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How much water does one generally need to carry per day on a thru-hike? I know that it varies as to how often you will come across a water supply, but how do you balance the necessary amount with the weight of your pack? Also do people recommend a particular way to store the water? I've seen people posting that all you need is a gatorade bottle, but is there a better way? Water is the biggest thing I'm worried about along the trail.
Bootstrap
09-29-2007, 17:25
Water *should* be one of your prime concerns on the trail. A lot of people carry 2-3 liters of water with them. If you're in a section where you might not find water, especially in a drought, it may be worth bringing more. And there's a lot of drought right now:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.786991/k.958F/Trail_Updates.htm
I carry a water purifier, 2-3 Nalgene bottles, and a MSR Dromedary bag. I just got a Nalgene canteen for someone else in my party to carry just in case, because there's a lot of drought going on. I haven't been on the trail since Spring, and I don't know these trails well, so I don't know the current water conditions.
A ranger I talked to claimed someone had recently hiked 17 miles without finding any water at all. That worries me enough that I've posted a thread asking about water on the section I'm hiking. We'll see what the people who know say ...
Hope this helps!
Jonathan
Doughnut
09-29-2007, 17:31
I haven't thru-hiked, yet, planning on 2 years to start, I sectioned Ga and part of NC this summer on shakdown hikes, though,
Personally, (I sweat ALOT) I carry 3 1/2 litres, though on my last secion I shoved 2 20 oz water bottles (like from a convienance store) in my pack, just n case. I didn't need them, but I'd determined if I broke into one, it was time to head down hill to a river because I was OUT.
I went back a few weeks ago and hiked Neel's Gap to Hogpen, and there was no water at all, anywhere, that I could find, the 4 litres lasted me 10 miles (there and back)
Hope this helps, water is heavy, running out is BAD, find your balance,
Good Luck, Great hiking,
Dough Nut
Water can be a major challenge... especially in a drought year or in any old year, late in the season. "Amount to carry" depends on how willing you are to risk dehydration, but jonathan.robie gets it right, imo. I used a 3 quart platy on my last hike, plus a 20-oz soda bottle as emergency/reserve. The platy was generally filled (2-3 qts.) at the start of the day or whenever I was heading uphill toward a ridge.
I carry a 3 liter nalgene bladder, a platypus, and a 32 ounce bottle of sorts. overall, that equals 5 liters, but I drink a lot of water so my numbers may be considered high. Also remember how much water you drink depends on how far you are going and what the terrain is like. 15 miles in Maine can cause you to drink more water(depending on what section) than a 20 to 25 mile day in the really flat parts of the trail (pennsylvania is a good example from what I have heard, at least the first part), the weather also is a factor.
Kirby
mountain squid
09-29-2007, 19:05
Running out of water is not a good thing (even coming perilously close is not a good thing)...I carry a 100 oz water bladder with hydration tube for water on the go and a 70 oz Platypus for extra carrying capacity. I DO NOT typically carry 170 oz of water, but have the carrying capacity if the need should arise. I probably carry 2-3 qts as required.
Some additional thoughts:
a gallon of water weighs 8#, but I would rather carry it instead of running out
the 70 oz Platypus weighs about an ounce and rolls nicely when empty
skip the Nalgenes (they are heavy and bulky)
frequently water sources are far off the trail - you might need extra water for some meals (ie. dinner and breakfast - you won't want to make two trips to get water)
to find out about water sources ahead of you, read shelter registers and ask hikers going in the other direction
See you on the trail,
mt squid
How much water do I generally carry on the AT: seldom more than one liter. However, I do read the guide book and log books at shelters. So, if it looks like a long way between sources, then I might carry more.
I carry extra water late in the day if it's likely that I'm going to be tenting, or if there's any doubt at all about finding water at the shelter. That way I know that I can have tea and dinner, and some water to start the next day, regardless of where I end up.
Tennessee Viking
09-29-2007, 23:27
I suggest carrying 2 bladders or bottles. The size of them should only reflect how thirsty you are and how much you can carry on trail.
Generally you want one water ready to drink, and the other in process of treating or filtering. You can also use the 2nd as a back up on hot or very waterless days.
