How Much Water Should You Bring Backpacking?

By Michael Ferguson

When embarking on a backpacking trip, one of the most important things that you will need to consider is how much water to bring. Not only will this ensure that you remain hydrated throughout your journey, but it can also save you a lot of time and energy if you don’t have to stop every few hours to find a source of water.

The amount of water you should bring will depend on several factors, including the duration of your trip, the type of terrain you’ll be traversing, and the temperature. In general, it is recommended that you plan to carry at least one liter of water per person for every hour of activity. So if your trip is going to last 4 hours, it’s a good idea to bring at least 4 liters for each person.

It is also important to take into account any potential sources of water along your route. If there are streams or other sources of freshwater that you can access along the way, then you won’t need to carry as much with you.

However, it is still a good idea to have some extra just in case. Additionally, if there are no reliable sources along the way then it’s even more important that you bring enough so that everyone has enough water.

In addition, if the weather conditions are particularly hot or dry then it’s essential that you bring more than just one liter per hour – dehydration can set in quickly under these conditions and can be very dangerous if not treated properly.

Overall, when planning how much water to bring backpacking it’s important to consider factors such as duration, terrain type and temperature. It’s usually recommended that one liter per hour per person should be enough but if conditions are particularly hot or dry then it’s best to have extra on hand just in case.

Conclusion: How much water should you bring backpacking? It really depends on various factors such as duration, terrain type and temperature but generally speaking each person should plan on bringing at least one liter per hour they will be active.

If weather conditions are especially hot or dry then extra water should be brought just in case.