I’m usually pretty good at gauging my own hydration levels (and keeping myself hydrated), but sometimes I do get a shock at the colour of my urine when I take a few steps off the trail for a bush-pee.
I stumbled across this on Twitter the other day and thought it might be a good idea to share. It’s the chart that firefighters in the NSW Royal Fire Service use to gauge their own hydration levels. A very important thing for a firefighter, one would imagine, but almost as important for anyone out hiking in the Australian summer heat.
Monitoring your hydration can actually be just as important when hiking in winter. Sweating may be less noticeable and may even increase due to the dry air stripping moisture from your body more quickly.
Dealing with hydration should always start before your hike, though. I make a habit of drinking at least a litre of water, slowly, over the hour or two before I start hiking.
I bring a hydration bladder on almost every hike and try to take regular small sips rather than periodically stopping to drink large amounts. On really hot days, I might bring along a sports drink to replace some of the salt, potassium, and electrolytes that I lose through sweating. An alternative to sports drinks is adding a pinch of salt and sugar to your hydration bladder or water bottle.
Aside from the colour of your urine (I’ve been on hikes where my hiking buddies don’t urinate at all, while I stop for a pee every 15 minutes), headaches are probably the first noticeable dehydration symptom. If you get a headache while you’re hiking, don’t ignore it.
When dehydrated, your best course of action is to have a rest in the shade and address the problem. If you’re worried about time, just make it up later by deciding not to spend that 15 minutes trying to get the right angle and lighting for that photo of a mushroom.
Edit: After a couple of suggestions from readers (thanks guys!), I just wanted to add that you also need to beware of drinking too much water. This can result in a condition called Hyponatremia, which can also be fatal. Apologies for overlooking this obvious piece of advice. I will definitely publish an article on this at some point in the future.
Got any other tips for staying hydrated? Tell us in the comments section below.
Hi Neil, I’d encourage you to have a chat with Bob Cooper- Australian survival expert he will advise that it is definately better to periodically drink cupful amounts of water rather than small sips. The concern is that sipping does not pass sufficient water to all organs within the body potentially leading to a climbing dehydration situation whilst still sipping away.
It is one of the dangers with the management of water bladders. See mistake number 2 in this linked article.
https://www.outdoria.com.au/blog/bob-cooper-outback-survival
Hey JB, thanks for your comments. I can see that being a concern but I guess it would depend how much you sip. As a piece of advice for people in general, Bob’s advice is definitely more sound. Thanks for pointing it out.
Cheers
Neil
These are some fantastic tips Neil! Having traveled extensively in SE Asia, I’ve become well aware of how serious dehydration can be.
Thanks Samuel! Yep I find it so much worse when it’s humid than with dry heat, too.
Cheers
Neil
Fascinating blog, Neil! Thanks for connecting with us on Twitter! Keep up the great work!
Thanks guys! 🙂
Hey Neil, Your tip about pre-hydrating is spot on. Nothing more annoying than drinking heaps of water early on in a walk just because you couldn’t be bothered to drink anything before you left.
I see you made a note about hyponatraemia. The signs of dehydration and hyponatremia are pretty much the same. Not urinating, dizziness, headache, feeling thirsty and drinking more water etc. – and drinking more water is obviously dangerous if it’s hyponatremia rather than dehydration. Generally, these days the advice is to drink to thirst. It is natural to be a little dehydrated after a strenuous day out.
I would suggest: Add a small pinch of sea salt to your water, drink to thirst, carry some electrolyte tablets to pop every now and then, and add sea salt to your food. And if you already know you naturally have low blood sodium, then drink a little less than you think.
Good tips. Thanks for the comments, Anna! 🙂
I carry Gastrolyte tablets (not the sachets as they can break in your pack) for salt and electrolyte replacement. I also routinely carry a cup to mix it up in.
I find that drinking water out of the cup at meal breaks is better than through the tube of the hydration bladder – more satisfying somehow.
On hot days (30c+) I plan on drinking 1 liter per hour of hiking. On cooler days I generally go through 500-700ml per hour.
Good advice, Phil. I tend to get my water bottle out when I’m having a break from walking too (for the very same reason).
Cheers
Neil
When I go on my almost daily 2.5k return hike on my work lunchbreak I wear a hydration backpack & when I get back to the car I have a 750ml & a 1Lt water bottle to drink on the 10min drive back to work… depending on how hot the day is I will have consumed the 750ml bottle before I get half way back to work & started on the 1lt bottle as I walk in the back door at work 😉
Perfect… Sounds like you shouldn’t even need to check your pee! haha 🙂
Cheers Michael