Backpacking Tips for Beginners: How to Backpack : How to Carry Water & Hydrate while Backpacking: Online Backpacking Tips

[MrVoiceofreason123]

LOL. The point of hydration is NOT TO DIE. Not just to keep your energy up haha. Water is your life. You don't have water you could easily die. You can't go by just daily recommendations because each day and it's activities along with the physiology of a particular person determine how much water is necessary. Always carry more than you think you need.

[ashthegreat]

Boiling!!!! Something I definitely MUST MUST remember!

[Spelunker0211]

I am 19 years old and in the miltary, I would highly recommend camelbaks, i have been in iraq for 9 months and recently came back only to go to korea. Throughout my childhood and teens I always did backpacking with my father and I have definately learned how to perfect my system. Camelbaks are the way to go TRUST ME !!

[PivotSweden]

Doesn't it work using a coffee filter thingy to clean the water? (Beginner on camping) Just Asking.

[cmattas67]

Definitely not. A coffee filter is a good filter but will only filter out things like leaves, dirt, twigs, and things like that. The real danger is microscopic including parasites and bacteria found in streams. In water pump, the water is pumped through a filter that contains elements that can remove the microscopic material. Another option would be iodine tablets like in the video.

[PivotSweden]

Oh yeah another thing my! My name Says "Sweden"

In Sweden We got Some Hardcore Clean Water!

[Vyppaaa11]

@PivotSweden FOR GOODNESS SAKE NO!! You could very easily die from more disease than I care to mention doing that. Your best option is to filter it thru, well, anything clean like a spare t-shirt or a clean pair of sicks and then boil of chemically treat it with something like iodine. I'm not trying to be harsh I'm just trying to keep you from making a huge mistake.

[bluebirdeater]

scargill8. AC/DC rules! I used a First Need purifier that I mistakenly trusted. It failed the test after my swamp trip. Of course the company denied fault. It must have gotten bumped. Boil or chemically treat or else. These companies only sell and play the odds that few will ever get sick. It is just too risky to trust any contraption or sales garbage. I now use bleach according to FEMA instructions after I use my "purifier" to remove trash. Good luck. Rock on!

[nikothedog]

the bladder system is disgusting!! do you know how much bacteria reproduces inside of it???

[scargill8]

nope, Camelback have PROVED that it doesnt, also, the military uses hydration bladders, and the military only settles for high quality stuff, so if they're was a better way, the military would have it

[grandmasterwayne]

@scargill8 the military doesn't use the best equipment, they use the equipment from the lowest bidder. there is better stuff out there, and thats why soldiers are allowed to carry their own arms in battle. the military can't afford the best equipment for every body.

[grandmasterwayne]

a pretty useless video... He didn't give any details on what to get. All he showed was a bladder, and a filter. No brand names, no size reccomendations, and no intruction on how to use.

[womule2005]

youre right. he didnt mention anything important. or anything we didnt know

[1001samurais]

@grandmasterwayne camelback blatters are the best you dont need a pack just the bladder to put in your hiking pack. a gallon a day is nice but heavy (5 lb a gallon) your best bet is to find out the natural resources in that area, filter it and treat it with tablets or iodine, i personally carry 2 gallons in bladders but im a fireman i condition myself to carry people down ladders for a living.

[Vyppaaa11]

@1001samurais Actually the razor back semi rigid bladders from gerber are way better. Stronger and more puncture resistant.

[grandmasterwayne]

@1001samurais i don't think camelback is neccessarily the best, i think platypus is lighter. that said, i carry a camel back too. i was just commenting on how little information was provided. if i was new to backpacking, i would not find this video useful.

[Jeepx2003]

@1001samurais A Gallon weighs just over 8 lbs. As a firefighter you should know this.

[maltijien]

Im wondering if using a hydration pack would you be more tempted to drink water more frequently and therfore deplete it quiker???

[bluebirdeater]

These filter/purifiers should NEVER be trusted. Pumping directly into the bladder is a big mistake. Always boil or chemically treat any filtered water. Companies will not back their products no matter what you paid. Why should they? If you get sick it is always your fault. All of these popular sham devices should have warning labels. Waiting through a 2 week incubation period for giardia etc. is no fun and you will not know your filter was not working until it is too late.

[scargill8]

Whether it means anything or not is personal opinion, but Ray Mears endorses this model of water filter by Pre Mac in the UK, and personally I dont think Ray Mears would endorse something he doesnt believe in because he doesnt seem like that type of person.

[book630book]

@bluebirdeater yes that is true but it is also safer to use a filter+chemical pills witch will not only make the water undirty but also get rid of any big chuncks of wood or even animal scat.

[Prometheus3052]

@bluebirdeater actually there are really top notch pump filters with UV treatment but it cost 300 bucks.

[Christopher711]

I have heard that only so much water treated with iodine can be drank. How much water treated wkith iodine is safe for me to drink in a 24 hour period?

[monymaker95]

i spent 3 weeks straight in the eastern oregon high desert and all we drank was iodine water, we got the water from cow ponds (really really disgusting) and none of us ever got giardia (sp?) or any other illness

[Christopher711]

That's interesting. just trying to figure out why people are so concerned about iodine.

[monymaker95]

i dunno its prolly the taste or something, im sure if you drank it for a lifetime it could cause damage, but hopefully we wont have to do that.

like i said we all turned out fine at the end of the trip so its pretty safe to say you will too =]

[mysticsecret1313]

It won't cause damage. Iodine is actually an essential nutrient and does a lot of good in the body. :)

[boddahmusic]

thank you.. this video has been very helpful...

i would also like to know... that incase one travels in the snow... how then must he gather water...

i mean is it necessary to filter ice??

[sucktdeep]

From what ive read it depends on the snow, if its fresh snow thats fell within 24hrs its safe to use with out filtering. But if its over a certain period of time it needs to be boiled because there are perasites or becteria which thrive in those conditions.

[ineedmorelumber]

In a survival situation, remember to never eat snow. It actually causes more damage.

View it as drinking seawater.

[stumptacular]

to quickly wet your mouth on a hike FRESH snow is a quick refresher... but in a survival situation... always ALWAYS heat the water... keeps your body from wasting calories and it keeps you warmer.

[wulfesinger67]

@boddahmusic always boil snow water if you can or any water for that matter however most snow is safe once melted try to avoid eating snow melt it first . do not use snow that has a pink or red tinge to it it will make you very sick and ofcouse... never eat yellow snow!!

[RobertGary1]

Has anyone made any packs in the last 2 years without a hydration pack?

[madders280392]

Yes I have. Didn't like it though Taking a hydration pack is very useful.