Sanity Travel Essentials: Always, Always, *Always* Carry a Water Bladder
By: Haley Kynefin
Tags: Self Help, Travel, Survival, Health, Nomad

My 3-liter water bladder, laid side-by-side with the lightweight mini day-pack I use to carry it.

For humans, water is like a computer’s “reset” button. When you’re troubleshooting your own body, more often than you’d think, all you need is a swig of H2O. If you’re feeling a little under the weather, first try re-hydrating. It’s one of the simplest and cheapest solutions for your ills, and even if your underlying problem is something more serious, drinking water will usually at least help strengthen your body’s defenses. For anything from depression and anxiety to headaches, stomach issues, hangovers, dry skin, and minor infections, water can be a miracle cure. And perhaps most importantly of all, staying regularly hydrated can keep you from getting seriously ill further down the line. Our bodies need water to keep our kidneys functioning correctly, regenerate cells and cleanse us of toxins, and maintain smooth neural processes.

When you’re traveling, though, water can sometimes be hard to come by. You’re bound to be out and about in a new city, stuck on a long bus or plane ride, or perhaps cycling on long rural roads with nothing in sight. Or maybe you’re in one of the world’s many countries or cities with no potable tap water. How do you stay hydrated through all this nonsense?

My advice from years of experience: always, always, always carry a water bladder. I cannot stress this enough. Cyclists and backpackers are often familiar with this concept, since this equipment is stocked in most good adventure stores and bike shops. When you’re out for a hard day (or several weeks) of constant physical exertion, hydration is no longer an option. You either carry water by the multiple-liter, or you fail to get where you’re going. It’s as simple as that. You can try to deny your body and push through if you want, but on hour two of your eight-hour bike ride, when you realize you cannot pedal any farther, you’ve learned your lesson for life.

And the truth is, all of us should know this lesson. When all you’re doing is sitting on a train for five hours, or walking at snail’s pace around a city, it’s easier to ignore that our bodies need water. But DO NOT BE FOOLED. You need it just as much as that cyclist.

Don’t wait to get thirsty, either. By the time your body lets you know it needs water, you’re already dehydrated! You’ve been walking around for who-knows-how-long with a weakened immune system, a crazed-out brain, and a deprived digestive system. And now you’re exposing yourself to potentially stressful situations in a new country, tons of environmental viruses and bacteria, and new food that your stomach might not be used to. How do you expect your body to deal with all that so that you can concentrate on exploring and learning during your travels?

Let’s rewind a little bit. What is a water bladder, anyway? If you’re already familiar with them, you might be surprised how many times I’ve had to explain this little contraption in my bag to people.

“Is that a vape?” People have asked me, as I pull out the straw to take a sip. Or sometimes, the word “bladder” throws them off — they think I’m talking about my own, biological bladder!

A water bladder, as pictured above, is a bag that holds water, usually with a flexible straw that you can use to drink without taking your backpack off. This is important for sports enthusiasts and athletic adventurers, who don’t always have the hands free to reach into a pack, but still need to drink. But even if you’re not into sports or adventure, a water bladder is still incredibly useful. Below I’m going to talk about some of the reasons why I think everyone should always carry one.

1. Water Bladders Can Usually Handle Larger Amounts than Most Water Bottles

Most water bottles and thermoses carry a liter or less of liquid. This is not very much! The World Health Organization recommends that the average person in a temperate zone drink 2–4 liters a day if you’re not physically active. Water bladders start at around 1 liter, and you can also find them in 2 liter or 3 liter varieties (there’s even a 10 liter! But I wouldn’t carry that much water on my back). 3 liters, in my experience, is usually plenty. This is what I carry, because it’s small enough to fit easily in a handbag or small backpack, and it usually lasts me all day. Frequently I will drink 3 liters in a day, and I might even refill it if I’m physically active (or partying and drinking a lot of alcohol). But even if I don’t get through it all in one day, it’s nice to be able to fill my pack and sip off of it for a couple days without having to worry about adding more all the time. This is especially nice in countries where potable water is not readily available, particularly if small, local stores sell mostly small water bottles.

