Thirsty for Adventure? Hydration Strategies for the Backcountry
The Art and Role of Hydration
Many hikers either forget to drink enough water, find it uncomfortable to drink during strenuous treks, worry about packing too much, or don’t feel thirsty. Others may drink water but still feel tired or dizzy.
If any of this sounds familiar, improving your hydration beyond just drinking water can make a big difference. Developing a solid hydration plan and turning it into a habit can help you feel better, support your body, and boost your performance. It’s crucial to know when and how to hydrate properly to stay safe and perform well on the trails.
Check-in Tip: Have a hard time remembering to drink? Set reminders on your phone, or alarms on your watch to sip water regularly every 15-20 minutes.
Water plays a role in:
Keeping us cool: When hiking, we sweat to keep our bodies from overheating. Drinking enough water helps us sweat properly, so that we can stay cool.
Keeping our muscles healthy: Dehydration can cause muscle cramps and can make us feel tired faster. Staying hydrated helps our muscles work better and keeps us going longer.
Keeping our mind sharp: Even being a little dehydrated can make it hard to concentrate and make good decisions. Water helps us stay focused and alert.
However, hydration is more than just drinking water. Our body needs tools to move that fluid around the body to use it effectively. There are three key pieces to staying hydrated: fluids, carbohydrates, and electrolytes.
Below are some examples of each:
Fluids: water, tea, seltzer, milk
Carbohydrates: bread, bagels, crackers, oats, rice, potatoes, beans, fruit
Electrolytes: salt, sports drinks, pickles, salted nuts, pretzels
Check-in Tip: If you’re drinking a lot of water but still feel thirsty, you might need to look at your eating and drinking habits. Are you eating carbs or salty foods? When did you last have a snack?
Our personalized hydration needs can be influenced by several factors:
Body size and composition: People in larger bodies typically have higher fluid needs due to greater sweat rates and demands.
Intensity and duration of exercise: Longer and more intense hikes can increase how much we sweat, and require more hydration.
Altitude: Our bodies work harder to breathe, and use more water the higher we are hiking above sea level, requiring more water.
Weather: Hot and humid conditions increase the amount that we sweat, requiring more frequent hydration breaks, and/or electrolyte replenishment.
Sweat levels: Sweating varies by genetics, fitness, altitude, and weather. We lose water and electrolytes (like sodium, chloride, and potassium) that need to be replaced.
Check-in Tip: If you see white stains from sweat on your backpack straps, feel salt on your skin, or taste salty sweat, you might be a "salty-sweater" and need extra electrolytes.
Choosing How to Hydrate
Hydration is more than just drinking water. With all the choices, like sports drinks and electrolytes, it can be confusing to pick the right one.
Electrolytes are an essential piece of our hydration routine. They are important minerals (sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) that balance fluids, support nerves, and help our muscles work. Athletes lose these minerals through sweat, so replacing them is key to staying hydrated.
Hydration is definitely not one-size-fits-all, so experiment with different strategies during training to find what works best for you.
Courtesy of NutriTrain, LLC
Electrolyte options: Courtesy of NutriTrain, LLC
How Much Water Should you be Consuming?
Did you know, the human body is made up of 60% water? Without water, we can only survive for about 72 hours. Water is a critical factor to our survival and wellbeing. So, as you’re getting ready to head out on your next hike you might be wondering, how much water should I be packing? The answer is, it depends on the length of your trek, the weather as well as how much you are able to carry.
There isn’t a strict rule for how many liters of water you should drink per mile, but here’s a good rule of thumb:
On average, drink about 0.5 to 1 liter of water for every hour of hiking. This comes out to between 3-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes.
Camelbak also has a great online resource to calculate hydration needs where they’ve partnered with the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute. Keep in mind, your needs might change based on the weather (if it is warm, humid, sunny, etc.), how hard you’re hiking, and more.
Include about 300-600 mg of sodium per hour in your hydration plan.
Some easy to pack snacks to add sodium to your trek could be:
Pretzels
Cheez its
Beef Jerky (Chomp’s stick), or jerky strips
Pickles (bagged pickles like Oh Snap or Van Holten's or are great for taking on the trail!)
