Hydration

[cynthia23]

Many thanks to Ellen for her comprehensive and careful responses, and to everyone else, too, who has posted--much good info here. I do think, though, that Phydeux has raised a point of interest: where is the line between a relaxed wilderness experience and an over-controlled, industrialized-hiking-endurathon? I have certainly used Gu and many of these products, but at some level I do feel a discomfort with using products that in some ways function almost like drugs. On the other hand, anything that can make an intense hike more comfortable and safe is certainly good. And of course SAR personnel must do whatever it takes. But, there is a point beyond which I believe that over-focusing on your "performance" and obsessive tinkering with your body chemistry, as if it were just another high performance engine, makes appreciating the total wilderness experience more difficult. (Or even impossible, because when the body doesn't "perform" as one wished, there is disappointment in its 'failure', instead of appreciation for the wilderness.) Someday I'm gonna do Skyline with a wicker picnic basket packed with Italian salami, three pounds of ripe mangos, an antique Irish lace tablecloth, and a nice bottle of organic Argentinian wine. Yes, it will take me fourteen hours. But damn will I taste good!

But seriously, I also have a longer-term health concern, which is that many of these products, especially Gatorade, contain many artifiical/chemical ingredients--preservatives, artificial flavorings and artificial colorings. I would be concerned with regularly (i.e. every weekend) consuming very large quantities (2 to 3 liters) of these products, especially in the stressful conditions of an intense hike. It can't be good for the body. It just seems to me that the lab-produced drinks and gels are questionable. If you do decide to consume endurance-type drinks during hikes, I think it's best to make your own. It's pretty simple and there are various recipes on the Internet. Or maybe Perry can post his?

[AlanK]

Debating natural and artificial ingredients is interesting, and even important. I choose to sidestep it at this point. Electrolytes are natural. You need them. If you are doing hard hikes on hot days, consuming large quantities of water and trusting your normal diet to provide electrolytes can lead to serious problems, whether you are a world class athlete or a weekend hiker. You can provide the needed electrolytes with natural or artificial products, but you do need to provide them. As Cynthia said, you can certainly make your own.

[Ellen]

Howdy Cynthia,

Someday I'm gonna do Skyline with a wicker picnic basket packed with Italian salami, three pounds of ripe mangos, an antique Irish lace tablecloth, and a nice bottle of organic Argentinian wine. Yes, it will take me fourteen hours. But damn will I taste good!

I want to be with you on that hike One question, do you mean "you" will taste good (to any hungry mountain lions that might be around) or the "food" will taste good?

Sorry, I couldn't resist
Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Rick M]

Thanks again for the info Ellen. And as Cynthia says, we gotta do whatever it takes so I cruised by REI's food area to check out these gel and gu things. Clif Shot, Power Bar Gel, Hammer Gel, and actually something really called GU; I thought Cynthia was joking about this glue/gu thing

Trying to read the ingredient list on these was blowing my mind. So I thought about buying one of each for a taste test till I saw they come in all sorts of flavors and with and without caffeine. I bought a few and wow we! like some kind of super concentrated salty honey thing or like maybe a Gatorade that got left out and almost all evaporated away when it was discovered that that's all you have left. I had two of the 5 samples I bought (I'm not about to eat/drink all five at one sitting).

Questions:
1) What brand/flavor do you like and why?

2) Is it possible to squeeze these into your water bottle, shake, and then drink at your leisure or would dry powdered things like Gookinaid added to water be the same?

3) The calories all look like about 100 for the different brands. How many of these do you carry for a day hike like up for example, Skyline?

4) Do any of you "make" your own and if so, would you care to share?

Thanks from an old fashion not quite with the latest things hiker.

[FIGHT ON]

BINGO RickM. W/O CAFFEINE! Stay away from that stuff. Let's say that your "TIME" is important to you. How do you justify breaking your personal best time or any time or any performance with the use of some drug?? BAFFLEING. I just don't get it.