Walking Forum
Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: tenmilesplus on 00:47:56, 17/06/18
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Hiya all.. I have covered several miles over the years mostly returning with water left over and sometimes running out..
Question is how much water do you carry for a longer walk ? Lets say in the Summer or warmer weather 18 deg plus, and over 10 miles.. Water is heavy item and a fair bit is needed in the heat of a long walk.
I am planning to walk the 45 miles of the Test way and possibly doing it as one walk, anyway, carrying 20l of water isn't practical, and the parts of the route I have walked so far have no shops or the pubs have closed down so the likely hood of getting water is slim depending on timings..
There is also the possibility of a personal water purifier or tablets ?? I have no idea, what have you used ? what would you do ?
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Generally I carry 1.5 or 2 litres but this will be based on the weather IE hot /cold etc.
Also I make sure my walk will take me past or slight detour to a water source (filter needed) or village pub/shop to resupply. As from London I have to keep remembering shops shut very early.
I use the evernew water pouches and makes sure I have enough water for the evening following morning and day.
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I thought the 'Test Way' did occasionally run along side the River Test ?
It is very much weather dependent, I normally carry 1.5-2 litres but recently in continuous daytime temperatures of 25-27 degrees C I carried (and drank) an extra litre.
What you also need to consider is what food you will, be eating - presumably as you won't be going near shops them you'll be carrying everything. Dehydrated food will require 500-800ml to re-hydrate, eating things like granary bars makes you want to drink more, do you have cups-of-tea / Cocoa for 'pleasure' rather than because you need liquid.
Assuming you'll be doing the walk in 2 or 2.5 days.
Unless you are planning to have a shower or bath I think 20 litres would be a bit OTT, 5 litres (5kg) would be my suggestion, but is is very rare not to be able to source water from somewhere (even the River Test assuming you have a filter)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUsdx0UC2uU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUsdx0UC2uU)
I'd strongly suggest that you get something like a Sawyer water filter system (+ carbon add-on filter)which will give you good drinking water from streams, etc.
I do carry sterilising tablets as a real 'last resort' but unless it was a 'drink-or-die' I'd rather not use them as the taste is 'orrible.
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As tenmiles says get a water filter.
I carry 500ml in my travel tap bottle between 2 of us and top it up at every available stream or even puddle when necessary.
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I carry about 1.5L or less in a bladder in my rucksack. I always buy a Widepack because it means I can fill it if I want too without having to remove it from my rucksack. I also carry a water filter, not an elaborate one, just a simple 'put one end in the water and suck the other end' type. To date I've run out of water twice, with no other water around, quite a scary experience. The worst was between Kirk Yetholme and Byrness on a very hot cloudless day, my fault entirely, too much beer the night before and strolled off down the Pennine Way without thinking about anything, especially water.
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Hiya all.. I have covered several miles over the years mostly returning with water left over and sometimes running out..
"Better to have and not to need, than need and not to have"
Applies to many things in life.
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I normally take 2 sigg bottles and that's usually more than enough, but i did climb Slioch a few Fridays ago when it was hot. I found that I was running out of water, so I turned back and waited a few days before ascending the mountain again.
But for trail walking on mild days, 2 litres is usually more than enough
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My daily walking (as opposed to camping) water consumption varies between 0.3 and 2.0 litres depending on the weather.
As I use a Travel Tap, I never carry more than 0.8 litres at any one tine.
Once you come down from the Coombe down the Test Way is wet - most unusual for Hampshire!
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Unless I am going somewhere where I know will not have safe water sources, I'll normally just throw my 1 litre water bottle in the pack.
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I normally take 2 sigg bottles and that's usually more than enough, but i did climb Slioch a few Fridays ago when it was hot. I found that I was running out of water, so I turned back and waited a few days before ascending the mountain again.
But for trail walking on mild days, 2 litres is usually more than enough
I'm surprised that you couldn't find any water on Slioch - isn't there a lochan just below the final summit slopes? Must have been unusually dry!
