It goes without saying that keeping yourself hydrated is even more important when you hike than in your normal life. On the trail your main focus will always be on your immediate needs, and you need your body to function well. Chugging a bunch of water will keep you hydrated - but might push your electrolyte levels out of balance. This condition is called hyponatremia and can get you into serious trouble. You should also be careful with diuretics such as coffee and tea in hot weather, as they make you pee more frequently. If you’re craving an extra boost, many electrolyte mixes have added caffeine.

So, what’s the big deal with electrolytes? Why are hikers – and athletes in general - obsessed with them? When do you need them, and when are they a waste of money? Which kinds should you pick? There are a million electrolyte-related questions, and a lot of overwhelming information out there. I want this to be a quick and easy guide to electrolyte use, so you can hike safely and efficiently!

What are electrolytes?

Basically, electrolytes are minerals that when dissolved in fluid carry an electric charge. They are essential for bodily functions like metabolism, nerve response and muscle function (including your heartbeats). Serious stuff, in other words! Your electrolyte levels need to stay within a fairly limited range for your body to function well, and it’s your job while you hike to keep within that range.

Ever heard of potassium, calcium, chlorine, phosphate and magnesium? All electrolytes. You’ve probably heard of sodium, which is a main compound of salt. Electrolyte imbalance is sometimes referred to as plain salt-imbalance for simplicity. While this isn’t spot on, it gives you an idea of what you need to replace the most. It’s going to take a bit of work to actually die from electrolyte imbalance, because you will feel pretty horrible and press the magic button of your emergency locator beacon before then.

When do you need them?

In short, when you are hiking a long way in hot climates and sweating your ass off. Ever found a sexy pattern of salt crusts on your t-shirt after a hike? Like, not just in the armpits – but over the whole front and back? At that rate, you will be losing salts & minerals faster than you can replace them through food. But replace them you must. It’s impractical to constantly munch energy gels, carbohydrate squares, fruit & nut mix or even potato chips. It’s much easier to drink the minerals back in.

Fitness Youtubers who use expensive electrolyte powders in their smoothies after an hour’s workout annoy me. They don’t need it. A short workout (even a hard one) followed by a meal does not call for electrolyte consumption. You don’t need electrolytes if you are walking in a Mediterranean city on a hot summer day on your way to a tapas bar. All the electrolytes you need are in the food. Hence my rule of thumb: you should use electrolytes when you will be hiking/running hard in excessive heat and the sweat is dripping off you. I try to drink electrolyte water in the day when I’m actively hiking and right after I get to camp, but I settle for regular water at dinnertime and breakfast.

When you really need them – warning signs

Don’t drink 4L of pure water on a hot day. Common signs of hyponatremia include: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, fatigue and muscle weakness. I’m aware of several cases where hikers have been air-lifted out to hospital after this kind of “water-intoxication”. These symptoms are similar to those of for example heat stroke and altitude sickness, so drink your electrolytes to scratch that off as a possible cause!

I’ve never gotten seriously ill from electrolyte imbalance or dehydration. I have, however, been moderately dehydrated on several occasions, and it’s not fun. A tell-tale sign for me is when salty foods don’t taste salty anymore. On my sweatiest hikes, notably the GR20 and the Queen Charlotte Track on the TA, I started to feel nauseous and ceased feeling thirsty. When I then ate foods such as salted almonds, fries, bacon or burgers they tasted sickly sweet – even if I added table salt to them. It took hours for my sodium and chlorine levels to balance out so I could taste the salt. Iffy experiences!

Which electrolytes should you get?

No need to overcomplicate things. Electrolytes are basic substances. Most electrolyte products that you find in sports stores are pretty decent, so which ones you should pick mostly depends on flavour and convenient packaging. I prefer tubes containing tablets because they pack easily, but they also come in little powder pouches. Some have added caffeine, vitamins, and others can be quite sugary. As long as they contain the basic electrolytes mentioned above, you’re good to go.

Finding electrolytes that don’t taste absolutely revolting has been a year-long endeavour of mine. Some of them taste fine and are brightly coloured for a short time, then fade out to a pale green accompanied by a yucky medicinal taste. On the GR20 in August 2019, I FINALLY found these babies. I purchased them at the cheap sports chain store Decathlon in Nice, but I’m sure you can order them online as well. I’m a red candy kind of girl, so I’ve chased around every conceivable kind of raspberry, mixed berry, forest berry and cherry electrolytes on the market. Conclusion: blegh. I am now a convert to mango/passionfruit. These kept their sweet & tart taste even after hours in the bottle, and they’re also some of the cheapest I’ve found. Finding electrolyte mixes you like is important. If you hate the taste, chances are you will put off drinking as much as you should. Test out a variety to find your favourite, and happy hydrated hiking!