Drinking Water and Airsoft

[Skara]

1 minute ago, AlphaBear said:

With bladders don't you need to clean/sanitise them between uses? Just asking coz I've never used a Camelbak etc... Or is it just the mouth nipple you clean after sucking it all day? Wait that doesn't sound right does it? (All you kids cover your eyes!!!) 

yep, they need cleaning between uses.

 

With genuine Source bladders it's easy as they have a clever sealing system that lets you open them like a bag, others are a bit more tedious to clean.

 

You should do the same with bottles and canteens though

[AlphaBear]

The thing is if you're wearing a l Camelbak on your back then surely it just adds to the faff one has to carry around? 

[Rogerborg]

4 minutes ago, AlphaBear said:

The thing is if you're wearing a l Camelbak on your back then surely it just adds to the faff one has to carry around? 

 

Not really, you barely notice it, plus it does help to keep you cool if you chill it before hand.  If you don't, well, it's another layer of insulation which isn't great on a hot day.  Don't just carry it for tacticoolness, actually drink from it.

 

However, I'm an advocate of running less rather than more.  Ice-plates and bags of water on the back makes for more "Take you fapping hits mate" / "Didn't fapping hit me mate" shouties.

[Tommikka]

I have one of these from a few years back.

 

 

It’s aimed at paintballers, and it looks like it might now only be available from the US and as just a bottle.

Mine has an alternative lid and a camelback style drinking hose.  (Which is far more sensible for use with full face goggles, to make it possible to drink in the field)
 

Even if without the drinking hose, if you have part face or a removable lower to allow drinking from the bottle, then this is more rugged than a bottle of water.

 

Obviously airsofters won’t be wearing a paintball pod belt, but they do fit in certain magazine pouches 

5 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

 

 

 

However, I'm an advocate of running less rather than more. .

Definatley

 

However - It can make you look a bit stupid when you take out a crate of water, nag everyone to keep drinking, and then not drink yourself.

 

In the heat of July I put the water on the overhead gantry of a CQB kill house for the guys running the game and giving safety overwatch.

I was running around inside photographing during sessions, bossing everyone around and giving game briefs to the next batch of players.

 

By the end of the sessions I was fit to collapse and ended up in a camping chair in the shade of our gazebo having bottles of water thrown at me.

Not only do I now drink properly, but just like a reformed smoker I’m the worst nag for hydrating 

 

[Stratton Oakmont]

21 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

 

 

2 litres in winter up to 4 litres in summer, water, in whatever coke / lemonade / Irn Bru bottles I've fished out of the recycling. In CQB with short games I just glug in the safe zone.  In woodland, a 2 litre bottle left in respawn, and carry a 1 litre canteen, mil-spec operator-tech as used by real life Omega Seal Delta Beret Rangers.

 

 

I might sling a fizzy vitamin C tablet, Ribena, some orange juice or whatever in there, but salt replenishment is handled by peanuts, pork pies and Snickers MARATHONS.

 

I've tried a camelback, but I can't get on with suckling at the rubbery teat, it just feels a bit like that time I did after-party hospitality for a Young Conservatives Club.

 

It's what plants crave

 

[concretesnail]

I try to drink plenty of water the few days before playing to make sure tissues are well hydrated and then carry a camelbak bladder in a sleeve on my kit.

Running gas mags water also helps balance the weight.

The number of folk I've seen wilted out due to poor hydration is silly and I tend to stay away from energy drinks.

However i do use a mineral addition for recovery if playing a double header / over night game. Drink towards the end of the day.

 

Works well for track riding and running about with pew pews

[Jaylordofwaargh]

Bottle in the pouch, 1l. Drinking lots of water the night before/ with breakfast. Bottle during first two games, 1-2 litres at lunch and another litre after lunch. Still not sure if it is enough for the day, this is woodland based. 

 

I am looking at bladders, I would want at least 2l on my back for each session. As im still, (yes still) looking at rigs so I would be getting back pack style. Options are plenty.

 

[Cannonfodder]

I carry a camelback in game as I find I'm more likely to actually drink than when carrying a bottle in a pouch and keep extra in the safe zone to refill it at lunch. 

 

Also try to keep taking small sips regularly, even if you don't feel thirsty. As waiting till you do and glugging down a large amount then running around will only leave you feeling like you want to vomit which will only make dehydration worse. 

