You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Does anybody have any tips for carrying rehydration tablets on long rides? I normally use the high 5 tablets but I'm struggling to find a good solution for carrying two tablets. I tried wrapping them in tin foil or putting them in a little bag but they tend to get mashed up. Does anybody know if there's a little case that fits?
Having hunted round my garage in the 'this might come in handy one day' pile I found a couple of old inner tube patch kit boxes that might fit the bill? Would that work?
Just use an old tube and hacksaw it down to carry 2 or 3 tabs.
I just put the tube they came in -in the side pocket of my camper long flap if it's going to be a particularly hot day.
I do exactly what @theotherjonv does. If you put them in a tin they rattle around and turn to dust. Also if the sealing isn't up to much they'll turn into a sticky mess - even just in contact with air rather than getting actually wet.
For taking on rides I use these sachets:
https://www.precisionhydration.com/products/ph-1500-electrolyte-drink-mix/
I use one of the shorter tubes, Nuun I think, and put about an inch or so long piece of foam in the bottom, and another in the top .
I can carry 5 or 6 in there on long days without them turning to dust.
I use an insulin tester pot that The Wife found at school. It will store about six tablets.
The idea of cutting down an empty tube never occurred to me. I was looking at complicated solutions to a simple problem.
Put them in your water bottle/camelbak and add water 🤷🏻♂️😋
Stuff the tube with cotton wool
Thank you. All, good ideas. I've actually just ordered a load of drug dealer bags from Amazon and I'll see if they work
If not, I will cut down one of the tubes to be able to store two or three
Do you remember the old 35mm camera film plastic containers + bit of clean foam
The idea of cutting down an empty tube never occurred to me. I was looking at complicated solutions to a simple problem.
You're not alone on that, hadn't occurred to me either
PB and gherkin sandwich should do it.... Two birds w one meal
You could even use a full size tube with your spare ride tablets down the bottom, but then fill the tube with some raisins/sultanas, or your puncture repair kit in the tube within a bag etc.
If they get broken up, does it matter? You're only going to be dissolving them in water anyway.
If they get broken up, does it matter? You're only going to be dissolving them in water anyway.
High5 and a few others do the tubes in tiny 'sample' sizes.
Rehydration is an interesting one. My own interest is based in my job at Welsh Water years back when all the water quality results used to land on my desk, and years of triathlon.
A few thoughts:
Sure you lose salts when you sweat but the amount varies Winter to Summer and even in Summer there's acclimatisation - the more you exercise in the heat the less salt you lose. Once I've got used to the Summer heat in France and Spain I'm just fine with no added salt.
Tap water contains variable amounts of salt from not much a long way from the sea with salt poor geology to shed loads near the sea with salt rich geology. There are normes of course and you can probably check what comes out of your tap. Adding salts to already salty water really isn't a good idea.
Your food will contain salt, from not very much to a lot. Consider all the sources of the salt you're injesting before adding any.
So think hard before you use rehydration tablets, are they going to do you more harm than good. Over the years I put all sorts of shit in my water bottles. Some of it gave me the shits, some of it meant I couldn't aborb the liquid and as the years went by I found that using branded drinks at much lower concentrations than recommended was fine/better. And that the slower the sugar the better.
And that the slower the sugar the better
^ this
https://www.scienceinsport.com/hydro-plus-electrolyte-drink-mix-20-pack-berry
I use these. They come in ready crushed powder form.
I use a tiny ziplock polythene bag inside my rapha back pocket zip bag. Two in there with ibuprofen and antihistamines. I forget where the original bag came from but if I get another with some bolt or other in it, then I set it aside for just this use.
High5 and a few others do the tubes in tiny 'sample' sizes.I got a load of berocca ones a few years ago. They held 4 or 5 tablets. Still have them downstairs and use them for the rehydration tabs.
I found that using branded drinks at much lower concentrations than recommended was fine/better.I've not found a drinks mix of any description that doesn't make me want to puke if i drink it at full strength. Usually go 50% or less.
This may be mental, but I found a contact lens case quite good for carrying something similar.
I crush them one by one in a pestle and mortar and scoop them in. They then dissolve quicker when added to water.
You could try making an appropriately sized paper bindle for each tablet 😁
Does anybody know if there's a little case that fits?
Yup, they make cases for two tabs for diabetics to carry glucose in. Although two tabs is pretty useless, so I don’t know any one who uses one for the purpose they were intended for. Would be perfect for your use.
Do you remember the old 35mm camera film plastic containers + bit of clean foam
Hell yeah! Incredibly useful things for carrying/storing all sorts of small items, especially a few painkillers or even a small first-aid kit, with micropore tape wrapped around a pencil stub, a piece of medical dressing folded and rolled up, some antihistamine tablets, all in a neat little tube.
Mint tins are better, though, because they’re obviously bigger, and you can cram more stuff in.
Another precision hydration satchet user here.
Almost flat ,they are easily stashed onto a small space.
Thank you everybody, I think I've been trying to solve the wrong problem. I think I'll have a look at the single use Sachets if only for riding.