Author Topic: Water, the age old question.  (Read 2570 times)

tenmilesplus

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 141
Water, the age old question.
« on: 00:47:56, 17/06/18 »
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 ?
Gone for a walk, back in a bit..

FOX160

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 340
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #1 on: 07:37:00, 17/06/18 »
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.

alan de enfield

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 940
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #2 on: 07:51:52, 17/06/18 »

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



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.
« Last Edit: 07:59:06, 17/06/18 by alan de enfield »

Ridge

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9691
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #3 on: 08:16:06, 17/06/18 »
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.

gunwharfman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10255
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #4 on: 10:16:58, 17/06/18 »
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. 

alan de enfield

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 940
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #5 on: 10:23:33, 17/06/18 »
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.

rambling minster

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #6 on: 11:24:50, 17/06/18 »
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

Stube

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 499
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #7 on: 22:08:00, 17/06/18 »
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!


richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12713
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #8 on: 18:19:24, 18/06/18 »
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.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12713
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #9 on: 18:21:28, 18/06/18 »

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!
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

scottk

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 77
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #10 on: 22:29:29, 18/06/18 »
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.

rambling minster

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #11 on: 14:22:04, 19/06/18 »

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

Dyffryn Ardudwy

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2578
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #12 on: 19:04:10, 19/06/18 »
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.

April

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9687
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #13 on: 19:29:57, 19/06/18 »
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.
Hate will never win

alan de enfield

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 940
Re: Water, the age old question.
« Reply #14 on: 20:00:49, 19/06/18 »

I think the answer to the OPs question is ;


There is no single 'fits everyone answer'.

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy