One is told to carry and drink at least 3 liters of water a day on the trek. On the Inca Trail I only carried 2 bike bottles (750ml each). This is a whole new ball game. Water is heavy. Yesterday I was trying on yet another knapsack and the clerk put in 10lbs of weight; he said that was about 2 liters of water. Yikes. Also, on summit night, it will be about minus 10-15 so water freezes.
Choice: 3 thermal water bottles (2 in the outer pockets of my knapsack and one inside) or a platypus or camelbak (which is like a large water bag with a very long straw).
I decided to split the difference and carry both. A 2 liter camelbak which will hopefully distibute the weight better on my back and remind me to drink, 1 insulated water bottle and 1 extra bottle, just in case. One of the my fellow trekkers in Peru sprang a leak in her "water hydration system" and she had a hard time after that. I'm going to spend a bit more and buy the camelbak that they drove a truck over to test. When it comes to equipment, I don't believe in pinching here and there.
I'll have to keep the camelbak under my coat somehow for the summit attempt and make sure I remember to blow back into the tube after drinking as people have said that is often the part that freezes. I need to reread the notes as I can't recall if we carry our regular knapsacks up to the top or go with as little as possible.
I also have to buy chlorine tablets because although the cook boils our water and adds tablets, apparently sometimes they run out!
And eLoad tablets are also on my shopping list. Those are good when you're sweating alot, to replace the electrolytes in your body. Much easier on your stomach than Gatorade.
The other water item I need to look up is about hotel tap water. Is it safe to drink or do I need to buy water? I seem to remember buying huge bottles of water in Cusco so I expect it will be the same.
