How much water to carry?

[gearfreak]

I've read many opinions from hikers regarding how they treat their water, but I don't recall seeing anything about the quantity of water folks tend to carry. As this could (depending on quantity) represent the heaviest item in my pack, careful planning would eliminate unneccessary weight. I don't like carrying my platypus bladder in the hydration sleeve since I never know what I have left. I like the idea of cameling-up when possible and carrying less (perhaps 1 - 2L in the bladder and a Gatorade bottle in a side pocket). Obviously, quantities would tend to vary where seasonal trends might render some sources unreliable. Any thoughts?

[Footslogger]

You're going to get a range of answers to this one, me thinks.

From experience, on average a hiker consumes (or should) around a liter of water per 5 miles of hiking. With that in mind, consult whatever trail guide you are carrying and take note of the water location(s) up the trail and then carry accordingly. Just remember that some water sources are seasonal and could be dry when you get there.

What I do is carry a 1.8 Liter Platy with hose/mouthpiece and then a 20 ounce Gatorade bottle in shock cord on my should strap. I generally carry "flavored" water of some sort in the Gatorade bottle. There are a lot of beverage powders available now in "tubes" designed for 16 - 20 ounce bottles. Nice to have with a snack or lunch rather than plain water.

Happy trails ...

'Slogger

[JAK]

That's an interesting point about not knowing how much is left. I've never had to carry a bladder up here because its not so hot and the water sources are fairly frequent. I've found easy water more scarce in winter though, so I have thought about it. If the distance is such that 1 litre is enough then that's all I carry and I don't worry about running short. If I carry 2 litres its usually because I am not sure when the next water stop might be and I always want to be sure to have enough to stop and have a meal.

If I was hiking any distance where I knew I would NEED 3-4 litres or more then I would be a lot more concerned about running out, especially if I was going through it fast for cooling and not just food and water. Then I like the idea of using 2 bottles like I always do, and carrying the bladder as a reserve.

[taildragger]

Depends on where you are, what the temps are. I'll carry very little (2L or so) while in the NE, but while I'm in the deserts of the SW I tend to carry a lot (1 gallon and maybe some change). I only carry that much then because I know that I might not have another real water source for a long time

[LIhikers]

I think you hit it right on the head when you said.........

Obviously, quantities would tend to vary where seasonal trends might render some sources unreliable.

[Hikes in Rain]

One to two liters while on the march. If I anticipate a dry camp, I have a 2 gallon (I think) old waterbag I fill at the first convenient source before my camp. (Don't want to carry that any further than I have to!)

[ChinMusic]

There is no fixed amount to carry, other than "enough to get you to the next source" with a bit in reserve. There is nothing much worse than being out of water and the source you THOUGHT had water was dried up.

I tend to carry very little. I also do not like using a hydration tube and prefer carrying a 32oz Gatorade bottle in a belt pouch. I also add a bit of Peach Iced Tea Crystal Light........great stuff. If I need more water, I hang it from the back of my pack in Platty. I also have a Steripen on my belt so I can refill my Gatorade bottle on the fly, without taking off my pack or waiting for chemicals (this is not possible with murky water). I carry chemicals (tablets, weigh next to nothing) as a backup if the Steripen fails or the water is too murky.

I will camel-up at water stops and then typically move on with just the 32oz if the water sources are known.

[JAK]

My own reckoning is that when my body is cameled up I've got 2 litres reserve in my body before I start to get stupid, more than usual. I estimate 1 litre for 1 hour of running or 2 hours of hiking, but if I'm already well hydrated I won't drink at all for that first hour of running or even 2 hours of hiking. Once I'm well into the hike though I think at least half of that reserve is gone, so its fairly consistent after. I can't run much more than 2 hours, but I've learned I need water for the second hour. The actual amount really depends on the type of day it is though. Also if you have a fever or something like that you can use quite a bit more, especially on a per mile basis. You have to listen to your body and consider whether you are more prone to overhydrating or underhydrating. If ever in doubt about anything like that it's worth stopping and resting to get a better assessment of yourself and your situation. Colour of pee is a good indication.

In general I am more concerned about how much I am drinking, and what the concentration is, rather than how much water I am carrying. But again if I had to do a section where I NEEDED 4 litres, I would probably carry at least 6, but up here I've never ever had to do anything like that. The most I carry here is 2, and the second one is mostly for convenience if I think I might stop and cook something.

[JAK]

Running out of water in winter, or getting up in the morning and finding it all frozen, that can be a real drag because I depend on water for not just for hydration, but also for lots of hot drinks and to cook and digest the food I need for heat. In summer I can stop at night and camp away from water with just 1 litre if I have to, 2 prefered, but in winter I really need 2 litres when I camp and 2 litres when I get up. So you need different methods for ensuring water supply in winter. Combination of things like being able to melt snow, sleeping with hot water bottles, water bottles that can be heated if frozen, perhaps even a small hatchet. I'll still take my Kelly Kettle in winter because it's so darned efficient and I drink so much hot liquids, but I have a way of melting snow if I need to.

[shelterbuilder]

I try never to carry more than a quart at a time - the stuff just weighs too much! If it's really hot, I'll camel up at a water source, take a break and fill my bottle, and I'm on my way again. If I'm headed for a dry camp, I'll stop for dinner at the last water source before the camp, cook and clean up there, and just carry enough to get me through the night and a quick breakfast the next morning.

[The Weasel]

I've read many opinions from hikers regarding how they treat their water, but I don't recall seeing anything about the quantity of water folks tend to carry. As this could (depending on quantity) represent the heaviest item in my pack, careful planning would eliminate unneccessary weight. I don't like carrying my platypus bladder in the hydration sleeve since I never know what I have left. I like the idea of cameling-up when possible and carrying less (perhaps 1 - 2L in the bladder and a Gatorade bottle in a side pocket). Obviously, quantities would tend to vary where seasonal trends might render some sources unreliable. Any thoughts?

I never carry less than 2L, and I try to learn about water sources on the trail. I assume that I will drink 8 oz per hour, which means I have about 4-5 hours of water at a time, and I try to plan to have additional water sufficient to get halfway between my first and second water points on a trail. That way, if the first water point is dry or unusable (happened in the Smokies in '00 that Apple Orchard water source was fouled by horsepackers who allowed horse apples in the spring), I am reasonably safe to the second one. Out here in the west, that can mean carrying as much as 2 gallons of water, and occasionally more.

The Weasel

[hopefulhiker]

When I hiked in 05 which was a really wet year for the most part.. I carried a litre and a half and would camel up at the water source.. When it was dry up north I carried as much as four litres sometimes but not often...

[Kirby]

I am going to be carrying a 3 liter Nalgene bladder and a 32 ounce empty gatorade water bottle.

Kirby

[wrongway_08]

I always carry my 3 liter Camel Back.

[Appalachian Tater]

Start out carrying a bit more than you think you might need. In some areas sources are dry at during the summer and way off the trail. You can question hikers going in the opposit direction about the quality of the sources.

Another tip: if you are heading down a blue-blaze to camp for the night and there's a sign that says "Water", it might be a hint to stop and fill up before heading on in to camp.

[gearfreak]

Thanks for all of the valuable input. Common sense and personal needs are the obvious rule. Reading WB posts pertaining to current conditions in the field have been beneficial also.