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I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay hydrated on your hike. The loss of water while hiking can severely impair your performance and can even lead to a potentially dangerous situation. The first sign of dehydration is thirst but by the time you feel thirsty, your body is likely already a quart below normal fluid level and already approaching dehydration. Even a one-mile hike can lead to dehydration. Vigorous activity, excessive sun exposure, higher altitudes and medical conditions can all affect your hydration level. A sure-fire way to tell if you are dehydrated is by the frequency and color of your urine. You should be urinating fairly often, and if the color should be pale yellow. If you aren't and it's not, then you are dehydrated. The darker the color, the more serious the dehydration.
When your body is dehydrated, it can't cool down when conditions cause its temperatures to rise, and it also can't generate heat when conditions cause its temperature to drop.
Here are some tips to avoid becoming dehydrated on your hike:
- Drink early. It takes time for your body to absorb liquids. Before leaving on your hike, drink 16-24 oz of water, decaffeinated tea or a sports drink like Gatorade.
- Have liquid readily available. Whether you are using a hydration pack or a water bottle, make sure it's convenient to use.
- Drink often. Drink 4 to 6 ounces of fluid every 20-30 minutes. Don't wait until you stop for a break or a rest. Your energy will be stronger when you drink more often.
- Drink before you feel thirsty. If you feel thirsty, you are probably already dehydrated.
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Eat carbohydrates. Carbohydrates keep you hydrated by pulling water into your digestive system.
- Add electrolytes. Drink sports drinks like Gatorade or eat salty snacks. The powdered sports drink packets are easy to pack. Sweat removes both sodium & potassium and those need to be replace. Many sporting good stores sell electrolyte additives like Nuun or CamelBak Elixer.
- Caffeine and alcohol don't count. In fact they both act as diuretics, meaning you urinate more, which leads to- yup you guessed it- dehydration.
- Pack extra. Shove a few extra water bottles in your pack. Trust me, the extra weight could be life-saving.
H
ow do you know if you are dehydrated? Here are a few signs to look out for:
- Thirstiness
- Dry, sticky mouth
- Fatigue and/or muscle weakness
- Headache
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Lack of sweating
- Irritability
- Stomach ache
  A hydration system is definitely the best way to go when hiking. For convenience it's top-rate; you don't have to slow down or stop to reach for a bottle. Because of this convenience, many hikers stay better hydrated by using a hydration system. What exactly is a hydration system, you ask? According to wikipedia, "In recreation and other sustained outdoor activities, a hydration system is an apparatus intended to promote its user's drinking enough liquid to support the physical effort involved in the activity." These systems come in many varieties. Some are self-contained packs (top left photo), some are bladders designed to go into a pack (top right photo- this is very similar to my own hydration system), and there are even bottles now that can be made into hydration systems (CamelBak Better Bottle). All types typically include some sort of storage for water (bladder or hard case), a tube, and a sipping method (CamelBak for example uses a "Big Bite Valve," which you bite down on to allow you to sip the water). Be careful of "cheap" brands, though, because a lot of them have problems with sealing and with the valve working correctly.
If you opt to not go the hydration system route, then consider purchasing a BPA-free (BPA stands for bisphenol A, a controversial compound found in polycarbonate that mimics the hormone estrogen; some researchers say BPA has been linked to obe sity, diabetes and developmental problems in lab animals) reusable water bottle to be more eco-friendly, and to save money too! Try installing a filter on your tap water, or use a filtration system like a Brita pitcher and use that to refill your bottle. Rather than using the tap water at my house (which is horrid), I buy my water in gallon jugs (or larger) just for hiking. There are often a few jugs living in my trunk as well "just in case." My favorite reusable bottle hands-down so far is the CamelBak Better Bottle, which has an attachment tube you can purchase separately to make it into a hydration system. The BPA-free bottles are designed with a bite valve (to use without the attachment tube).
 If your reusable bottle gets gunk in it (especially if you use those little packets to flavor your water), try cleaning your bottle with a mixture of vinegar and baking soda (expect some foamy reactions). A baby bottle-brush is invaluable as well, and can be found cheap in the baby section of any store. For really stubborn gunk or stains, use denture-cleaning tablets in your bottle. Works like a charm! Be sure to let your bottle air dry completely in between washings to avoid any germy buildup.
CamelBak's website is at: http://camelbak.com/
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