
Carrying Water
There's Water! Now What?

Water weighs 1kg per liter which is about 8.3lb per gallon - that's heavy!
An old saying is, "a Pint's a Pound, the World Around."
A pint of water weighs about a pound. There are two cups in a pint, two pints in a quart, and 4 quarts in a gallon. Since water weighs so much and is so critical to life, we need to be able to carry what we need, but not much more than that.
Planning a hike route and knowing the reliable water sources is an important part of hiking. If I know there is water 5 miles down the trail, I will carry 2 liters instead of 4 since that is plenty to reach my next source. This saves me from carrying 2kg (4.5lb) of extra weight.
Efficient Water carries
The most efficient way to carry water is in the stomache. It is centered for balance, the container has no extra weight, and it's free. Unfortunately, it has a very limited holding capacity. To supplement the stomache, there are a handful of ways to carry hiking water, each with it's benefits. When choosing how you will carry water, keep these thoughts in mind:
- Balance - will the weight be balanced both side-to-side and front-to-back? Water sitting on the face of the pack furthest from your body will be extremely uncomfortable. Weight hanging off one side will make the muscles in the other side tire faster.
- Stability - a 2-pound weight swinging back and forth off a pack disrupts the normal hiking rhythm. Make sure the water containers are securely fastened or packed inside so they do not swing and sway their way down the trail.
- Excess Weight - the water container itself adds extra weight to a pack. Carrying 2 pounds of water inside a 2-pound clay pot is not efficient. Minimizing the container to water weight ratio helps us work less to transport more water.
- Ease of Use - being able to easily get to the water to drink and easily refill the water is important. If I have to stop and remove my pack every time I want a drink of water, that isn't fun.
- Sanitation - over time, a container needs to be cleaned or stuff will grow in it.
With balance, stability, weight, ease of use, and sanitation in mind, here are a few common ways to carry water while hiking on the trail:
collapsible plastic jug - a simple jug is great for carrying a large amount of water. It is inexpensive and collapses when not in use so it takes up little space. There is little extra container weight compared to the amount of water carried. It is intended mostly for short hauls such as bringing water from the source to camp, not for carrying mile after mile. Simple to wash and dry.
Since it is carried in the hand, hiking is more difficult while carrying a jug. It's not very easy to get a drink from it, either.water bottle - 1-liter plastic bottle made specifically for hiking water. The well-known Nalgene name is synonymous with water bottle. They are practically indestructible in the wild, making them very popular. Two bottles provide enough water for about 10 miles of hiking. Two bottles, one on each side of a pack, provide balance. They are easy to reach and easy to fill. Alternating which bottle you drink from keeps the load balanced. Just wash in a dishwasher or by hand.
I've often seen them attached to packs by their lid loop causing them to swing freely which makes hiking more difficult. The fact that they are indestructible means they are also heavy and lose on the water weight ratio criteria.water bladder - Camelbak and Platypus are well-known but now there are dozens of brands making flexible hydration systems. They range in size, usually 1-liter to 3-liter. The bladders ride in the pack next to the hiker so are well balanced. A drink hose makes drinking while hiking extremely easy and may help hikers drink more, staying better hydrated. They are extremely stable, being completely packed in, and they tend to be light compared to the water they carry.
Water bladders are a pain to fill because they need to be removed from the pack and then repacked. They can fairly easily get punctured. It is difficult to determine how much water is left in the bladder, or if the user is actually drinking enough water. Bladders are washed by hand and can be difficult to dry completely, especially the drinking hose. They also tend to be expensive for the amount of water they carry.disposable bottle - Any bottled water or sport drink bottle can be reused instead of thrown away. They are free, durable, and extremely lightweight. They come in any size from 300ml to over 2 liters. They can be stored inside or around your pack so balance is good and flexible. Sanitation is not a concern because they can be recycled instead of cleaned.
It is possible to rupture a disposable bottle, but it takes some effort.

Since the weight of the pack is pulling backwards, putting weight on the front helps equalize that pull and makes a more comfortable hike. Water is probably the most dense item being carried, so carrying it on the front pack straps is a great idea.
The water offsets the pack weight and is easily accessible for drinking. I've seen some people adapt the bottle lid so it has a straw for drinking while hiking - seems pretty cool to me!
Hike On: Hiking Food
Comments:
Feb 12, 2014 - 'Grizz'
Water bladders are nice because they also keep your water cool during the day. I always carry a Nalgene as my Kool-Aid container. Water Only in bladders. NEVER make flavored drinks in them. Almost impossible to wash out the flavor.
Jun 09, 2014 - MarieFor attaching the disposable water bottle to the front pack straps - how did you attach it?
