Best Electrolyte Mix

sashaswashut
sashaswashut Member Posts: 41

Hey hey!

Just curious what everyone’s favorite electrolyte mix is? I’m looking for quick and easy powder mixes to add to my water, especially for longer hikes. I love water just as it is, but also like adding flavor to it to give myself more of a variety while hiking.

I have used Liquid IV a ton, but haven’t really ventured out and tried anything else. Would love any recommendations you have (and bonus points for a good price point!!).


Thanks a ton!

Sasha

Comments

  • Jessicaholly88
    Jessicaholly88 Member Posts: 44

    I absolutely love the High 5 electrolyte tablets, I've gone through a few different brands and these are by far the best tasting ones I've found! The citrus and mango are my favourites 😁

  • sashaswashut
    sashaswashut Member Posts: 41

    @Jessicaholly88 Thank you! I haven’t heard of that brand, but will definitely look them up!

  • skyestoury
    skyestoury Member Posts: 36

    My favorites so far are Gnarly Hyrdrate in pineapple orange, and Drip Drop in strawberry lemonade. Both are powders.

  • mikesee
    mikesee Member Posts: 5

    Try Nuun.

  • sashaswashut
    sashaswashut Member Posts: 41

    @skyestoury Thank you! I’ve actually tried Drip Drop but it was a long time ago (so I’ve forgotten about that brand). It was good!! Thanks for the reminder :)

  • Naomibro
    Naomibro Member Posts: 92

    7/16. So what is an electrolyte anyhooo? These are essential minerals like potassium, calcium, and sodium, necessary for many important nerve functions in the human body. Just drinking plain water will not fill up your electrolytes, and you may have a headache, nausea and fatigue. Electrolytes are like spark plugs on on a molecular scale! You remember from high school chemistry: electron plusses and minuses...... Generally, when "they" "hook you up" "they" are replenishing minerals, electrolytes, and other stuff.

    You can get generally obtain enough electrolytes by eating a balanced, whole foods diet. Just urinating and sweating moves electrolytes out. Supplements tend to have too much sugar, artificial coloring, or water; heavy to carry and too expensive. Then you have a disposal issue.

    (think Gatorade green!) However, us human mammals MUST have quality electrolytes, especially when we are doing heavy, sweaty, or long distance physical activities, like cycling, climbing or weight lifting.

    We have a challenge: how can we carry light and still replenish stores of electrolytes? Researching this issue, we carry small, inexpensive packets of lightly flavored hydration supplements made by EssentialElementsNutrition and buy the packets on line. They used to offer a large, water-proof, variety packet. We add a small paper packet to our Nalgene water bottles. There are no artificial colors or additives, light, and seem to work for us. We then ditch the paper packets appropriately later. You may find another product that works for you.

  • Naomibro
    Naomibro Member Posts: 92

    inside the larger, resealable packet are the smaller products. Seem to work for us.

  • TenDigitGrid
    TenDigitGrid Member, Moderator Posts: 81

    This one is going to sound a bit odd. Not a totally powder mix so you will have to mix it at home, so best for day hikes or pre-hydrating before long trips.

    Gatorade Powder + Coconut Water

    Used to down this the night before big hikes in the Marine Corps when it was hot and humid out.

  • katethewild
    katethewild Member, Moderator Posts: 23

    Pickles and pickle juice- I buy those soft sided packs and keep them in my car when I get back from a hike. And coconut water. I actually like the Bolt Energy Chews with electrolytes while on trail. NUUN tabs to add to water! Make sure you’re getting enough salt from the food you’re eating in general, too.

  • quiggleryan
    quiggleryan Member Posts: 45

    I have loved buying the 5 lbs Gatorade powder mixes on Amazon and then putting them in little .5 oz bags for the days that I want them on the trail! I also like the single serving propel mixes you can get from the grocery store. These packets are great because they add flavor to the water and also help with restoring some electrolytes and sugars!

  • countingcairns
    countingcairns Member Posts: 4

    Skratch is my absolute favorite, sensitive digestive system here and others didn’t really cut it. Pretty simple ingredients! But I got sick of having lingering fruity tastes if I refilled with plain water, and started using bladders more that are harder to clean sugar out of…so I actually prefer chewable Salt Sticks. There are a bunch of good flavors (like Skratch), but just a lot easier on trails and they work just as well.

  • Woodstock
    Woodstock Member Posts: 7

    Nuun tablets are easy to carry and use.

  • snechemias
    snechemias Member, Moderator Posts: 20

    I have been hearing a lot of buzz about Liquid IV. Only used it a couple times. Flavor is fine, sample size not large enough to tell if it's making me a better hiker 🤷

  • bugglife
    bugglife Member Posts: 98

    Similar to @Naomibro and @quiggleryan I like an option where there are smaller packets inside the larger one. A few other folks have mentioned liquid IV, and I will add my vote there due to the ease of use for most situations.

    One small issue with liquid IV specifically is that the powder doesn't add much color to your drink, so if you have multiple water bottles (in the desert or similar) it can sometimes take a second longer to differentiate your water from your electrolytes. The other drawback is price, it ends up being about a dollar per pack of powder. But I have had good luck finding the packets at the regular grocery store.

    I know a lot of people like Nuun (and other) tablets. I have mixed feelings. Splitting them to fit inside a narrow-mouthed water bottle is annoying, and I feel like they take longer to dissolve than straight powder. However, tablets are super easy to carry and deal with in general compared to lugging around and splitting up a big bag of powder.

    If I'm in a situation where I need to carry all of my hydration for multiple days, I'll bring some liquid gatorade since there's no weight penalty - I would be carrying water anyways, and bringing the electrolytes in liquid form saves me the step of mixing it on the trail. Separately, I am not a coffee drinker, so I have even brought a cherry coke to get my caffeine fix a few times 😆 .

    Finally, as @katethewild mentioned, the vinegar from pickles and pickle juice are a nice change of pace in the backcountry. And although I would never drink it in the frontcountry, a pickle juice chaser after some whiskey (essentially a pickleback) is nice after a long day on the trail.

    Pictured above - the after affects of some picklebacking in Grand Canyon a few years ago 😉.

  • Naomibro
    Naomibro Member Posts: 92

    Recently purchased on Amazon called Ultimia Replenisher, a new electrolyte supplement. This product has no sugar carbs or artificial dyes. It alleges to be 100 percent plant based. There are four favors; cherry, orange, lemonade, grape, raspberry. Packets are individually-wrapped and weigh about 3 grams each.


  • Foxxy
    Foxxy Member Posts: 1

    I have been enjoying LMNT lately. No sugar. Just what you need. Salt, electrolytes and a touch of flavor