I generally carry a 4 liter MSR dromolite water bag and 1 liter nalgene HDPE bottle usually to attach to my water filter, and a half liter nalgene HDPE shake bottle for minking ice tea mix.
When I did a 3 day section last week end at one point I was carrying 5 1/2 liters. I needed it too, I was down to 1 liter when I next came to my next good water supply.
Panzer.
Bootstrap
09-30-2007, 17:25
Here's my attempt to summarize the thread, adding to it a bit here and there.
1. You really don't want to run out of water.
2. You'll probably need to consume at least 2 liters/day. Some people consume more, and you may need more for cooking or cleaning. With enough good information ahead of time, you can get by carrying a small amount of water. Me, I'd always stock up to at least 2 liters at any watering hole, and rarely more than 3 liters. You can get information on the water ahead from hikers coming the other direction, trail logs, etc.
3. Sometimes you don't know how reliable the water is ahead, and running out of water can be dangerous. It's always good to have extra containers to carry more water when you can't be sure when you'll be able to get it next. These containers will often be empty.
4. Carry a water purifier. I like the ceramic kind that you pump water through with a crank. These guys are reliable - if it ever broke, I'd filter the water with a bandana and purify it using the iodine tablets I carry and never use (and which taste awful), or just boil the water.
5. You can carry water in soda bottles, Nalgene bottles, MSR dromedaries, Nalgene canteens, or lots of other things. Think about the odds of failure (can my soda bottle spring a leak?) and have just a little backup. I carry 2-3 Nalgenes and a dromedary or a canteen. The dromedary or canteen are usually empty until I get close to camp.
6. Camp near water so you don't have to carry the water you use for cooking and cleaning up long distances.
7. Under drought conditions CHECK AHEAD to see if the springs marked so prominently on your maps are still there. Look on the topo maps for streams near the trail that you can go to if the spring you are counting on has dried up. Bring a compass so you won't get lost if you have to leave the trail looking for a stream. Know how to use a map and a compass ;->
Did I miss anything important?
Jonathan
1. 2 liters/day is low. My urologist suggests at least 3 liters/day, and that's for the easy life, in town. In extreme conditions you might need a quart per hour.
2. Lots of disagreement about item 4. Lots of folks don't bother with filters any more. They use chemicals, or [ :eek: ] drink straight from springs or streams.
3. "Camel up" (ie., drink water, liberally) at water sources.
Appalachian Tater
09-30-2007, 19:03
2. You'll probably need to consume at least 2 liters/day.
That sounds a little on the low end, to me. Of course it will vary by person, what you eat, weather, wind, terrain, conditioning, miles, but during the summer I drink about a liter of drink mix in the morning, about a liter of drink mix at lunch, almost a liter of drink mix at dinner, plus at least two, usually four, or even more liters of water during the day from a tube system. So never less than three liters a day (even in the winter) and usually a lot more, sometimes twice as much, plus water used in cooking.
In 2006, finding water was only a problem in a few places, notably Pennsylvania. Judging from the posts here, it was a serious problem up and down the trail in 2007. I now carry two 1.8 liter Platypus containers instead of one 1.8 liter Platypus and one 1 liter wide-mouth tonic water or Aquafina bottle. The weight of the extra Platypus is not significantly different from the bottle, the bulk is less, and it gives me the flexibilty of carrying up to 3.6 liters of water if needed. Nalgenes are too heavy.
Being able to carry a lot of water gives you more flexibility as to where to camp, too.
Brownish urine is a little worrisome and I got it when I dry-camped, spilled some, and was without a water source until I got to some gallon jugs. Another time, in Pennsylvania, a really nice couple out dayhiking drove ahead to a forest road that evening and brought water because they knew we would need it. I had been out for a while. Providing water in dry areas is the best trail magic of all.
Bootstrap
10-01-2007, 10:41
Thanks for the correction - I agree that's low, it's about 1/2 what I use, but I was interpreting some people as having said they use that little.
The Platypus containers look good. Is there a real difference between the 1.8 and the 2.0? If you get the full thing with the hose, can you take the hose out and close it off with a cap? I always feel safer when I know I can get rid of all the fancy pieces and have just a bag with a cap if anything goes wrong ....
