“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is an expression that has been around for more than 100 years. While this may or may not be true down at the cities, out here in the mountains, it might be a bit too less a precaution to keep sicknesses away. What else can keep us healthy and keep sicknesses at bay at high altitudes? Water, of course. We advise trekkers to drink at least 4-5 liters of water a day, 6 liters if on a course of diamox. Unfortunately we have noticed that trekkers do not tend to drink close to enough water for the simple reason that it is not convenient to get the water bottle out every 10-15 minutes to drink and keep it back in its place, without taking the backpack off. Here are 5 reasons why we feel that a hydration system works really well in the mountains, whether you’re hiking for a day, or trekking for days at a time.

1. Convenience: A hydration system provides very easy access to water as it allows you to drink on the go without stopping.  On the other hand, a water bottle has to be retrieved from a backpack first and even if you are able to get it out of the backpack’s side pocket while walking, it’s quite difficult to put it back in without stopping and taking the backpack off. Most new backpacks are hydration system compatible, where either they have a separate compartment for the entire hydration bladder, or at least have a small opening on the side which usually reads “H2O” for the pipe to protrude through, ending up near your shoulder for use.
2. Medical reasons: We have noticed multiple times that When drinking from a water bottle, trekkers tend to gulp down a lot of water at one time, to avoid the hassle of stopping to take off the backpack, take out the bottle, drink, put it back and carry on (especially on those really steep ascents and difficult treks) Thus, even when exhausted, they might postpone or completely skip drinking as to save the hassle of retrieving the water bottle, which ends up in dehydration later. Gulping down large volumes of water can also cause gag reflexes, and a splashing sensation on the stomach which is not a pleasant feeling while trekking. Sipping water at regular intervals is especially recommended as the best way to prevent the splashing sensations and gag reflex from happening and a hydration system fits that purpose perfectly.
3. Helps maintain rhythm: We advise trekkers to use a certain technique we call “Microsteps” where you try to get your heart into a certain rhythm, and you don’t need to stop and take long breaks to get your breath back. However, we have noticed that a simple task as stopping to drink water from a water bottle messes with the rhythm and it takes a much longer time to get back in rhythm after stopping for a long time. A hydration bladder however, allows you to drink on the go, without stopping.
4. Safety: We ask trekkers to keep at least one hand free, assuming that they are using a trek pole, since they can use it for support in case of a fall. Trekkers tend to carry their water bottles in one hand, since it is more convenient, than to stop, reach out to either sides of the backpack to get the bottle out, unscrew, drink, put the cap back on, and then put the bottle away. This habit puts them in harm’s way, as even small fall might cause the trekker to get hurt badly.
5. Backpack stability and weight distribution: Even though 2 1L bottles on either side of the backpack evens’ out the weight distribution for the backpack to balance well, it is always advisable to carry heavier weight on your back, and since water is denser, it is one of the heavier things that we carry on a trek, and should ideally, be carried on your back, like how you would carry a hydration reservoir.

While hydration bladders are very useful while on a trek, there are some limitations that we should know about too, which are also listed below:

1. They are hard to use in extremely cold weather conditions, as the water in the tube sometimes freezes due to the temperatures.
2. They are harder to refill while on the trail and you don’t really understand how much water is left in the reservoir
3. They are harder to use at campsites, as carrying them around wouldn’t be optimal, a water bottle would be a better fit for campsite usage.
4. They are harder to maintain as they need thorough cleaning to keep away microorganisms and mold.

All in all, it is recommended that you carry 1 hydration reservoir ( 1-2L) to keep you well hydrated by sipping water all along the trail, and also a 1L water bottle, to refill water easily, to be used around campsites, and in case water freezes in the hydration pack’s tube.