Powder Fitness Water or Vitamin Water

[Wise Old Owl]

Ok Folks There are thousands of Fitness waters out there with or without caffeine. I have learned to make my own from scratch. What I want to find out is what is the most popular or underdog powder that I can take on the trail as a powder additive.

Some Ideas are Gatorade, Fulfill Fitness, Carnation Instant, Tang, powders

You cannot add Power C, Glaceau, or Sobe Life as I do not think they offer a powder version.

What are your ideas? What do you like on the trail try to stay on topic.

[hnryclay]

Carnation instant with water, do you add powdered milk? How does this taste?

[doggiebag]

I'll have to go with my old standby Crystal Light sugar free packs - it's light and flavors 16 ounces of water without too much hassel. These things got me through the summer months.

[Wise Old Owl]

Instant Breakfast - no powder milk - it is included. - My Bad

[arasjane]

Gatorade, Oh It saved me!! Then I would go with Carnation instant.

[Yahtzee]

Emergen-C They have packets that are specifically high in potassium. Plus, the fizz is a completely different experience. Good source of all of the vitamins.

[Almost There]

Propel, they sell them in single serving(16oz bottle) packets...some large grocery stores also sell their version, I know Krogers does. Cold Grape Propel on the trail=Awesome!

[Tennessee Viking]

I just came upon this Dexatrim energy booster tablets.

[Hooch]

Propel lemon, occasionally switching over to good old fashioned green Gatorade.

[peanuts]

eletro-mix from emegen-c hands down!!!!!

[Footslogger]

I think you have to decide whether you are trying to "flavor" your water to make it less boring OR you are actually looking to get a noticeable nutrition/energy boost.

In looking over all of the available powder additives I would say you are less likely to realize any sustained energy boost. That said ...giving water some "taste" really makes drinking large quantities more appealing.

'Slogger

[Footslogger]

eletro-mix from emegen-c hands down!!!!!

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Carried that on our section hike last year from Rangeley to Monson and really noticed that we didn't feel as exhausted as we usually do in late afternoon.

'Slogger

[desdemona]

What are your ideas? What do you like on the trail try to stay on topic.

Electro-Mix from Alacer. Electrolyte replacement without sugar. Lemon-lime adult type taste.

--des

[Footslogger]

Actually, the Emergen-C line of products are what I carry nowadays. I carry the basic Emergen-C product to provide daily vitamins/minerals. I supplement with the Emergen-C Joint Health (a glucosamine product) and then, based on the amount of perspiration/fluid loss I encounter, I add the Emergen-C ElectroMix product (a balanced electrolyte product)

'Slogger

[lmcatl]

Motortabs http://www.motortabs.com lots of flavours and some caloric benefit.

Nuun http://www.nuun.com for electrolytes.

Both are tablets that disolve in water so I find them easy to use, no spilling of powder while pouring into water.

[Thoughtful Owl]

Actually, the Emergen-C line of products are what I carry nowadays. I carry the basic Emergen-C product to provide daily vitamins/minerals. I supplement with the Emergen-C Joint Health (a glucosamine product) and then, based on the amount of perspiration/fluid loss I encounter, I add the Emergen-C ElectroMix product (a balanced electrolyte product)

'Slogger

Do you add more than one of these to a bottle of water? Or do you use each supplement as needed? If multiples, how's the taste?

[Footslogger]

Do you add more than one of these to a bottle of water? Or do you use each supplement as needed? If multiples, how's the taste?

==========================================

I actually don't add the powder (Emergen-C type) to my water. In the morning I tear open a pack of the basic Emergen-C and dribble some water into the foil packet and drink directly from the packet. There are now about 4 different flavors of the basic Emergen-C and I pretty much like them all - - but Cranberry the best !!

I use the other Emergen-C products the same way. I keep a couple packets of the Joint Health (glucosamine prodcut) in my fanny pack and during the day I just rip open the foil packet, add water from my Platy hose and then drink. Same with the ElectroMix ...but I generally only use the Electro-Mix in the afternoon and then only if it is a relatively hot day, when I am sweating a lot.

One of the biggest concerns I had during my 2003 thru was maintaining decent vitamin/mineral intake while out on the trail. I had also been on Glucosamine before my hike and wanted to keep up a "maintenance" level, especially given the daily wear and tear on my joints. Last, but not least, I sweat A LOT when I hike, particularly in the humidity common to the eastern trails. By mid afternoon I was often drained of energy and really had to slow down to make the miles (plus I hiked the entire trail with kidney stones - - but that is a different story all together). After coming home from my thru I discovered the ElectoMix product from the Emergen-C company and started to carry it on all hikes. In the last 3 years we have gone back and done 100+ miles sections in Maine and using the ElectroMix product I noticed that I was much less exhausted at the end of each day.

'Slogger

[The Cheat]

==========================================

I actually don't add the powder (Emergen-C type) to my water. In the morning I tear open a pack of the basic Emergen-C and dribble some water into the foil packet and drink directly from the packet. There are now about 4 different flavors of the basic Emergen-C and I pretty much like them all - - but Cranberry the best !!

I use the other Emergen-C products the same way. I keep a couple packets of the Joint Health (glucosamine prodcut) in my fanny pack and during the day I just rip open the foil packet, add water from my Platy hose and then drink. Same with the ElectroMix ...but I generally only use the Electro-Mix in the afternoon and then only if it is a relatively hot day, when I am sweating a lot.

One of the biggest concerns I had during my 2003 thru was maintaining decent vitamin/mineral intake while out on the trail. I had also been on Glucosamine before my hike and wanted to keep up a "maintenance" level, especially given the daily wear and tear on my joints. Last, but not least, I sweat A LOT when I hike, particularly in the humidity common to the eastern trails. By mid afternoon I was often drained of energy and really had to slow down to make the miles (plus I hiked the entire trail with kidney stones - - but that is a different story all together). After coming home from my thru I discovered the ElectoMix product from the Emergen-C company and started to carry it on all hikes. In the last 3 years we have gone back and done 100+ miles sections in Maine and using the ElectroMix product I noticed that I was much less exhausted at the end of each day.

'Slogger

Do you know if there was any connection between the mineral intake and the kidney stones?

[Footslogger]

Do you know if there was any connection between the mineral intake and the kidney stones?

============================

In my case ...NONE. I am kidney stone factory. Had my first attack back in the early 70's. The composition of my stones is Calcium Oxolate Dihydrate. Over the years I've learned (not as well as I should though) to manage my oxolate intake and focus on water soluble compounts (like Citrate) that bind with the calcium and form disolvable stones. Leading up to my thru in 2003 I knew something was "brewing" inside but decided to work on hydration since I viewed this as being my "one and only shot at the AT". Long story short, I had developed a LARGE (we're talking golf ball sized here) stone deep inside my kidney that would not/could not pass spontaneously. With all the pounding on the trail, small fragments would ocassionally break off and pass ...but that was nothing compared to the pain/discomfort from the large intrinsic renal stone mass. I did finish my hike (somehow !!) and when I got home I needed to surgeries to debulk and eliminate the primary stone.

Sorry for the long winded reply ...but NO, in my case the mineral content in the Emergen-C did not contribute to my stones and with adequate attention being payed to my hydration these days I seriously doubt that it ever would.

'Slogger

[Wise Old Owl]

Do you know if there was any connection between the mineral intake and the kidney stones?

I can answer this one as well, My wife has this problem every time she tried different types of generic vitamins for women she would run into trouble. The worst was during pregnacy, she was given precription vitamins and ended up passing two stones while 8-9months. Needless to say that was the first & last. For her it doesn't matter which type of calcium, she just avoids the stuff.