BWCA Electrolytes/Hydration Boundary Waters BWCA Food and Recipes
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DRob1992
distinguished member (222)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/01/2021 11:55AM  
What do you guys use to replace electrolytes on your long, grueling trips or trips that may see hot weather? I'm 28 and, until recently, I've really only drank water. Even on some of my longer and hotter BWCA trips, we just drank water. Obviously, we survived. But I did notice some severe headaches on a few of those trips and I am not at all a chronic headache sufferer. Gotta assume those were dehydration headaches. Recently, I discovered Liquid IV packets. Not sure where they rank compared to other electrolyte replacement supplements. Any input?
 
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JATFOMike
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07/01/2021 06:18PM  
I forget the brand name, but if you check the drinks aisle in your grocery, there are little (maybe 2 oz) plastic containers with various flavors in concentrate that you can squirt into a water bottle…..many of them are just colored sugar water….think kool aid….however, they also have “sport drinks” that have electrolytes in several different flavors including sugar free…..we have found they work pretty well….1 or 2 of those will get you thru the week…..just a couple squirts per nalgene….

Mike
 
07/01/2021 07:26PM  
My trips aren't generally long, grueling, in hot weather. I'm not 28 either. I usually just drink water and eat trail mix. The important thing is to keep drinking. I do better at staying hydrated (and avoiding those headaches) since I got a water filter bottle to drink on the go and started drinking while portaging.

I looked at Liquid IV and it didn't seem to be much different from the old Gatorade (used to drink when running marathons) formula. What increases the absorption is mostly the combination of salt and sugar. Two links.

Link Link
 
07/01/2021 07:46PM  
For years we only drank water, then used the old standby, Gatorade, or g2 when we were done portaging for the day.

This year we tried liquid IV, and liked it. It has a lighter flavor than g2. We used it during some hot days in June, and had good recovery after a long day portaging.

My son works as a wild land firefighter out west. His crew, and many others, have switched to Liquid IV because of the electrolyte content. He feels it works quickly and he can tells the difference vs water or some other drinks. He also doesn't get the sugar drop that he always got from Gatorade. Their 2nd choice after IV is Nuun tabs.
 
schweady
distinguished member(8071)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
07/01/2021 07:55PM  
JATFOMike: "I forget the brand name, but if you check the drinks aisle in your grocery, there are little (maybe 2 oz) plastic containers with various flavors in concentrate that you can squirt into a water bottle…..many of them are just colored sugar water….think kool aid….however, they also have “sport drinks” that have electrolytes in several different flavors including sugar free…..we have found they work pretty well….1 or 2 of those will get you thru the week…..just a couple squirts per nalgene….


Mike"

Mio.

Good stuff. Convenient. Lightweight.
 
straighthairedcurly
distinguished member(1923)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/06/2021 05:03PM  
I use the little Propel packets. On my recent trip, I forgot I had packed them. Found them on the 2nd to last day, used one, and noticed that it made a big difference in feeling hydrated. It was really hot the whole trip and I was downing 5L of water a day minimum to try to keep up, but still had that little naggy headache until I used the Propel.
 
07/11/2021 08:59PM  
Pedialyte electrolyte powder or Nuun tablets
 
HistoryDoc
senior member (66)senior membersenior member
  
07/12/2021 07:32AM  
A hot item in the cycling community are the products from LMNT. Feature a variety of electrolyte replacements in powder form.
An interesting historical note (sorry). The author John Mcphee's father was the team physician for the Princeton athletic teams (and several US Olympic teams).
He developed an electrolyte replace drink, but neglected to add any flavoring. The guys down at the University of Florida used essentially his formula, flavored it, and Gatorade was born. As Mcphee noted, if his father had flavored the drink, he would be doing his writing from his mansion on the Riviera.
 
gotwins
distinguished member (267)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/27/2021 11:12PM  
all of the above go well with vodka or everclear at the end of the day :)
 
Hammertime
distinguished member (275)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/13/2021 09:41PM  
I find my headache intensity and duration are directly correlated with how many nips I have at the fire the night before. Your mileage may vary.

With that said, nuun tablets have become a staple.
 
DRob1992
distinguished member (222)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/21/2021 08:17PM  
Hammertime: "I find my headache intensity and duration are directly correlated with how many nips I have at the fire the night before. Your mileage may vary.


With that said, nuun tablets have become a staple."


Lol, no doubt that that would play a role. I don't drink, though, so I know it's a different cause for me. I've never heard of the nuun tablets but you've peaked my curiosity. Thanks for the recommendation.
 
09/22/2021 10:33AM  
gotwins: "all of the above go well with vodka or everclear at the end of the day :)"


Except that booze dehydrates you and in my case, that dehydration headache returns!
 
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