Staying hydrated is vital for our wellbeing. Proper hydration becomes even more important (but difficult) when exercising in remote outdoor locations.
As we all know, water is essential for our survival. And although outdoor activities are generally good for our health, maintaining proper hydration outdoors is sometimes harder than you might think. The 6 basic tips below are based on my years of experience leading outdoor activities year-round in Scotland.
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Why is it important to stay hydrated?
Water is essential for human survival. It is so important, in fact, that humans can survive only about 3 days without it (compared to about 3 weeks without food!). Although our bodies don’t actually break down water, vital biological processes require it constantly. Furthermore, we continuously lose water through evaporation from the skin and breathing.
Essential body processes needing water:
- Maintaining blood consistency
- Transporting waste products
- Lubricating gut and airways
- Transporting nutrients
- Conducting electrical signals (eg: brain, heart)
- Cooling via sweat
Therefore, regular topups of water are essential to keep our bodies functioning. If we lose more than we replace, dehydration occurs. Mild dehydration symptoms include low mood, headaches and dry lips. Moderate dehydration causes confusion and muscle cramps. Severe cases can lead to organ failure and death. Dehydration is often made worse by overheating and not keeping cool enough.
Water absorbed – Water lost = ‘Fluid balance’
Drinking is absolutely vital, because it is normally the only way we can absorb enough water (food provides only a little, and intravenous fluids are for emergencies only!). Read on for specific tips to help you keep your fluid levels topped up when outdoors.
Tip 1: Drink more than usual when exercising outdoors
Staying hydrated during adventure activities can be harder than when exercising at the gym, or running in the park. Firstly, protective clothing (or the wrong clothing layers) can cause you to overheat and lose water through excess sweat. Secondly, hot, cold or windy weather, or high altitude, can cause you to lose more moisture than normal via your breath. Third, you might only have limited drink, or it is difficult to reach. In addition, thirst is an unreliable indicator of fluid level (people are often already dehydrated before they feel thirsty).
So how much do we need to drink to stay optimally hydrated outdoors? This is a tough one to answer. For a long time it was recommended that adults needed around 2 liters minimum per day. However, recent research indicates that individual fluid needs vary a lot (1). We need enough daily water just to sustain basic body systems and if we are exercising, that amount will definitely increase. So, at least two litres per day for high-intensity activities like running and mountain biking.
Water is comparatively heavy (1 liter of water = 1kg). In high-energy outdoor activities, it is usually impractical to carry enough water to completely replace what you will lose in the day. Therefore, a big drink before/after, or replenishment en route is the answer!
Water purification is sometimes essential outdoors, because filtering alone will not remove all bacteria and viruses. The safest way is to boil water for 6 minutes, use water purifying tablets or a good quality water purifier.
Tip 2: Choose drinks carefully
The right drink will keep you hydrated and performing well. Badly-chosen drinks can lead to poor performance or a stomach bug. Flavoured and/or hot drinks and salty foods are good tricks for encouraging proper hydration. However, the following are not recommended in large amounts in the outdoors: alcohol (impairs judgement), caffeine energy drinks (stresses the heart) and sugary drinks (cause a ‘sugar crash’). Also remember that coffee is a diuretic (increases urine production), so may actually add to your dehydration.
Recommended drinks
- Fruit juice or squash
- Fresh tapwater
- Water from clean streams/lakes
- Tea/coffee/hot chocolate/energy drinks (in smaller amounts)
- Isotonic / electrolyte sports drinks
- Milkshakes
- High-protein shakes (small amounts)
- Soup
🚰 Even tap water can sometimes cause stomach upsets for international travellers, who are not used to local (usually harmless) bacteria. In this case, bottled water is sometimes recommended for drinking, preparing food and brushing teeth.
Natural water sources can be wonderful, but check them carefully and boil/purify if in doubt.
✓ fast-flowing, aerated water where possible
✓ known free of Cryptosporidium or Giardia (not UK)
✓ snow (if clean)
✓ fresh rainwater
✕ small ponds and puddles
✕ near livestock
✕ near houses or industry
✕ after heavy rain or floods
✕ near to or dowstream of popular wild camp spots
✕ algal blooms, scum or apparently oily residue
✕ discoloured, muddy or smelly
✕ seawater
Tip 3: Use a leakproof container
It seems obvious, but a leaky bottle outdoors can be more than an inconvenience. As well as running out of drinking water, a leak can soak your spare clothing and damage important equipment. Ensure your bottle has a leakproof design and always check caps are closed securely. Drink bladders need extra care because they are more fragile than bottles. On expeditions consider taking a backup drink container (or waterproof tape) in case your main drink bladder fails.
