Hi Gang,

Since there has been so much angst of late, I figured I'd put this up. These been so much talk of methods, ethics, UA and spears. Lighten things up.

As some of you may know, I'm an endurance athlete and avid adventure racer. Living and having to train in Arizona summers exposes some human weakness and makes one search out solutions.

I have a a cycling coach and "she" recommended I try these products.

Scratch Hydration has a unique and very useful mix of powders that can and will make a difference to anyone who suffers the rigors of any activity that will by its nature, dehydrate you.

The first thing you notice when you begin to get dehydrated is a loss of mental sharpness. Once that starts it becomes difficult, if not impossible to get back on top of your hydration. The next block that falls is your physical performance. Again, once it begins, you're pretty well screwed. Once you're physically bonked, you're long tracking day, after the LDE of your dreams becomes survival. You may have to repeat days like this for 6 or 7 or even longer.

Enter Scratch. The bag shown is a simple electrolyte mix. I mix one small scoop into a 20 oz bike bottle. You can do the math and mix accordingly into your hydration pack (Camelback)

The scoop size is an important subject to discuss. The scoop that comes in the bag is small, about the size of your thumb. Here's the difference. When you use a product with a large scoop, (perhaps 1.5 inch diameter and 2 inches deep) that product, just by its nature and amount is trying to give you nutrition in the product. These are the products that typically give folks stomach issues (bloat) and make proper hydration even more difficult.

Scratch only give you hydration related components.

The smaller packet pictured is also a Scratch product. its called Rescue. It is what I would call a super dose of salts and other critical electrolytes. Its not really intended for general daily use, hence the name.

The bar I put in the photo is called a Bonk Breaker. This is an amazing bar. When racing, I need to consume ~300 calories an hour, just to remain even. These bars are from 240-280, depending on the flavor.

These bars offer something interesting for mountain hunters...weight.

A Mountain House, beef stroganoff has 250 calories. It requires a stove, water and utensils to consume. Start thinking about how much weight you might cut from your pack on a sheep hunt.

Point to all this is, I've transferred these athletic products over to my hunting and have enjoyed the results.

Hydration needn't be a chore or something outside of your enjoyable hunting day.

Cyclist have a saying about drinking, Drink when you're thirsty, when you're not and in-between.

All these products are available at Performance Bike. They have stores everywhere and a robust on-line order presence.

Using the Nuun type tablets but always looking for a alternative.....thanks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_9EDYm1AK8


Steve,

Thank you for posting, husband is doing the Great Wall Marathon in China on May 20th. It is supposed to be one of the top five toughest 26.2 in the world.In addition to 5,140 stairs, high humidity and heat. I will pass the information on to him.

Thanks again.

WOW!! That's awesome, I hope he enjoys every minute of it. That's truly inspiring.

Now, when he finishes, here's the next challenge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQmoxlUy33A

10 finishers in 25 years. (no thanks)

Thanks Steve,

Having raced bikes in my youth I know the importance of hydration, electrolyte replacement, and high glycemic index glucose load.

Once you have truly bonked you never want to ever again.

On all our hunts, including here in Alaska, we have used FIZZ tabs. I liked them because the flavoring and effervescence makes you more likely to WANT to drink more water. I didn't like the Stevia being in the ingredients.

I just read the ingredients in the Skratch and there's unneeded chemicals. I may hunt some down and try it.

The older I have gotten the more prone I am to leg cramps if I dehydrate at all so I'm very careful.

Cheers
Jim

Been using the NUUN tablets for some years now. Very effective and in tablet form they are much more portable and substantially less messy on the go. Try mixing powder into a bottle in a safari truck!

Thanks for the info. Likely works better than breaking a chunk off the Horse Red Mineral block, keeping it in your pocket, and sucking on it, but there is the old habit factor to consider!

I'm an ultrarunner and have been having great results with the V-fuel products; better than Nunn, Tailwind, GuBrew, etc.

Sounds like good stuff, wish it was available when I did the "Ironman"

http://great-wall-marathon.com/results


Steve,

Thanks for the post. We are in China now, husband completed the marathon yesterday, finished 8th in his age group, incredible heat, numerous drop outs, many runners said if this was in the USA it would have been cancelled. Some carried out on stretchers.

First time they ever gave the marathoners the option of stopping at the 1/2 marathon marker.

