Should Liquid I.V. be on Canadian concertgoers' must-pack list?

Calgary Herald

2 days ago

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I love small indoor venues with regulated temperatures and assigned seats, but Kesha, Barenaked Ladies, Cyndi Lauper, Our Lady Peace and many other headliners this summer are at the very popular outdoor Budweiser Stage, located in Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario.
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Toronto is having a very hot summer, so I appreciate Liquid I.V. 's messaging around proper hydration. The popular electrolyte drink mix (available on Amazon) first came to Canada in the summer of 2023 and went after the concertgoer and fitness community across the country.
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I see two angles for consuming Liquid I.V. First, it's important to replenish electrolytes in hot and/or sweaty environments, and it's easy to do so with convenient packets of powder. Secondly, it's more fun to drink water when it tastes like a delicious treat. However, know what's in the packets before consuming them.
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Liquid I.V. offers sugar-free and sugar-full variations (learn more about the sugar options); however, the former have yet to make it to Canada (Organika, a Canadian-made electrolytes powder, has a sugar-free option).
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In terms of use and cost, Liquid I.V. packets are not cheap, but also not small. At over $2 per pack, the cost of the drink mix can add up if used frequently. However, it can also be a more affordable option compared to drinks at a concert venue. Just bring an empty reusable plastic bottle (some venues, including Budweiser Stage, often don't allow metal containers), Liquid I.V. and find a water fountain. Also, it's recommended to mix one pack of Liquid I.V. with two cups of water, but I prefer a more diluted taste and only use half the pack for two cups (the packets are easy to fold to save for later).
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With a reusable plastic water bottle and a pack of Liquid I.V. in hand, I headed to the Kesha concert.
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(If you completely want to stay out of the sun, check out VEEPS, a new streaming service in Canada, where you can watch live concerts.)
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There was a Liquid I.V. pop-up at Budweiser, handing out samples. I've now tried most of the flavours and my favourite is the strawberry. As mentioned, I can appreciate the added benefits of Liquid I.V. compared to straight water, but would save it for super hot days (like the Kesha-concert day) or days when I'm exerting a lot of energy (like going for a long summer run or bike ride). I enjoyed having Liquid I.V. during the Kesha concert, as it was hot, crowded and sweaty, and I needed every excuse to stay hydrated so I could focus on the music.
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