Jonathan
hopefulhiker
10-01-2007, 10:46
I think the rules have changed with the recent drought.. I would carry as much water as I could under these conditions..
But back in 05,a wet year, I usually carried a litre and a half on average.. Sometimes in really wet times I just carried about a litre of water. In dry conditions up in NJ I carried up to 4 litres...
Appalachian Tater
10-01-2007, 11:13
Thanks for the correction - I agree that's low, it's about 1/2 what I use, but I was interpreting some people as having said they use that little.
The Platypus containers look good. Is there a real difference between the 1.8 and the 2.0? If you get the full thing with the hose, can you take the hose out and close it off with a cap? I always feel safer when I know I can get rid of all the fancy pieces and have just a bag with a cap if anything goes wrong ....
Jonathan
Those are good questions. The 1.8 liter is shorter and wider than the 2 liter so it doesn't tip over as easily. I wish they just made 2 liters in different shapes! The accessory parts are interchangeable. You can buy one that comes with a hose and another one with only a lid and then switch them off. Some soda bottle lids fit, too.
The rubber mouthpieces have an annoying tendency to get lost at $5 a pop. If anyone has a way to keep them from getting lost, please share.
Bootstrap
10-01-2007, 18:18
I think the rules have changed with the recent drought.. I would carry as much water as I could under these conditions..
But back in 05,a wet year, I usually carried a litre and a half on average.. Sometimes in really wet times I just carried about a litre of water. In dry conditions up in NJ I carried up to 4 litres...
On October 12th, we'll have no reliable water supplies from 19E to Overmountain Shelter, 8 miles, which is about what we'll do on the first day. I was thinking we should carry 3 liters each, if we're sure that there's water at Overmountain.
I note that several online sources suggest 1/2 to 1 liter / hour while hiking, as does "Walking Softly in the Wilderness" suggests the following:
Even a person who isn't exercising needs 2 quarts of water a day, most of it in liquids, some of it in solid food. A hard-working hiker loses much larger amounts in sweat and breath. On a strenuous trip you require a full gallon a day or even more.
That makes me think 4 liters each is best ...
Jonathan
Appalachian Tater
10-01-2007, 18:24
Don't forget, you can "camel up" at water sources. That's why I like to camp near water--that way I get very well rehydrated in the evening, enough so that I have to get up to urinate at least once, and then can drink some more in the morning. While hiking I tend to sweat a lot and urinate a little unless I drink so much water my stomach feels tight. Point being, it's easier to carry it in your stomach than on your back and you feel better if you don't get even a little dehydrated.
Jack Tarlin
10-01-2007, 18:29
2 liters a day is ridiculously low.
In hot weather, 6-8 at least is more like it.
The perpetual fatigue that a lot of hikers complain about is often nothing more than chronic dehydration. Most hikers don't drink enough while hiking.
A few ways to get more water into your system: Keep a quart by your head during the night and whenever you wake up (most folks don't sleep all thru the night) have a good-sized drink. By morning, you'll have put the better part of a quart into your system. And then, once you're up, try to drink the better part of a quart before you break camp and leave. This won't prevent you from getting thirsty, but it'll postpone it. Your body will be a lot happier if you start a day of heavy exercising with your system already flooded out.
And don't neglect water while in town, either. Many folks drink nothing but soda pop or beer when they're in town, or chocolate milk, or Gatorade. But there's nothing better for you than plain old water, so make sure you get enough, even on the days you are not hiking.
Last tip: Pay attention to the color of your piss as it's a great way to gauge whether or not you're hydrated enough. Good, healthy piss should be virtually clear; the more golden it is, the drier you are on the inside, and if it's ever amber-colored or darker, you're in trouble and should probably get a lot of water into your system right away......and then get some rest.
saimyoji
10-01-2007, 19:03
Good tips Jack. One thing to keep in mind is that the body cannot rehydrate as fast as you can drink. If you drink too much too quickly, your kidneys will filter it out without your body absorbing it. Rehydrate slowly by drinking only a few oz every 20-30 min. (this advice from an MD when I was dehydrated due to flu).
If you drink too fast all you'll do is generate more urine. Kind of a waste, unless of course, you recycle. :)