Interesting information: I checked a box that I bought last year. It shows the packaging date on the bottom, Feb 07 2011 @ 21:30 by XXX which makes sense since I bought it in March. I looked for an expiry date but found none on the box or packets. Perhaps you misinterpeted? Another google search said that the powder has roughly a 2 year shelf life @ 70*F.

FWIW,I think expiration dates are really a marketing gimick for the most part so that storekeepers keep only the freshest product on the shelf. "Best Before" would be a better interpetation. Milk would be a definite exemption for me and I won't drink it after it's date unless I wanted to get sick.

Well, you might be right, however, it seems to me that some of the dates were in the future so that would indicate that they weren't manufacture dates. I will check again next time I see them.

I tend to agree with you about "best by" and "expiration" dates. Gatorade is just sugar and salts, both of which have very long self lives.

Mine are all dated November 2011 and were bought in the spring or summer of 2011 so it couldn't be a manufactured date.

Even if you were really dehydrated and drank a bit of lightly salted water,I think the dehydration is the issue,the added salt on your low sodium diet is not an issue,IMO. Doubt a salty day is going to kill you,dehydration surely could potentially take you off the life force.

As for what a triathlon athlete needs,doesnt really apply to us average schmucks,and Im sure they have experts assessing their needs,or are experts themselves for their highly unusual needs.

Tried a Glaceau Vitamin Water today after biking home in 100 degrees. Not impressed, My grape ORS did better and had a stronger flavor. Phooey!

That only works for some people.

The only coconut I like has rum mixed in

The vitamin water and similar (ie Propel) aren't set up to really be rehydration drinks. Not enough potassium or sodium. Better than nothing, and I love my propel, but not really set out for the weather we've been having.

By the way, these are the two products I used while deployed (no affiliation w/ either site):
http://www.tacticalresponsegear.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2258

http://www.nitro-pak.com/ceralyte-oral-electrolytes-50g-2-pak

I had read the label, but tried it as an option to plain water. Not sure I have a need to fight Free Radicals (wait, do they mean free-range Karl Rove?), but the flavor was weak.

The ORS worked really well at a fraction of the cost.

On my deployments we had to settle for water bags from the King of Saudi Arabia (they were like IV bags without any openings) or commercial 1 liters.

I picked up a pack of the new Gatorade powder. They changed it from the one packet per 16.9 fl oz to one packet per 32 oz, my guess changing from the wasteful disposable water bottle size to a nalgene size.

Izzy,

So sorry! But your sacrifice saved us from a similar fate!