Water and hiking, Importance and Equipment.

I remember hiking the Appalachian Trial with Hora (George) in 2005

and on one stretch we both were almost out of water.  Hora turned to me,

Tomatohead and asked “Do you thing we should take the side path for

water as we are both almost out”. “How far down the side path is it before

we get to the water” I ask. “About 1.5 miles” he answered. “Na” I said

“we’ll probably find another path with water closer by”.  For the next 8 mile

stretch no water was available and we were both getting desperate just

before we got to the next water hole.  Lesson here is fill up while you can and

don’t take chances.  I read and article a year later about a guy who swore he

could do this one hike through the desert with just a specific amount of water

and that he was going to prove it.  I do not remember names, or which paper

the article was in but I do know he almost completed the hiking, dying within

sight of his car. which was filled with water. So please remember to always

have enough water, I may dislike a lot of people but I wish death on no one.

I am an atheist so I do not believe in god however there is only one piece of

evidence that a god may exist and that is the miracle called life, and please

if your reading this do not attempt to preach at me or try and change my opinion.

So we have discussed the importance now the equipment.

Carrying water some people use nalgene bottles, some a platypus,

myself gatorade bottles as I was to cheap to buy either alternative.

Which one you use is personal preference though I have have been told

by some reusing gatorade bottles may not be to health.  Reusing anything in

my opinion if not properly cleaned is risky so I keep the bottles clean and if

they look risky, simply and cheaply get new ones.

For water purification, I prefer the pur water filter but it is not the lightest.

The easy and lightest is of coarse tablets I just don’t like taste of the water or

fully trust health issues. Now according to some this is because I am an impatient

person and if you wait long enough these issues are resolved. Next lightest is the

Msr Miox Purifer which Hora carried using battery power, salt and water it creates

chlorine and does a similar job as the tablets. The filters are last and there are a lot

of different brands, now which you use is again personal preference though I will

say that I may one day switch as I like the idea of going lighter.

Now going lighter is not always safer in hiking but everyone must find out their

own personal preferences in all things, I would however suggest you check out

Ray Jardine’s site in regards to going lighter, name is very searchable with any search

engine.