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View Full Version : Number of Total Mail Drops?; Anyone buying Mountain House #10 cans/pouches in bulk?



Tully
02-16-2009, 19:51
My current estimate is that I will have a total of 15 total mail drops. Everyone on here recommends buying food in town, but I may want the comfort of some quality freeze-dried meals. Still to be decided…

Also, is anyone buying Mountain House in bulk? Here’s the scenario: if I were to buy MH #10 cans (for example, my favorite ‘Lasagna with Meat Sauce’), the total weight of the container is 19.2 oz, yielding a total of 10 servings. This one costs $29.58, yielding a total of $1.54 per ounce.

On the contrary, if I went ahead and purchased individual pouches (2-serving Lasagna with Meat Sauce), which cost $4.64 each and weigh 4.8 oz, this would yield a total of $.97 per ounce. It seems to me that buying bulk in pouches would be 1) less expensive and 2) more convenient.

For the #10 cans, I would still have to repackage everything by individual meals and get a vacuum sealer to ensure that the contents are preserved. With the pouches, you already have everything ready to go. Am I missing something here? Why would the pouches cost less than the cans? Anyone have experience in buying these freeze-dried foods in bulk? Thanks all!

Lone Wolf
02-16-2009, 19:55
too many drops. too much pre-bought stuff. your chances of making it to maine are slim. just a fact. why spend all that $$$ and time on drops?

beerandpizza
02-16-2009, 20:00
why spend all that $$$ and time on drops?

extra incentive to make it to maine? that would cause me to go on just because i wouldn't want to waste the resources i've already doled out:banana

Lone Wolf
02-16-2009, 20:04
extra incentive to make it to maine? that would cause me to go on just because i wouldn't want to waste the resources i've already doled out:banana

that's not the reality. far from it

CrumbSnatcher
02-16-2009, 20:07
he's not going to sugarcoat it for you,but he's usually right! i'm not totally against maildrops but too many becomes a pain. i do love those mountain house meat lasagna.:D i like/prefer to buy along the way. mix it up a little..

Blissful
02-16-2009, 20:22
too many drops. too much pre-bought stuff. your chances of making it to maine are slim. just a fact. why spend all that $$$ and time on drops?


Why are too many mail drops equated with whether one makes it to Maine or not? That's the first I've heard it's a proven fact.

beerandpizza
02-16-2009, 20:23
that's not the reality. far from it

it may be good for a few more miles:-?

Lone Wolf
02-16-2009, 20:24
Why are too many mail drops equated with whether one makes it to Maine or not? That's the first I've heard it's a proven fact.
just cuz you made it doesn't mean everyone will.

SGT Rock
02-16-2009, 20:26
I know a guy that pre-bought all his meals for a PCT thru-hike. Nice mountain home stuff. After his hike didn't go as plan he had a couple of hundred mountain home meals he had bought and had to unload.

Blissful
02-16-2009, 20:31
Why do you need to bring canned foods or even repackage it? Skip it. If you want suggestions for nutritious dinners, ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy) puts out a decent cookbook with good variety to make dinners. And beats the expense of freeze dried meals.

And no problem with wanting good nutritious food on the trail that helps you muscles recover and avoid unecessary weight loss. That's what helps a hike succeed and helps you heal quicker if there's an injury.

mudcap
02-16-2009, 20:32
I know a guy that made it in the modern era...mail drops and all.

Blissful
02-16-2009, 20:35
I think too if you can have someone on the home front help pack maildrops as you go, that can cut down on loss if for some reason you have to get off. I mean we had food left over from our hike or stuff we didnt eat and got thrown out. But we didn't go with Mountain house either (except in the Smokies) so it was a heck of a lot cheaper if it did get thrown away.

Blissful
02-16-2009, 20:40
just cuz you made it doesn't mean everyone will.


I know - you gave us a one in ten chance. I never forgot that post either. Made me wonder if we would really make it. Man it's a long way to Maine....criminee

But wow what a journey. Now my hubby is talking about the PCT - now that would be a miracle....

:)

Sly
02-16-2009, 21:52
Wow, not one person has addressed the questions.

I have no idea why pouches would be cheaper than bulk. Are you sure you're reading it right?

SGT Rock
02-16-2009, 22:12
Didn't answer that question because I don't know. Just mentioning the possibility it may not be a good idea to buy hundreds of mountain house meals ahead of time.

