[pct-l] The dangers of 'Cameling Up'

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning,

“Cameling up” resulted from one of the “if a little is good, a lot is
better” ideas.  Our bodies need sufficient hydration and an appropriate
balance of electrolytes.   If water intake to that level is good, unfortunately
twice that much water isn’t twice as good.

Once that extra water has been swallowed it becomes largely
non-discretionary -- meaning my body will process it on auto-pilot.  The
extra water is just removed by the kidneys and stored in the bladder to be
dumped behind a bush when the urge is great.

It’s probably true that many of us stop drinking before we’ve really had
enough to rehydrate ourselves, but to me that doesn’t mean I should drink
until I’m uncomfortable and bloated, it means I drink a few cups more than
I think I need.

What the “camelers” seem to want to do is carry more water up the trail,
and to do that I find it far better to carry the additional water in an
extra 2.4 liter, 1.3 ounce, plastic ‘Platy sack rather than in my
stomach.  Even
as an ultra-lite hiker I much prefer to carry that extra 1.3 ounces rather
than discomfort myself for a number of miles until I excrete the excess.   I
can carry extra water in the ‘Platy -- and manage its usage -- far longer
than I can carry even one extra liter in my body.

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/