How to Build a Hydration Plan
Daily: Drink water regularly, not just during exercise, to feel better and perform well.
Before the Hike: “Camel Up”. Drink 16-20 ounces of water 2-3 hours before and another 8-10 ounces 20 minutes before starting.
Hydration During Your Hike: Drink 3-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes. Use water for hikes under 60 minutes and sports drinks with carbs and electrolytes for longer hikes.
After the Hike: Drink 16-24 ounces for every pound lost during the hike, and keep sipping water throughout the day.
Check in tip: To calculate how much water you will need, consider your hiking pace and estimated mileage.
Hiking Length/Duration:
Hiking Pace = 2 miles per hour
Segment Length: 8 miles
Estimated Hiking Time: 4 hours (240 minutes)
Hydration Needs: 8 oz water per 20 minute interval of time.
Hydration Calculations:
240 minutes / 20 minutes = 12 x 20 minute intervals
12 intervals * ~8 oz per interval = 96 oz or ~2.84 Liters
Identifying Signs of Dehydration
When you are on the trail, whether for a day hike, or multi-day trek, knowing the signs of dehydration and how to treat them are crucial for your safety, and anyone you are with. So how do you know if you are dehydrated?
To remember some of the signs that you might not be drinking enough water, think of the acronym: “Thirsty Dogs Drink Frequently”:
Thirst
Dark urine - your urine should be a pale yellow color if you are properly hydrated
Dizziness/Dry mouth & skin
Fatigue - dehydration can make you feel weak and tired or give you a headache.
Image Source: Chloe created
Inspired by: United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, HYDRATION - Contentstack
Check in tip: Look at your pee! Your urine should be pale yellow, and listen to your thirst cues.
Hydration at Altitude
If you’re trying to knock off another “14er” on your list, then this tip is for you! Another important consideration when hiking is your altitude. When you’re hiking at high altitudes (beginning at 5,000 ft above sea level), you’ll need more water because the air is drier, you breathe more and your body loses water faster than it does at sea level. You can become dehydrated much more quickly due to this. So how do you stay hydrated at these heights?
Here’s what to do for altitude preparation:
Get acclimated to the environment in advance - as much as 2-3 days.
Pre-hydrate with hydrating foods (fruits, vegetables), salty carbohydrates (pretzels, crackers, etc) and water before your hike.
Consume water and electrolytes during your hike: 0.5-1 L per hour + 0.5-1g of sodium per liter of water.
The total amount of hydration required at altitude varies based on your sweat rate, conditions and other factors. A good baseline is to increase your intake by at least 25-50% more water than you normally consume. Current recommendations emphasize closely monitoring your hydration status. At base camp, check the color of your urine and drink frequently. When at higher altitude camps, repeat this check-in, and drink soups, carbohydrate-electrolyte beverages and water. Finally, at the summit, continue drinking carbohydrate-electrolyte beverages as a rehydration solution.
Pro-tips for Packing
We know that having the right gear with you makes all the difference when on the trail, so what are some pro-packing tips to stay hydrated?
When packing for a hike, you’ll need two main components - the water you are storing and hydrating with, and filtration/purification systems in case of emergencies and/or to refill along your route. Consider these options:
Water storage: For easy packing for your trip, use bladders/reservoirs (like CamelBak, or Osprey), soft-sided bottles (like Hydrapak, or Platypus), collapsible bottles (like Hydaway, Que or Lifestraw).
Water filtration + purification: Pack a filter (like LifeStraw or Sawyer) and purification tablets (like Micropur, or Aquatabs) in case you need to refill from natural sources on your hiking route.
Understanding hydration can boost your performance and keep you safe on hikes. By paying attention to your fluid needs and listening to your body, you'll stay healthy and make the most of every hike. So, remember to plan your hydration carefully before your next adventure. Happy hiking!
Disclaimer
The content provided and shared on this website is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only and is not meant to replace advice provided by your doctor, or any other healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor before starting any dietary supplement or new health routine.
