How much water?

[dgassa]

I'll be walking the Camino Frances in the spring and was wondering how much water I should carry each day. I know that water will be available in most towns and I want to keep the weight down. I currently have an Osprey pack with a 3 liter hydration pack, but I think that may be too much. Besides the weight, 3 liters takes up a lot of room.

 

[Mark Lee]

How much do you need? How many kilometers a day will you be walking? How fast? What condition are you in?
A lot of factors determine how much water you need to carry.
I always carried two full 1/2 liter bottles in my pack. At every opportunity I could (water fountains, cafes, etc) I drank both bottles and refilled them. Never had a single problem staying hydrated.

 

[alexwalker]

I do exactly as Mark Lee does. The CF has ample opportunities to top up water supply.

In New Orleans I have topped up with other stuff, Mark...

 

[pilgrim b]

I do exactly the same as Mark and Alex too!

 

[Mark Lee]

I do exactly as Mark Lee does. The CF has ample opportunities to top up water supply.

In New Orleans I have topped up with other stuff, Mark...

Yeah, no problem getting liquid refreshments in the "Big Easy"........

 

[dgassa]

I'll be walking the Camino Frances in the spring and was wondering how much water I should carry each day. I know that water will be available in most towns and I want to keep the weight down. I currently have an Osprey pack with a 3 liter hydration pack, but I think that may be too much. Besides the weight, 3 liters takes up a lot of room.

Thanks for all the quick responses. I too was thinking 3 liter was too much. I'll probably go with a 1.5 liter hydration pack, and carry an extra bottle on the long hauls.

 

[lettinggo]

2 x 0.5 liter normal plastic bottles here to.
Filling them up at any chance I get.
I use normal tap water from bars/café or fountains, and never had any problem.

 

[alexwalker]

I use normal tap water from bars/café or fountains, and never had any problem.

Indeed. Me neither. My backpack has 2 outside pockets (1 each side, close to bottom) made for normal 1/2 litre bottles with a plastic lock over the bottleneck, so I can whip out the bottle, drink, and put it back again while walking.

 

[nalod]

I have a 2lt camelback and a 1lt metal bottle.(Very useful doing coast to coast gr10 Pyrénées and the Alps). I have used this on a couple of Camino, bad decision. I am now back from 3+ weeks on Le Puy using just the 1lt bottle in hot weather on a reasonably tough Camino. It was more than adequate. The difference in weight was amazing.
Dermot

 

[CaminoMatto]

Good morning, I haven't walked yet, but I am planning on taking one or two small (500ml) store bought water bottles on my person. I am concerned about weight as well as convenience. I find that smaller and slimmer water bottles fit into my pack easier. I am all about ease, weight and price. Therefore cheap water bottles that I can refill as long as I can and simply buy more when and if I loose them suit my purpose fine.

 

[tominrm]

I had better luck with tap water than water fountains or springs along the way although sometimes cold spring water is almost irresistible on hot days.

 

[froghollowgal]

When my daughter and I walked the Camino from Leon in July, she carried a full camelback of water the entire time, but I was more conscious of weight and carried about half that, it does make a difference in the weight. (1 liter of water = 1kg = 2.2 pounds, and one quart of water weighs 2 pounds.) We only ran out of water one time, and that was climbing to Foncebedon on a 93-degree day, but otherwise we had plenty of water available. Also, when you eat a pilgrim's meal, they usually give you a huge bottle of water (2 liters, I think) along with the meal, so you could fill up with that, too.

 

[Mark Lee]

Good morning, I haven't walked yet, but I am planning on taking one or two small (500ml) store bought water bottles on my person. I am concerned about weight as well as convenience. I find that smaller and slimmer water bottles fit into my pack easier. I am all about ease, weight and price. Therefore cheap water bottles that I can refill as long as I can and simply buy more when and if I loose them suit my purpose fine.

That's exactly how I carried water on both my Caminos. Used two 500 ml water bottles I bought in SJPDP and used the same two all the way to Santiago. They fit perfectly in the mesh pockets on the lower sides of my pack.

 

[wayfarer]

Same as Mark, two half litre bottles, one in each mesh pocket and I used this device on my last Camino and while walking at home.

 

[naplesdon]

I agree with Mark and some other posters. I carry 0.5L in my pocket and refill it when ever there is a source of fresh water. I also carry an empty 1.5L bottle in my pack for those day there is a possibility of no water and fill it in the morning for security sake.

 

[NicoZ]

I currently have an Osprey pack with a 3 liter hydration pack, but I think that may be too much. Besides the weight, 3 liters takes up a lot of room.

I don't know that pack but it's unlikely you need to fill it 100%. Doesn't it have a sleeve to slip the hydration pack into? If it does that space can't really be used for anything else.

If it's hot the water will heat up. You don't want to carry water that's too hot to drink. OTOH you'll drink a lot. Or at least you should.

You can sort of cheat also. Carry oranges or other juicy fruits/foods. It doesn't save you weight but at least it's easier to eat a warm orange then to drink warm water.

