does anyone have a favorite electrolyte replacement they add to their hydration bag(s) for day-long, constant replacement of lost fluids and electrolytes?

got a nasty inner mid-thigh cramp @ lunch with 6 hrs of hiking left. partner gave me magnesium capsule that took the cramp away almost immediately. that - and standing on one leg very still.

ran out of water - 5.5 litres - for the first time - w/almost 2 hours of hiking left.

the high temp surprised even the weather service.

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I had heard of Gookinaid (Hydralyte) for a number of years but an ETS member's suggestion in a post finally got me to try it about a year (or two?) ago. Since then, I've become a huge fan of it. You rarely see it in retail stores, so ordering online is probably your best best. Well, my local REI has it, but just one of the flavors. All the flavors are quite mild tasting, not salty, and I honestly believe that it hydrates better than any other electrolyte drink I have tried (or as well as anything more expensive). I have a pitcher of it in my fridge right now.

You might want to search the forum for terms like "electrolyte," "hydration," "ORS" and "hyponatremia," too. We've had some interesting discussions on the topic of hydration before. I think you'll pick up some useful additional info if you dig into the topic a bit more.

Too many of the so-called "sports drinks" you see in the store are just beverages. Drink them for the taste, but don't drink them because you think they make a good electrolyte drink. They usually have too much sodium and sugar for optimum absorption and not enough of the right kinds of electrolytes to do much good.

You might wanna give this stuff a try.I just picked up some of this stuff at the 99 cents store.I'm planing on using it during day hikes.I've used the regular premixed version before while at the gym, & it did the job of keeping me hydrated quite well. I'm still not sure if I'm gonna premix it or if I'm gonna carry a few scoopfuls in my pack.

Powerade or Gatorade did well for me during my scouting years. Not a fan of the taste, but oh well.

Also, plain water with adequate foods should do the same thing. Powerbars, gorp, whatever your munchies of choice are. The key is you replace what your body loses.

arney,

thank you for that. i did a search and i wanted a more recent update than what i found. the hydralyte looks like what i'm looking for - and i appreciate your taste-test response.

bsmith

i'll look at the 99c store - i love 'em.

how's the taste? i'm far from fussy, but it is a consideration and there's no better way to find out than to ask someone who's tried it.

thanks for your response.

Yeah 99 cent stores are the best.I always find some good deals there. About the taste of the powerade, the taste it like what you would expect... i don't mind it. It really does hit the spot when you're hot and thirsty. It's best when it's well chilled.

I've been in construction for 20 years and have dealt with 8 hours of strenuous exercise too much. If where you are hiking has high humidity like we deal with in the Midwest, there are certain tricks I have learned.

If you wait till you are feeling the effects of dehydration, Gatorade or any of the other brands will only help a little. If you start drinking elecrolytes first thing in the morning, you won't hit that wall in the afternoon.

For years we would drink water all morning and then after lunch when we started feeling lethargic, we would start drinking Gatorade. I finally started thinking about it and realized what the problem was and now I can make it all day without hitting that wall until after I hit my easy chair at night.

For those of us el cheapos, I have been told by a licensed physical theropist that if you squeeze half a lime in about a guart of water you will get all of the benefits of gatorade without the sugar, etc...

When I hike with a Gatorade, I like to carry 2 water bottles, one with Gatorade and one with regular water. The Gatorade works great for drinking, but I also like having water in case I need to clean a wound or something. You can also carry extra Gatorade powder and turn your water into Gatorade on the trail if you need it.