Your Guide To Hydration Packs and How To Use One With an ORS

We all know we should drink more fluids, but knowing and doing are two different things. If you love going on long hikes or hitting the mountain biking trails, or if you need to work long hours on remote job sites, a small water bottle just isn’t going to cut it. That’s where tools like hydration packs and oral rehydration solutions come in.

Here, we’ll show you how a hydration pack can help you stay hydrated, even when you’re far from home. You’ll also learn why hydration is essential and how an oral rehydration solution like DripDrop ORS can help you defeat dehydration.

What Is a Hydration Pack?

A hydration pack is a drink bag that makes it easier to transport water. These hydration systems usually feature a hydration bladder that contains anywhere from one to three liters of fluid. The water reservoir is connected to a hose that ends in a bite valve that you drink from.

Hydration packs are popular among individuals who enjoy activities like mountain biking, backpacking, backcountry skiing, and hiking. These packs are also essential for search and rescue teams, disaster recovery groups, and first responders like firefighters. They’re also a great tool for individuals who work on big construction and manufacturing job sites where easy access to water isn’t always available.

They allow for hands-free drinking, making it easier to stay hydrated compared to fishing out a water bottle from the depths of a backpack. The packs are made by a variety of outdoor brands including Osprey, CamelBak, Patagonia, REI, and Hydrapak. Some of the most popular models include the Octane, M.U.L.E., Platypus, Skarab, and Sequoia.

Hydration packs can be used for short day hikes in small daypacks as well as on longer backpacking trips. A hydration backpack offers easy accessibility and hydration in situations where you may not have easy access to water. The hydration reservoir allows you to carry enough water for your trip. Many can be paired with water purification and filtration systems if you have to draw water from sources like streams and lakes on longer adventures.

You can also add electrolyte powders to your hydration pack to ensure your body absorbs fluids. The best option is to use an oral rehydration solution like DripDrop ORS. It comes in convenient powder packs that you can tear open and pour into your hydration reservoir. DripDrop ORS provides a medically relevant balance of electrolytes, giving you everything you need to fight dehydration fast.

How To Choose a Hydration Pack

Choosing a hydration pack comes down to personal preference, budget, and the way you’ll use it. While there are incredibly affordable options on the market, they may not last as long or include BPA — a synthetic compound that may be harmful to your health. To choose the best hydration pack, consider your budget, the types of situations where you will use your pack, and whether you want any bonus features.

For longer trips, a minimalist design can help save weight and allow you to carry more water. You may also want to find a hydration pack with a hip belt, comfortable shoulder straps, and straps or pockets for accessories like trekking poles. For longer jaunts, you’ll also need a larger water bladder — typically a two- or three-liter reservoir.

For shorter day trips and bike rides, you may only need a one-liter reservoir, and weight won’t be as big of a concern. In addition, it’s good to evaluate whether the pack has a warranty and added features like a rain cover if you plan on using it in tough conditions.

Why Hydration Is Essential

Dehydration is a condition that occurs when your body loses fluid and electrolytes more quickly than it can replace them. When you’re dehydrated, you may experience headaches, muscle cramps, and tiredness. Dehydration can become severe, resulting in a risk of death and permanent organ damage. Signs of severe dehydration includes irritability, confusion, and fainting.

Dehydration is caused by excessive sweating or simply not drinking enough fluids and electrolytes. When you work hard, your body produces sweat to decrease your core temperature. Sweat is made up of fluids and electrolytes like sodium, which are released to the surface of your skin. There, sweat evaporates to create a cooling effect.

If you aren’t staying hydrated, your body can’t perform properly. While hydration is important in everyday life, it’s particularly essential during physical activity. Whether you’re working on a job site or trying to reach new personal goals in your training, staying hydrated is key. Here’s why.

Dehydration has been linked to poor physical performance. Your muscles need electrolytes like sodium and potassium to contract and move effectively. When you’re dehydrated, you start to develop muscle cramps and spasms that can decrease your performance. Another side effect of dehydration is fatigue. Studies show that dehydration causes you to fatigue sooner, meaning you can’t do as many reps, work as hard, or go as far as when you’re properly hydrated.

Studies show that even modest levels of dehydration can impact physical performance. Dehydration also has mental impacts, like impaired concentration, decreased reaction time, and poor attention. This not only decreases your performance but can also lead to an increase in injuries.

When you recognize the signs of dehydration, you need to act quickly. The best remedy is an oral rehydration solution like DripDrop ORS. Start taking small sips to tackle dehydration fast. You can also add DripDrop ORS to your hydration bladder to avoid dehydration in the first place. It’s a great-tasting way to stay hydrated, whether you’re out on the trails, fighting fires, or working in tough conditions.

The Best Hydration Solution

When you're in a state of dehydration, water alone is not enough. Your body needs the perfect balance of sodium and glucose to help absorption. Instead of plain old water, reach for an oral rehydration solution like DripDrop ORS.

It contains a precisely balanced ratio of sodium and glucose so you can replenish vital electrolytes and fluids to relieve dehydration quickly. Plus, DripDrop ORS supplies vitamins like zinc, potassium, and magnesium, which are essential to support your overall health. Best of all, the convenient packaging makes it easy to add to a hydration bladder to take on your adventures.

DripDrop ORS was developed by a doctor on a mission to defeat life-threatening dehydration. The patented formula provides medically relevant electrolyte levels, improving on the World Health Organization’s Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) standards. These standards require a large amount of sodium electrolytes and a small amount of glucose. That often means traditional ORS tastes bad — making it hard to tackle dehydration.

That’s why Dr. Dolhun developed DripDrop ORS, preserving the medical efficacy of the WHO formula while boosting the flavor and making it even more effective. DripDrop ORS exceeds the WHO standards AND it tastes great. By comparison, DripDrop ORS has three times the electrolytes and half the sugar as sports drinks. It also has a lower osmolarity — about 220mosm/L compared to the required 245 msom/L in the WHO standards. This means it’s easier for your body to pull in fluids and vital electrolytes, defeating dehydration fast.

Join the many people, including soldiers, first responders, elite athletes, humanitarian workers, and health care professionals who use DripDrop ORS to defeat dehydration.

How To Use DripDrop ORS in Your Hydration Pack

You can easily add DripDrop ORS to your favorite hydration pack. Just fill the hydration reservoir with water. Next, tear the easy-open packaging and pour the powder into the reservoir. Use one 10-gram packet for every 250 milliliters of water. Or, you can use the larger 21-gram packet for every 500 milliliters of water.

Medical-grade DripDrop ORS allows you to alleviate mild to moderate dehydration outside of a hospital setting, without the need for costly and painful IV therapy. Our patented formula is powerful enough to help patients suffering from dehydration caused by Ebola and cholera but safe enough for everyday use. Plus, DripDrop ORS tastes amazing and comes in a variety of flavors you can enjoy hot or cold.

For cases of mild to moderate dehydration, DripDrop ORS is a fast, effective, and great-tasting remedy. The convenient packaging allows you to have DripDrop ORS when you need it, where you need it.

Get started with our most popular multi-flavor pouch for dehydration relief fast. Or, learn more about how you can save up to 25% on every purchase when you subscribe.