The other thing to consider is access. If the bottle is in your pack are you going to dig it out to drink? If your pack doesn't have side/hip pockets that are convenient for a bottle you might look at one of the waist belts designed for runners. I have one that carries two 500ml bottles plus a small pocket.

 

[t2andreo]

I agree with Mark and some other posters. I carry 0.5L in my pocket and refill it when ever there is a source of fresh water. I also carry an empty 1.5L bottle in my pack for those day there is a possibility of no water and fill it in the morning for security sake.

Biarritz Don's answer comes closest to what has sort of become a default, at least for the Camino Frances. In fact, many of us "veterans" consider the "official" water bottle of the Camino to be the ubiquitous .5 liter water bottle you buy full at the beginning, then rinse and reuse all the way to Santiago. If it gets damaged, grungy, or just no longer worthwhile, you recycle the old ones and buy new ones.

Please do recycle if possible and NEVER toss ANY trash along the Camino. Pack it out to the next rubbish bin.

This said, many people prefer to carry water bladders. I originally bought one to use with my Osprey Kestrel 48. However, once I learned that it weighed 11 oz when empty, I decided to sell it off. I switched to the "standard" discussed above and do not plan to switch. I respect everyone's right to have a preference. Many of us just think we figured out what works for most people, most of the time. Plus, there is no maintenance overhead, time or effort, with the ubiquitous .5 liter water bottle.

Most of us carry at least two of these smallish bottles. I carry four bottles, as I have a special diet with powders and rehydration salts that must be dissolved in water. So, two bottles are food-substitutes and two are for plain old water. Once empty and rinsed, the "food" bottles get refilled with plain water when I can. The others posting above are also right that refilling the two, .5 liter bottles is easy. Also, Don's idea about carrying the empty 1.5 liter bottle is a good one.

There are some stretches of the Camino Frances, especially on the Meseta, where the local water table, and shallow wells are contaminated from decades of intensive farming. From Carrion de los Condes to Leon, you need to be careful to only use tap water at cafes, albergues or hotels. This seems to be where most of the complaints about contracting GI symptoms come from. The spring water, even inside towns, should be suspect in these areas. This year, I bought filled, 1.5 liter bottles at Carrion before I started out on this stretch. Don's idea of bringing your own bottle works as well.

Yes, water is heavy, but consider that short of death or another grievous accident, a nasty gastrointestinal disease is about the worst thing that can happen to you while you are trying to walk a Camino. This is especially true for the ladies. While there may be cafes every 5 Km or so, there are no facilities along the Camino, and you will be lucky to find a stand of bushes or trees for privacy on the Meseta. Plus, you consume water as you continue and your carried load will get lighter. You will also likely be sharing water with others who did not read this posting, refilling their smaller bottles.

I hope this helps.

 

[Mark Lee]

I suppose another reason I used water bottles as opposed to a bladder inside my pack is the possibility of the bladder leaking and getting all your stuff wet. I saw it happen on the Camino and everything in that poor pilgrim's pack got wet, including their sleeping bag. Not a major traumatic event, but a hassle nonetheless. I also liked the water bottle because it gave me the option of adding Gatorade powder to the water occasionally.

 

[dougfitz]

I use a water bladder, most recently a 2li Source bladder. On the camino and other pilgrim routes, I also carry a 500-750ml water bottle. On the CI and then going out to Muxia and Finisterre in Apr this year, I would need to refill the bladder around lunchtime, and only on a couple of occasions had to decant the bottle into the bladder because I had run out. I prefer this approach to having to stop to refill small water bottles more frequently.

As for 500ml bottles being some sort of 'official' bottle of the camino, that appears to be merely fanciful nonsense, about as fanciful as the quasi-statistical claims being made. At the end of the day, its not how many other people do a particular thing, its whether that thing, bladder or bottles in this case, is the better choice for you. I was happier carrying more water. Others mightn't be.

I also worry that there is an impression that water fonts etc are plentiful along the CF. Things must have changed since I walked in Apr/May 2010, when there were might have been many fonts, but often they weren't serviceable. You might want to be carrying a little more water than a little less to be safe.

 

[Al the optimist]

For my first Caminos I had a 3 litre hydration pack. Once I also had a 500ml bottle for safety on the long stretch in to Seguiro on the Ingles. However I met someone without so I found myself sucking a dry bag on the long, exposed and hot track. I have gone through a transformation period which included walking with a 1 litre bottle. Now I am into two 600ml bottles in a hip belt that are shaped to fit the hips. I can always carry a spare bottle if necessary but like someone above I am keen on refilling whenever possible.

 

[dougfitz]

On the Camino Frances the longest distance between towns is 5 kms.

@MendiWalker, this might be your impression, but it is just so not true. I recently posted here on this in response to another comment along the same lines with some analysis based on real data from the Camino Planner on the Godesalco site. In summary, nearly 40% of towns are over 5 km from the previous town, and across the CF, there were 11 locations more than 15km from the nearest previous town.

My concluding remarks in that post were (emphasis added):

Newbies might need to know that the most effective way of staying hydrated is to drink freely, preferably before they get thirsty, and that one of the most effective ways of achieving that is a bladder or other arrangement where they don't have to stretch to get to their water. This is just as true on the Camino as it is in remote places. Further, they should know that they will generally be less than two hours from the next location, but over 5% of the time it will be more than that when they set out from the previous location.