Despite being recyclable, glass is usually a bad idea outdoors. That’s because it is heavy, dangerous when broken and impossible to mend. Plastic is a safer choice. A reusable plastic bottle is even better because it can help avoid disposable plastic bottles ending up in landfill.
Tip 4: Keep drink accessible to stay hydrated
Can you access your drink as easily as your emergency gear? If it is buried at the bottom of your pack, then it will be harder for you to keep hydrated because drinking will be inconvenient. Also, bottles are a personal choice, so find one that works for you. A plastic or metal bottle you can use one-handed is likely to be easier to use. Consider a type which can be clipped to your gear, stashed in a pocket or slotted into a holder to avoid loss.
Drink bladders are popular because they make drinking much more convenient, especially in hot locations. They are also a smart move in places where the weather is very changeable (my clients often use one when summer hiking in Scotland, for example). Bladders are generally easily accessed via a drinking tube at your shoulder. They come in sizes ranging from 1.5 – 3 litres and fit in most backpacks. They have a bite valve, allowing you to easily suck drinks hands-free. They are generally quite tough and have the added advantage that they take up less space as they empty (unlike a rigid bottle). A third option is a soft flask, which has some of the advantages of both a bottle and a bladder.
🦠Clean drink bladders thoroughly! Old drink (even water) holds bacteria which grow quickly in a warm, sealed bladder. Follow the manufacturers instructions to avoid a severe stomach upset!
Proper hydration in winter
It can be surprisingly easy to overheat when mountaineering or backcountry skiing due to dry air, high effort and insulating clothing. Water is very heavy and, to make matters worse, bottles and drink bladders can freeze up. Try these fixes to keep hydrated:
- Hydration pack under jacket
- Insulated drink tube
- Blow drink back into the bladder after drinking
- Small bottle inside jacket
- Wide-mouthed screw top bottle
- Thermos flask
Tip 5: Stay hydrated by drinking a little and often
Although a huge swig of water can seem like a good idea on a hot day, this can have drawbacks. For a start, a really big intake of water can result in a full tummy and then bladder, leading to discomfort when exercising hard. Secondly, you will need to urinate more and sooner, which can be inconvenient if you are wearing protective clothing, or are in an exposed location (eg when climbing). In very rare cases, excessive water consumption can even interfere with your blood chemistry! Therefore, regular, small drinks are recommended for proper hydration. This can be sips from a drink bladder, or from a bottle during planned rest stops. This approach can also help reduce the symptoms of motion sickness. And in an expedition setting, it can help you monitor your (and your buddy’s) fluid intake.
Tip 6: Pee (carefully) when needed!
Urinating outdoors can be inconvenient or embarrassing. Unfortunately, not urinating can lead to dehydration because people avoid taking on extra fluid. In severe cases, it can also lead to kidney damage and urinary tract infections (particularly in female anatomy). Because of the health implications, you should take reasonable opportunities to wee when needed. This might mean detouring for public lavatories or finding cover. In some expedition settings, a pee bottle can be very useful. In Scotland, we sometimes wear a drysuit or dry trousers when sea kayaking, and designs with a good comfort zip make peeing so much easier. For some people, urinating outdoors is an unpleasant, scary experience, so good planning and even practising is recommended (a device such as the Shewee can be a gamechanger!). Finally, NEVER urinate anywhere near your drinking water source (go at least 100m away).
Urine colour is an excellent indicator of water intake. Straw-coloured urine indicates a proper level of hydration, whereas dark yellow or orange urine means more drink is needed!
Having enough to drink is vital for our survival, and is a key part of travel health and personal performance. Therefore, pay attention to how much, when and what you drink, especially when travelling in remote places, or partaking in high-risk activities. By staying properly hydrated you will enjoy outdoor activities more, and be more healthy because of it.
Outdoor activities in Scotland with Arc Guiding
References
(1) Yamada Y, Zhang X, Henderson MET, et al. Variation in human water turnover associated with environmental and lifestyle factors. Science. 2022;378(6622):909-915.