- Plan your route: Include a water stop on your regular walking route. Know where to find drinking fountains and if they are turned off during winter. You should be drinking a pint (500 mL) every hour, can you get that from slurping at a fountain or do you need to carry water?
- Bottle holder: The best way to carry water is in a pack. Get a waistpack with an external bottle holder to be able to get to your water quickly. Balance the load in the pack or get one that carries the bottle in the middle of your back to preserve your body alignment.
Top Picks for Single-Bottle Packs - Camelbak/built in systems: These gizmos allow you to carry water on your back, with a plastic tube straw to take a drink whenever you need. They balance the load well. Some waistpacks have a similar water pouch built in.
Top Picks for Higher-Capacity Water Carrying Packs - Water bottles: If you buy water, use those bottles only once and recycle them, they are not meant for re-use. To re-use a bottle, buy a good water bottle at a sporting goods shop. These have a higher grade of plastic that won't leach into the water on re-use.
- Round or flat? The traditional water bottle is round and fits well in an external holder, but you may want to have one that will fit into your waistpack comfortably. Look for a platypus water bottle, which is a flat pouch that will stuff well into your waistpack.
- Safe water sources: Never drink from a stream unless you filter or sterilize the water first. Most running water sources are contaminated with parasites and germs that will make you sick. That sparkling mountain stream is filled with Giardia, a very cute little smiling flagellate just waiting to infest your gut and liver.
Keep your water bottle clean. Wash it after each use with soap and water, or add a couple of drops of bleach and fill it with water overnight, then rinse thoroughly in the morning.
Don't share your water bottle with anyone you wouldn't exchange a sloppy kiss with.
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