 

[camino-david]

Hi, Like most of the above I carry 2 water bottles 0.6 litre (1 pint) each which I have always found to be sufficient and I refill at every opportunity. I treat all water fountains as suspect and fill up at bars or albergues with tap water. My pack has space for a 3 litre bladder, but I use that space to carry papers such as a credential, copies of credit card and passport and a journal. I have found the trouble with bladders is that you never know how much water is in it as you walk.
MendiWalker, I would never try to have an argument with dougfest as he will argue the hind leg off a donkey - he has a certain reputation! However I do recall a stretch on the Meseta between Calzadilla de los Hermanillos and Reliegos which is well over 5 km between water points. Whatever, walking the Meseta can be hot and walkers should allow for a more than normal amount of water.

 

[Kanga]

You could follow the Spanish custom of carrying equal amounts of water and wine. Or the example of the elderly Dutch couple I met. They took swigs out of two x 1 litre flasks - I could not understand why they were handing them backwards and forwards and drinking mainly from one but occasionally the other - until that night they revealed one was water, the other Dutch gin. Said it relieved pain.

I'm boring. Just two 600 ml flasks of water, my husband the same. Refill often. Sometimes he'll buy a sports drink as well.

 

[dougfitz]

@dougfitz

Sorry to say but it´s not impression but a fact.

Firstly I have not only walked the Camino Frances but travel along it quite frequently as I live in this country.

Secondly http://www.rutasasantiago.com/BDCam...ias-camino-de-santiago.php?cam=Camino-Frances see for yourself there is only one place where it does mention that water should be carried due to a long distance to the next town.

You might find this useful, and interpret as you have said. I don't have the Spanish reading skills, but the the numbers are pretty clear. It indicates that there are a large number of places that are over 5km from the closest previous town, which clearly disproves your original point that the longest distances between towns on the CF is 5km.

 

[naplesdon]

There is nothing better on this forum that a dog fight with DF!!
BTW, I'd much rather have water from a bottle than a filthy, polluted bladder.

 

[naplesdon]

Mendi, love your post!

 

[dougfitz]

@MendiWalker, this is not a matter of opinion, but a matter of the facts. The resource you provided shows the distances from the previous town, or in some places, significant peak. The following towns and villages are shown as being more than 5km from the previous town:

• Zaraquiegui 6.2km
• Uterga 5.9km
• Maneru 5.2km
• Lorca 5.7km
• Los Arcos 12.4km
• Sansol 6.9km
• Viana 10.8km
• Logrono 9.6km
• Embalse de la Grajera 6.0km
• Navarrete 6.8km
• Ventosa 7.3km
• Najera 8.3km
• Azofra 5.8km
• Ciruena 9.5km
• Santo Domingo 5.8km
• Granon 6.6km

and that is 16 towns in just the first 200km from Roncesvalles. You may have a perception that "On the Camino France the longest distance between towns is 5 km" as you have consistently repeated. However, mere repetition won't make it true!

I am cautioning others who might not be familiar with the CF, and might rely on your perception about the distances, that your advice is clearly based on a mis-perception. There are regularly longer stretches than 5km between towns.

How much water people carry and how they carry it is always going to be a personal choice. I would rather carry, and clean, a bladder than add further to the pollution in the world using plastic bottles.​

 

[Mark Lee]

Funny how this question of how much water to bring has become a scientific debate of sorts. Ha ha.
I would say that for about 90% of the Camino Frances hydration is not really much of an issue. Lots of places to get water or fill your water bottle(s). I think the average pilgrim doing the Camino Frances would have to try really hard to suffer from any severe form of dehydration. As I have said before on here, the Camino Frances ain't no wilderness trek. Just a jaunt through rural northern Spain.

 

[AJ]

I think Doug is right about the 5km between towns thing. Just look at Brierley's map for day 1. I carry lots of water, but not in a camelthingie.

 

[alexwalker]

A lot of fuzz over water: What's wrong with beer?

 

[dgassa]

I'll be walking the Camino Frances in the spring and was wondering how much water I should carry each day. I know that water will be available in most towns and I want to keep the weight down. I currently have an Osprey pack with a 3 liter hydration pack, but I think that may be too much. Besides the weight, 3 liters takes up a lot of room.

I'll be walking the Camino Frances in the spring and was wondering how much water I should carry each day. I know that water will be available in most towns and I want to keep the weight down. I currently have an Osprey pack with a 3 liter hydration pack, but I think that may be too much. Besides the weight, 3 liters takes up a lot of room.

Wow, a simple question and so many responses. Today I went to my local REI and purchased 1.5 liter bladder. If I think I will need more, I'll carry a separate bottle.

 

[bystander]

Same as Mark, two half litre bottles, one in each mesh pocket and I used this device on my last Camino and while walking at home.

When I walk next April (2015) I will be following wayfarer's suggestions. Indeed following his recommendation I have already bought the "gizmo".

