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  1. #1
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    Default electrolyte replacement

    Hello to all.

    First, if this is the incorrect forum for this inquiry please accept my apologies.

    I'm getting together a mental list of food for a 300+ section in Virginia, beginning in the middle of June. I know it will be hot.

    I have used electrolyte replacements before in the form of Gatorade powder. It works but it is heavy. In looking at amazon I found many other alternatives. I know people have used Nunn. Has anyone used Hammer nutrition pills? Are there others that I'm not considering? Could you share what you have used in the past and now?

    I sweat like a horse, and I consider this not a frivolity, but a need considering the area, temps, elevation, and knowing how my body works when I don't use it. Summer is the only time I consider this. All other seasons-not. I'm looking for something that works, weight consideration.

    I have tried the MIO active, propel, and also the Walmart brand last year. The stuff you squeeze into your water. I did not work well for me and was a waste.

    Any thoughts pertaining to this is greatly appreciated, and also very welcome.

    Thank you.

    Floyd

  2. #2
    Registered User Walkintom's Avatar
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    Nuun works pretty well for me. I make it a habit to have it warm before bed if I failed to get it during the day and it helps me feel a lot better the next morning vs. not having it. Only note I would add to that is that if you are very sensitive to sorbitol you may not want to use it. I'm fine with it, but I have heard of people getting loose bowels from a combination of sensitivity to sorbitol and consuming it all day long.

    If you get cramps, you may consider buying salt tabs as well.

  3. #3
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    My wife and I in fact use those Hammer nutrition tablets on shorter duration ultra-hikes (1-2 days, 50 miles or so) in hotter weather. they seem to work great. I think I came down with a mild hypernatremia one time before I carried those tabs, found religion and now use them, no problems since.

    I've also tried Nuun's, and hate them, they taste terrible. The nice thing about a tablet is you don't have to taste the contents.

    That said, generally on long distance hiking we stick with Gatorade or something equivalent. Sure, it's heavy, but the extra weight (vs. tablets) is just sugar/energy calories, so no actual wasted weight. I also like to flavor the water sometimes, and Gatorade fits that bill. Just our Modus Operandi.

  4. #4
    Registered User ny breakfast's Avatar
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    i just read somewhere recently that nido has more electrolytes, then gatoraid could go with a no cook meal for breakfast and get more electrolytes in you early in the day

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    Its heavy because its sugar =calories. Dont worry about the weight.

  6. #6
    Registered User Donde's Avatar
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    Can't speak on the Hammer stuff, but GU makes drink tabs, and electrolyte capsules that are effective. Though these should be a supplement to your diet which should be the primary way to take care of this.

  7. #7
    Registered User Noseeum's Avatar
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    Endurolyte Fizz tabs from Hammer are great. The lemon-lime is fairly tasty. Dissolve one in a liter of water, twice a day. I tend to make one in the morning, then a second one that I drink with and after dinner. Gives you quality electrolytes, without the huge amounts of extra sugar in most of the -ade drinks. Sold in ziplocks of 25, each tablet individually wrapped, weight is ~3.2 ounces.
    "Healthy, Free, The World Before Me, The Long Brown Path Before Me Leading Wherever I Choose." - Walt Whitman, Song of the Open Road

  8. #8
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    I.m thinking of using Lite Salt, It's about 1/2 potassium cloride. Might a good source of potassium.

  9. #9
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ny breakfast View Post
    i just read somewhere recently that nido has more electrolytes, then gatoraid could go with a no cook meal for breakfast and get more electrolytes in you early in the day
    Sectionhiker, maybe? I read that, too. Drink milk instead of Gatorade. Its better for you.

  10. #10
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    Those who use Gatorade...I assume most buy the bigger packs of powder. The individual seem pricy and create more trash...what do yall use for a funnel to get powder from ziplock to say a "Smartwater"bottle with the std small size cap. Seems like I spill about as much as I get in the bottle....I realize it would be easier if I used the Gatorade bottles with the bigger lid but I prefer the smaller lid as the sawyer squeeze screws on....in the event my dirty water bag breaks.


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  11. #11
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    I used both the nuun and gatorade, but it really just came down to what I could get my hands on. I couldn't say if one was better than the other, I thought the gatorade tasted better and was much easier to find. If I was lucky I could find someone to split a tube of gatoraide packets with so I wouldn't have to worry about the extra weight. One thing I will warn you on is if you decide to drop it right into your camel bladder it can cause problems for your sawyer mini if you have it attached to your drinking tube.

  12. #12
    Registered User Walkintom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hangfire View Post
    One thing I will warn you on is if you decide to drop it right into your camel bladder it can cause problems for your sawyer mini if you have it attached to your drinking tube.
    Heh, I bet that was an educational moment. We all have them from time to time.

  13. #13
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    NUUN. Most dense (lightest) and easiest (no measuring) option.
    In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln

  14. #14
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    Halfway down the page you will see a super simple recipe to make your own. I have added it to my drink mix, sprinkled it on food and filled hundreds of capsules over the years.

    http://postholer.com/journal/viewJou...entry_id=19697

  15. #15
    Registered User swjohnsey's Avatar
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    Just eat ramen.

  16. #16
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    Expensive: Pedilyte powder (stay away from bubble gum flavor)

    Cheap: Salt or lite salt

  17. #17
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    Daaaaaam Malto......lucky DEA didn't raid your crib! Ha....


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  18. #18

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    Mortons lite salt is the magic ingredient you need, then all you do is need to add something to make it palatable.

  19. #19
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    Hi,

    Thanks for all of the replies!

    seems like most use hammer, or nunn. Glad to hear I wasn't the only one who used Gatorade... stuff works. I read the same article in section hiker. Problem being, I can't drink milk!

    I'm, not really looking for something to flavor the water, I have no problem with good H20, I just want to replace all that I know I will be loosing sweating my .......off.

    My biggest problem is food, and usually pack too much, just trying to get what I need, and be realistic with weight.

    Thank you all for your help. Appreciate the time you took to respond.

    All the best,
    Floyd

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by BirdBrain View Post
    NUUN. Most dense (lightest) and easiest (no measuring) option.
    I have not used this so I was reading about it on their web page to learn more. Indeed it seems to be mostly just a tablet of electrolytes. They have a few different formulations, some with caffeine and/or vitamins. You don't have to carry the extra sugar, but I wonder how important that may be. I know in Oral Rehydration Therapy mixes used for treating dehydration due to cholora, the glucose is an important ingredient. I'm not sure if the same applies to the situation the hikers face. I was mildly annoyed by Nuun's ad copy. They say it has no sugar, but they list dextrose (sugar) as a minor ingredient in one mix. They also say there is no artificial flavor, but they list acesulfame (artificial sweetener) in another mix.

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