A friend of mine sometimes says he'd die without access to a healthy supply of chocolate. But there's one substance about which that level of hyperbole would be entirely justified: water.  Life without water is simply unimaginable. The human body is at least 50% water. To maintain the body’s hydration, it is essential to drink minimum 6-8 glasses of water every day. On an average a sportsperson should drink an ounce of water per pound of body weight throughout a day. Activities like hiking and trekking cause continuous sweating. Hence, the required consumption of water increases drastically if compared to normal days. Not keeping yourself hydrated can lead to discomfort and it can slow you down too. Let us see how much water you really need to carry on your next hiking trail.

Know How Much Water to Carry

Before going on a hike one should keep an estimate of travel time along with a handy navigation route. The length of the total journey you wish to cover on foot should be divided by your pace in miles per hour. Most of the times the number you will get is 2mph or 3mph. This can help you carry the right amount of water. For instance, for a 9 mile journey you would require somewhere around 3-4 litres of water.

Drinking 1 litre every two hours is a fundamentally great idea. This works in almost all kinds of climates, favourable or unfavourable. If refilling is not an option, then this quantity can just be fine for anyone. However, one can customize according to the body weight, humidity levels, and temperature of the place.

Carrying water bottles with your backpacks, especially in the exterior pockets is the ideal thing to do. Grabbing them easily from the stretch pockets makes it easy for you while you are walking. Sipping from this bottle during small breaks can keep you quenched throughout the hike.

Alternative to Water

Any non-alcoholic drink can help you avoid parched throats. People prefer water as it’s cheap and easily available as compared to other fluids. One can carry yoghurt, juices, tea, electrolytes etc. according to their preference.

Drinking in Excess During Hikes and Treks

There is no such thing as too much water consumption during hiking and treks. The human body has an unbelievable flushing-out-fluid mechanism. In fact the more you drink the more you stay hydrated. Also, you can know if you are adequately hydrated or not by noticing the colour of your pee.

Refilling Water During Trails

If you are carrying enough water on your expedition but somehow fall short of it due to sharing with friends and other folks, refilling it with natural water can be a safe solution. Be it a lake, a stream, a fall, etc., you can fill your bottles and hydration packs with fresh water. One can opt for options like purifiers too. These provide you with distilled and purified water.

Hydration Packs

Carrying hydration packs can make the task of sipping a lot easier for you. The only issue you might face with these is knowing how much is left. Hence, if not these then simple transparent bottles can be used to carry water.

One thing to remember henceforth is that before starting your hiking or trekking journey you drink up a lot of water. This helps cut down water weight. The thumb rule is taking small sips of water at regular intervals, say every 10-15 minutes. This prevents your body from getting dehydrated.