- Time of past OR future Camino
- Some but not all, and other routes too.
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Ahhh, the water debate again! You'll see two "religions" here: the bladder/tap water guys and the bottlers. (I belong to the latter). Guess it depends on your drinking habits. If you generally tend to drink a lot, you'll need a bladder (+ bottles); I manage my liquid requirement easy with 2-3 half-litre bottles bought on the way and with occasional refreshment-stops.Morning Pilgrims
Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.
My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.
Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good. I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.
Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?
Probably. I recall approaching Castrojerez from a distance and feeling the need to go, when I spied a peregrino up ahead step off the trail. He visited a tree for a few seconds, then continued on his merry way. It's not so easy for some of us.Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?
Yeah, there is no way I'm gonna sacrifice hydration for modesty.Probably. I recall approaching Castrojerez from a distance and feeling the need to go, when I spied a peregrino up ahead step off the trail. He visited a tree for a few seconds, then continued on his merry way. It's not so easy for some of us.
Some areas seem to be quite bare, like the Meseta... What should a lady do when she has to go in such instances? I tend to drink a lot of water....
Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?
This was certainly an issue some time ago, but I don't think it happens much now. I recently replaced my bladder when the closure began to leak, and there was no noticeable taste or smell. I still gave it a wash with warm soapy water - which you would want to do anyway with anything that you are going to use to store food or beverages.If your bladder is brand new, water tastes like the smell of the inside of a plastic bucket - used they too often smell and taste like an aquarium that should have been cleaned a month ago.
This was certainly an issue some time ago, but I don't think it happens much now. I recently replaced my bladder when the closure began to leak, and there was no noticeable taste or smell. I still gave it a wash with warm soapy water - which you would want to do anyway with anything that you are going to use to store food or beverages.
As a bloke, it is less problematic, but I know that avoiding drinking to avoid urinating is just not a good water hygiene strategy. It is a recipe for becoming dehydrated with its attendant issues.Some areas seem to be quite bare, like the Meseta... What should a lady do when she has to go in such instances? I tend to drink a lot of water....
Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?
yeah, in a lot of ways I don't blame them...Yes. Most of the ladies I have met!
I had to almost force a walking buddy to drink, and she had loads of blisters. Coincidence? I think not.
Anecdotal evidence also suggests the gals get more blisters than the guys.....same reason ?
I met several pilgrims on both Caminos that walked the whole way with no blisters. Me? I suffered a total of four for both Caminos (two per Camino). All on the outer edge of my little toes. I guess that's the only place I had any degree of friction and contact with the shoe.Wow... it never occurred to me to make a connection between water intake (or lack of it) and blisters! That's motivation to drink more right there! I would love to have a completely blister-free Camino. I even made a picture about that after my 2012 Camino, haha!Thanks for the tip!
View attachment 18365 (I'm just a little bit jealous.)
Morning Pilgrims
Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.
My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.
Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good.
I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.
They are only slightly more difficult to clean than any other container. I would clean the bladder before a long trip and give it just a rinse out each day. They can be washed out in warm soapy water and some of that squeezed through the tube and bite valve. Alternatively, I use a denture cleaning tablet, dissolve it in hot water and leave that in the bladder and tube overnight. As I said, I don't do this every day, any more than I see people with plastic bottles doing it!The bladders seem very convenientI admit but I don't know how easy it is to clean them? I sail and there is the equivalent of a water bladder on the boat but I only ever use that water to cook or boil a kettle... Maybe I'm just too fussy
Morning Pilgrims
Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.
My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.
Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good.
I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.
Totally agree, a refillable small bottle (0.5L) in your pocket and a larger bottle (full or empty 1.5L if required) in your pack and no need for cleaning bacteria out of some plastic tubes.Hi Waka,
For what it's worth, I prefer carrying small plastic bottles of water (kept and refilled). I put them in outside side pockets of my rucksack so I don't have to stop to have a drink. If I have to walk long distances without a bar or a fountain I carry a larger bottle inside the rucksack as well.
The bladders seem very convenientI admit but I don't know how easy it is to clean them? I sail and there is the equivalent of a water bladder on the boat but I only ever use that water to cook or boil a kettle... Maybe I'm just too fussy
I used a Camelback Eddy 0.75l coupled with a hands free drinking system ( the same as the bite tubes you get with bladders )
My favourite piece of kit. In the UK, the hands free adapters are supplied by Millets.
Morning Pilgrims
Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.
My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.
Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good.
I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.
So to possibly open up another question. What pack do you carry? This determines for many what they use to carry water. I noticed many Europeans use Deuter Packs My spelling may be wrong. My Osprey pack was designed for a bladder so I improvised. The other issue is how many liters is the pack you carry, the less inside volume may force the decision. Mine was 48L . Definitely could reduce to 38L but was glad to have 48L for convenience & food.(PET) Bottle girl here ;-)
Easier to clean / replace.
Easier to see how much water is left over.
Easier to refill.
Easy to access if carried in the side pockets.
Buen Camino, SY
I was interested in the comment regarding packing your bag before putting the bladder in place, I certainly hadn't thought of that. Although if you always use a. Ladder the. It becomes automatic.
I put six drops of bleach and a cup of water in the bladder each week, and, of course, rinse thoroughly. Flush the cleaning water through the tube to sanitize it as well.How often would you recommend cleaning an Osprey water bladder?
How often would you recommend cleaning an Osprey water bladder?
(PET) Bottle girl here ;-)
Easier to clean / replace.
Easier to see how much water is left over.
Easier to refill.
Easy to access if carried in the side pockets.
Buen Camino, SY
I give my Source bladder a rinse every few weeks, and before I travel I treat it using a denture cleaning tablet.How often would you recommend cleaning an Osprey water bladder?
Perhaps not. I know that I blow the water out of the tube when I drink, which might allow some spittle to get into the bite valve and tube. I have known others to add things like re-hydration salts. Were I to do that, I would be rinsing more regularly.Depends what gets in. Look here. Personally it is water only, rinse every day.
Thanks!I put six drops of bleach and a cup of water in the bladder each week, and, of course, rinse thoroughly. Flush the cleaning water through the tube to sanitize it as well.
I just bought one of these SmarTubes for a bottle that I will use for electrolyte drinks and for camino font water refills. I don't want to carry 2-3L in an internal bladder first thing every morning nor struggle to get inside my packed bag to refill if I started off with less. I love the idea of the smaller bottle easily accessible through the day and of keeping the bladder for water only. I do plan on also having 1L of water in the bladder for backup because they are having a crazy heat wave this summer and I do not want to go dry on the road.This is going to be a lively debate.
Well it is bottles for me, I didn't like the taste from the bladder I bought so I use two 0.75 L water store bought water bottles with the device in the link below. You can refill the bottles or buy new and rinse the tube every day, no need to remove the backpack to drink and with one bottle each side the balance is better.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/SmarTube-Tri...7783763?pt=Fahrrad_Schuhe&hash=item19c4505e53
Edit:
The tube comes with a straight fitting, you have to request the angle one shown in the picture, I found the straight one better.
Some very interesting points have been raised and I thank you all. It's interesting that some of you think there is a place for both bladders and bottles, I hadn't really thought of that.
@wayfarer and @PANO thank you for the links, very interesting.
I shall have to digest all the information and see what best fits my needs, also I'll have some trial runs with both systems to see how I get on with them.
One of my biggest problems when walking is that I don't take in enough water, I always think I'll stop in a minute, but never do. I've just completed a 14 mile hike and probably only consumed about 1 ltr of water, I'm sure I should have at least doubled the intake.
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