 

Lastly, as others have posted, avoid drinks like red bull and monster. The high levels of caffeine will dehydrate you more and once the caffeine wears off you'll crash and feel worse. If you want something other than water I suggest something like lucozade which is designed for sports and contains the electrolytes your body needs

[Lozart]

Found this while I was looking at hydration stuff. Tells you what your hydration should be based on age, weight etc. https://www.hydrationforhealth.com/en/hydration-tools/hydration-calculator/

[Asomodai]

I am a self confessed lizard. I rarely take water with me on a skirmish day as I barely have room in the backpack. Yesterday though I downed 3 litres. Ridiculous! 

[Lozart]

From the same site: https://www.hydrationforhealth.com/en/why-hydration/everyday-hydration/list-everyday-hydration/article-healthy-hydration-for-physical-activities/

 

I'd take the cross-country running figure to be most like running about in the woods with kit and a rifle. Taking that into consideration and the fact that the numbers for sweat volume at 1.8litres an hour is based on a trained person, I think it's fair to say few of us drink enough!

[Skara]

7 minutes ago, Lozart said:

Found this while I was looking at hydration stuff. Tells you what your hydration should be based on age, weight etc. https://www.hydrationforhealth.com/en/hydration-tools/hydration-calculator/

Apparently for them drinking 2L of beer per day is fine.

 

I'll die, but not from thirst!

Most likely from Hepatic Cirrhosis

[Lozart]

Just now, Skara said:

Apparently for them drinking 2L of beer per day is fine.

 

I'll die, but not from thirst!

 

That's only four pints a day you big girls blouse!

[Schnakey]

4 hours ago, concretesnail said:

I try to drink plenty of water the few days before playing to make sure tissues are well hydrated and then carry a camelbak bladder in a sleeve on my kit.

Running gas mags water also helps balance the weight.

The number of folk I've seen wilted out due to poor hydration is silly and I tend to stay away from energy drinks.

However i do use a mineral addition for recovery if playing a double header / over night game. Drink towards the end of the day.

 

Works well for track riding and running about with pew pews

 

Very good point about turning up already super hydrated. No point starring out already losing the hydration battle. 

 

My mood seems very linked to my hydration. If I'm dehydrated I'm angrier than usual. A bad mood when you should otherwise be enjoying yourself is a good way to figure out you're dehydrated before the physical symptoms. 

[Cyberlawyer]

I skirmished yesterday for the first time since lockdown.

 

Over the course of 6 1/2 hours on probably the hottest skirmish day I have ever attended I managed to drink 7 litres of water (two 2 litre bottles of water, one with added electrolytes and 3 litres from my hydration bladder with squash added to hide the plastic taste). Despite all of this I only passed water once at lunch time. So I recon I sweated close to 2 litres of water an hour.

 

Now I don’t profess to be the fittest guy on the field, but I do make an effort to do more than just saunter around and lean up against the odd tree or obstacle, but after 6 1/2 hours half of the field had called it a day, many complaining of headaches or Nausea, and there were some very short tempers too, while I felt fine other than being drenched in sweat. I also made some sweet pistol kills later in the day when some of the less well hydrated were basically wandering around like zombies.

 

The moral of this story is most people need to drink more than they realise and staying hydrated can not only stop you feeling rough (Or potentially very sick) but also make you perform better in comparison to your dehydrated peers.

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

I played at the Arclight filmsim this weekend.  I carried a Chinese type 56 canteen to sip from during game, and topped it up and drank from four packs of of 2L mineral water that I left in the shade in the hard respawn area, and back at my tent.  

 

I have been going for my regular run throughout this summer at lunchtime, often in the peak of the heat as I thrive on it.  Having worked in North Africa and thoroughly missing the desert, I love the current temperature, and have learned to stay hydrated, but...  

 

On Saturday I drank two litres before taking to the field.  I then got through about seven litres of water during the day, followed by a couple of pints in the evening, a top up of water before and my canteen during the hectic night game.  What little piss I could produce afterwards was bright golden and I obviously should have drunk even more.  A standard 59 minute machine wash has still left salt stains on my shirt and trousers, so salt tablets should probably have been used too.  

 

In standard games I use a 500ml bottle on my battle belt and carry a 4L square bottle to leave at hard respawn/somewhere convenient in the field.  Being dehydrated makes you think and act faster, recover quicker and with less aches and pains.  Us airsofters have it easy re: water, so take advantage and dump a damn great bottle somewhere useful is always my go-to.