UKH

Hi folk, am heading to the Alps in August for some running/hiking, curious as to what your guys take when out on the hills in Europe? Also how have people found the water in the glacial streams; boil it first or just use a filter?

When in alpine huts I generally just drink the tap water even though in general it states that it's non-potable. I suspect the same logic applies to glacial streams. Next time I might take some filtration tabs just to be sure but in general  I think glacial water is so  cold and fast flowing that, when you know what to look for, it's pretty clean. It might be a bit bare in terms of minerals and so forth so that's also something to take into consideration but that only makes a difference if it's your sole source of water for weeks and weeks and weeks.

I just filter everything using a BeFree bottle

Light is right for the rest of the kit, probably sunny but will get heavy downpours or storms.

Good advice for Alpine running here https://elevation.alpsinsight.com 

The trouble with drinking glacier melt water is that it's contaminated by glacial dust/grit which can lead to stomach upsets. You need a good filter. It's better to take if from streams a bit lower down which have filtered through boggy marshy ground, rather than straight from glacier streams. Avoid drinking from streams that have run from mountain huts, cable car stations, mountain cafes and other areas of human activity. If in doubt I use purifying tablets.

Always make sure you’ve got kit for properly shit weather.

Definitely! do you take a specefic running waterproof or will a usual hardshell be fine? I tend to sweat in either

Good suggestion, it may be an idea to take an extra one or two soft flasks to fill up lower down

Thanks, I'll check it out

I'm down in Ecrin, and although there are some alpine huts, some of the routes don't have them, thanks though  

I swear by the Sawyer Mini Filter, with squeeze pouch. Gets grit out of glacial melt, purifies it from bacteria and weighs next to nothing. Though be gentle with the squeeze pouch, which you’ll need to replace every so often and be sure to back-flush the filter once back in the valley.

For walking or running regular trail running shoes or stiffer ones for scrambly walks. Basically, pretty much what I'd take/wear at home. Boots only if I know were going to be on snow a fair bit and then I'll usually take the ice axe too.

Clothing wise, similar to what I'd wear at home too but I'll generally not have many extra layers on good weather days as the sun is so much hotter and the weather systems seem to be more stable.

We use a Lifestraw or similar type filter bottle and drink water from streams through that. We tend to be below 3000m thus most of what we'll collect is coming from streams rather than glacier melt. 

Usually take a gore-tex running waterproof rather than hardshell, as well as a spare thermal top, gloves, first aid kit, space blanket, map, compass, whistle, food, water etc. Potentially waterproof bottoms too if the mountain forecast was seriously shabby.

Assuming you’re going high (e.g. 2,000m+), FRA mandatory kit is probably not a bad starting point for single days out running in the alps, even in August when the forecast is good.

Either way, have a great, and safe, time. 

Glaciologist here: surface meltwater will have less contaminants than your tap water. Just drink it (although maybe nicer if you add some electrolyte)

This is perfect thanks! 

That's really good to know, thanks