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MRE's!
Aug 30, 2017 6:44:20 GMT -8
Post by xxspottedhyenaxx on Aug 30, 2017 6:44:20 GMT -8
I love MRE's and have eaten a wide variety of them. I had a few friends that would sneak me a few in the Army, along with seeing a few errant MRE's at independent gun dealers and the like. I've also eaten several military rations from around the world but I am most familiar with the good 'ol US of A ones. Certain Manufacturers offer different calorie contents and different things in them, like for example one manufacturer may have different accessories than another. One may have a heater as an option in case you want something cost effective, while another you can't buy a MRE without the heater.
I personally pack MREs when I go backpacking and camping, though the MRE's I pack arent military grade. "Coyote Camp Fireline Chow", and more specifically the "Jetpack Adventure meal" is what I usually pack. No flatware, no prep, light enough so you won't feel like napping after you eat, but filling enough to give you that "I just ate a decent meal" feeling. Plus they come with packs of Pistachios, Almonds or M&Ms that you can eat as a snack in between meals or if you can't find a place to sit down right away. A big plus is they don't take up much space in my pack, and they don't weigh much, which with the small pack I have, space is a premium.
One Menu goes as follows; Bridgeford Pocket Sandwich (Can be anything from BBQ Pork, to pepperoni, chicken, so on and so forth) Emegen-C Drink Powder for water Go Go Applesauce Squeeze M&Ms Pistachios or Almond pack 5 hour energy shot Gum ball or a Laffy Taffy.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2017 10:27:47 GMT -8
There are soooo many more appealing options for food out there, even in an emergency. Take, for instance, your boot. Having witnessed the evolution of the MRE first hand while in the service from the early 80's up through the mid 00's I will say that they have gotten much better though. I still can't get past the chunk of greasy wax-like substance they called a burrito though... And my all time favorite (NOT), the dehydrated pork patty. If you ever want to know what that was like, take a sponge and soak it in some rendered pork fat and let it dry... voila!
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Deleted
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MRE's!
Aug 31, 2017 5:29:58 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2017 5:29:58 GMT -8
A colleague of mine in the Army Reserves gave me one once; he knew I was a backpacker.
I ate it while car camping on my way to a backpack trip. This was back in the early 90's.
It was okay and more-than ample; Chicken and Rice, I think.
I was glad to not have to go out to eat or fire up the stove, wash dishes, etc after the long after-work drive.
I've since "gone vegetarian", so can't eat most of them, but wouldn't hesitate to if I had a vegetarian one.
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MRE's!
Aug 31, 2017 6:06:00 GMT -8
Post by xxspottedhyenaxx on Aug 31, 2017 6:06:00 GMT -8
To respond to retiredreddog.
My love for MRE's aside, there are some really bad ones out there. The Omlet I had had the consistency of my mouse pad and tasted like someone had already eaten the egg once before, and then regurgitated it and sealed it in the bag. In other words, vomit. Not even the little hot sauce bottle could save it in my view. Think I'll just skip breakfast...
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MRE's!
Sept 1, 2017 19:16:53 GMT -8
Post by swimswithtrout on Sept 1, 2017 19:16:53 GMT -8
A good friend of mine who was in the Reserves, always used to try and pawn the stuff on me because he couldn't stand it.
No Way/ No How for backpacking !
Since I have a gas grill, 3 Bp'g stoves, as well as a double burner "Coleman stove" , and fuel enough for a month or more, I wouldn't need it for home emergency use either. My pantry's are always stocked with several weeks worth of dried/canned food.
The only place I could see it being of use, is in the case of a car emergency in the absolute middle of nowhere, where walking out is not an option, and where it might take days for searchers to find you.
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rebeccad
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MRE's!
Sept 11, 2017 9:35:44 GMT -8
Post by rebeccad on Sept 11, 2017 9:35:44 GMT -8
The only place I could see it being of use, is in the case of a car emergency in the absolute middle of nowhere, where walking out is not an option, and where it might take days for searchers to find you. Yeah, I could see chucking one or two of those in the well with the spare tire and forgetting about them. Probably never need them, but if we did, they'd be there.
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MRE's!
Sept 11, 2017 9:49:56 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2017 9:49:56 GMT -8
Yeah, I could see chucking one or two of those in the well with the spare tire and forgetting about them. Probably never need them, but if we did, they'd be there. A thing that seems to hold true, for me, is that if I prepare for it, like packing MRE's in the boot, I'll not need it but if I do not pack MRE's in the boot, I'll end up needing them.
