This is a fabulous and hugely useful thread. Without addressing specific comments, here is my hydration rationale:
I started using a 2-liter water bladder with my Osprey Kestrel 48-liter rucksack on my first Camino in 2013. But, when I discovered that the empty bladder weighed 11 ounces (@ 312 grams), the empty bladder was mailed ahead to Santiago, cleaned and sold to a good home. That is too much 'dead weight' IMHO.
My situation is a little unique. A chronic health condition compels me to supplement my daily diet with medical quality, powdered protein, three times daily. I mix the powdered protein from packets into water. I use one .5 liter water bottle that I obtain locally, already filled with water...imagine that! I carry a collapsible silicone funnel that rides in a rucksack pocket.
Starting with breakfast, I reuse this bottle refilled with water and another packet of protein throughout the day. I must consume one each 4 hours. After the third cycle, the bottle is well rinsed and prepared to the next day. BTW, the need for supplemental protein adds about .5 kg per week to my carried weight. So I try to mail replacement supplies to a reserved accommodation along my route-of-march.
Further, I carry THREE additional .5 liter, locally obtained bottles filled with water. Some also have additional ingredients.
One bottle always has an electrolyte replacement tablet dissolved in it. I use Nuun brand, fruit flavored tablets obtained in runner shops locally. There are MANY other brands available. I must crack the tablet in two to fit through the bottleneck. You can also obtain electrolyte replacements at most any farmacia along the Camino.
Additional great natural sources for electrolyte replacement are oranges and bananas, obtained locally each day and consumed as mid-morning or lunchtime snacks. I PACK THE PEELS OUT.
The remaining two .5 liter bottles are filled, rinsed and refilled with potable water throughout the day as necessary.
I have learned from experience, trial, and very embarrassing errors in judgement to consume .5 liters of water, or similar liquid, every hour, EVEN IF I AM NOT THIRSTY. I call it forced hydration. Others practice the same thing by saturating themselves before they start walking.
Yes, as stated by several colleagues above, water is heavy. One liter equals one kilo. However, it is still lighter than my unconscious body. THAT (face planting) happened three times in one week in 2015, when I last walked from Porto to Santiago in early May. My medical team later determined that it was rapid onset syncope (fainting) caused by dehydration. In other words, stupid me...
FYI, I use Nite-Ize 'Clip-n-Sip' stainless steel clips to fasten my four bottles to the front of my rucksack harness or waist belt when walking. This shifts weight balance from the rear to the front, and keeps my water and nutritional replacements readily available without asking another pilgrim to fetch a bottle from a side rucksack pocket.
Use the urine chart, provided below to assess your urine output. Clear is good, less clear, less good. Add water and electrolyte replacement as necessary.
Consult the below images too. I also saved them to my iPhone as .pdf or .jpg files.
- heat_stress-index.jpg
- Urine Chart.pdf
I hope this helps someone.
who follow a Spanish saying (you can see it posted in bars): "Si el agua estropea los caminos, imagina que le hará a tus intestinos". That is, freely translated, why drink water when there are very good beers and wines in Spain?
) in my walking days, as you can suppose. I usually make at least one stop in bars to get a coffee (or a beer), go to the bathroom and refill my bottle. As for public fountains, in the Frances they are frequent in public squares and resting places built by kind ayuntamientos.