Jun 09, 2014 - Hiking Dude@Marie - On youtube.com/watch?v=Pmj1tYjCXeU you can see one way. Skip to 2:25 in the video and that black loop of elastic is what I use at the top and bottom of the bottle. Using a bottle just like he has, I spaced the two loops so they fit right in the top and bottom indented rings and they stay just great - no need for all that other colored stuff he uses.
Feb 26, 2015 - Greg SmithThis was the best, most concise, and most helpful article I've seen on the subject. I've never used a hydration pack, but the problems with them seem obvious to me. I loved the idea about the water bottles on the shoulder straps. I'm going out to buy some Gatorade and give it a try!
Mar 19, 2015 - WyoTrekkerWhat happened to the one quart plastic bottle that slipped into a nylon (or similar material) holder/holster that slipped onto your pack belt? I have carried those for twenty years and love them. They are handy, nearly indestructible, and light. My bottles are still in good shape, but I could use new holders. I can't find the bottles or holders anywhere. I guess they are no longer manufactured, but I can't figure out why not. My originals came from Campmor.
Mar 23, 2015 - Hiking Dude@WyoTrekker - I have no idea what bottle you have, but there are lots of pics of Nalgene holders at this page. Maybe they'd fit.
Sep 07, 2015 - becfootJust the info I was searching for, thanks! Packing larger reused disposables in your pack and pouring off into an easily accessible Nalgene bottle also works. You can keep track of how much you're drinking without having to stop and unpack constantly--only to refill your bottle.
Dec 07, 2015 - NovaThx @HikingDude, this is extremely helpful in writing my
story, The Rat, the Widow, and the Owl
Mar 02, 2016 - doghikerFor the past ~10 years, I've been using 1-L water bladders for day hiking, backpacking, and mtn biking--very convenient to carry and drink from the mouthpiece/hose because I don't have to stop and fish a bottle out of a holder or pack. I rarely ever add any Gatorade or the like to the bag--makes it tougher to keep clean. I always empty the bag soon after use, invert to dry, and store uncapped. Over time, had to replace the bite valves that became leaky; bags surprisingly durable over years. Used to use 1-L Nalgene bottles--simple, cheap, non-leaky; the older ones with BPA do pick up a nasty plastic taste over time, but only if you store water in them for a long time (like the emergency bottles I store in my car). Still re-use smaller plastic water or juice bottles for my dogs' water supply carried in their backpacks (also great for balancing their "saddlebags"). Made some of my own bottle holders--pretty easy to do if you have basic sewing machine skills and scrap fabric
Apr 26, 2016 - Rick scottI'm doing a 3 day desert hike next week.
I need to carry around 20l of water. I
was just going to dump all that water in
a sealline bag and strap it to the top of
my Alice pack. Can't think of a better
way to carry all the water I need for 3
days....
Apr 26, 2016 - Hiking Dude@Rick - You're carrying 44 pounds of water? Good luck.
If I had to do that (which I never would), I would divide it into 3 or 4 containers just in case one failed.
Aug 12, 2016 - Tim MoeIf I had to do that (which I never would), I would divide it into 3 or 4 containers just in case one failed.
I am a long distance section hiker, and am looking for water carrying options. I have been
carrying two 1 liter Nalgene bottles in the side pouches of my pack, with a 2 liter interior
hydration reservoir. The problem is that I cannot easily access the nalgenes, and they are
bulky heavy.
Aug 12, 2016 - Hiking Dude@Tim - I hope this page gave you some ideas. Having a lightweight
bottle attached to each of my pack straps works great for me - easy
to see, access, drink, and refill. And, it helps balance the pack
weight. Also, there are very light, compressible, Platypus 1L
water bag/bottles that work great for extra water over dry
stretches.
Feb 16, 2018 - Geoff GaffordI use an Ortlieb water belt. It holds 2 litres and carries very comfortably round the
waist.
Apr 20, 2018 - kathieHas anyone ever used an extra bladder bag to carry water? I have
two bladder systems or bags and Im doing a long hike, Im inclined
to fill the extra bag and tote it until I finish the first. They
are very light, so after I empty the first bag Ill switch them.
Just wondered if anyone else has tried this or if I can anticipate
any issues?
THanks,
Apr 25, 2018 - Hiking DudeTHanks,
@kathie - I carry extra water in the dirty water bag for my Sawyer
filter. I can stop to filter it whenever I want.
Mar 10, 2021 - JoeAnyone know where I could find a hard cover, lightweight water container
which moulds better to the inside of your pack (over the small of your back).
Hoping to carry the water internal to the pack however don’t want it to be
exposed to some other heavy duty items I carry in the pack - hence hard
case water bladder is preferable. I’ve seen a couple in use but haven’t been
able to track anything down myself.
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