View Full Version : Amazon Prime resupply on the AT
Greenlight
11-20-2016, 23:25
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016C2U3NI/ref=abs_brd_tag_dp?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Has anyone done this? Seems pretty cheap, with Amazon Prime free shipping, that is a pretty deep discount on Mountain House meals. Even adding in a box of honey buns, peanut M&Ms and Snickers bars, vegetable oil and peanut butter tortillas to amp up the daily fat and carb count, this would put a person at about $2,000 for "on trail" food for the entire thru-hike. AYCEs and zero day expenses would be separate, but dang...this may be the way to go for me. Beats spending the time dehydrating or freeze drying all my own stuff then having to pay to get it shipped. Best part is that Amazon Prime will have it there in two days, so the chance of starving between post offices or mail drops is nil.
BTW, you can get your peanut butter, mini-candy bars, and honey buns from Amazon Pantry and the shipping on that stuff is free, too. Need ziplock bags to repackage? They're on Amazon Pantry, too, they'll be in your box.
You would have to look at all of the x day boxes and order different boxes to get some variety.
Did you check Walmart's prices?
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Old Hiker
11-20-2016, 23:32
Amazon prime was amazing - used it a LOT to keep the wife from having to go to all the trouble.
Only problems I had :
a. Package stolen from Woods Hole Hostel mail box, but they keep (kept?) it unlocked, down the road. Refund and reorder was no prob.
b. EACH Mountain house package for 10 days in the 100 Mile Wilderness was sent in a separate package to a hostel. Still not sure why. Got some VERY funny looks when I picked them up.
c. My phone Amazon app and a computer Amazon had different credit card #s for some reason - computer card was invalid. Had to reorder from the Trail.
Make sure you have phone coverage (Verizon) and data to go to the internet. AWOL's guide was GREAT for address to mail ahead. Call the location first, though. Several have closed.
MH Rice with chicken is worthless. Too many duds on the menu.
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
PaulWorksHard
11-21-2016, 00:16
Notice that it weighs 4.6 lbs and has 1850 calories per day for 5 days. Not nearly enough. I started at 3900 calories per day and ended up at around 4500 calories per day. That being said, amazon prime works great on the trail.
Greenlight
11-21-2016, 07:00
I bought a MH Breakfast Skillet from WalMart last week and it was under five bucks. I'm sure WallyWorld's corporate goons made MH drop their prices to get shelf space. I haven't checked weights though. I wouldn't be surprised if the WallyWorld packaging is a 3/4 serving.
You would have to look at all of the x day boxes and order different boxes to get some variety.
Did you check Walmart's prices?
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Greenlight
11-21-2016, 07:03
I've heard about the Verizon issue on the AT and I'm still figuring out how I'm going to tackle that beast (I'm with Sprint at the moment) shortly before my thru. We'll probably switch to V around the holidays prior to setting out for Springer, when the "switch to X" deals are deepest. Verizon is still the stingiest carrier when it comes to doling out data minutes, but if they are the reliable network on the trail, I won't mind too much paying to play for a year.
Amazon prime was amazing - used it a LOT to keep the wife from having to go to all the trouble.
Only problems I had :
a. Package stolen from Woods Hole Hostel mail box, but they keep (kept?) it unlocked, down the road. Refund and reorder was no prob.
b. EACH Mountain house package for 10 days in the 100 Mile Wilderness was sent in a separate package to a hostel. Still not sure why. Got some VERY funny looks when I picked them up.
c. My phone Amazon app and a computer Amazon had different credit card #s for some reason - computer card was invalid. Had to reorder from the Trail.
Make sure you have phone coverage (Verizon) and data to go to the internet. AWOL's guide was GREAT for address to mail ahead. Call the location first, though. Several have closed.
Greenlight
11-21-2016, 07:08
Between the Blazes got me into the habit of boil-in-bag meals inside an insulated carrier, so at least my evening meal will be completely rehydrated before pulling into "camp" for the night. On your anticipated last rest stop before calling it a day, you take a few minutes to boil your water, pour it into your boil-in-bag, seal it and stuff it in the insulated pouch, and put everything back into your pack. When you get to camp, all you need is a spoon and you're eating like Hungry Jack.
