UKH

Hi

Being looking at the best way to carry water in the mountains (Scotland)

Was thinking of just using my bladder, So long as i blow air back down the tube to stop it from freezing up, But the downside of this would be the ability to monitor the amount of water i have, Also thought of a few small collapsible water bottles..Any other ideas ?

When it's cold enough to worry about water freezing I follow the tried and tested advice from on here and fill a 1 litre nalgene with hot Ribena and wrap it in my belay jacket.

If it's a long day or its Baltic I'll pair it up with a 500ml flask.

Last weekend I was out for an overnighter in the Carnedau and used a 1l flask and a 1l nalgene. The flask kept me warm and hydrated all day and the water provided tea and brews overnight.

Personally I've never carried water in winter, and rarely in summer in Scotland.  There's plenty of it around which is perfectly safe to drink as long as you use a little bit of sense.

In your body.  Hydrate as much as you can at the start of the day before you set off.  For some people this may be all they need to keep them going all day.  For others it will minimise what you need to carry.

If you fill a nalgene bottle with boiling water at the start of the day and store it wrapped in something in your rucksac it should stay liquid all day.  I have done this in some very cold places and always been fine.

A sigg bottle, so you and everyone around you has to endure the constant sloshing. 

But you can get a winter kit for bladders, works quite well. A neoprene tube and rubber bite valve cover. Still a good idea to blow the fluid back into the sack. 

Bladders work in winter to some extent, but if it is cold enough, or sub zero with a decent wind they can become unusable even if you do blow water out of the tube. Some good options already mentioned, and the idea of hydrating well before going out can certainly minimise the amount of fluid required.

Other options include the good old fashioned vacum flask, tea is my favourite, a decent amount of sugar helps on the mountain. It's good to put everything in the flask as warm as possible to give it every chance of staying warm. Bigger flasks stay warm for longer. Cordial is quick and easy to make in a hot flask, things like Ribena and Vimto already have some sugar in, and it is also possible to add snow in the cup as you drink for a less warm or cold drink, and to make it go further on the hill.

When there is halfway decent cover the other option is to carry some form of stove, more modern compact integrated systems work well. It means you don't have to carry any fluids at all, just melt and/or boil snow as required on the hill. There are obvious drawbacks in terms of faff factor, probably making it a poor option in poor conditions, but it can certainly be an option for long days out in half decent weather, or more obviously for overnighters. Also good in emergencies, hot water only limited by how much gas you have. It also gives flexibility in terms of cosy drinking/snacking options. Tea, coffee, concentrated cordial, instant soup, custard, noodles, cous cous.

It's just a case of choosing an appropriate solution that works for you on any particular day. You can even mix and match, I often take a small amount of water in addition to something else, like a warm flask.

If you find plenty of water on winter routes I'd suggest waiting till it's a bit colder.

If you don't find plenty of water I’d be worried the route was not in condition!

<disengage pendant mode>

How about a flask filled with warm water? 

i used a bladder, with a winter kit, for a long time but ended up with part of it freezing on most long days. Now I use a 500ml or 1000ml nalgene in an insulated carrying sleeve on my rucksack belt on the walk ins, so I use it and can monitor how much I'm drinking, and then stick it in the sack on the route.

I used to be a fanboy of sigg bottles until one froze solid while in the boot of the car, when it thawed the ice expansion caused a tiny split and ruined the bottle.

A nagaline bottle with hot ribenia is a nice drink and usually still hot by the time you’ve walked in and gearing up. used to slip mine into one of the spare socks i used to carry. I’ve retired from winter climbing now but always carried a spare pair of socks in case of ‘scottish wet foot’ or use as emergency gloves. I digress, water wise was just a shop bought water bottle that i’d refill at strategic burns. That along with the nagaline was all i personally needed. I always found bladders a problem with freezing mouth pieces, even when blowing the water back to clear the tube.

Id never dehydrate anyway, always had a constant stream of fluid running out my nose on winter walk ins! 

I think everyone just lands on what suits them over time.

I carry a 0.5l flask in my  rucksack which I tend to drink after climbing. On the walk in I carry a 0.5l plastic bottle tucked into the bib of my salopettes.  This keeps it at a drinkable temperature and I'll drink it on the walk in and perhaps refill it and drink that at the bottom of the route.

That, in combination with a load of juice / tea at breakfast seems to work for me.

