apply. You mentioned in your first post that you only had so many ounces left when you got back to the truck. Seems to me those ounces would have helped stave off dehydration if you had gone ahead and drank them. No reason to carry water all the way back to the truck.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Bruce, as others have said, rate of hydration will vary by person and circumstances, but in my opinion you’re not doing yourself any favors by rationing that final liter. There are a lot of stories of folk who have been found dead from dehydration with small amounts of water on them that they were rationing. I know we’re not talking about that level of dehydration here, but the principal seems to apply. You mentioned in your first post that you only had so many ounces left when you got back to the truck. Seems to me those ounces would have helped stave off dehydration if you had gone ahead and drank them. No reason to carry water all the way back to the truck.

I think that goes without saying. Anyone who drops dead from dehydration while still carrying water clearly doesn't understand rationing. I am at a point now where I can pretty tell how much water I have by feel and simply slow down when the pack gets light but not so much I cramp up, suffer cottonmouth or heat stroke. I have sucked the bladder dry a few times and it's a sound that raises my anxiety level. Seems to happen most when I am in completely unfamiliar territory and run into unexpected obstacles on my return to the vehicle.

 

[sneaky]

You can buy these on Amazon, at Wal Mart. REI etc etc. You can get them in 3 tablet packs as well.

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[Cng]

I think that goes without saying. Anyone who drops dead from dehydration while still carrying water clearly doesn't understand rationing. I am at a point now where I can pretty tell how much water I have by feel and simply slow down when the pack gets light but not so much I cramp up, suffer cottonmouth or heat stroke. I have sucked the bladder dry a few times and it's a sound that raises my anxiety level. Seems to happen most when I am in completely unfamiliar territory and run into unexpected obstacles on my return to the vehicle.

Yeah, I get the anxiety thing, for sure. I just meant that like you, I have tended to over ration and carry water that I should have just drank.

I wonder if there are any physiologists, or something along those lines, that could reply to this thread and say definitively whether that last liter, for example, does more to stave off dehydration all at once when you’re thirsty or little by little over the course of several hours. My suspicion is that rationing it might help with the cotton mouth, but it isn’t really enough to stave off dehydration—depending on conditions, of course.

I’ve had a couple of times I got so dehydrated that I completely lost my voice, so I’m interested in what others say. I get pretty frustrated reading ultralight backpackers talk about only carrying 20oz of water and that kind of thing. I won’t go much farther than a mile or so without my 3 liter hydration bladder.

I haven’t tried a lot of the supplements others have posted here, but I found that something called Skratch, I think (bought it at a cycling shop), worked far better for me than Gatorade. I also like the taste of those Propel packets, and I think that helps me drink more, but I haven’t tested it in quite the same conditions as the other two. Gatorade coats my mouth and makes me thirstier in really hot weather. Skratch also has a slightly salty flavor that doesn’t exactly taste good but I crave it when I’ve been sweating a lot.