So you’re in the process of packing for your upcoming family camping trip this weekend, and you have run into the question of how much water you may need to take so that everyone has enough?
Obviously, water is a very important necessity to have, especially when you are camping because you tend to spend a lot of time outside in the Sun. For this reason, It is very important you take enough.
Continue on to learn how to calculate out how much water you will need, as well as a few different methods for transporting that water.
How Much Water Will I Need Per Day Camping?
Health experts suggest on average you should drink 8, 8-ounce glasses of water, this is also referred to as the 8 x 8 rule. Or 2 liters (0.5 Gallons). Now do keep in mind this is for the average human being on an average day.
A Good per day target to aim for should be at least 2 Liters (0.5 Gallons). Depending on the environment you are camping in and the activities you are participating in you may need more.
The higher your activity level, sun exposure… Throughout the day the more water, you’re going to need. You should drink water routinely throughout the day, in order to keep your body at its optimum level.
Now Before we get into exact amounts, and the total amount of water you are going to need to take so everyone has enough. We first need to go over some of the factors that could impact hydration levels of yourself, and those you have going with you camping.
We all know, being in a hot, dry environment will require more water consumption. Same as if you are going to be participating in many activities throughout the day. Such as Hiking, kayaking, climbing… Because of this, I want you to get a good idea as to what your overall camping environment is going to be like, by going through and answering the questions below.
This way you will have a better idea as to whether or not you need to worry about consuming extra water.
Just as a quick example as to how much water 2 liters is:
Many people like to take large cases of individually packaged water bottles with them camping, such as THIS. On average these water bottles are filled with 16 ounces of water. This means you will need to drink about 4 of these 16-ounce water bottles per day in order to get, what is considered the ideal daily water intake.
Factors To Consider
The list below will apply to both yourself and those who go with you.
If you are a Parent, or Grandparent taking kids. Be sure to ask yourself whether or not they will be Impacted by any of the factors below.
- Will You be out in the sun throughout the duration of the day?
- Will You be participating in activities throughout the day?
- What will the Temperature be like
- What will the environment be like (Shady, Dry, Hot, Cold…)
- What are your means for transportation?
- Do you plan to hike your way into camp? If so, How Far?
- Who is going with you? / Who are you going with?
- What is the weather going to be like (Check local weather forecast)
How Much Water Do Children Need?
Children don’t typically need as much water as adults do. Children from the ages of 5 to 8 tend to need about 1 liter per day. Children between the ages of 9 – 12 years olds need closer to 1.5 liters per day.
Now like above this is an overall average. When you are camping, the youngsters that may be going with you Are much more likely to be out in the sun and the heat more often then they would be on a typical day. Because of this, I recommend you compensate by adding about 1/4th – 1/2 the average to the average so they get the water they need.
For example, Say you have a 9-year old child give him/her the average (1.5 liters) Plus 1/4 that (0.375 liters) equaling out to be a total of 1.875 liters per day. This way you will compensate for the added activity level, and heat exposure.
To make things easier id suggest rounding up to 2 Liters as what you should prep for. Even if they don’t drink all 2 liters throughout the day, you have extra, in case they want or need more.
It is always a good idea to take extra water!
Oh and be sure to leave a lot of water out for the kids to take, and make sure you tell them it’s okay to take as they please. of course you will kind of need to monitor it because kids tend to drink half a water bottle, or half a soda and throw the rest away.
This will obviously throw off your water resources and cause you to run out of water before you had anticipated.
You may be thinking “ well, of course, I will leave water out for them to take” But you also need to tell them that it is there for them to take as they need.
Me speaking from personal experience when I was a youngin going camping with my grandparent’s nearly every weekend. Water wasn’t something I would come by very often.
I Don’t mean as we didn’t have water, but rather it was packed away, Out Of Reach from myself, my siblings and my cousins.
And you see I was kind of a shy kid and because of this, I was always nervous to ask for things. And like most things I probably should have asked for, water was an important one that I rarely ask for and probably should have more, preferably before I began to feel the symptoms of dehydration. But like I said I was very shy and nervous to do so.
I bring this up because I think it will help grandparents, aunts and uncles and those who are taking kids with them camping who may not directly Relate to you. To see a different perspective so you know, and can provide the kids with what they need. Because I’m sure I wasn’t the only child who was shy, and nervous to ask for things.
Now It’s not that my grandparents or those who took me camping didn’t want to share water, but rather it simply slipped their mind to get the water out. They Just needed someone to remind them to get the water out.
There is also the other side of that coin: Trying to get kids to drink water can be like trying to get them to eat their vegetables… A Struggle.
If you have a child that absolutely doesn’t care to drink water… Try adding some fruit to the water, otherwise known as Fruit-Infused water! Check out “This” Post, it goes in-depth on the topic, and best of all its healthy, and will keep your kids hydrated. Well, as long as they like it.
Another one you could try is simply adding drink mix to their water. Such as Gatorade, Propel and so on… There is sugar in most these drink mix options. But, Depending on your view on sugar it likely isn’t that big of a deal. And the beauty of most drink mix packets is you can add as much as you’d like. So if sugar is a big deal, simply don’t add as much mix…
How Much Water Do Teens & Adults Need?
