 |
| Hiking Water Pack |
When it comes to the game, sport and obsession of Geocaching there is one precaution that every geocacher must adhere to and that is to stay hydrated. In the Northern Hemisphere we are heading straight into Summer which means hot, sunshine filled Geocaching adventures. Be sure to save yourself a lot of unneeded grief and make sure you have plenty of water with you while you are out in the wilds and in your cache mobile.
Aww HeadHardHat, isn't that a lot of extra weight we have to lug around? Well let me ask you this. Would you rather carry around a extra few water bottles in your back pack or spend a day or three in the hospital? In some cases of heat exhaustion you can even die from it so my answer fellow hunters of plastic - YES it is worth the little extra weight.
Besides there are a lot of ways to distribute the rations. For example make sure you have enough water for everyone going out Geocaching. Don't forget to include enough for your pets too! If you find yourself on a fairly substantial hike spread the beverages between several people in the group. Don't forget that your pooch if large enough can wear a dogie pack as well.
Another great option are water packs or water bladders which usually are placed in backpacks with a flexible straw that you can partake while you are walking. They usually only weigh a pound or two and you really can appreciate having them when needed.
The important thing to remember is to not overheat yourself and keep drinking water. Some libations can actually be a dehydrate so make sure what you are drinking something that hydrates instead on taking water from your system.
Just as a final note also remember that even though you may go Geocaching during the winter months you are just as susceptible to dehydration as in the hot months. So keep those liquids with you any time of the year and be safe out there.
- Andy HeadHardHat Smith
Living and Geocaching in the deep South (South Georgia), we have to constantly be aware of staying hydrated. My wife and I both currently carry a backpack, because most of our geocaches turn into a trail hike as well. We usually just take bottled water and we do split it up between the two packs (not an even split though-LOL. I usually take 4 bottles to her two.)
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your post, since most people may only think of geocaching as a leisurely activity/hobby, this most important aspect could easily be overlooked.
Thanks for bringing attention to the subject.
I damn near over-heated myself Friday on a hike to do cache maintenance. The secret is: water! You can't have enough water.
ReplyDelete