I have used Gatorade for years, although for most uses I like to dilute it about 50:50 with water. In hot conditions I typically carry two canteens, one of which is devoted to plain water, the other to Gatorade.

The more strenuous the activity, the more important a diluted drink becomes. My stomach did not like standard Gatorade if I was running a marathon, but I could drink it straight all day long, if I was just hiking.

If you are eating salty foods, you don't need to worry about electrolyte replacement drinks. I did experience salt depletion once, and I have made sure to keep enough salt or Gatorade handy every since.