Commuting - Hydration pack

What do people fill their hydration pack with (besides water). I was thinking of filling it with a home-made energy drink (kool-aid with salt). Has anyone tried this? Does it mess up the pack?

Gee: I’m interested in your home made energy drink. I too make my own. I was using Country Time lemonade at half strength plus salt and salt substitute for the potassium. I am now making it with ordinary baker’s sugar, just to use up a five pound bag that I want to get rid of. My current mix is one sixth cup of sugar, one eighth teaspoon of table salt, and about a sixteenth of a teaspoon of salt substitute (potassium chloride) to one quart of water. Since the sugar can interfere with the absorption of the water I may add more or less sugar depending on the weather temperature, more in cold weather and less in extremely hot weather. Do you have any better idea on the mixtures or type of sugar to use? I am told that Karo or corn sugar would be much better.

depends on what type of hydration pack you have. If your going to be putting things besides water get a camelback, as they have wide mouthed opeings wich make them much easier to clean. Hydration systems such as the nalgene's and platypus have narrow openings which would make them harder to clean. Make sure you clean it daily because nasty stuff can really build up fast in there (dark and moist, with lots of sugur from your energy drink ). As long as you clean it regularly you should be fine.

Ray.

**To answer your actual question** I sneak beer around in mine and also used to make drinks such as crystal light and gatorade in mine while hiking. I clean it often, sometimes even if I havn't used it to make sure it stays kosher :) Its a little stained from some of the crystal light, but other than that it is fine.

Personally, I avoid putting anything but water in my bottles and certainly in my hydration pack. Cleaning is too much hassle. If I am on a ride where I need nutrition 50+ I take nutrition. If I am on a longer ride where I also need electrolyte replenishment, I take that. I have on occasion put Gatorade, etc., in a bottle, but at least they can go in a dishwasher. But that's just me.

Camelback sells tablets to clean the bladder, but they are expensive (IMO). Anyone thried using those denture cleaning tablets instead? I wonder if it would harm the the plastic bladder?

Do you have any better idea on the mixtures or type of sugar to use? I am told that Karo or corn sugar would be much better.

Honey.

Water only in the bladder & mixtures in the bottles. Bottles are easier to clean and are less expensive to replace should things "grow" wrong.

I use a camelback for hiking. I would never put anything other than water in it because the flavoring can get in the plastic. For salt, japanese-style rice crackers are good, or other salty snacks. Sugar isn't really necessary if you eat a snack.

I would think good old-fashioned lemonade would be better than kool-aid, but then I like plain water that isn't even cold the best.