Water versus Powerade for Outdoor Recreation

The water versus Powerade debate, Hiking with Shawn style.

I want to discuss my thoughts on using water or Powerade for hydration while hiking and biking.

I’ve experimented with water and Powerade for all the activities above.

I experimented with it for a few years, too.

Water versus Powerade: Water

The water side of the water versus Powerade debate is what I’ve been using these past few years. I typically drink about 32 ounces of water each hike when it’s cool to cold outside.

I’ll drink two or more 32-ounce bottles of water when it’s hotter and more humid.

I sweat profusely, probably more so than others. So, I have to put a lot of water back in me to stay hydrated.

I also have to make specific clothing decisions. In the summer, I wear less and typically stick to an athletic material like spandex. If you see me dressed funny, I’m not doing it for fashion; I’m doing it because it wickers away sweat quickly and makes me feel cooler.

It is best to follow a system for hydration and fueling. First, get a trail bar of your choice and take a few bites of it every half hour. Then wash it down with a few drinks of water. This will keep you fueled and hydrated at least a few times an hour.

I’ve chosen water lately because I feel like it quenches my thirst better. But in the hot and humid summer, I sweat more and lose a lot of salt. So, I’ve been using Hammer-brand electrolyte powders (not sponsored) in my water to put salt back into my body. Trail bars help, too.

Water versus Powerade: Powerade

I used Powerade for years. I mainly used it for cycling. I sweat a lot on the bike, too. So I’d drink two or three 32-ounce bottles of blue Powerade on hotter days, biking and hiking.

On cooler to cold days, I would typically drink one to two 32-ounce bottles of Powerade.

The reason I stopped drinking it was because of the sugar overload. It felt like I was getting too much sugar and crashing myself out. So I tried Gatorade as an alternative, but it tasted way sweeter than Powerade.

I would even mix a bottle of half Powerade and half water. It tasted terrible, and still felt like it was too much sugar.

Once I got Powerade out of my hydration routine and replaced it with water, I personally felt a lot better.

In conclusion to the water versus Powerade debate, I will likely keep choosing water as my go-to hydration while hiking and on the bike. What would you choose and why? Tell me in a comment down below!

Thanks for reading my articles about the water versus Powerade debate. I hope my experience helps you with yours. If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to my newsletter for more tips.

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