At around age 13 and up it is recommended for you to have upwards of two liters per day on average. Quote ”On Average”. I’m going to assume that you will be participating in many outdoor activities throughout the duration of your camping trip.
Because of this, I recommend you consume more water. I suggest you take the average divided in half (2 Liters / 2 = 1 Liter) And add it to the average coming out to be a total of 3 Liters per day.
I’d recommend you plan on consuming 3 Liters per day per person. if you’re worried you may run out of water it is always a great idea to take extra, just in case you run a little shorter then anticipated.
Keep in mind the activities you participate in will impact your hydration levels so be sure to compensate for that.
for example: if you plan to be out hiking most of the day, one or two of the days you plan to be camping. I’d recommend you take extra water for those days. your body will need the added water especially if you are sweating and hiking in the hot weather.
Obviously, Feel free to Take / drink more than the recommended amount of water, although do be careful of over-hydration. Over-hydration is drinking too much water in too short of time. It can cause the salt or sodium in your blood to drop to very low levels, though it is rare, it still can happen.
How Much Water For Dogs When Camping?
Many, including myself, love to take their pets with them camping. And obviously, we do not want to neglect our pets and make them fend for themselves so we must figure out how much water we will need for them as well!
Given how much of a difference there is when it comes to dogs such as, Size, Build, Bread, Fitness level and so on… This is going to require taking a mostly size into account, along with fitness level, and outdoor temp…
A Good Average to go by is, Per every pound of body weight a dog can consume upwards of .03 Liters. So for example, say you have a dog that weighs 38 LBS. That dog will consume somewhere around 1.14 Liters of water A Day (Total). Depending upon the daily activities that dog participates in, and the environment you are in.
Equation:
Simply your dog’s overall weight, and multiply it by 0.03. This will Give you a total in Liters. From there you can convert to whichever measurement you’d like. Below we will go into converting.
(DogWeight * 0.03 = TotalLitersPerDayConsumed)
Total Water For Consumption
Now that you have an idea as to how much water each individual will need per day. It is time to begin counting up the total water that will be needed for your camping trip. This is quite simple. First begin by tallying up the total number of Children, and Adults that will be joining you. Be sure to include your self.
Example: Children = 3, Adults = 2
Next, you will get a daily water total by taking the total number of each and multiplying it by the avg. water consumption.
- Children Avg Daily Water Need + Half: 2.25 Liters
- Adult Avg Daily Water Need + Half: 3 liters
- 38 Pound Dog: 1.14
Example: Children ( 3 * 2.25 = 6.75Liters ), Adults ( 2 * 3 = 6Liters), Dog = (1.14Liters). Total Liters Per Day = 13.89Liters
Now that you have a decent average daily water consumption for all who will be going camping with you. Now its time to figure the total amount of water you will need to take for the duration of the trip. Simply take your “Total Liters Per Day” and multiply it by the number of days you will be camping for. Remember to include travel days ( Days spent driving in the car) if you’re going to be traveling some distance.
Example: 13.89Liters * 5Days = 69.45Liters
Now You Can convert liters to whatever you’d like. If you will be going to the store to purchase a case of individually bottled water? It’s probably going to be a good idea to convert into ounces. Since most bottled water companies go by ounces. This way when you get to the store you can simply take the total ounces of water in 1 bottle, and multiply it by the total number of bottles in the case.
This will give you a total ounce count per case. Based on that you will easily be able to judge exactly how many cases you are likely to need.
Or another scenario may be, you are just going to fill Barrels full of water. Each barrel is 55 gallons. By converting over to gallons you will be able to easily judge how many 55-gallon barrels you are likely to need. And So On…
How To Convert From Liters To Ounces
1 Liter = 33.8 Fluid Ounces
So simply multiply your total liters (Example 69.45) By 33.8. (Example = 2347.41 Ounces)
Using the example: I now know “In this Made up scenario” I am going to need about 3.4725 Cases of bottled water. Given I would be purchasing a 40 Count case of 16.9 Ounce water bottles. So basically I will need 3.5 Cases.
Just personal preference, Since I will have to purchase 4 cases of water in order to get my 3.5 cases it would be best to take all 4 cases. This way I have Half a case for extra “Just IN Case”. Unless the weigh, or space will be needed for other items.
How To Convert From Liters To Gallons
1 Liter = 0.26 Gallons
So, to convert to gallons you will simply take your total Liters (Ex: 69.45) and Multiply it by 0.26. (Ex: 69.45 X 0.26 = 18 Gallons)
Keep in mind, up to this point we have only added up the total amount of drinking water you will need. Next, you will have to tally up water that will be used for washing hands, washing dishes, Cooking, And so on… We will go into this topic more below. But for now lets discuss the importance of drinking water, and staying hydrated as you camp.
What happens if you don’t drink enough water when you are camping?