500ml bottles will go in the mesh pockets on the front pockets of my Aarn backpack.

Thus all neatly to hand!

As to the "my bit of string is longer/shorter than yours" spat; all I can say is that the walk distance/time to my local pub is, for some inexplicable reason, longer on the return leg!

 

[Saint Mike II]

WOW (yes shouting intended). A great argument - but I doubt it solves our friends problems.
To get back to our original posters issues.
How much water to carry - it's your decision - how much water to you normally drink each day? add 15-20% for the extra backpack weight you are carrying; add a further 10-15% for the exercise of walking and if the day-time temperature is over 27C / 80F add another 10-15%. So now you have something like your daily consumption rate.
But apart from some sections - mostly out on the Meseta - you are rarely more than 10km (6 miles) from a water source. If you intend to walk 20-25 km per day, break it down into sections - say 10-12km - you then have your starting amount each morning. And as most of the good people above have said this is somewhere around 1.2-1.5 litres (a bit over 2 maybe 3 US pints). Which can be accommodated in two 750 ml bottles - you have one on each side of the backpack - load balanced.
I have used hydration packs - here in Oz and whilst riding a bike in Cambodia - (daily temps over 30C) so staying hydrated was essential, but in Spain in Spring - April/May - it is unlikely that you will face these temperatures ALL DAY.

Apart from now having major basic maths - the best piece of advise (I picked up) - from above is that you need to drink fairly constantly - small sips - not big gulps. If you do wait until you feel thirsty then dehydration has already set in. The other bit of advise - use some basic common sense - oh and on any very warm to hot days - drink about 250 ml (instead of coffee) before you start out (oh and refile your bottle). Buen Camino!!

 

[naplesdon]

YEAH! Thank you Saint Mark for rounding out this thread.
You are right, it is definitely a personal choice plain and simple.
My greatest memory of my use or abuse of water was a day I arrived in the small park just before Sahagun. It had been an extremely hot Meseta day. I had walked nearly 20k so far that day and was ready to call it quits. I had about 0.5l left in my big bottle which was warm enough to brew a cup of tea and in my heat inspired stupor I poured the remainder of the bottle on my head. Thus leaving me walking into town looking like I'd pissed my pants!

 

[Al the optimist]

Take your hat of and pour it over that next time Don! I sometimes pour water on a buff, ring it out a little and then put it around my neck or under my hat.

 

[bystander]

Apologies to the originator on another thread for not crediting them by name (can't remember who it was) but I liked this suggestion.

With your two 500/600ml bottles, fill one slightly below full ( so as allow for expansion) and freeze overnight and only half-fill the other and freeze that having laid it on its side. On the walk day top up, whenever possible, the half-iced bottle. Then repeat the process with the other bottle as it too de-freezes.

 

[wayfarer]

That would have been David.

 

[Saramago]

Please note that having Veteran Member status on this forum does not trump a lifetime of hiking, mountaineering and life as an outdoors woman. Everyone's input is valuable ~ Caminos not the only "game in town" ~ this said, I strongly recommend drinking half your body weight in water (however you can) to keep vitals healthy, prevent blisters, and skin from damage. More if it's hotter or if you are drinking alcohol as alcohol is a dehydrating. While beer is 95% water, it's alcohol content extracts more water than consumed (as an example). Another thought re buying bottled water ~ instead of walking to the next trash can, consider dropping it or leaving it at a bar or cafe where it might be recycled. In ounces - so if you weigh 130 lbs, aim for 65 ounces. Minimum. 65 ounces = 1.92 liters. Note the word minimum, more if it's hotter or drinking alcohol.

 

[Tincatinker]

Please note that having Veteran Member status on this forum does not trump a lifetime of hiking, mountaineering and life as an outdoors woman. Everyone's input is valuable ~ Caminos not the only "game in town" ~ this said, I strongly recommend drinking half your body weight in water (however you can) .

Saramango, I don't play trumps but I have hiked all my active life, indeed since I went backwoods camping as an 11 year old. Are you seriously suggesting I should drink some 66+ litres of water because I can assure you that I would be dead, stone-dead before I got past 7 litres. I'll assume that was a typo, because otherwise its a bloody dangerous recommendation. Hyponatremia kills.

The standard measure at high altitude used to be that I urinated 1l minimum / day. Saved in a bottle, tested by the medic and not recommended as a standard practice on the Camino. On your recommendation all I would have done all day is urinate.

 

[dougfitz]

Please note that having Veteran Member status on this forum does not trump a lifetime of hiking, mountaineering and life as an outdoors woman. Everyone's input is valuable ~ Caminos not the only "game in town" ~ this said, I strongly recommend drinking half your body weight in water (however you can) to keep vitals healthy, prevent blisters, and skin from damage. More if it's hotter or if you are drinking alcohol as alcohol is a dehydrating. While beer is 95% water, it's alcohol contact extracts more water than consumed (as an example). Another thought re buying bottled water ~ instead of walking to the next trash can, consider dropping it or leaving it at a bar or cafe where it might be recycled.