Put a tot of vodka in with your water, means it won't freeze - tried and tested over many years

Interesting idea.... but can you reach the end of the tube with your mouth??

[winking emoji]

Thermos flask

Why so many dislikes for not carrying water when there's plenty of lumps of ice, small streams and snow about?  

What do you think happened before bladders came out?

In winter: 500ml thermos with hot juice. If it's going to be a massive hillwalking day I might take 750ml. Make sure you drink plenty in the morning and have something in the car for when you get back so you can get straight on the rehydration.

In summer: 1l Nalgene, fill it up from streams as you need. 

Don't take the dislikes personally, it's just that folk disagree with your statement. Think of "dislike" as "disagree". In extremely cold weather it's often difficult to find running water. Eating snow or ice isn't that good for you

PS The dislike to your last post wasn't mine!

Normally just take a litre in any older bottle. I put more effort into hydrating on a morning and evening. I might gulp down some whilst gearing up or when de-kitting and packing up, but no picnics or sitting down unless it's an especially nice day or an amazing place. 

I can't be faffed on with flasks, bladders, insulated hoses.. the only exception is a flask if teaching some sort of skills as I know I'll have time to squeeze a brew in. 

I like using cloud storage

Thermos Ultimate 500ml flask with hot drink. Super light flask and stays warm. We make sure we drink a lot in the morning before we leave and stay off the salty foods until we get back.

When you have poisoned yourself. Spending 2 days in a divvy bag with body fluid all about. Your statement doesn't seem valid 

Great idea. UKC please change name of thumbs down box.

Its surely just common sense to be careful what the water source is, or what sources are likely to be available.

Don't hear much about people traversing the Cuillin getting tummy problems from the ridge water sources for instance.

As billhook I never used to carry water, and as with other replies I've always ensured I've taken plenty of liquid in morning (3 pints plus). In fact I almost never drank while on the hill in UK, felt fine but modern thinking would probably be that I didn't notice my performance being affected.

Nowadays I often take a part filled 500ml coke bottle (and often forget to use it).

Thermos flask seems unnecessary weight and bulk. Very enjoyable though, now I'm older younger climbers often give the old codger a few swigs from their's.

Powdered form??

Not as easily as I used to.. 😂 😂 

I find it best to get someone else to do this...

I go for the packs of dehydrated water  works well  comes in packs from Cotswolds add 8 pints and you have a full gallon 

I find hanging water from a chain can cause it to rub and cut into ones neck. Using a nalgene bottle is far safer

Winter, 500ml thermos flask of hot elderflower*

Summer, 1L Nalgene of water

* can't abide Ribena since they took the sugar out. Gutted.

 I've found it tastes a bit funny after its been in my bladder.

I think it must have giard with some people.

Chunks of cucumber? will they freeze? It's my summer emergency water - unspillable. For what it's worth, Coke will freeze at -10C in a 500ml plastic bottle after half a day.

The tiny split happened when the ice froze, it just didn't leak at that point as the water was frozen.

In winter I try to hydrate as much as possible before going on the hill and then just carry a couple of the small collapsible cartons of juice or ribena you can buy in most stores. Easy to stow/carry and once you've drank them the used cartons are light and easy to carry out. Carry the wee straws in your pocket so you don't lose them. In summer I just carry a collapsible cup to scoop up water from burns.

But maybe you didn't choose your water supply correctly?  

I'm not sure how hygienic it is drinking through a long plastic tube from a plastic bag and also having to blow into it to keep it from freezing every now and then 

Did an experiment on this when I used to work in Russia! Your right Coka Cola -10 after a while, but Pepsi -7 to -8 was solid, used to separate out some what as well. Pepsi Max was close to coke, makes you wonder what they put in them!

Dave

Brilliant reply, it made me smile too!!  You got a thumbs up from me too!

Many areas have convenient places to fill up below the snow line.. When heading for Nevis I tend to save weight on the walk-in and only fill up at the pipe by the CIC. Worked fine until the 'Beast from the East' when the whole thing was frozen. Good thing it was only a 12 hour day.

In general though, as others suggested, hot diluting juice in a nalgene, wrapped in a jacket inside your bag. Does the trick without the need for an insulating cover or thermos flask.

If you're going somewhere really cold though, invest in a more insulated bottle. If you're going to be standing around a lot, take a thermos of hot (insert beverage here). If you like regrets, take a bladder system.