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I take 2 x 850 ml smart water bottles max but I also take a sawyer filter and an evernew bladder for dirty water. If going high, I take much less if I know there will be sources. I also drink at least 500ml before setting off and keep some in the car for my return.
The smart water bottles are good as they can be reused many times.
The other option is to cache some water at points on the walk so you can collect on the way.
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I'm surprised that you couldn't find any water on Slioch - isn't there a lochan just below the final summit slopes? Must have been unusually dry!
very! it hadn't rained for about 2 weeks. all the streams had dried up and the normally boggy ground around the cottongrass, etc, was parched
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It all depends on the temperature and prevailing weather conditions.
Last year in the really hot spell we had, i went through over four litres of water during my walk from Gerlan to Carnedd Lewellyn and back.
I was using the extra capacity Camelbak bladder, and even after consuming so much liquid, i was still dehydrated due to the high humidity and heat.
Its difficult to say how much water a certain walker will require, as our metabolic rate can vary from person to person.
Some can get away with drinking less than others, but drinking in excess of four litres of water in a single walk is not common.
I forget how warm it was, but i simply could not drink enough fluids, as the perspiration was poring off me, and i knew how important it was to drink as much fluid as possible.
Severe dehydration is a serious issue, life threatening for some with medical issues, but its difficult to say how much water someone really needs.
In really hot weather, take as much liquid as you can physically carry.
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In contrast to DA we carry as little as possible, half a litre each. We always plan where we are picking up water to filter en route. We always have water to drink without having to carry it all right from the start.
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I think the answer to the OPs question is ;
There is no single 'fits everyone answer'.
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Totally agree, maybe some shorter walks in warmer weather will allow you to gauge your requirements.
Just to show how variable people are I'll regularly get through just under 3lt in warm weather (4 x 600ml siggs + 400ml Flask with either hot or ice cold drink in it).
My walking buddy rarely gets through 1.2l for comparison.
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Thanks for all tour contributions..
The main reason for my water enquiry is that I haven't walked more than a marathon (26 miles) in a day before and I'm going to try and walk as much of the Test way as I can in one / two days which is 44 miles. Walking the marathon was an organised event for Alzheimers so there was no issues with food or water.. I did carry 2l with me to share with my Wife.. On a daily we generally carry too much, 10mile walk in Winter we would carry 2l with extra in the car but in the heat over 14deg I carry 2x 1l bladder and 2x700ml bottles with extra in the car, we always come back with about half.. We also don't eat much other than an apple or such.. Food wise I was hoping to survive on oat bars and beans in a re-sealable pot.
Any recommendations for a cheap water purifier ? I was looking through 'Walking Magazine' today and it's not difficult to spend over £100 and very few £30 or under.. I notice too that some are buy and use and others need extra filters or tablets etc..
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Thanks for all tour contributions..
Any recommendations for a cheap water purifier ? I was looking through 'Walking Magazine' today and it's not difficult to spend over £100 and very few £30 or under.. I notice too that some are buy and use and others need extra filters or tablets etc..
"Sawyer Mini" £20 (ish) or
"Soldier"
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Soldier-Portable-Water-Purifier-Purification-Backpacking-Pump-Filter-Hard-Case-X/142803550656?epid=4014807247&hash=item213fc141c0:g:DKoAAOSw~oFXKKIe
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-SAWYER-MINI-WATER-FILTER-KIT-Filtration-Survival-Purification-Straw/173363215911?epid=1085150918&hash=item285d40be27:g:iVcAAOSwYIhWl9wt
Do a YouTube search for "Sawyer Mini" & "Soldier Water Filter".
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So much depends on conditions how you are feeling and terrain. On a recent 10 mile romp out to Cranmere Pool I only had half a ltd with me, as I wasn't planning on walking that far. Got back a bit thirsty but not dehydrated. On another recent 20.5 mile walk I took 3ltr with me and by the end of the day I was quite dehydrated. Both warm days on Dartmoor.
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Well there is a charity alternative.. Check out the Roll out the Barrel Trust..
http://www.rolloutthebarrel.org/contact/fundraising/