Mind you, I don't want to spend seven bucks on a dud entree, but is it really that bad? I'll have to try one a and see. Cue up the GEICO commercial with the raccoon trying to get his buddies to eat something nasty. "It tastes like mango chutney and burnt hair."
MH Rice with chicken is worthless. Too many duds on the menu.
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
H I T C H
11-21-2016, 07:38
If you are going to use Amazon for your resupply, you could pre - load all of your mail drop locations in your address book. This might make things easier down the line. I have also heard of Amazon being used for gear replacement on the trail.
I bought a MH Breakfast Skillet from WalMart last week and it was under five bucks. I'm sure WallyWorld's corporate goons made MH drop their prices to get shelf space. I haven't checked weights though. I wouldn't be surprised if the WallyWorld packaging is a 3/4 serving.
It's always good to verify sources. Walmart sells the same package as REI. Walmart has a better selection of single serving meals.
No way you'll get mid 4 figure calorie intake with freeze dried meals
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Greenlight
11-21-2016, 08:55
Thanks Venchka! Yeah, I'm looking for it to make up about half of my calories. Amazon Prime Pantry can supply a lot of the rest cheaply. The usual high carb, high fat hiker trash fare...and the balance is easily obtainable from any convenience store or grocery along the trail. I just want to simplify as much as possible, and if I can a lot of the calories I'll need shipped exactly where I want, when I want (there are always screw ups along the way, too) I figure it'll cost less money, consume less time, and generally keep me happier to let Amazon do the heavy lifting.
It's always good to verify sources. Walmart sells the same package as REI. Walmart has a better selection of single serving meals.
No way you'll get mid 4 figure calorie intake with freeze dried meals
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ARambler
11-21-2016, 13:57
It's always good to verify sources. Walmart sells the same package as REI. Walmart has a better selection of single serving meals.
No way you'll get mid 4 figure calorie intake with freeze dried meals
Wayne
...
Walmart has started to sell the tiny single serve Mountain House meals. Look at weights.
saltysack
11-21-2016, 15:39
Yuck....I can't imagine trying to choke down MH for months at a time! I couldn't eat it for 6 days on the JMT....I ended up giving away the 10# can of MH lasagna from resupply bucket at a MTR last year....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yuck....I can't imagine trying to choke down MH for months at a time! I couldn't eat it for 6 days on the JMT....I ended up giving away the 10# can of MH lasagna from resupply bucket at a MTR last year....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ha ha ha me to. It's easy to resuply on the AT .
thom
Would this be useful for post office mail-dropping too? Does Amazon use USPS? Or UPS and/or FedEx? Because UPS won't deliver to post offices in my business experiences.
Odd Man Out
11-21-2016, 16:41
So that got me thinking. Not into MH meals, but like to make curried lentils and rice. With Amazon Prime you could get:
27 oz red lentils for $4.76
32 oz of basmati brown rice for $5.09
25.5 oz of extra virgin olive oil for $10.52
3 oz curry powder for $3.71
16 oz of dehydrated diced vegetables for $12/93
(all the above is organic)
48 Qt Ziploc bags for $6.98
26 oz salt for $0.89
I could make about 11 servings of Dahl Baht for $45 and have left over olive oil, salt, vegetables and bags for the next time.
Old Hiker
11-21-2016, 17:06
Hey, Greenlight !
Few things from above:
1. I switched my Verizon plan to 3 gig data before I left - barely used over 1 gig max on the Trail. After my hike, I phoned to see what was available and ALLEGEDLY a 1 gig plan over the phone (not on the internet) was $45 plus taxes, fees, yada, yada, yada. You have to ask for that plan. Again, allegedly. I did not look it up.
2. Mountain House - amazon is ABOUT the same as Wally; however, look for the PRO-PAKs, not regular servings. Pro-paks are vacuumed sealed to reduce size and are ABOUT the same nutrition as a regular MH.