Johnny Swank
02-16-2009, 22:17
Add me as one who doesn't think it's a great idea to buy 100 (or whatever) MH meals ahead of time. If nothing else, I don't know of anyone that doesn't get sick of eating the same stuff all the time. There's a reason that hiker boxes from GA to ME always have ramen, stuffing, and rice.

SGT Rock
02-16-2009, 22:19
Don't forget the mystery bags which are the home prepared meals someone spent hours preparing and vacuum sealing just to drop into hiker boxes months later when they get tired of eating all that home cooked "variation"

CrumbSnatcher
02-16-2009, 22:24
Add me as one who doesn't think it's a great idea to buy 100 (or whatever) MH meals ahead of time. If nothing else, I don't know of anyone that doesn't get sick of eating the same stuff all the time. There's a reason that hiker boxes from GA to ME always have ramen, stuffing, and rice.
whether its a .99 cent meal or a 10.00 dollar meal ya might get sick of it!!! eating it over and over. snicker bars now thats another story:D

SGT Rock
02-16-2009, 22:27
whether its a .99 cent meal or a 10.00 dollar meal ya might get sick of it!!! eating it over and over. snicker bars now thats another story:D
Actually I got to the point I couldn't stand them.

Nest
02-16-2009, 23:56
I noticed the price of the #10 cans went up over the last year, but not sure why. If the packages are cheaper, then get them. I agree with everyone on not buying a bunch of them and doing so many mail drops. Maybe just do a few of them. Mountain House weigh very little, and are great for longer sections between resupply. Have a drop sent for the smokies, the 100 mile wilderness, and maybe one or two in between. Baltimore Jack's resupply article does a pretty good breakdown of distances between resupply. Check it out, and plan on sending some MH meals to make a longer resupply lighter. When you get to these towns, they may carry MH meals but the options are limited. Chili Mac is my favorite and I could never find it.

CrumbSnatcher
02-17-2009, 00:17
Actually I got to the point I couldn't stand them.
your right. they sucked too.

ARambler
02-17-2009, 01:18
from http://www.ldpcampingfoods.com/
Mountain House Can Policy: Mountain House has instituted a new policy regarding can sales effective Sep. 2008. Discounts are no longer allowed. Sales are limited to three, two-week periods per year. As a dealer of Mountain House since 1991, we're immediately complying with their wishes and know that you'll continue to give us your trust and business.

The weight of #10 is probably more like 1.92 lb or 31 oz, but one cup servings are small.

If you think about your question you will have thought at least once. Do you think MH is manipulating their #10 can prices???

I hope you are are planning on more than 15 resupplies. Including the deli stops in the mid atlantic region you are better off with more than 30 resupplies.

Rambler

ARambler
02-17-2009, 01:24
Oops, the cans are only 19 oz, so a portion is only 1.9 oz. That's really small, or big marketing hype. Maybe you should not be dealing with Mountain House. They are pricing the cans for the doomsday whackos.
Rambler

Sly
02-17-2009, 02:32
Add me as one who doesn't think it's a great idea to buy 100 (or whatever) MH meals ahead of time. If nothing else, I don't know of anyone that doesn't get sick of eating the same stuff all the time. There's a reason that hiker boxes from GA to ME always have ramen, stuffing, and rice.

Yeah but he's not talking about ramen, stuffing and rice, and if I'm not mistaken he said 15 drops which is about half the resupplies, so he'll have to buy along the way. (unless he's carrying 10 or more days)

As far as getting sick of the same stuff, my hiking diet has hardly changed in 12 years. Much of it can be changed a little but, stores only have so much to offer and, all except fresh meat, breads, and fruit can be mailed.

sloopjonboswell
02-17-2009, 03:38
MH was always out of my price range. however, what did interest me was hearing about their #10 cans of dehydrated chicken. tried some.. good stuff.

Marta
02-17-2009, 07:45
I used MH the whole way. Pre-bought from ldpcampingfoods.com. For dinners I bought the pro-pak meals. For breakfasts I bought #10 cans. Did not have a vacuum packing device, so my dear husband kindly repackaged breakfast meals for me as I progressed. I like the convenience of just boiling water, which offset the inconvenience of picking up mail drops.

For cost, I'd go with the cheaper option, whatever that is today.