Really, I cannot see how this is even remotely possible. Other than the observation that most guidance on minimum volumes to drink don't appear to have any scientific basis, how do you see anyone drinking this amount?

 

[Saramago]

Saramango, I don't play trumps but I have hiked all my active life, indeed since I went backwoods camping as an 11 year old. Are you seriously suggesting I should drink some 66+ litres of water because I can assure you that I would be dead, stone-dead before I got past 7 litres. I'll assume that was a typo, because otherwise its a bloody dangerous recommendation. Hyponatremia kills.

The standard measure at high altitude used to be that I urinated 1l minimum / day. Saved in a bottle, tested by the medic and not recommended as a standard practice on the Camino. On your recommendation all I would have done all day is urinate.

See my comment edited before your post. I stand by it.

 

[Tincatinker]

Even with your edit I remain concerned by your post. 65 fl.oz equates to 1.8L / per 60k body weight which strikes me as low for someone engaged in strenuous physical activity. Though it is arguable that the USA Reference daily intake of 3.8l for adult males is excessive but it was supposed to include all fluid sources including fruit and vegetable consumption.

I don't want to start a fight here. We have both expressed our opinions.

 

[dougfitz]

See my comment edited before your post. I stand by it.

That makes more sense. That said, drinking to satisfy one's thirst seems to be the best current advice on this matter. That is so much easier to achieve if one's water is accessible and one has enough to last between refills.

 

[NicoZ]

Apologies to the originator on another thread for not crediting them by name (can't remember who it was) but I liked this suggestion.

With your two 500/600ml bottles, fill one slightly below full ( so as allow for expansion) and freeze overnight and only half-fill the other and freeze that having laid it on its side. On the walk day top up, whenever possible, the half-iced bottle. Then repeat the process with the other bottle as it too de-freezes.

I freeze water bottles but if it's REALLY hot even frozen water doesn't stay cold that long.

 

[NicoZ]

The standard measure at high altitude used to be that I urinated 1l minimum / day. Saved in a bottle, tested by the medic and not recommended as a standard practice on the Camino. On your recommendation all I would have done all day is urinate.

I'm not measuring no matter what. OTOH you can check colour. The darker it is the worse off you are. If it's pale you're drinking enough.

 

[alexwalker]

this said, I strongly recommend drinking half your body weight in water (however you can) to keep vitals healthy, prevent blisters, and skin from damage.

Not possible: I cannot possibly drink 38 litres of water/day. Your advice is dangerous. There are known cases of death due to excessive water drinking. Really. And water prevents blisters? I thought blisters were friction spots filled with water... And I do not use my vitals on the Camino, anyway: They're just hanging in there, so to speak.

More if it's hotter or if you are drinking alcohol as alcohol is a dehydrating. While beer is 95% water, it's alcohol contact extracts more water than consumed (as an example).

More?!? Than 38 litres?!? Absolutely impossible! How could I carry that extra weight in the heat? And alcohol is not dehydrating, at least not when used like a pilgrim: I feel more hydrated the more beer I drink, and at the same time, I don't have to empty my water bottles. Beer, containing 95% water, sounds like pretty close to water to me

Sitting down with an ice cold beer after 10-15 kms in the Spanish sun is a blessing: Salvation del peregrino/peregrino gasolino.

The standard measure at high altitude used to be that I urinated 1l minimum / day. Saved in a bottle, tested by the medic and not recommended as a standard practice on the Camino. On your recommendation all I would have done all day is urinate.

What? I am walking a Camino; I am not pissing at it. And certainly not in bottles. This discusssion is really funny. Take with you the water you need: After a few days you'll know your needs. I'll stick to some water (2 x 0.5 litres) and a few cold beers in closely connected villages.

 

[Saramago]

Not possible: I cannot possibly drink 38 litres of water/day. Your advice is dangerous. There are known cases of death due to excessive water drinking. Really. And water prevents blisters? I thought blisters were friction spots filled with water... And I do not use my vitals on the Camino, anyway: They're just hanging in there, so to speak.



More?!? Than 38 litres?!? Absolutely impossible! How could I carry that extra weight in the heat? And alcohol is not dehydrating, at least not when used like a pilgrim: I feel more hydrated the more beer I drink, and at the same time, I don't have to empty my water bottles. Beer, containing 95% water, sounds like pretty close to water to me

Sitting down with an ice cold beer after 10-15 kms in the Spanish sun is a blessing: Salvation del peregrino/peregrino gasolino.

No, my recommendation is 1.922 liters for a woman weighing 130 lbs, if you read the math. Minimum . I also drink lots of the delicious fresh squeezed orange juice as well as beer. My comment is in line with Doug's recommendation. He'd be the better one to go at it with - I'm not dancing either.;-)

 

[alexwalker]

No, my recommendation is 1.922 liters for a woman weighing 130 lbs, if you read the math. Minimum .

Math has been my profession for 40+ years. I am a computer engineer by profession. Please do not be obsessed by this: Obviously there are individual differences. IMHO you drink a lot of water. But that is you. Each to his/her own.

