Hydration Strategy For A Hike
 

Suppose you are starting a long and hot hike through arid country. You have the necessary amount of water in a plastic jug. Is it better to:
1. Carry the water in the jug and drink it as you go
2. Drink all of the water and thus carry it along in your body
3. Drink most of it and leave just enough in the jug to wet your mouth during the hike?

Hey, this question has been bothering me.

I would say option #1.

1 makes the most sense.

Put it in a Camelback and sip as you go. Or put the AC on in the 911 and light em' up to cooler climes.

I agree. Carrying a jug would be inefficeint. Deifinetly option 1 w/o the jug.

If you drink it all, your body will soon have the urge to get rid of it, rather than sweating it out.

If you drink as you go, you give your body a chance to sweat the water out, keeping you cooler.

Option 1.

50/50 water and gatorade works well

I've read that in survival cases where you have a limited amount of water, it's better to drink it as you need it than to try to ration it. But that's a little more intense than a hike. I would drink as I hike, with a CamelBak™.

Also consider the fact that too much water is a bad thing...

http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/keepingfit/ARTICLE/toomuchwater.htm

Definitely option 1. My old WWII surplus aluminum canteens served me well during my backpacking years...I suppose they'd be considered obsolete today, as obsolete as navigating with map & compass in this GPS age...

Option 1. Tried and true on a weeklong Appalachian Trail backpacking trip by me. :) I'm seriously thinking about thru-hiking it someday.

I'm reading "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson right now...it's about his experience hiking the AT...great book. yellowline...I agree. F the Yanks.

+1 on the Camelback idea. If it's a short hike and you're not going in with a full pack, then a Camelback would be great.

A friend who runs marathons always drinks an excess amount of water the day before. Completely hydrates the body, reducing the need on race day.