That said, if I were to do it again, I probably would just buy along the way. I think it's cheaper, and you can get more variety in your diet.

MintakaCat
02-17-2009, 08:13
I know - you gave us a one in ten chance. I never forgot that post either. Made me wonder if we would really make it. Man it's a long way to Maine....criminee

Now that is a powerful post right there that speaks volumes.

On the subject of MH foods, I rather make my own. But the age of the original poster is 25. When I was that age my cooking skills were not too good, so I can see the appeal of the MH route.

garlic08
02-17-2009, 12:05
Maybe you should not be dealing with Mountain House. They are pricing the cans for the doomsday whackos.
Rambler

Finally, an answer to the original question! Now that actually makes sense.


I hope you are are planning on more than 15 resupplies. Including the deli stops in the mid atlantic region you are better off with more than 30 resupplies.

Lots of hikers, me included, have hiked the AT with zero food drops. It's not for everyone, but if you can carry 100 miles worth, it's quite easy. Good variety and zero logistics.

Frick Frack
02-17-2009, 12:16
I would email Mountain House and ask them this question. They may end up helping you out somehow.

Jack Tarlin
02-17-2009, 12:23
I have no idea why the individual packets would be cheaper than buying in bulk, that seems kind of strange.

And I agree witht he folks who suggest alternating your meals. The MH lasgna is indeed good (tho mine's better!!) but no matter how much you may like it now, you're guaranteed to grow less fond of it if you eat it more than twice a week. I'd rotate some other stuff in there so you have some variety.

max patch
02-17-2009, 12:37
Add me as one who doesn't think it's a great idea to buy 100 (or whatever) MH meals ahead of time.

The girl I met at Rainbow Springs (100 miles north of Springer) who decided that thru hiking wasn't something she wanted to do anymore -- and had bought 6 months worth of MH meals that she was trying to sell -- would also agree.

Jack Tarlin
02-17-2009, 12:44
As a general rule, I'm not sure it's wise to EVER buy all your stuff in advance for any number of reasons:

*If your trip ends prematurely, you still have boxes and boxes of hiker food
you don't need.
*Most people put too much food in their maildrops and end up giving away a
lot, or just ditching it somewhere. Thus, they waste money twice, both on
the original purchase, and the postage.
*A lot of folks get good food/diet ideas from observing what other people eat.
Some of my favorite Trail foods were NOT ones I first thought of. But if you
buy and send all, or nearly all of your food ahead of time, you're essentially
stuck with it.
*Most people get sick of a lot of Trail food, and by the end of the trip, they
never want to see another Lipton, Ramen, Pop Tart, Clif Bar, etc. ever
again. If you pre-buy all your food, you're stuck with it for 6 months, and
you're left with two choices: Suck it up and finish the trip eating food you
hate, or you can ditch your maildrops and purchase all new stuff, which is
expensive.

In short, I'd resist the temptation to pre-buy all of your food. It's really quite easy to buy as you go, and most folks discover they eat better this way, too.

max patch
02-17-2009, 12:55
*A lot of folks get good food/diet ideas from observing what other people eat.
Some of my favorite Trail foods were NOT ones I first thought of. But if you
buy and send all, or nearly all of your food ahead of time, you're essentially
stuck with it.


Thats a good point that isn't brought up often when these discussions take place. I had about 10 years of backpacking experience before my thru; nothing longer than a week. Within 2-3 weeks after the start of my thru what I ate was 100% different than what I had been used to.

NashvilleBiscuit
02-17-2009, 13:01
Is it too much to think that the person back home mailing you your boxes is not able to do a little shopping before hand? Create a shopping list for the person who is going to send you your boxes and let them get the MH meals, or whatever else, before they ship. Thats my plan. Hope it works.

garlic08
02-17-2009, 13:26
Is it too much to think that the person back home mailing you your boxes is not able to do a little shopping before hand? Create a shopping list for the person who is going to send you your boxes and let them get the MH meals, or whatever else, before they ship. Thats my plan. Hope it works.

Excellent idea. I was ground support for my wife when she thru hiked the AT before I did. It was fun to watch her tastes change completely, then eventually, by Harper's Ferry, she stopped asking for mail drops altogether, preferring to buy as she hiked. I just sent maps and gifts after that.

She was wise enough not to overestimate her chances of hiking the whole trail, and to know her tastes would change.

