Staying Hydrated: The Ski & Snowboard Guide

Hydration is one of those things which is commonly overlooked. Being surrounded by frozen water, we often forget we need to drink, particularly when it’s cold and we’re all bundled up. But skiing and snowboarding are hard work and if you want to enjoy it to the fullest, you need to stay hydrated. It’s not only about performance but about safety too.

Hydration options

There are two main options for on-the-go up the mountain:
Bottle - the classic solution.
Hydration bag/ belt - the performance solution

Both have their advantages, so we've put down the pros and cons to consider.

Bottles

+ Can be as cheap or expensive as you choose - likelihood is you’ll have a bottle at home you can use
+ The insulated flasks will stay cool all day long
- If it’s not padded in your bag and you take a tumble it can be painful to land on

Hydration Bag/ Belt

+ Lighter than a bottle when both are empty and usually very comfy to wear with the shape moulding to the space
+ Usually carry more water, more efficiently in terms of weight
+ Super convenient and easy to drink on the go - allows you to take on little and often, rather than being limited to when you stop
+ Some bags will come with a hydration bag included

- Harder to clean and dry after use
- Generally more expensive
- Can get ripped/ holes in if not cared for - the higher quality bladders are however MUCH harder wearing

Our top hydration picks

Best hydration bladder for skiing or snowboarding: Camelbak Crux Reservoir 3L
Camelbak’s new and improved Crux is 100% free of BPA, BPS and BPF. With 3L capacity it’s a great option for those riding hard all day long and the tube design lets you get 20% more water per sip than previous models. We’re yet to find anything we don’t like. If you’re looking for a quality reservoir - this is hard to look past.

Best bottle: Hydro Flask Vacuum Bottle
The hydro flask is a favourite among skiers and boarders, keeping liquids cool for 24 hours, or hot for 12. It’s a handy size for on the slopes and travelling too, with heaps of colours to choose from. What’s more, it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Best small hydration backpack: Hydrobak Light Backpack
Simple, effective and great bang for your buck. The hydrobak light has a 1.5L bladder and a further 1L of space for some food or a thin layer. It’s one of those bags that you forget you’re wearing as it moulds nicely to your back and is very lightweight.For a little more space, try the Rogue Light which has 5L of storage space and a 2L bladder.

Best larger combined backpack & bladder: Dakine Seeker 18L
The Seeker is a multi-discipline hydration backpack - ideal if you’re also a keen hiker or mountain biker too. Ignoring the hydration element, it’s a very cleverly designed bag with pockets in all the right places and ergonomic chest/ waist straps keeping it firmly (but comfortably) in place. As you’d expect there’s a separate pocket for the reservoir and a hole to feed the tube through.

Best hydration belt: Swix Thermo Belt
One of our favourite features about the Swix Thermo Belt is that it’s dishwasher safe. As mentioned above, cleaning can be one of the biggest drawbacks to a bladder so this is a genuinely great feature. It’s ideal for cross country skiing, but not a one trick pony and will happily accompany you on (almost) any adventure.

If you like the belt option but don’t want to stick with a bottle, try the Rossignol Bottle Holder. This is a simple and effective choice, that’s not limited to use on the snow.

Check these hydration options to keep you skiing and snowboarding all day

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Whether you go for a bottle, belt or backpack is very much a personal choice. If you ask our team you’ll get a mix of answers about their preference, but all of them will tell you that having water with you is a game changer. You wouldn’t run a marathon without any fluids so don’t try and ride all day without them either!

Discover our full range of hydration options online. If you need some advice, visit us in store or get in touch and one of our team will help you find the right solution for you.

Staying Hydrated

The Ski & Snowboard Guide

Hydration Bags

Drink Bottles

Camelbak

Hydration options

Bottles

Hydration Bag/ Belt

Our top hydration picks