[pct-l] Hydration Systems

[Ernest Chavez <echavez@ix.netcom.com>]

Karen asked,
> Anyone have any experiences and comments on hydration systems? I'mthinking I'd like to use one instead of my usual Nalgenes, so I could put
the water inside the pack, close to my back, for better weight distribution.

In 1997, I used a platypus 2.5 liter bag with a tube for water.  I used it 
in the section F from Tehachapi to Walker Pass, where water is only 
available at 17-20 mile intervals.  Occasionally, the platypus gets an air 
lock and I have to reposition the bag.  Also, in my case, I had trouble 
judging how much water I had available, and ended up drinking my supply 
faster than I should have.  If I need lots of water, 2.5 liters reserve is 
not enough.  I may need a reserve of 4+ quarts, in which case I have to use 
more containers.  Since then, I have changed my strategy, based on some tips 
I picked up from a couple of thru-hikers.

First, I use a plain gatorade bottle (1 quart size) and attach it at chest 
level to my pack harness.  If water is scarce, I carry a 6 liter hydration 
bag and fill it with as much as I will need to the next water source.  This 
combination allows me the option to dry camp at more suitable locations and 
the bulk of my water is carried in the one bag, which can be positioned 
somewhere near the top of my pack.  In the desert, a partially filled 6 
liter hydration bag makes a great cool pillow.  Just gotta remember to bleed 
the air out of the bag.  I have tested the bag at capacity level and it will 
not leak unless I am careless with the screw cap.

In the Sierras, you only need 1 gatorade bottle, and maybe an empty second 
bottle for security or for side trips.  Water is always available at most 2 
hours away.  The only issue to be decided on is where does the desert end 
and the Sierra begin?  I think Kennedy Meadows is a good place to send the 6 
liter hydration bag home.  The other advantage of the gatorade bottle is 
that it is lighter than the nalgene, and if it gets a little beat up, or you  
get tired of the imaginary flavor, you can always buy a new bottle of a 
different flavor at the next resupply point.

Whatever you decide on, test out your gear.  And, if you are going to hike 
the desert, test it out by carrying 6-8 quarts of water!  Check for leaks, 
and determine if your pack (and you) will hold out under the additional 
stress!  It was quite a shock to carry 7 quarts of water from the cow slop 
at Kelso Valley Road.  My third container leaked, due to friction against 
the straps on the side of the pack.  

Ernest Chavez
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