Of course, not everyone is fortunate enough to have such caring support. Be very appreciative of that person if you do.

Sly
02-17-2009, 13:40
OK, lots of people say they change their diet but how? Any examples? Even if you buy as you go, it's different varieties of Lipton's, ramens, mac 'n cheese, oatmeal, cereal, etc. Certainly nothing you can't do beforehand if you use mail drops.

What am I missing?

Many Walks
02-17-2009, 14:34
Tully, I can speak from experience. We went through the same logic for freeze dried food. We bought through Emergency Essentials, who freeze dried their own at the time and the cost of bulk was about half that of Mountain House packaged meals. We bought #10 cans of meals and extra veggies, repackaged in vacuum bags with a little fiber and put together multiple pre-addressed mail drops my sister sent out. I just checked the EE site and they now resell Mountain House with their mark-up negating the previous cost savings. It appears for some reason the packages are more cost effective than the bulk now. Not sure why, but must be due to production efficiency.

The important lessons we learned are in total agreement with Lone Wolf and Jack Tarlin. IMO mail drops will tie you to Post Office schedules, your tastes will change, and it's all a waste if you don't make it. We walked faster than the PO could deliver some of our packages and they bounced up the trail behind us. It took weeks to retrieve a few after the hike and isn't the kind of thing you want to deal with along the way. If you really have a taste for MH meals you can find them at outfitters along the trail.

I believe we spent more in postage and hassle than we saved by buying in bulk. Next time it's buy along the way, enjoy the creativity in putting together meals to your taste from local markets, and head up the trail, not waiting on the USPS. In the bigger picture, I believe if you're determined to make it all the way, or if you decide to drop out, greater issues will influence your decision than having more mail drops.
Best wishes on your hike!

gonewalkabout
02-19-2009, 09:15
First off relize that the can only contains the equivilent of 5 pouches. The Can probably cost more because they don't package in cans enough for them to offer a lower cost. Same thing happens in buying clubs like cosco and the others. Some things are only parkaged in bulk for them and you can acturaly find them cheaper in a regular store. Or it could be that they are just trying to get what they can from you. Either way freeze dry is too experience and others are right. Maildrops for whole trip IMHO are:Too much planning, too expensive, you will get tried of your choices, too much prep time, and you burden someone at home.

Tully
02-19-2009, 20:48
Thank you all for your responses! I understand the concern for having too many mail drops and I will try to cut down as I continue with my planning. I will also be packaging and sending a sports recovery powder (for mixing w/ water) called Endurox R4. Anyone else use this stuff? I sweat like an absolute hog and, after four years of Div. 1 soccer and training for and running in the ING Miami Marathon, I know that it really works. It helps to put salts, carbs, and potassium back into my system. I have four containers at about 4.5 lbs. each, which I plan on maildropping at increments of 1.5 lbs. each. This would equate to 12 MD's. Obviously, the number of MDs does vary from hiker to hiker, but is there an average of how many people do? I'll probably buy some individual packets of Mountain House and supplement them by buying along the way (food variety seems to be a common suggestion here on WB). Thanks again for all of your suggestions. Best, Tully.

Bumshandler
02-19-2009, 22:00
Tully,

If you sweat a ton might also want to give HammerGel's Endurlyte capsules a try. I use them while biking and have totally alleviated cramping. I use them in place of a sports drink (gatorade, powerade, etc). It's much easier in that you take 1 or 2 per hour with water. You don't have to worry about mixing a drink bottle, just look for water.

My $0.02

ovationcs257
02-22-2009, 13:09
This has been an interesting thread to read, I have been planning to do about 20 mail drops for my thru starting in April but now I’m more concerned about this than ever. I had planned to dehydrate about 2 months of food ahead of time and my brother and sister in law have offered to dehydrate the rest as I go. I have always used this method due to its ease of use on the trail, boil water put it the bag, even I can’t screw that up. This method also allows me to bring just a mug/pot to boil water. For those who bought along the way what kinds of diners were you making and what did you bring for cookware? Tully sorry for jumping in on your thread, should I starting a new thread for this questions, I’m not up on my forum etiquette?

Tully
02-22-2009, 15:33
Sure, no problem at all. To be honest though, you might want to post a new thread to ensure that people respond directly to your questions. Good luck!