Why Are Thru-Hikers So Obsessed With Smartwater?

There are many things that make my home of Ashland, Oregon a contender for the perfect outdoor town. “13 miles of single track from your back door!” “Thirty minutes to a community owned ski resort!” “Famous ultra-runners own businesses here!” But I would argue the most outdoorsy thing about our town is that it’s a restocking hub for hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail. Without fail, the moment spring turns to summer each year, our town becomes thick with grizzled thru-hikers, hitching into town, waiting in line at the post office, and looking hornily at fresh produce in the co-op. I’ve interviewed hundreds of these PCTeasers (as us townies call them) for gear tips over the past decade, during which time I have seen the sturdy boots turn into light trail runners and the packs shrink in capacity by about half. Yet one piece of kit has maintained complete supremacy through the years among thru-hikers: Smartwater bottles.

Continue reading todive into the exactly why thru-hikers love Smartwater, written by Joe Jackson.