2. It’s More Sustainable Than Buying Small Bottles of Water

Many people carry reusable thermoses with them (good on them!) to save on plastic and help conserve the environment. But again, these are usually only a liter or less. What happens when you’re out and about, and you run out? If your thermos is only one liter, you should run out. You should be refilling that thing multiple times a day. Sure, you can try to find a restaurant or café that will refill water for their guests. But you’ll probably find yourself occasionally buying small bottles of water, too — maybe at a gas station or local tienda — or just forgetting to drink altogether. If you have a 3-liter pack with you, that will almost certainly last you until you can replenish from a large water source — saving plastic bottles and showing the world even more love!

A water bladder can last quite a long time, especially if you clean it regularly. You can buy cleaning tabs for this purpose, or just use a pipe cleaner or similar cleaning brush and do it yourself. If you only put water in it and use it regularly (I recommend only putting water in it, no sports drink mixes or sugary teas and sodas! Although I do have a friend who reserves a special bladder just for on-the-spot margaritas), you should only have to clean it every 3–6 months, or whenever you see gunk start to build up in the straw or discoloration in the bag. But if you’re a germophobe, it doesn’t hurt to be safe and clean it more often.

There are disposable water bladders out there, but please do not buy these! It’s incredibly wasteful, and cleaning them every once in awhile is really not that hard. Do the right thing and put in the extra effort not to contribute to throwaway culture. Perhaps it’s possible to buy them and use them like a regular bladder, but I think they’re not as durable, and it’s possible they are made out of material that is not safe for long-term use. So if you’re thinking about doing that, make sure to do your research.

3. Having a Flexible Straw Encourages You to Drink More

I used to carry thermoses and water bottles. But the reality is, most of the time, I would just forget to drink from them. They would lay in my backpack, forgotten, for most of the day. Water bladders usually have long, flexible straws or “bite valves” that you can pull far out of your backpack, or push in to a comfortable reaching length. Having a straw bouncing around right next to your face, or within ready reach of your hand, really encourages you to keep drinking throughout the day. Sometimes I drink reflexively as a nervous tic during conversation; it’s just become habit. Hydrating yourself is a great nervous tic to have!

The adjustable nature of the straw is what really makes it a great ergonomic tool. You want to strike a balance, so that your exposed length of straw is long enough for you to reach easily, without being so long that it hits dirty things like handrails and urban walls when you walk, or drags on the floor if you put your bag down. But you shouldn’t have to take off your backpack to drink. The straw should always be within easy reach of your face or hands, as a constant reminder that hydration is an all-day process. You can strategically place it under other objects in your backpack, so that it doesn’t move from its position, once you’ve found the right length; or leave it free-floating so that you can pull and push on it throughout the day as you move around.

I recommend getting a bladder with a bite valve that can be closed, however. Otherwise, anything that pushes against it in your bag (or accidentally sits on it!) will cause it to leak!! I have had several embarrassing incidents with this. If you have a closable valve this problem is totally avoidable.

4. The Bag is Flexible, Too!

This is an incredible advantage over your typical thermos or water bottle, and one of the main reasons why I carry a bladder instead of a thermos. Water bladders are flexible! That means that, as you drink from them, they free up room in your backpack or handbag. When they’re completely empty, you can roll them up and go through TSA without a problem, thereby stuffing your carry-on with more gear! Once you get to your destination, you can unpack a little bit, unroll your bladder, fill it up, and get going. This can also be a great way to encourage frequent hydration; the bag is heavier and bulkier when it’s 3 liters full, but the more you drink the lighter it gets and the more groceries, gear, or souvenirs you can take back with you…so drink up.

Filling my water bladder at a free fountain in LAX, after going through security, while waiting to board a long flight to Lima. I knew those tiny airplane cups wouldn’t be enough, and there’s no way I was paying $4 for a mere liter of bottled water!

5. It’s Helpful Where Potable Water is Scarce

When I first moved to Mexico, I was incredibly thankful I had a 3-liter water bladder. The water from the taps is generally not safe to drink, but the local churches — all built on former Aztec temples, with potable water reservoirs underneath — dispensed water from faucets located on the outer walls. Sometimes I was lucky enough to live in a house with a water filter on the tap, but otherwise I would go to these churches for water or get 19-liter “garrafones” delivered to me. Having a 3-liter bladder was a lifesaver for when I was walking around town or traveling in larger cities, where I didn’t know anyone to deliver water and there were no nearby local churches with potable fonts.