Edit: As many have pointed out here, there is really no need to be obsessed with the water issue on CF: Bars and fountains with good drinkable water are ample. You do not need to carry several litres in your pack, except for a few rare stretches on the CF. But I assume that you plan your next day. The Via de la Plata is different: There are some 40kms stretches with little or no opportunities in between. That is why it is called the Camino Duro: The Hard Camino. CF is not hard.

We do not want to scare people, and there's no need to either. Walk in piece, sip some water, and fill up at the many points where it is possible. If your body needs a lot of water; carry more. Within a few days you will learn what you really need.

Buen Camino!

 

[David]

interesting thread - Dougfitz is correct of course, I agree with him (not about camelbacks - nasty things) but about distances between villages - there are countless places where there are miles and miles in between villages, of course there are .. and I can think of one stretch of about 15 miles that has two springs pumps along it and both of them are broken. How much water to carry? Enough for that particular day .. .find out the night before by asking - easy.
Funny thing is that carrying water is heavy (kilo per litre of course) but when we carry it by drinking it we don't notice the weight. Best way to act (personal opinion) is to hydrate well before walking .. fill up the night before, fill up in the morning, fill up just before you leave and start your day, and every day, truly hydrated .... don't you think?

 

[Mark Lee]

interesting thread - Dougfitz is correct of course, I agree with him (not about camelbacks - nasty things) but about distances between villages - there are countless places where there are miles and miles in between villages, of course there are .. and I can think of one stretch of about 15 miles that has two springs pumps along it and both of them are broken. How much water to carry? Enough for that particular day .. .find out the night before by asking - easy.
Funny thing is that carrying water is heavy (kilo per litre of course) but when we carry it by drinking it we don't notice the weight. Best way to act (personal opinion) is to hydrate well before walking .. fill up the night before, fill up in the morning, fill up just before you leave and start your day, and every day, truly hydrated .... don't you think?

Yup.
I made it a point every morning to slam down two or three 1/2 liter bottles of water before I began my walk. You may not seem that thirsty early in the morning, but your body does needs hydration.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Dear Moderators - I think this horse has had good race. How about putting it to bed? Please!!

 

[saltwaterpearl]

Dear Moderators - I think this horse has had good race. How about putting it to bed? Please!!

Why?
If one is bored with a thread, one is free to not click on it.
I personally am enjoying the back and forth here. I enjoy hearty debate and hearing people express their strongly held opinions.
I like the food (or water, as it were) for thought.

In the absence of ugliness or ad hominem, why call for over-moderation on a forum? Let people chat about it as long as they wish.

My totally unnecessary 2-cents (but since I'm already here.....) :

Hydration, sun-protection, foot care..... keys to a healthy camino.

I get panicky if I run low on water, especially on hot, exposed days, so I try to over-carry by a half liter. On a normal, full backpacking day, I will drink 1.5 - 3 liters. The camino generally offers regular refill opportunities, so I would start my day with a big zumo de naranja, and 1 - 1.5 liters of agua in my pack.

More on the meseta, the VDLP or other southern caminos, or on super hot, exposed days.

I like a hydration bladder for long dayhikes and solo hiking, but since my next camino is with my partner, I'll probably use (and reuse) bottles.

 

[bystander]

Dear Moderators - I think this horse has had good race. How about putting it to bed? Please!!

Saint Mike- Horse? Bed? Please no, it's got miles of running in it yet! Give it a good feed and a bucket of water and we're back at the start.
Such fun

Please note that having Veteran Member status on this forum does not trump a lifetime of hiking, mountaineering and life as an outdoors woman........ I strongly recommend drinking half your body weight in water.........In ounces - so if you weigh 130 lbs, aim for 65 ounces. Minimum. 65 ounces = 1.92 liters. Note the word minimum, more if it's hotter or drinking alcohol.

Thank you for the edit Saramago because before it, whilst as backwoods woman you may be Annie Oakley, as a mathematician you were looking, pre-edit, like Calamity Jane!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Today I went to my local REI and purchased 1.5 liter bladder.

Well done!!

 

[alansykes]

I got through 7 litres of water today so was glad I was carrying a 2 litre bottle. I believe it's pretty rare for the temperature on the Camino del Sureste to get to 35 in late October (so unusual it's made the front page of the Información de Alicante). Did run out briefly in the garrigue toiling up to Saint Pascual's cave but I kept myself going by convincing myself that even a saint in a cave on top of a hill HAD to have a reliable water supply, and there, sure enough, was a lovely fuente right by his cave.

 

[Sixwheeler]

1)
There's no hard and fast rule, each walker has an individual requirement.
2)
Always start drinking before you get thirsty. I tend to try and drink at regular, timed intervals.
3)
Carry it in whatever suits you, try things out before you go. Personally I use a bladder as I use it, if I carry bottles I don't.
4)
A dirty bladder is just lazy, mine gets sterilised every 2 or 3 days with quarter of a Milton tablet in about 1 litre of wate; let it stand, sluice it all round including the hose and bite valve, rinse several times = clean,sterile and no taste.
5)
Wee: should be "copious and colourless", if it isn't get drinking.

Good Luck.