3. MH rice and chicken: 3 servings at 270 cals per serving and 6.38 oz per package. This is NOT the pro-pak, though. NOT in my opinion a dud. I had this one a LOT for a hot lunch. You can do cheaper with Minute rice and canned/pouch chicken, but you still have to shop.
4. MH Granola with blueberries - 500+/- cals per pouch. This with a Belvita bar or Pop-tart was a fairly decent breakfast. 1/2+ cup water and I added powdered milk or Nido to mine for extra cals and protein. Good no cook breakfast or no cook supper. You can cheap out with 1 box of Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats and get almost the same protein and nutrition. 1 box was about 3 meals for me.
Walmart has started to sell the tiny single serve Mountain House meals. Look at weights.
Right. Started like 2 years ago. Single serving meals. For one person. Me. Under $5 in east Texas.
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Starchild
11-21-2016, 18:38
Have to agree with MH rice with chicken = not a dud, very good freeze dried wize.
ScareBear
11-21-2016, 19:04
MH is.....not my first choice in dehy foods....
That said, Backpacker Pantry has some very tasty high-cal, high-protein meals, but about 20 percent more $ than MH.
We always supplement dehy meals with some peanut butter/olive oil/ghee to up the fat and caloric count. Same for trail bars at lunch...add peanut butter....breakfast is always blueberry granola with powdered milk, hot...Amazon Prime Pantry would work for my trail diet...if they carried BP...
Have to agree with MH rice with chicken = not a dud, very good freeze dried wize.
I bought one Rice with Chicken. I never did find the chicken. The flavor was missing as well. Personal opinion. YMMV.
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Starchild
11-21-2016, 20:15
MH is.....not my first choice in dehy foods....
That said, Backpacker Pantry has some very tasty high-cal, high-protein meals, but about 20 percent more $ than MH.
...
..
Ihavealwaysfound
I have always found Backpacker's pantry to be somewhat off flavor wise. Obviously an attempt to be a more upscale meal then MH, however they seem to miss every time I try them.
MH is the basic standard, you know what you are getting, not anything more tasty than a microwave dinner, but you know that is the baseline and will not get less than that. A go to if you are in such a need and want a decent meal.
MH is.....not my first choice in dehy foods....
That said, Backpacker Pantry has some very tasty high-cal, high-protein meals, but about 20 percent more $ than MH.
We always supplement dehy meals with some peanut butter/olive oil/ghee to up the fat and caloric count. Same for trail bars at lunch...add peanut butter....breakfast is always blueberry granola with powdered milk, hot...Amazon Prime Pantry would work for my trail diet...if they carried BP...
Thanks for the plug for Backpacker Pantry.
Walmart again. I have no idea how the prices compare. I have seen them in one local Walmart.
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=backpackers%20pantry&cat_id=976759&typeahead=backpacker
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
saltysack
11-21-2016, 22:09
If you like the MH meals the 10# can is way cheaper if you have bags to split into..only last about a week once opened per mfg....I'm a lowly weekend warrior and find most backpacking DH or freeze dried meals not very good except for a select few and yes I've tried lots....
Hawk vittles and packit gourmet are pretty good across the board but I have found about 6 that I really like. They are a little more $ but much better. Most of the time a block of Cabot seriously sharp cheddar, Hawaiian sweet roll or crackers and pepperoni tastes better and is cheaper than most dehydrated garbage.....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ScareBear
11-22-2016, 02:44
If you like the MH meals the 10# can is way cheaper if you have bags to split into..only last about a week once opened per mfg....I'm a lowly weekend warrior and find most backpacking DH or freeze dried meals not very good except for a select few and yes I've tried lots....
