How much water should be carried on person?

[Redneck19]

I use a 2 liter camelback.
Last September I participated in an event at Benning involving a pretty strenuous schedule for six days (little food, little sleep). During that time, I went through about 6 liters per day.

How much water is reasonable to carry on one's body?

Most of what I've read before is 2 liters, but I don't know whether or not that takes into consideration the fact that I may not be able to refill easily. Hopefully, in a SHTF situation, I would be close to a water source.

[Von Rheydt]

Moved

[HES]

To carry on your body? I think the most reasonable amount would be 2 1qt Canteens or 2 liters in a bladder. Its a function of weight. Now back in my days of running up and down mountains in the hot hot sun, I would carry 2 1qt canteens on my and on my ruck I would have 2 2qt canteens, for a total 6 quarts on me or near me and even then I would drain just about everything by nightfall. I have done the kicking chicken a few times from becoming a heat casualty and am fastidious about staying hydrated. So I think the answer isn't how much so much as what water purifying capability do you have and are you near a water source.

[platoonDaddy]

Légion étrangère

If you take small sips of water throughout the day, as opposed to great gulps - it will last you longer. On top of that, the more you drink - the more you sweat. But if you want to earn smartie points - be the one with half a bottle of water left at the next water stop.

[kartoffel]

Depends on how much weight you want to carry, and most importantly, whether you can get more safe water on the move.

I've been in situations where the weather turned bad and I have intentionally dumped everything but 1 liter reserve in order to haul ass off a mountain. Otherwise, when I'm covering ground I try to carry enough still have enough water to maintain my pace even if I miss the next couple of likely water-refill spots.

In the winter, I carry less because you can melt snow. In the desert or at altitude, I carry more (WAY more). Regardless, I always have at least a liter of liquid water on me at all times.

[mgjohn]

I do the following: 2 liter Camelback, 2 1qt canteens. The canteens supply water for cooking/washing ect. I also carry a pair of USGI 5qt roll up water bladders. Can fill these when needed as water permits for long hauls between water stops and for camp use.

[bkb0000]

depends entirely on what you're doing, how hot it is, and how far away your next refill is.

roofing in the summer heat, where the air temp 5' above the deck is 130-145F, in direct sunlight, doing some of the hardest/most sweat-inducing work a man can do, it wasn't unusual to drink 3 gallons of water/gatorade in a 10-hour work day, and not piss a single time.

the rule we were given in military school was 1 quart an hour, when working hard. thats about how much you sweat, so thats about how much you need to replenish. i've loosely followed that for most of my life, and i've yet to fall over from dehydration.

[fixer]

depends entirely on what you're doing, how hot it is, and how far away your next refill is.

bingo!

here in the desert, it's hard to find any water sources out in the boonies. so the only water you can expect to have is the water you're hauling. the few exceptions to that are if you KNOW there's water in an area, and you have the ability to filter or treat it.

other AOs have water everywhere.

[excatm76]

IN warmer months I try to have 2 GI 1 quart canteens, a GI 2 quart and a 100oz camelbak. It seems like a lot, but I go through a gallon on a normal summer day, doing my job. In the woods it's barely enough.

[TehLlama]

I have a Camelbak sixbak (6L) for this reason, though it isn't always the most practical option.

[LHS]

Depends on climate and activity level. Doing a basic carbine class in Phoenix in July, I went through two gallons of water and gatorade without taking a leak. That's hardly strenuous activity, but the 115-degree heat and sunshine really strips the moisture from your body. In a more temperate climate, with shelter from heat and wind, you may need a lot less.

[KYPD]

I grew up in the desert, camped, hunted, worked and participated in search and rescue operations, mostly inexperienced hikers or city folk that would go for a drive into the mountains, the engine would overheat, or they would get stuck in the sand and try to walk out in the daytime. Buzzards and crows were the signposts in most cases.

The Sheriff's department I worked with had the statistics, but it was not uncommon to find a chewed-on body with a half-full canteen lying beside it. Lesson learned is that the best place to store water is the belly. Once that is filled to capacity, you need one gallon of water per day in hot weather with moderate activity. More if you don't have a hat, or otherwise have lots of exposed skin. Less water and you lose function and stop thinking straight, which explains why people that die of dehydration in the desert mostly seem to wander in no direction. With higher temps and strenuous activity, that can triple. If you haven't seen the results of heat stroke, or experienced thirst-induced stupidity, you can't know.

[kaiservontexas]

Bladder and canteens as other have said. I also think the ability to generate potable water to be very important. Sadly I lack in that area at this moment. Water is a pain dearly needed and extremely heavy.