How to Carry Water and Hydrate While Backpacking

One of the most important essentials to carry when backpacking is water. Without water you can dehydrate, which may result in death. A person can survive for a week without food. Without water, a person can only survive for about two days, depending upon the heat. Follow these steps to learn how to carry water and hydrate while backpacking.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Carry a water filter with you when backpacking, which allows you to get clean water from a lake, pond, puddle, river or stream. Insert the hose of the water filter into the water and pump the water into a bottle.

2. Hike with a bladder system, such as a camel pack. This can be placed in your backpack and has a hose that attaches to it and connects to your shoulder strap. You can filter water directly into your bladder system.

3. Purify water with iodine drops if you don't have a water filter. This will kill the bacteria and parasites in the water so it will be safe for you to drink it.

4. Boil the water if nothing else is available. Allow it to cool to room temperature before drinking.

5. Sip your water slowly. Your body can only process four ounces of water at a time. Excess water passes through your body without hydrating you. It's important not to waste water when backpacking so you'll stay properly hydrated.

Tips & Warnings

• Never drink water from the wilderness without first purifying it, even if it appears clean. The water may contain parasites which can cause diarrhea and dehydration.