Our body is between 55% and 60% water, and even light exercises can decrease that percentage, leaving you feeling crummy. Keeping your body hydrated is imperative for safety, performance, and comfort, especially on the trail, and it is not necessarily as easy as “just drinking water.”
Every single hiker needs to stay hydrated before, during, and after a hike. Below are some important tips to stay hydrated while hiking:
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Drink water before hiking
Your hydration should start before you hit the trail. Rather than waiting until you are working up a sweat on the first mile of the track, consider pre-hydrating about two hours before heading out. Developing this habit goes a long way to help you feel your best for the duration of your hike.
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Keep water accessible
Keep your water bottle handy. Stash it somewhere accessible, like a mesh pocket on the right or left side of your backpack. Hydration vessels are also perfect for this, as they make it easy to sip water and keep moving. For trail runs, consider hydration belts and vests.
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Replace electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals that are vital to many key functions in our bodies. Drinking a lot of water or sweating can affect our electrolyte balance. You will want to replenish electrolytes while hiking, but it is even more crucial when you are sweating hard, and it is very hot out. You can opt for special electrolyte-rich drinks, powder, or tablets. Or you can make your own drink by adding table salt or baking soda and fruit juice (lemon juice is the best option) to your bottle. You can also pack some electrolyte-rich snacks to eat throughout your hike. Plus, you can add some extra salt to your meal to replace the sodium that you sweat out on the trail.