Gatorade Powder Sticks

Posted by Katie | September 2nd, 2009 | Health & Fitness

I have recently returned from a week-long trip to Egypt where I, among other things:

Because I am my mother’s daughter, I spend a lot of time before any big trip worrying about things that could go wrong.  This trip was no exception.  Specifically, I was worried about the sun and the heat.  Egypt in August is not known for being temperate.  It is known for being hot as balls.

I do not do well with sun and heat.  I am prone to fainting.  I sunburn easily.  Heat makes me grouchy.  I have yet to find a deodorant that really, truly works when it is very hot, so I sometimes get smelly. With sweat stains. It’s not a pretty picture.

So I started asking around and reading up on recommendations of things to bring for a trip to Egypt during very hot weather. I got a lot of suggestions, read a lot of forums online, and ended up with a rather terrifying list of “absolutely essential” items to bring with me. An excerpt from this list:

Some of these things were really necessary (sunscreen, wicking underpants, wet wipes) others seemed like overkill once I got there (SPF clothing, neosporin, large, floppy, difficult-to-pack sunhat).  But the one thing that was the most indispensible of all, the thing that saved the trip for me and a couple people we were traveling with, was something that didn’t appear on any of the lists, which I was inspired to bring after I got a sample of it in a 5K goodie bag a few weeks ago: Gatorade packets.

gatorade 2

These little guys were a lifesaver.  When one of our friends felt a queasy after a night of too much partying on a train, the Gatorade got him back in fighting shape.  When it got to be 113 degrees outside and we couldn’t drink water fast enough to make up for the sweat we were losing, the Gatorade kept me and John feeling a-ok. And when another friend actually collapsed from heat exhaustion (true story), the Gatorade was the only thing he could keep down for a while, and it helped him turn a corner and get on the mend.

Each packet is pre-measured to be mixed  into one large-sized (16.9 ounce) water bottle, (though we used them in liter-sized bottles all week with great results).  They’re light, small, and because they’re not liquid, they’re perfect for your carry-on.  There’s also a G2 version which is even lighter (fake sugar doesn’t weigh much) but those don’t come in my beloved lemon-lime flavor, so I’m sticking with the real stuff.

I realize that conditions were pretty extreme in Egypt, and your next vacation may not be quite so hot (for your sake, I hope it’s not).  But the Gatorade packets are so portable, and so cheap, that I plan on keeping a few around for those times when I might work out harder than usual at the gym, or in case I get sick on vacation, or if we end up going on a hike and overexerting ourselves.  And, for what it’s worth, it’s substantially cheaper than buying Gatorade pre-mixed in the store.

Gatorade Powder Packs, $3.99 for 8 at Amazon and at your local grocery store.

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comments

  1. Lisa G.

    Lisa G.

    Wow, that sounds like an amazing vacation!!! Thanks for the great advice too; I will definitely keep the packets in mind in case I ever do anything remotely that awesome (doubtful).

    OMG what the heck are wicking underpants?!

    September 2nd, 2009 @ 7:20 pm


  2. Korinna

    Korinna

    I did not know about these packets. My love of Fruit Punch Gatorade is hard to top.

    Also, I think that a review of wicking underpants is necessary.

    September 3rd, 2009 @ 11:59 am


  3. Annie

    Annie

    Good post and great advice for traveling in hot countries!

    I also love these for electrolytes when traveling and they come in tablet form:
    http://www.nuun.com/

    My favorite wicking underwear is Exofficio Women’s give-n-go brief or boy cut shorts. Not cheap but worth the money.

    September 4th, 2009 @ 1:29 pm


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