Jon asks:
If you were to do a 3-day backpack trip (8ish mi/day), and had a 3-liter bladder in your pack, would you also bring 1 Nalgene? 2 Nalgenes? We'll be near water the 1st & 3rd day, but not much day #2.
Great question Jon. Water is a HUGE consideration in the backcountry. Proper planning, or lack thereof, can mean the difference between a fun trip or a complete disaster.
First off, you're already considering all the right basic variables: trip duration, trip mileage and water availability. Some other variables to consider are: personal level of water consumption, climate and terrain.
Some people comfortably consume two liters per day, while others need more than a gallon per day. My own rule of thumb is to count on consuming a gallon of water per day. So in that sense, your bladder should get you through most of the day for personal water consumption, and then you can use your Nalgene for cooking at night. So, 3-liter bladder + 1 Nalgene should be perfect. Day 1 and 3 should be no problem at all, and if you fill up all four liters on day 2, that should get you through the day even if you don't find another water source.
Of course this all depends on climate and terrain as well. The answer to your question would be very different if this were a desert trip (Utah or the like), for which I'd suggest you bring along as much carrying capacity as you reasonably can. In arid climates you simply never know how often you'll come across water resources, so you need to stock up when you can.
Good luck and fun!