Thanks again for the information.

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
http://great-wall-marathon.com/results


Steve,

Thanks for the post. We are in China now, husband completed the marathon yesterday, finished 8th in his age group, incredible heat, numerous drop outs, many runners said if this was in the USA it would have been cancelled. Some carried out on stretchers.

First time they ever gave the marathoners the option of stopping at the 1/2 marathon marker.

Thanks again for the information.

Awesome Kathi,

Please tell your husband I said, "Way to embrace the suck".

Cheers
Jim

I just do not like any of these drinks that use sugar substitutes.

I buy different powdered drinks, that contain sugar, and prepare my own sachets that each is enough to 500 ml bottle of water.

I put these in small zip lock bags, and carry a few in my camera bag that stays in the truck.

We share these drinks whenever we stop. And everyone in our truck enjoy it.

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
http://great-wall-marathon.com/results


Steve,

Thanks for the post. We are in China now, husband completed the marathon yesterday, finished 8th in his age group, incredible heat, numerous drop outs, many runners said if this was in the USA it would have been cancelled. Some carried out on stretchers.

First time they ever gave the marathoners the option of stopping at the 1/2 marathon marker.

Thanks again for the information.

Kudos to your husband. I'm sure he had to dig deep to find the courage to not take an early and excused finish.

Great gut check.

Regards,

Steve

I tried those Nuun tablets in Grape. They were tasteless. I even put two in one bottle? Nobody in camp liked them.

Which of these products works best on a severe hangover?

Please relate personal experiences

quote:

Originally posted by Blair 338RUM:
Which of these products works best on a severe hangover?

Please relate personal experiences

The best drink to clear a bad hangover is as follows.

Put two spoons of BOVRIL in a large mug.

Add the juice of two limes or lemons.

Add 20 drops of TABASCO.

Works wonders.

I have not tried it on myself, as I have never been drunk, but I enjoy this drink.

I have seen it work on an almost totally drunk man.

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/wor...looks-really-painful


Thanks Steve,

BBC posted a news clip on the event. Thanks again for starting this thread with the information.

Very close to Bullshot. Works every time for us except we use beef consomme instead of bovril and add a healthy dose of vodka to the ingredients.

quote:

Originally posted by Blair 338RUM:
Which of these products works best on a severe hangover?

Please relate personal experiences

The best drink to clear a bad hangover is as follows.

Put two spoons of BOVRIL in a large mug.

Add the juice of two limes or lemons.

Add 20 drops of TABASCO.

Works wonders.

I have not tried it on myself, as I have never been drunk, but I enjoy this drink.

I have seen it work on an almost totally drunk man.[/QUOTE]

I forgot to mention that the above recipe is especially effective an our American friends!

I have not met one yet who like BOVRIL!

When next in the UK just drive North from London. The further you go, the higher the percentage of the population LOVE Bovril to the extent that when you arrive in North Yorkshire you will find we don't just drink it and eat it on toast we employ it as deodorant and hair preparation. By the time you've made it half way up Scotland you will see people bathing in it by the side of the road and keeping it next to the bed for God knows what.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I forgot to mention that the above recipe is especially effective an our American friends!

I have not met one yet who like BOVRIL!

quote:

The first thing you notice when you begin to get dehydrated is a loss of mental sharpness.

Holy smokes! I'm pretty sure the missus is dehydrated...

Thank God she doesn't get on this forum. I'm kind of hoping my funeral will be open casket.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Blair 338RUM:
Which of these products works best on a severe hangover?

Please relate personal experiences

The best drink to clear a bad hangover is as follows.

Put two spoons of BOVRIL in a large mug.

Add the juice of two limes or lemons.

Add 20 drops of TABASCO.

Works wonders.

I have not tried it on myself, as I have never been drunk, but I enjoy this drink.

I have seen it work on an almost totally drunk man.

Saeed, you are a champ

Though it sounds awful........

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
When next in the UK just drive North from London. The further you go, the higher the percentage of the population LOVE Bovril to the extent that when you arrive in North Yorkshire you will find we don't just drink it and eat it on toast we employ it as deodorant and hair preparation. By the time you've made it half way up Scotland you will see people bathing in it by the side of the road and keeping it next to the bed for God knows what.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I forgot to mention that the above recipe is especially effective an our American friends!

I have not met one yet who like BOVRIL!