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[pct-l] Military Rations



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I've carried MREs while long-distance backpacking, and found them to be
particularly useful under specific circumstances.  The difference
between MREs and freeze-dried foods is that the MREs are not dehydrated.
They are fully hydrated, cooked, ready to eat meals.  That's the main
reason they're so much heavier.  When hiking through the southern
California desert I found that carrying MREs actually SAVED me weight
from my backpack!  First, Ken was absolutely correct when he mentioned
all the extra stuff in the meal package, and the extra packaging.  What
I did before my hike through California in 2000 was open every
individual meal package I intended to carry, and separate out all the
individual courses from the larger package.  It saved a substantial
amount of the total weight by removing the accessory package and the
outer meal packaging.  Second, I did not carry any cooking gear
whatsoever; no pot, no stove, and no fuel.  Also, the 500 miles or so of
desert hiking required that I carry up to two gallons of water per day
on my back.  Keep in mind that I don't believe in reliance on the water
caches set out by trail angels.  I'll take advantage of them if I come
across one and need it, but I won't plan for them.  Since I'm needing to
carry so much water anyway, the pound or two of extra water in a few
days of MREs isn't really extra weight.  I'm just carrying the water
already mixed in my food rather than using my clean water supply to
hydrate my food.  The fact that MREs are very high calorie meals saves
weight, too, when you consider the calories per pound.  Two pounds of
peanut butter will take you much farther than two pounds of rice, for
example.  I did usually carry one or two of the meal heating packs that
come in most MRE meal packages.  It is simply a plastic sleeve with a
dry chemical inside.  You add 1-2oz of water to activate the chemical
and insert a seal main course package.  In about five minutes you have a
piping hot meal.  A real treat on a couple of colder nights.  If you're
short of water, urine works just as well since the heated water does not
come in contact with the food.  Although I did not bother with carrying
MREs on the rest of the PCT, or on the AT, I found them to be a very
practical option through the desert.
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