 

[ranthr]

I might be the only person in this forum and perhaps also on the caminos that buy all my drinkingwater in bottles. That is my security against stomach trouble on the camino. After doing the Via de la Plata and the Le Puy route, when I always carried 2,5 - 3,5l, I seem to continue carrying a lot of water, always saving 0,5 l for crises and having enough water to give some away if needed.

 

[David]

I have been thirsty only once - before that day I thought that I had been thirsty before .. but when real thirst hits you it is on a completely different scale. It was on my first Camino whilst I was still in civilised France and it was only late March. I thought I had enough water but it had turned into a really hot and sun-strong day. I ran out and there was nowhere, nowhere, where I could get water. Eventually I stumbled into a small town that had a mini-supermarket open. I crashed in there, knocking people out of the way I think and stopped at the first liquids I could see, which were juices. I grabbed one, opened it and necked it whole - a litre disappeared - then I grabbed another, opened it and sat on a pallet on the floor that was loaded with bags of .. sugar I think .. and necked that one too. After a while I calmed down, staggered around the shop, picking up more liquids and some instant foody things, took all that and the two empty cartons to the checkout and went and sat outside, where I necked another litre, water this time .. then I felt ok.
I never want to be truly thirsty ever again - I always try to ensure that I have enough water because if you are out there and you run dry and it is hot and there is no shade .. and you don't know how far it is until you can drink .. well .. you really don't want that to happen - just a thought - buen Camino!

 

[Mark Lee]

I might be the only person in this forum and perhaps also on the caminos that buy all my drinkingwater in bottles. That is my security against stomach trouble on the camino. After doing the Via de la Plata and the Le Puy route, when I always carried 2,5 - 3,5l, I seem to continue carrying a lot of water, always saving 0,5 l for crises and having enough water to give some away if needed.

You do realize that the source of the water in those bottles is a municipal water supply. It doesn't really come from springs and glaciers.

 

[Saramago]

You do realize that the source of the water in those bottles is a municipal water supply. It doesn't really come from springs and glaciers.

Not so. See pic. Translate: Spring Water

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Not so. See pic. Translate: Spring Water

Our bottled water supply at work touted spring, fresh, and natural. The fine print said "Municipal water supply of Fairfax."

 

[Mark Lee]

Not so. See pic. Translate: Spring Water

Oh, OK. I stand corrected. All bottled water comes from clear mountain streams, glacier runoffs and flowing artesian springs......
Either way, I'll stick to trying not to add to the zillions of empty plastic water bottles that will one day cover the earth (along with the plastic grocery bags).

 

[Kanga]

Many of the fountains on the camino labeled "no potable" are spring fed. The locals have been drinking out of them for years. They have to be labeled because they are not continuously monitored. Someone could set up a bottling plant and what is now rejected could become highly prized.

 

[Mike Savage]

Our bottled water supply at work touted spring, fresh, and natural. The fine print said "Municipal water supply of Fairfax."

Virginia?

 

[Saramago]

Oh, OK. I stand corrected. All bottled water comes from clear mountain streams, glacier runoffs and flowing artesian springs......
Either way, I'll stick to trying not to add to the zillions of empty plastic water bottles that will one day cover the earth (along with the plastic grocery bags).

No one said "All". Sheesh! Relax.

 

[alansykes]

I have been thirsty only once - before that day I thought that I had been thirsty before .. but when real thirst hits you it is on a completely different scale...
I never want to be truly thirsty ever again - I always try to ensure that I have enough water because if you are out there and you run dry and it is hot and there is no shade .. and you don't know how far it is until you can drink .. well .. you really don't want that to happen - just a thought - buen Camino!

Based on that I have never been thirsty, thank goodness, although anybody yesterday seeing me down 2 litres of San Pascual's finest without it hitting the sides of my throat might have thought I was. Today was only a 5 litre day as it's only in the high 20s and not so much climbing. It would have been six but I filled my bottle from the rio Vinalopó and was going to have a good swig when I got to tonight's village (I find it best to have water before my first drink of the day) when I found it was so sulphurous and salty I had to spit it out (and have two cañas to take the taste away ...). Since found the river is one of the most polluted in Spain, with over 100 milligrams of nitrate per litre. Yuck.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Quote from Alansykes
It would have been six but I filled my bottle from the rio Vinalopó and was going to have a good swig when I got to tonight's village (I find it best to have water before my first drink of the day) when I found it was so sulphurous and salty I had to spit it out (and have two cañas to take the taste away ...). Since found the river is one of the most polluted in Spain, with over 100 milligrams of nitrate per litre. Yuck.
I am very surprised that you would even consider drinking from river of unknown origin/condition. Even if its fast moving water you can never be sure what went into it 2 or 5 or 10 km upstream. The only time I would use such a source is it was critical and I had a purification product. I do agree with the recommendation of drinking a glass or two of water before hitting the beer or wine. Cheers.

 

[Kitsambler]

In case any readers of this thread are planning to walk sections outside Spain (ie, Le Puy route in France, Jakobsweg in German-speaking lands): the water availability is markedly less than on the Camino Frances (regardless of your math). There is typically not water available between towns. The exception to this general rule is that French cemeteries almost always have water (for the graveside flowers). So, as recommended above, drink up at night, drink up in the morning, drink up before setting out.

