MRE's and trail grub

[07yodatoy]

I am planning a wilderness treck next summer to an off the map cabin. So two questions:
1. What do you guys keep in the truck to wheel with?
2. What do you keep in the bottom of the box for those unexpected extended stays?

I need some travel grub that can be stored at my destination for months or years. I plan to leave it there for the heavy winter months when trecking stuff in and out is not so easy. I was thinking MRE's or freeze dried foods. Maybe canned stuff. The freeze dried and canned stuff isn't to hard to find. Anybody have a reasonably priced source for MRE's?

Freezing's not a problem since it is stored in a fruit celler and it stays a comforitable 50 deg F or so all year round.

[tacoma_2002]

well for mre's your best bet is www.cheaperthandirt.com but they're still pretty pricey...i'd go with anything canned...chili, soups, they even have canned bacon!. its not that bad of an idea to keep some beef jerky around as well....as for what to keep in the truck, the list will probably never be complete...on a normal day/days of wheeling i keep a spare cv, spare tire, recovery strap, enough tools to fix anything that breaks, tarp, hatchet,lots of rope/tie downs, onboard air coming soon, cb, and a hilift...its also a good idea to keep some tools to plug a tire incase your unfortunate enough to ruin 2 tires...

[DennisDawg]

MREs:

http://theepicenter.com/
http://www.longlifefood.com/
http://www.gr8gear.com/
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/

They work well. Get the heaters (H2O style) that go with them.

Keep a sleeping bag and tarp in the truck when you go out far and need to stay, a small pack with minor tools and such for if you need to hike out.

As yo what to carry, whole threads have been devoted to this already, here for example: http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100855

[devinsixtyseven]

Got a grip of the Cheaper Than Dirt MREs...one of the various sorts they sell. They're pretty tasty, but you will be ripping ass like a diesel downshifting on a long grade.

Maybe for humans that'd be "downshitting".

Anyway if you choose MREs, be sure there's a fat roll of TP in your ditch bag.

[DennisDawg]

I have used MREs many times and never had that problem. In fact, it is usually the opposite for me and my wife as well. Oh course we’ve only had the vegetarian MREs and various deserts, crackers and such. Perhaps there is a content or brand difference.

[07yodatoy]

I know when I was active duty they told us to eat all the contents of each meal to avoid adverse effects on the stomach.

I printed the list of gear from another post, and am picking and choosing as far as hardware to carry. The summer treck in is not to bad with just a stocker, but when the wet season and snow comes in it's a sled or snow shoes.

So I would like to focus on provisions

1. Beef jerky is a good beside the seat travel buddy.
2. The canned foods are great, I didn't know they made canned bacon.
3. MRE's were just the easiest think I could think of to leave in the cellar. I will try cheaper than dirt for the MRE's.

Anyone have any experience with the water purification tablets?

[02tacoSR5]

Originally Posted by 07yodatoy

Anyone have any experience with the water purification tablets?

They work well, but make the water taste funny(at least the ones I had did)

Best thing to do is carry a pot to boil water in, if there is a near by water source.

A propane stove would be a nice item also.

I've got a huge list of things I try to carry when going out. I guess 12 years of Boy Scouts helps ya' realize just what exactly you could need.

[DennisDawg]

I carry a purification pump, MSR I believe it is. Works. In the desert, I bring water, a lot of it, just in case.

I have a little backpacking stove I uses sometimes. Works well with canned fuel.

Learn to use a map and compass.

Another good thing is a SPOT: http://www.findmespot.com

[07yodatoy]

Thanks for all the great idea's. I found MRE's for $2/meal. $100 for 50 meals. 24 of them were still cased and the rest were in a bin. So They are already packed for travel. I had to drive to pick them up but the dates are good and they are a mixture of all the different meals.

Along with the MRE's for emergencies, I have grabbed up canned veggies by the case. A variety of beans, corn, carrots, more beans. Salt, Flour, yeast, shortening, sugar, and some spices by order of the wife. Did I mention beans?

I found water packets that store for 5yrs. With all the snow and a nearby river to the lake I should be ok for water no matter what time of year. Plenty of fuel, Wood mostly.

I have over 500# of food. Now, I just have to get it there. I'm thinking it goes on the trailer and use the grizzly to get it in over a few trips. The truck barely gets there no way to get the truck and trailer.

Maybe a little chainsawing is in order. I'll have more fuel that way.

Now that I have All the food packed away and ready to go. It weighs a ton. Not litteraly but almost 900 pounds. This is just enough to sustain two adults and three little ones for 6 months. That doesn't include Venesin or whatever is in season. I should be good.

Thanks again for all your suggestions. The cabin will be well stocked whatever the situation should bring.