How much water should I expect to need per day of backpacking/camping?
Water is very heavy. If there are water sources along the trail, you should invest in a portable water filter or purifier. I use a General Ecology Microlite, it gives you the option of filtering or purifying and is very light/compact. They are on sale right now at Moontrail.com for about 50% off. Water sources that you will encounter in the wilderness(in U.S.) will not require purifying but some people feel safer purifying. The General Ecology First Need purifier is a non chemical purifier that I keep in my hurricane survival kit (south Florida). It is more versatile and has a higher capacity than Microlite but is twice the weight. I also use a Katadyn Extreme XR for day hikes or over night trips. It is a purifier that uses an iodine cartridge.It requires some hand strength to push the water through the filter and is not as versatile as a pump filter, but is good for overseas travel where water quality may be suspect. To answer your question, your water requirements will depend on how
To maintain proper hydration you should consume approximately 1 quart/liter per hour while backpacking. That may seem like a lot, but you lose a lot of water while carrying a typical backpacking load of 25-30 pounds. In all honesty, I can’t even say I am that religious about keeping my 1-quart-an-hour. I usually blow through 3 quarts in 5 hours of backpacking. Not counting what I use for cooking, I usually go through another gallon between the time I make camp and break down in the morning. I generally leave camp in the morning with three full quarts. If I know I won’t encounter water much during the day I will fill up my extra quart bottle I usually keep empty as well and start the day with a whole gallon.
Water weighs about 8 pounds per gallon, remember that. A water purifying filter eliminates the need to carry so much water day by day. If there will be natural water available along your planned route then take a water filter and two quart containers. To be on the safe side always have your two containers topped off if possible. I have used filters for years and I am still here to tell about it.
You still need 2 quarts a day even in cool temps. Carry what you can or take a filter – http://www.outdoor-gear-online.com/water… What ever you do, don’t let yourself get dehydrated. Too much water is better than to little.
Take as much as you can carry. You know that you can use water from creeks to drink as well, just boil it to get rid of bacteria and parasites. You will be sweating and needing more water. One day I would expect you to drink about 1 gallon, but if you can’t carry that much, then take a metal canteen cup so that you can boil natural water. I hope you enjoy.