How come no one has mentioned warm beer?

 

[jeffnd]

Hey again

Just to add in one random tip.
I found limited cafes, bars etc open on Sundays.
Although....it is as amazing where vending machines would pop up. So keep some loose change close by for those.
I enjoyed some lovely ice cold Aquarius from those machines.

I found that most bars and cafes were open on Sundays, but grocery stores were not.

And yes, keep that change handy! Aquarius Limon is truly the drink of the gods! If anyone knows how to get that stuff in America, let me know!

To the OP, if you have a 3 liter bladder and are worried about weight, you might consider switching to a 2 liter one. I don't know if you are actually going to save that much weight though. I used the Osprey 2 litter bladder and I loved it. Except where there was a long distance with no towns or fountains, I only filled it about 3/4 of the way.

I started carrying a half liter Aquarius bottle with me, to use as my water bottle. I had an Osprey pack too, and in spite of what the ads show, it's not that easy to get a full bladder back into the hydration sleeve, especially with a full pack. So would use the little bottle to drink from during the day and kept the water in my pack as my reserve.

I will throw my 2 cents in here to say I am pro-hydration bladder, especially the Osprey ones.

 

[Camembert]

You could follow the Spanish custom of carrying equal amounts of water and wine. Or the example of the elderly Dutch couple I met. They took swigs out of two x 1 litre flasks - I could not understand why they were handing them backwards and forwards and drinking mainly from one but occasionally the other - until that night they revealed one was water, the other Dutch gin. Said it relieved pain.

I'm boring. Just two 600 ml flasks of water, my husband the same. Refill often. Sometimes he'll buy a sports drink as well.

That is what we Dutch often do . The Dutch have one of the highest number of insurances per person and allways go for the safe side of life.
Everything must organised from cradle to the last coffin.
About the "water "of the people you met..we call this "jenever" , ginebra in Spanish..
It is good stuff however during walking..? ..too much and you do not walk in a straight line to Santiago and the holes fall into your socks.

Bom caminho

 

[t2andreo]

Oh, OK. I stand corrected. All bottled water comes from clear mountain streams, glacier runoffs and flowing artesian springs......
Either way, I'll stick to trying not to add to the zillions of empty plastic water bottles that will one day cover the earth (along with the plastic grocery bags).

The idea is to buy a minimum number of REUSABLE water bottles as they are very easy to pack, handle, and weigh the least of all other alternatives. Others have addressed the number of bottles and water volume issue aptly above.

When you no longer want or need them, you RECYCLE them. Simple, read on...

Every one of us who wears and micro fleece or micro fiber garment of any design is wearing recycled WATER BOTTLES. The plastic that is used to make plastic water and soft drink bottles, worldwide, is obtained from recycling processes and reused to create the fibers that become both micro-fiber AND micro fleece. See this for a start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_fleece

The only disposable/recyclable material that is more frequently reused is the aluminium used in beer and soft drink cans. properly recycled, one aluminium can is reused several times. See here for more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_recycling

I hope this helps.

 

[Mark Lee]

The idea is to buy a minimum number of REUSABLE water bottles as they are very easy to pack, handle, and weigh the least of all other alternatives. Others have addressed the number of bottles and water volume issue aptly above.

When you no longer want or need them, you RECYCLE them. Simple, read on...

Every one of us who wears and micro fleece or micro fiber garment of any design is wearing recycled WATER BOTTLES. The plastic that is used to make plastic water and soft drink bottles, worldwide, is obtained from recycling processes and reused to create the fibers that become both micro-fiber AND micro fleece. See this for a start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_fleece

The only disposable/recyclable material that is more frequently reused is the aluminium used in beer and soft drink cans. properly recycled, one aluminium can is reused several times. See here for more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_recycling

I hope this helps.

http://plasticparadisemovie.com/

 

[t2andreo]

http://plasticparadisemovie.com/

Mark:

Thanks for the link. I am fully aware of both the Pacific and Atlantic "Gyres" that are collecting all the floating junk in the oceans of the world. I am also aware that most of it is some sort of plastic or another. In fact, I contribute to one organization that seeks to do something about it.

However, within the context of the Camino, and especially as regards this forum thread, many of us regularly advocate and encourage RESPONSIBLE use, reuse and recycling of a minimum amount of problematic material such as plastic water bottles. In the end, it is an individual choice.

In a similar regard, the overwhelming choice to use clothing made from synthetic, technical fibers, also contributes to intelligent reuse and recycling of plastic trash, worldwide. I would agree with you that not enough material is being recycled instead of merely tossed. But, I believe the Camino is not the place to draw the proverbial "red line."

Yes, one could choose to use a different sort of water container, or water bladder system. But, that, like most other things gear-related is a personal decision. I opt for the thoughtful and IMHO more green alternative.

In this matter, I choose not to be a Luddite, but prefer to exercise sound judgment. I hope and anticipate that my Camino pilgrim colleagues will do the same.

Thanks for the scholarly exchange of views.