Hawk vittles and packit gourmet are pretty good across the board but I have found about 6 that I really like. They are a little more $ but much better. Most of the time a block of Cabot seriously sharp cheddar, Hawaiian sweet roll or crackers and pepperoni tastes better and is cheaper than most dehydrated garbage.....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've tried every brand of dehy. Some brands(Alpinaire) are just awful. MH is pretty bad. BP is pretty good. YMMV. BP Pad Thai is darn good. The deserts are tasty. If you choose the product carefully, it will be high-cal, high-pro. As I said, we always supplement dehy with high-cal, high-fat products that improve the flavor of the dehy dramatically. We often pack in a tasty fresh meal for the first night, but after that we are good with dehy, granola, peanut butter and bars. YMMV. If we are hiking correctly, we are too tired to be concerned with elaborate prep/cooking and flavor takes a backseat to calories/protein/fat. A good cuppa cocoa at night and a good cuppa tea in the morning are all the flavor I need on the trail. I just don't need inedible flavor(Alpineaire, Wise) in my dehy....
colorado_rob
11-22-2016, 09:43
Interesting concept! Being a long term mail-resupply person myself, however, my first impression is that the amazon thing sounds good, but in practice, would not work well.
For one thing, one can get huge discounts on freeze dried meals by buying in bulk, check out the various websites for their #10 cans of stuff, etc. One of our favorites is maryjanesfarm.org (any weed jokes?) , they sell 3-pound bags of freeze dried meals and we love the taste.
Quick look at amazon prices tells me those are more expensive than bulk freeze dried stuff. Also, Costco, at least our Costco, runs 10-meal MH meals for $40 often, 4 bucks per double meal, about the same as bulk prices. One can also buy cubic yards of other food items at about half of grocery store prices at such places (Costco, Sam's, Walmart). Once you hone in on what you actually do want to see in your pre-prepared resupply boxes, it really is easy to do the mail thing, and postage is not that big a deal in the total cost, as long as you do buy in bulk, where the cost savings more than make up for postage prices. I also like the huge on-trail time saving thing; when I pick up a box, everything is ready to go, no time needed in towns shopping, slide food bags into my "bear bag" and I'm ready to go do other things.
I do still like the Amazon idea, might have to give it a closer look, thanks for posting.
Greenlight
11-22-2016, 09:46
H I T C H that is genius, thanks!
If you are going to use Amazon for your resupply, you could pre - load all of your mail drop locations in your address book. This might make things easier down the line. I have also heard of Amazon being used for gear replacement on the trail.
Greenlight
11-22-2016, 10:09
Amazon uses UPS and USPS and several weird combos of both through third party shipping companies. They look at the destination address and figure out the cheapest way to get it there within their two day guarantee'd shipping window. (They don't always get it there within two days, but it's a rarity when they don't, and I call and they give me a five buck gift code.)
Would this be useful for post office mail-dropping too? Does Amazon use USPS? Or UPS and/or FedEx? Because UPS won't deliver to post offices in my business experiences.
aaronthebugbuffet
11-22-2016, 10:43
Yuck....I can't imagine trying to choke down MH for months at a time! I couldn't eat it for 6 days on the JMT....I ended up giving away the 10# can of MH lasagna from resupply bucket at a MTR last year....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
They are best eaten after you've already hiked for a couple of months.
I've never cared for them but a guy was giving me some he didn't like towards the end of a thru. I was devouring those things.
MH is.....not my first choice in dehy foods....
That said, Backpacker Pantry has some very tasty high-cal, high-protein meals, but about 20 percent more $ than MH.
We always supplement dehy meals with some peanut butter/olive oil/ghee to up the fat and caloric count. Same for trail bars at lunch...add peanut butter....breakfast is always blueberry granola with powdered milk, hot...Amazon Prime Pantry would work for my trail diet...if they carried BP...
Ask and Ye shall receive. Backpacker Pantry at Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s_ss_i_0_11?k=backpackers+pantry&sprefix=backpackers
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ridehard
12-08-2016, 00:28
The discussion has mentioned Amazon, but can anyone point me to businesses that cater to hiker resupply with an online shopping list and/or other options for online shopping and mailing vs faffing around in town when I'd rather be doing something else like chilling, sleeping or eating! Does Walmart ship to P.O addresses? I'd like to find a company with a decent menu selection of products that can ship out smaller portions in a cost effective way to avoid wasting food you don't need nor want to carry. I spent a bit of time searching, but if you have a link I'd appreciated being point to it/them.