I know from personal experience the consequences that can occur if you don’t drink enough water when you are camping. First, you will begin to feel dry, your mouth your tongue… next, you will begin to obtain a mild headache which will later turn into a migraine if not treated quickly. once the migraine has set in you will begin to feel nauseous and eventually throw up.
This is about the point that I have been too in the past, before getting the water I needed. Obviously, it can get quite worse… I’ve seen this same problem occur with my siblings, and cousins when we were young. And I think the biggest problem as to why we had troubles with dehydration is because we either didn’t have easy access to water, or we were having so much fun we forgot all about the importance of drinking water (Weren’t Reminded).
The best thing you can do is not let it occur at all, By taking in enough water and drinking often throughout the day. Dehydration ocurrs with children, and teens often if not reminded to drink water. As Kids tend to get lost in the fun and game so much that they forget about the need to drink water.
This was probably the biggest problem I had as a child. I would get lost in the fun I was having, and go for hours without water…
That is why, as adults, it is our responsibility to remind them, and ourselves. The best way to do this is by setting a simple timer. Whether it be an alarm set on your phone, a portable alarm clock, or even your wristwatch… It can definitely be a great way to remind yourself to drink water.
I do this myself. I set an alarm on my phone that will go off about every hour – 2 hours. that will simply remind me to drink water. Try this or one of the other options above!
Symptoms Of Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when you have a lack of water in the body. Symptoms of this include:
- Dry Skin
- Dry Lips
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Dark Colored Urine
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid Breathing
- Sleepiness
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Lack Of Energy
- Vomiting
- Fainting
Symptoms Of OverHydration
What exactly is Overhydration? It is the consumption of or holding of excess water.
Just like Dehydration, you can also OverHydrate… I know it seems kinda strange but it can occur. so now that I’ve worried you about dehydration I think its best I let you know about the Troubles Overhydration can cause as well.
Now just to be clear, It takes a lot of water to Overhydrate. Your kidneys are able to flush about 5 – 7 Gallons of water a day, and up to about 27 ounces an hour. But anymore then that and you run a large risk of the effects of Overhydration.
If you’d like to learn more on the topic of overhydration be sure to check out this post!
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Double Vision
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Difficulty Breathing
- Increased Blood pressure
Other Water Needs When Camping
This tough one because not everyone uses water at a consistent rate. make some use more others useless for this reason you will likely be the best judge as to how much water you will need for cleanup around camp.
me personally, I and my family go through about a 5-gallon jug of water within a 3 – 5 day period. Now if we are very conservative we can push that out to about 1 week it all depends on the meals you cook, and the message those meals make.
It is best if you can find a barrel / jug that has a water spout on the end. this will make access to your water easy. nobody wants to be trying to lift / tip over a large, heavy barrel of water in order to get a little bit out the top.
just get yourself a barrel with a spout.
Be sure to do your research about the camp area you have in mind. Some locations provide water for the below considerations. If so, and if you will have access, then you may not need to worry about taking water for other needs as listed below?
Other Water Usage To Consider
- Cooking
- Washing Hands
- Washing Face
- General Cleanup
- Portable Camping Shower (If you plan to take one)
- Put Out CampFire (If no water resources available near)
How To Pack Water For Camping
There are many different ways to pack water for camping. The following are just a few of the ways to do so.
- Cases of Water Bottles (As discussed above)
- Water Barrels
- Water Jugs
Whenever I go camping with my family we usually bring a few 5-gallon jugs filled with water, That has a faucet on top. When we get to camp, we will set the jug on one of the nearby tables, and tip it on its side. Placing the spout at the bottom side of the jug. This makes access to the water very easy.
We use the water in these 5-gallon jugs for many different things, From Clean up to Cooking. But we don’t usually like to use these for drinking water as we typically fill them with water from the hose. Well, and we have access to water bottles. But it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to Drink the water from the jugs if needed.
I’ve heard of some people saving milk jugs to later place water in. Using milk jugs could also be an option. or simply go to the store and purchase a few large (Gallon size) water jugs for less than 1 Dollar…
In my opinion, as long as you don’t need to hike to your camp. Id suggest you get yourself a few of These 5 Gallon water jugs. We have used them for years, and have worked wonders for use. I now don’t go up the canyon even for the day unless I’ve got one with me in the back of my truck filled with water.
And they fit nicely in the back of a car. Just be sure not to overfill, as sometimes they tend to leak out of the cap. But this is easily avoided by simply not overfilling.
If you’re worried about water leakage in the back of your vehicle simply place a towel down before placing the water jugs in.
Obviously, if you will be hiking into camp a ways. Trying to carry 5-gallon jugs of water can be quite strenuous… In this case, Im going to assume you will be packing lighter. And by doing so, everyone will likely have to carry their own water.
Simply using 1 Gallon jugs of water, and having each person carry 1 or 2 will work well, But only for a short hike. Now if you plan to go on a family backpacking trip? Obviously, this will not be a very viable option. But then again This isn’t about backpacking either.
This is ideal for those who are able to drive directly to their camp.
Final
I Hope this was able to help you in the process of packing for your camping trip.
Have a Great One!