Where to buy MRE's?

[Bravo 4]

Send me a PM, I think I have a couple boxes of them....I'll have to check. I'm out of state on GOV business so give me another day or two.

 

[TUCK]

I experimented with the solid fuel cubes last year but ended up buying a small canister stove that worked great. I wasn't sure how the solid fuels would burn at higher altitudes. We camped around 10,800 feet & it seemed like even our camp fires took forever to get going.

 

[284stak]

I have backpacked and packed in on horses multiple times over the years from 5000 to 11000 feet. MRE's are way to heavy for extended trips --- if planning on using them, I would suggest tossing all the boxes and other non-essentials to save on space and wt. My wife is in the military and brings me home about 2 dozen a year that she doesn't use --- so I use them, but would not purchase them ever -- just to many other better options out there.
I use a pocket rocket stove for all my backcountry trips. Very lightwt even with two fuel cannisters and have not seen any problems at the above listed elevations with lighting or cooking temps. On 5 day trips with two people - I have never used both cannisters.
Freeze-dried, like others have mentioned is the way to go - just toss in the pocket rocket/fuel cannister. With a small cooking kit --- total volume is about the size/wt of a coffee perculator for camping.

 

[hillajam]

where do you get theses lightweight stoves, and also is there any foldable stoves for heat for maybe a wall tent? The party I'm going with will probably be staying at base camp while I spike out and they want heat but with being packed in we want to save on weight.

 

[tx_shooter]

I would suggest tossing all the boxes and other non-essentials to save on space and wt.

This is a practice known in the Infantry as "field stripping" them... removing all the non-essential stuff/weight.

But I have to agree with 90% of the people here... I'd rather not eat MREs if I didn't have to. Besides, when you get off the MREs that you have eaten for the last week... that first movement is a real ! When we went to the field ( in the USMC ) most of us forgot our MREs and took the tuna packages ( not cans ) and a canned meat soup per day. Those meals were more than enough to keep a person going. Just don't forget to pack some Gatorade powder so you can keep your hydration and electrolyte levels high.

 

[silvertip-co]

Sportsman Guide. Gary Olen always has em cheap in case of 12 meals. I hear they are pretty good.

 

[hillajam]

Well, I just tried my second MRE. I got them from the military surplus store. These MRE's are for the GI's I was told, not the civilian ones. The guy behind the counter said theses are a lot better.

All I have to say is YUCK!!! The only good part about these is the M&M's that came in one and the crackers.

I might get some heater packs though. Wow those babys get HOT!!! It wouldn't be a bad idea for warming up cold body parts.

Well I think my next trial will be with freeze dried foods. Which do you guys like? I want to find a personal stove that isn't heavy and doesn't take up too much room. I've heard good things about Jetboil, are those pretty good?

I'm also looking for a light, maybe foldable wood stove for our wall tent base camp. Any suggestions.

Thanks

 

[tx_shooter]

All I have to say is YUCK!!! The only good part about these is the M&M's that came in one and the crackers.

Ya, and just think.... those M&Ms were probably made in the early 90s.

I might get some heater packs though. Wow those babys get HOT!!! It wouldn't be a bad idea for warming up cold body parts.

Ehh... also not a good idea. Those things can burn a person pretty bad. I'd not advise it.

 

[284stak]

where do you get theses lightweight stoves, and also is there any foldable stoves for heat for maybe a wall tent? quote]

Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse and REI all carry lightwt backpacking stoves. The one I have is the MSR Pocket Rocket at 3oz plus the fuel cannister.
Don't know about the folding stoves for heat - would personally just purchase a terrific sleeping bag - good ones that are lightwt cost ya, but will last you if ya take care of it.

 

[hillajam]

Thanks for the info guys!

Which freeze dried brands do you like? I'm gonna buy some this week to try.

 

[CastleRocker]

as far as stoves go....

My son found some website that tells you how to make an alchohol stove from aluminum cans. It's awesome! I have a couple MSR stoves that I use for backing way in, but I'm going to bring these instead. The one he built last week uses Everclear. So we can use it as a disinfectant, stove fuel, or I think (if you mixed it with something), it could serve as a celebratory drink! They take cold water from the refrigerator to a rolling boil in about 4 minutes, on two Tablespoons of fuel. So far we've only cooked top ramen on it, but it does it faster than either of my MSR's do.

That's what we eat on our backpack hunts. Ramen noodles, and grouse or rabbits. I mix the spices that I need all together in one small shaker, and that's it.

 

[glocker21]

I always strip the MREs and use the out packaging to hold 6 MRE entrees. I rarely carry more than one accessory pack in my rig.

 

[sniper2]

Hillajam If you are going in horse back try Heater Meals I use them regularly in the high country... HeaterMeals: The Self-Heating Meal

 

[nfhjr62]

I have tried them also and found them tasty but no one has said anything about the nutational factor of these meals, don't know about the freeze dryed ones but did read that MRE'S are 2500 calories per meal as the gi's are using a lot of energy humping around in battle.
So a person packing in on a hunting trip will be using energy up also unless all the packing in is with a pack train.
Just a thought