Anything besides plain water drank on the trails?

[Different Socks]

In many posts and replies to said posts, I've read about people claiming that they only drink water while hiking for the the entire time of their thru-hike.
I find it difficult to believe that other than coffee/tea/alcohol in camp, that there are so many people that drink only water with every meal
I've heard people say it's b/c of having to keep the bottles clean, or a water bag clean, or their Camelbak clean.

Now I do understand that there are "some" people out there that do prefer to drink water all day, day after day after day.

So let's hear from those that prefer to have flavored water. Here are some of the powders/liquids I use:

--Over a doz different MIO flavors
--Powerade drops
--Every Gatorade powder I can get my hands on
--1/2 doz different flavors of Hawaiian Punch
--Crystal Light powders
--Strawberry/Chocolate YooHoo Powders
--Tang
--Ovber a doz different Walmart powders.

[Malto]

For me there is water or there is magical Malto mix, Malto, electrolytes and crystal light.

[coach lou]

I take powdered gatorade now, every walk.

[Different Socks]

I take powdered gatorade now, every walk.

If it's not mixed in already, I've reduced my gatorade powders down b/c like Tang, they are rather bulky in a ziploc.

[MuddyWaters]

sqwincher lite kwik stiks 0.1 oz each


ass-lg-01.jpg

[Different Socks]

sqwincher lite kwik stiks 0.1 oz each


ass-lg-01.jpg

Squincher?! Wow, I haven't seen those in so plong, I thought they were discontinued.

[hikerboy57]

emergen-c .

[Pedaling Fool]

I think I'm one of them lucky people because I'm satisfied with the simple things in life; I have no desire to flavor my water.

[ocasey3]

I really like NUUN. The pink lemonade is pretty good.

[fredmugs]

Water on the trail. Beer in town with an occasional Coke.

[coach lou]

I think I'm one of them lucky people because I'm satisfied with the simple things in life; I have no desire to flavor my water.

The flavor sucks....its the chemicals that my body sweats out on the long hot walks.

[Pedaling Fool]

The flavor sucks....its the chemicals that my body sweats out on the long hot walks.

Eat a healthy diet and you don't need these sucky flavor additives; I never did

[Pedaling Fool]

Eat a healthy diet and you don't need these sucky flavor additives; I never did

Sorry Coach, I just read HikerMoms post on another thread and realize I must be more careful in my posting

Disclaimer !!! : I'm super human, don't try this unless you're also super human

[coach lou]

I do not skimp on my diet, at all. Since I am back on the trail I was getting leg cramps at nite, I started to MAKE SURE I hydrated. I did a 5 day this July, by day four I was bonking, I forced myself to drink.....but it felt empty. I was having day dreams about MountainDew!!! I downed 2 cans when I got to the hostel, I felt much better. I got home, did some searches. I hated the taste of gatorade. I tried it, I started bringing the powder. 2 scoops with my water during the walk......NO more nite cramps.

[coach lou]

Sorry Coach, I just read HikerMoms post on another thread and realize I must be more careful in my posting

Disclaimer !!! : I'm super human, don't try this unless you're also super human

That's only 'cause you squids hold water better than us jarheads!

[Slo-go'en]

I like the citris flavored, caffine infused Crystal Light in the morning, Propel for lunch and lemonaid for dinner. Plus an occasional sip of untreated water for variaty.

[Osiris]

During my hike

Water only when hiking.
Coffee in the morning at camp.
Fresh juices and some hard cider in town.

Prior to my hike I never drank water. I drank two or three cups of coffee a day. If I didn't have coffee I would drink a coffee based energy drink. I was not healthy in that respect.

While hiking I found myself enjoying plain water, so much so that it is almost all I have now post hike. I can't remember the last time I had a soda or energy drink. I still have coffee or tea on occasion but even those are taken without sweaters/creamers. Haven't had any alcohol since my return from the trail.

I'm a bit of a special case though having lost half my pancreas to pancreatitis a few years back due to gall stones. I'm not diabetic yet but my doctors feel it will happen someday so reducing sugar intake now is vital to getting as many miles on what's left of my pancreas.

Still, I remember something I heard stated by a hiker to a woman who was performing trail magic. The woman listed off all the drinks she was handing out ending with water. The hiker replied: "Mama, all we drink out there is water. The last thing we want is more water." His statement was a bit rude but rang true with me, I had grape juice. Right after he said that another hiker stepped forward and asked for two bottles of water.

Point being just like Hike your own hike, drink your own drink. Just remember your electrolytes!

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Vitamin water for day trips. Gatorade for the young man.

[Hikes in Rain]

Coffee in the morning, because there's just no point to morning without it. Wonderfully flavored spring or creek water otherwise. Down here we have some of the planet's best water via the Floridan aquifer, but the springs along the Trail just taste better.

[bfayer]

Sorry Coach, I just read HikerMoms post on another thread and realize I must be more careful in my posting

Disclaimer !!! : I'm super human, don't try this unless you're also super human

I don't see the need to pick on other folks across threads.

When I hike I drink mostly plain water, but I do enjoy powdered drink mix from time to time in the summer, and spiced apple cider in the fall and winter. I usually take some Nido powdered milk and carnation instant breakfast, but that is more as part of my morning meal than something to flavor water. Then again I'm not a thru hiker, so don't mind the extra weight as much.

For the OP, I have seen people pull just about every conceivable drink out of their pack from coconut water (never saw that 10 years ago) to big bottles of pedialyte (yuck), so if you take something other than water, I guarantee you will not be alone.