If you are planning a long hiking trip, the first thing you need to think about is how you will stay hydrated. This is most important as you cannot live without water and you will need it if you are outdoors on a long hike. In this article, we are going to talk about tips that can help you stay hydrated while you are enjoying your hiking adventure!
Hydrate before Your Hike
Before you start your hike, drink 1 or 2 cups of water or juice before you go. This will be a good start to staying hydrated. Be sure to eat as well, with your foods being full of protein and carbohydrates. With your water, you can add in flavoring to make it easier to drink too. Some additives will have some sugars and calories that can help you on the trail. Plus, flavored water even tastes good when it is no longer cold.
Limit Caffeine
It may be okay to have a cup of coffee or a can of soda before a hike, but keep in mind that these are also diuretics, which mean they cause your body to dehydrate. Losing fluids is not exactly what you want before a long hike, so keeping caffeinated drinks to a minimum is best. You will also want to forego the alcohol, or drink very little, as alcohol causes your body to dehydrate too. Be aware of what you are consuming if you are planning a long hike.
Hydration Packs
A hydration pack is a great way to stay hydrated on the long trail. You can store it in your backpack and use the tube to drink while you hike. It keeps you from stopping on the trail to take many drinks. The tube is connected to a reservoir, which is known as a hydration bladder. When choosing a hydration bladder, you want one that will hold 2 or 3 liters of water so you have a large amount of water on you and won’t have to refill.
Purification Tablets
When you have drinking water from a river, lake or stream, you will want to make sure it is clean enough to drink. Purification tablets are little tabs that you drop into your water bottle with the dirty water and it will come out clean after a certain amount of time. This takes out bacteria and germs so you can safely drink the water.
Assess Your Hydration
It is important to know if your body needs to be hydrated, as there are more signs than just being thirsty. You will want to look for a fast heart rate, dizziness and weakness. You may also have a rapid heart rate, darkened urine, low amounts of urine and fatigue. If you are going through this, you need to pause and hydrate your body before you continue on your hike. If you keep going, you may experience heat stroke, kidney failure or the breakdown of your muscles. So stay hydrated, be aware of how much water you are drinking, and you will have a great time!