Then, when I was cycling one day on the streets of Oaxaca City, I went over a gnarly speed bump. My bladder jostled out of one of my over-packed panniers and started dragging on the ground. The material was torn and the bladder was done for. For the rest of my time in Mexico, I did not get a replacement. It became much harder for me to drink at least 2–3 liters of water a day, and I frequently found myself dehydrated. Before I returned to Latin America, I made sure to replace the bladder; it’s been a lifesaver here in Peru, where it’s been hard to even find 19-liter garrafones of water like in Mexico. Having traveled both with and without one now, I can tell you the difference it makes in facilitating my everyday health is astounding.

6. It’s Great for Parties!

I started carrying a water bladder with me everywhere in Los Angeles, where I used cycling as my main method of transportation. LA is a hellish, sprawling city that covers an area of about 502.7 square miles, where you will be frequently called upon to travel long distances for work, social gatherings, or simply to buy a few groceries. It was not uncommon for me to ride my bike 20–30 miles over the course of a single day, just running errands, going to work and seeing my friends. So for me, a bladder was an indispensable tool for daily survival.

I started carrying it on my back in a small, drawstring cycling backpack, which I wore everywhere. It wasn’t long before I noticed that it was an indispensable tool for parties and social gatherings, as well. I could drink a lot more alcohol during an evening and wake up hangover-free the next day, simply by drinking slowly from my straw throughout the course of the whole night! This is perhaps the most fun and least directly-functional reason to carry a bladder, but whether you’re a permanent traveler or you’re settled down in one place, everyone needs to have fun now and then. Even if you don’t like to drink, social gatherings can take a lot out of you without you realizing it. Carrying a bladder can help you stay hydrated while you lose water chattering, flitting around from one place to another or eating junk food.

Make it Easy For Yourself to Stay Hydrated

The bottom line is, hydration is not something you should compromise on — and one of the greatest obstacles to properly hydrating yourself is simply convenience. If you make it as easy as possible to drink several liters of water a day, you will do it. And you will feel better, I promise.

I used to feel myself getting crazier and crazier throughout the day, increasingly beset by anxiety and feeling like minor social interactions were too much for me. I didn’t get thirsty very often, so I only drank a couple of sips of water every night before bed. Then, on a couple of occasions, I just happened to drink water during one of my frenzied bouts of anxiety. I noticed that the world suddenly became a lot more calmer, clearer, and everything seemed more manageable. That’s when I first realized the power of hydration for increasing mental clarity and maintaining health. Even to this day, when I start to feel a little stressed or anxious, I always drink a cup or two of water. In most cases, it makes my problems seem a lot smaller than I thought they were before.

It doesn’t have to be hard to carry around a water bladder. Even if you get it from a backpacking store, you don’t need to keep it in a backpacker’s ginormous backpack! I usually wear tiny mini-packs like the one pictured above, or small drawstring cycling backpacks. But you can put it just as easily in a purse, handbag, shoulder bag, or messenger bag. And carrying a small bag or backpack around can be helpful for storing other things, too — like wallets, keys, phones, snacks, personal hygiene products, or small amounts of groceries. If you’re a permanent traveler, you probably already travel with a backpack or day bag of some sort.

When you travel, you encounter lots of unknowns. You may not know where you’re going to sleep in a few days, or what town you’re going to next, or whether the stores where you’re going will have adequate supplies. You don’t know what illnesses you’ll cross paths with — whether the person next to you in your hostel has the flu, or whether your seatmate on the bus or plane is going to be coughing all the time, or whether the person serving you tantalizing street food has washed their hands recently. You shouldn’t be afraid of trying new things, but you should take every precaution to keep your body and its defenses as strong as possible. One of the most basic, and easiest, places to start is by keeping yourself constantly hydrated. And in my experience, a water bladder is one of the best ways to make that easier for yourself on the go. What are some of your favorite reasons for traveling with one?

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Note to readers: I am not affiliated with any particular company or manufacturer of water bladders. For this reason I did not endorse a specific brand, or even mention any brand names, in this article. This is not an advertisement, and I have written this article totally of my own impetus. Part of my goal with this publication is to fight consumerism in the travel world, and as such I want to refrain from naming any specific brands as much as possible. It’s up to you to do your own research and find a water bladder that works for you. Maybe even try making your own if you’re adventurous! Or share some DIY ways you’ve kept yourself hydrated without even buying any gear. For me, a water bladder is an indispensable tool, and I want to share my advice with you. But just remember, there’s always more than one way to solve a problem!