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Taking care of your body is one of the best things that you can do to help you have an enjoyable ski trip. While it’s easy to remember to eat, people often forget to stay hydrated while skiing, since we often don’t feel thirsty when the weather is cold.
Honestly, it can be hard to stay hydrated while skiing, especially since a nice cold drink isn’t on most people’s minds when the temperatures are chilly outside. The cold temperatures and dry air make it difficult to produce enough saliva, which is why so many people feel thirsty or dizzy when they go on a ski trip. However, there are some ways you can stay properly hydrated as you enjoy your favorite winter activity. Here are seven tips for staying hydrated while skiing:
How Much Water Should I Drink To Stay Hydrated While Skiing
It’s recommended that men drink at least 3.5 liters a day, women drink at least 2.7 liters a day, and kids drink at least 1.7 liters of water a day to stay hydrated. If you don’t like water, consider adding a hydration mix to help your body absorb the fluid better and let you enjoy the flavor more.
Drink LOTS Before You Hit The Hill
Proper ski hydration starts long before you hit the ski hill. In fact, to stay properly hydrated, you need to be starting to hydrate at least 1-2 days in advance of your ski trip. We recommend that you start drinking a lot of water the day before your ski trip to help your body come to the ski hill hydrated.
Before you go skiing, drink a good amount in the morning (we try for 1 liter). Stop drinking about 90 minutes before you start skiing so you don’t have to constantly stop your ski day for bathroom breaks (this is especially true for hydrating skiing kids).
Always Take A Big Drink When You Go Inside The Lodge
Whether you’re going inside for a bathroom break, lunch, or just to warm up, make sure to get a big drink of water when you go inside the ski lodge. While it’s easy to find a drinking fountain most places, see if you can grab a free water cup, to make drinking more water even easier. If you’re not planning to eat in the lodge, keep some extra water in the car while you’re enjoying a ski tailgate lunch.
Drink LOTS After You Ski, Especially If It’s Cold Out
Make sure you drink lots of water after your ski day. The cold temperatures can actually prevent your body from absorbing the fluid that you’re drinking while skiing, so it’s important to keep drinking water when you get home or head into town for dinner.
Don’t Overdress While Skiing
If you wear too many layers while skiing, you’re going to quickly overheat, and sweat A LOT more. When this happens, you’ll be losing a lot more water and will get dehydrated even faster than you normally would. Make sure to dress properly for the weather, including a high-quality base layer to help insulate AND wick moisture away when you get hot.
Eat Water-Rich Foods
My kids love stopping for snacks and one great way to help everyone stay hydrated is by eating foods that are water-rich. Snack on fruits like oranges, watermelon, and grapes. Some great water-rich veggies are cucumber and celery. These can help boost your hydration levels. I like to cut up fruit and vegetables and bring them in my stasher bags to reduce waste and to help save money.
Carry Your Own Water
When you’re skiing for several hours, you sweat a lot since you are exercising. The secret is to drink a lot of water before you get too thirsty. Having water on hand at all times is a great idea and will allow you to stay hydrated AND ski as much as possible.
The easiest way to stay hydrated while skiing is to bring at least 1 liter of water with you. Our bodies are composed of 70% water, so drinking water is the best liquid to drink while you’re active outside. Drinks like fruit juice and soda pop can make you thirstier after eating them, so avoid them. I love to bring a Nalgene water bottle.
Best Ways To Carry Water While Skiing
Because carrying water is important for staying hydrated while skiing, you’ll want to make sure that you have a good way of transporting it. Here are our favorite ways to carry water while skiing:
Bring a Backpack While Skiing
If you don’t mind carrying more around, bringing a backpack skiing is the easiest way to carry water on the ski hill. I recommend taking at least 1 liter of water and then also throwing in some snacks and some extra layers. If you’re skiing with kids, you might already be carrying a backpack with you, so this is an easy choice.
When choosing a ski backpack, make sure that it is comfortable for you to carry and also stays secure. I recommend trying on several different ones before choosing the right ski trip backpack, so choose a store with a good return policy in case this isn’t working out. A ski backpack with a slim design will work the best so it doesn’t get caught on the chairlift, and having a ski pack with both a waist strap and a chest strap is essential.
I’ve been using this ski backpack for nearly 20 years and it’s seriously amazing with its slim design and secure adjustments. We have a whole post dedicated to the best ski backpacks for the whole family.
Use An Insulated Skiing Hydration Pack
If you want a more streamlined look, consider using a hydration pack that can be worn under your ski jacket. This is an easy way to have water with you without the bulk of a ski backpack. If you do use a hydration pack for skiing, make sure that you get one that has both an insulated tube and an insulated mouthpiece cover since these WILL FREEZE (often even under your ski jacket). A hydration pack for skiing is the best way to make sure that you stay well hydrated during the day.
We especially love this ski hydration pack since the tube and mouthpiece zip into the strap so you can easily wear it on the outside of your coat without it freezing.
Drink Hot Cocoa + Water While Skiing
While Hot Cocoa isn’t the best for staying hydrated while skiing, because of the high sugar content, on cold days, it’s often all you (or the skiing kids) might want. So instead of skipping the cocoa all together, enjoy smaller servings and then follow up that mug of cocoa with a big glass of water. We especially love using this big jug for keeping hot cocoa warm for the whole family.
Preventing Altitude Sickness With Proper Hydration
Altitude sickness can be dangerous and prevent you from skiing, so it’s important to stay hydrated when traveling to high altitudes. Altitude makes your body dehydrate faster than normal because there is less oxygen in the air for breathing.
If you’re traveling from an area with a lower elevation, one of the best ways to help fight off altitude sickness is with good hydration in advance. Start focusing on hydration 1-2 days before you leave home and continue to drink a lot of water while on your ski trip to help you feel your best.