A long summer hike puts a lot of stress on the body. As the hike gets longer and the temperature rises, your heart and body have to work harder to stay cool. Sweating also causes you to lose water and electrolytes. Because of this, hydration, energy, focus, and recovery should be part of your plan from the beginning—not something you think about only after you become tired or thirsty. The three Squatch Juice products—Optimal Hydration, Energy + Focus, and Enhanced Focus—can be used as part of a simple three-step plan: prepare, perform, and recover.
Prepare: Start Hydrated and Focused
Preparation starts before you reach the trailhead. The goal is to begin your hike properly hydrated instead of trying to catch up after you are already dehydrated. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends starting exercise with normal body-water levels. It also recommends adjusting your hydration plan based on how much you sweat and how much sodium you lose (Sawka et al., 2007).
If needed, hydration can begin several hours before exercise instead of right before you start hiking. This is why I make hydration a priority before a long hike. I do not wait until I feel thirsty. On especially hot or difficult hikes, I also pay attention to my fluid and sodium intake before the hike so I can start well hydrated. Optimal Hydration provides sodium, potassium, and magnesium without added sugar. This can be useful before a long hike, especially in hot weather when you are likely to sweat more and lose more electrolytes. For early-morning starts and long days, Energy + Focus provides caffeine along with L-theanine and L-tyrosine. Research shows that caffeine can improve several areas of exercise performance in many people (Guest et al., 2021). Research has also found that combining caffeine and L-theanine may improve alertness and some measures of attention (Camfield et al., 2014). Timing is important. Instead of waiting until you are already tired, consider using Energy + Focus before or early in the hike. This allows the effects to be available when you need energy, alertness, and focus the most.
Perform: Replace Fluid and Fuel as You Hike
Once you are on the trail, your goal is to replace enough fluid to avoid excessive dehydration without drinking more than you need. Everyone sweats at a different rate, so there is no single amount of water that is right for every hiker. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends creating a hydration plan based on individual sweat rates and electrolyte losses (Sawka et al., 2007). Optimal Hydration can be part of that plan during the hike. Long periods of sweating cause you to lose both water and electrolytes, especially sodium. The goal is not always to replace every drop of sweat as soon as you lose it. Instead, the goal is to limit excessive fluid loss and help your body continue to function well. As the day goes on, maintaining mental focus can also become important. Enhanced Focus provides L-theanine and L-tyrosine without caffeine. This makes it a great option later in the day when you want support for focus and alertness without adding more caffeine. For me, a focus product is another tool that can help me stay mentally engaged and finish the hike strong.
Recover: Rehydrate and Replenish
Recovery begins as soon as the hike ends. A long hike in hot weather can leave you with significant fluid and electrolyte losses. Optimal Hydration can also be used as part of your post-hike hydration plan. Research shows that both the amount of fluid you drink and the amount of sodium in that fluid affect how well your body holds on to the fluid after exercise-related dehydration (Shirreffs et al., 1996). When you need to rehydrate quickly, replacing lost fluids with a beverage that contains sodium can be more effective than drinking plain water alone, which is why I have Optimal Hydration in my water bottle post-hike.
The Bottom Line
Think of the three Squatch Juice formulas as tools for different parts of a demanding summer hike:
· Optimal Hydration — supports hydration and electrolyte replacement.
· Energy + Focus — supports energy, alertness, and focus with caffeine.
· Enhanced Focus — supports focus without adding more caffeine.
I combine these products with plenty of water, carbohydrate-rich trail food, protein, and a hydration plan that fits my needs. I also make hydration a priority before the hike rather than waiting until I am already dehydrated. My plan changes based on the temperature, length and difficulty of the hike, exercise intensity, and how much I normally sweat. The science is simple: prepare before you sweat, fuel while you move, replace what you lose, and recover when you finish. That approach can help you stay stronger, more alert, and better prepared for the final miles of a long summer day on the trail.
-Stephen Mengoni, PhD, CSCS
*Disclaimer
The content on this blog is for general wellness and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical, nutrition, or health advice. While we aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, individual health and nutritional needs vary. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet, supplement routine, hydration strategy, or lifestyle. Use of the information provided on this blog is at your own discretion.
References
Camfield, D. A., Stough, C., Farrimond, J., & Scholey, A. B. (2014). Acute effects of tea constituents L-theanine, caffeine, and epigallocatechin gallate on cognitive function and mood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews, 72(8), 507–522. https://doi.org/10.1111/nure.12120
Guest, N. S., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Nelson, M. T., Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Jenkins, N. D. M., Arent, S. M., Antonio, J., Stout, J. R., Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Goldstein, E. R., Kalman, D. S., & Campbell, B. I. (2021). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
Sawka, M. N., Burke, L. M., Eichner, E. R., Maughan, R. J., Montain, S. J., & Stachenfeld, N. S. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377–390. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597
Shirreffs, S. M., Taylor, A. J., Leiper, J. B., & Maughan, R. J. (1996). Post-exercise rehydration in man: Effects of volume consumed and drink sodium content. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 28(10), 1260–1271. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199610000-00009
Thomas, D. T., Erdman, K. A., & Burke, L. M. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), 501–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.12.006