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rebeccad
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MRE's!
Sept 11, 2017 9:54:13 GMT -8
Post by rebeccad on Sept 11, 2017 9:54:13 GMT -8
A thing that seems to hold true, for me, is that if I prepare for it, like packing MRE's in the boot, I'll not need it but if I do not pack MRE's in the boot, I'll end up needing them. Exactly! I have a spare blanket in the car always (I folded it and put it under the cover on the back seat; originally it was to raise the kids so they could see out the windows but I've just left it there). We've used it once or twice, when we were short a sleeping pad or twice when we got to camp one sleeping bag short.
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Westy
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MRE's!
Sept 12, 2017 4:39:48 GMT -8
Post by Westy on Sept 12, 2017 4:39:48 GMT -8
My most recent outing was in terrain with no water resources. Had to carry all water required.
MRE's to the rescue. They conserve water because no water is required other than to heat them. The water used to heat them can be recycled back to drinking. Thoroughly enjoyed a Southwest Style Beef & Black Beans entrée with Garlic Mashed Potatoes side.
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rangewalker
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MRE's!
Jan 12, 2018 11:31:11 GMT -8
Post by rangewalker on Jan 12, 2018 11:31:11 GMT -8
MRE's as office supplies.
I worked for many years at pipeline pump station and terminal in NE Wyoming, about twelve miles on a rural highway from town. We would often get cut-off from the Big City during winter, especially from my home 22 miles away. We always had a stash in the stock room of saltines, ramen cups, tuna and the like but it was often raided when we had call-outs or hold overs. Gag stuff. After the first Gulf War, we dumped the groceries and went for an assorted case of MRE's, just one. We put it into the annual emergency response check list and would change it out annually. In my ten years there after the MRE's were deployed, we did get into them 4-5 times, edible and curious. Nutrition was better. Easy to divvy up when you had a crew on site, yet when it was just one as was often the case, just had to open or spoil one meal. The old case was split up 2-3 ways into the field trucks. Next year during the annual the 2 year old ones were handed out to operators. BACKPACKING ALERT: IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY OF THE DAMN THINGS, THE PACKAGING AND HEATERS, LITTER FIRE RINGS IN MY LOCAL BACKCOUNTYRY. They do not burn. Next to glass bottles, the worse wilderness garbage there is.
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Westy
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MRE's!
Jan 12, 2018 12:37:16 GMT -8
Post by Westy on Jan 12, 2018 12:37:16 GMT -8
Actually, if you just take the MRE Entrée or MRE Side as standalone menu items, the packaging footprint is less than an Mountain House entrée.
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RumiDude
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MRE's!
Jan 12, 2018 17:00:28 GMT -8
Post by RumiDude on Jan 12, 2018 17:00:28 GMT -8
Ask your local SAR team if they would be interested in them.
Rumi
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Post by outbac1 on Jan 13, 2018 21:14:13 GMT -8
The newer MRE or here in Canada the IMP don't taste that bad. To eat one once in a while is ok. Do I want to eat them every day? No thanks. We have a bunch in our SAR truck. They weigh about 1.75 lbs. If you take out the packaging you don't need and the accessories you won't use the weight comes down closer to 1 lb. They require zero preparation and can be eaten hot or cold. They do have a place. On a SAR tasking when you have been beating bush for 6 hrs, you can be dragging A$$. It is nice to be able to eat more than a granola bar. A little rest and a meal, you feel good to go. It may be several hours yet before you get out.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jan 14, 2018 8:52:10 GMT -8
On a SAR tasking when you have been beating bush for 6 hrs, you can be dragging A$$. It is nice to be able to eat more than a granola bar. A little rest and a meal, you feel good to go. It may be several hours yet before you get out. Which is exactly what they were developed for!
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Westy
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Post by Westy on Feb 3, 2018 13:57:01 GMT -8
OK you MRE haters.
Just finished purchase of MRE bits for backcountry snacks. (37) Cheddar Cheese Spreads 1.5 oz., (16) Peanut Butter MRE 1.5 oz., (8) @ of Vanilla Pound Cake, Marble Pound Cake, Lemmon Poppy Seed Pound Cake and Cornbread MRE all 2.5 oz. They are light, loaded with calories, especially fat. Shelf life is beyond my need. No need to repackage, just shove them in my snack sack. Yum! Yum!
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