View Full Version : Isnt your GORP gonna melt?
Spot In The Sky
06-15-2010, 13:46
In prep for my hike, I know I wanted chocolate chips, or at least peanut butter chips...but isnt that stuff gonna melt in my pack? How does yours not melt?
Alligator
06-15-2010, 13:59
Use M&M's.
Graywolf
06-15-2010, 14:04
In prep for my hike, I know I wanted chocolate chips, or at least peanut butter chips...but isnt that stuff gonna melt in my pack? How does yours not melt?
I wa thinking the same thing. I use gorp, but never with chocolate. Always afraid it will be a mess. Although I am always hearing hikers use Snikers Bars.. Mine always melts into a chocolaty mess.
bigcranky
06-15-2010, 14:05
Dark chocolate M&Ms in the summer. Chocolate chips in cold weather.
Spot In The Sky
06-15-2010, 14:06
Dark chocolate M&Ms in the summer. Chocolate chips in cold weather.
Id love to know the science behind this! Like how Diet cans of pepsi float but regular dont- what a crazy world!
Graywolf
06-15-2010, 14:09
Id love to know the science behind this! Like how Diet cans of pepsi float but regular dont- what a crazy world!
Less calories???:D
Blissful
06-15-2010, 14:11
Stuff can melt in the summer.
ChinMusic
06-15-2010, 15:45
M&Ms.....they melt in your mouth and not in your pants.
vonfrick
06-15-2010, 15:50
i always put unfettered chocolate in my gorp, it melts into the other stuff during the day, a little, and then solidifies during the night into chunks of deliciousness. screw m and m's. use goobers or raisinets or chocolate covered espresso beans
Feral Bill
06-15-2010, 15:53
Id love to know the science behind this! Like how Diet cans of pepsi float but regular dont- what a crazy world!
Sugar is denser than water. Much denser.
I hate to be snarky, but I will anyway. It's a sad day when you have to teach someone about M&Ms in gorp. I mean, that's like Backbacking 101, or maybe even Backpacking -101.
WinterWarlock
06-15-2010, 16:38
M&Ms.....they melt in your mouth and not in your pants.
I wonder how that would have played as their original ad concept? :rolleyes:
ebandlam
06-15-2010, 16:45
I hate to be snarky, but I will anyway. It's a sad day when you have to teach someone about M&Ms in gorp. I mean, that's like Backbacking 101, or maybe even Backpacking -101.
It is not sad.. it is sharing knowledge. I would like to hike the AT one day and I am not ashamed to say that I am a "certified idiot" when it comes to all this. I joined whitebalze.net to learn from you good folks who have done this before.
:)
Mountain Wildman
06-15-2010, 17:14
It is not sad.. it is sharing knowledge. I would like to hike the AT one day and I am not ashamed to say that I am a "certified idiot" when it comes to all this. I joined whitebalze.net to learn from you good folks who have done this before.
:)
:welcome
First Post, Welcome.
I agree with you, I stumbled onto Whiteblaze to learn from others and I have. I have camped outdoors since 1984 so I know how to survive in the widerness but hiking with everything on your back is a whole different matter.
Hikes in Rain
06-15-2010, 17:23
Good to have you join us, ebandlam. No stupid questions, if you're in search of advice. Doesn't mean someone won't rib you a little, but it's honestly all in good fun, with no intent to hurt anyone's feelings. Can't tell you how many times I've sat here saying "well, duh!" to myself! Like Mountain Wildman, I've been camping and hiking since forever, and I've learned so much from just being a cyber hiker here.
Speakeasy TN
06-15-2010, 17:39
It is not sad.. it is sharing knowledge. I would like to hike the AT one day and I am not ashamed to say that I am a "certified idiot" when it comes to all this. I joined whitebalze.net to learn from you good folks who have done this before.
:)
I'll second the welcome and give your post a hearty "me too"!! The only difference is I thouht I knew at least a little but found out I was still in sight of the starting line!:rolleyes:
Old Hiker
06-15-2010, 23:06
M&Ms.....they melt in your mouth and not in your pants.
You just aren't trying hard enough! ;)
Graywolf
06-15-2010, 23:59
I hate to be snarky, but I will anyway. It's a sad day when you have to teach someone about M&Ms in gorp. I mean, that's like Backbacking 101, or maybe even Backpacking -101.
Last time, and only time, I used chocolate in my gorp was in 1996 when I hiked off into the Caprock Canyon in the Texas panhandle. Mind you, it was 105* in the shade, but that gorp was a chocolate mess. Must have been the temp..
At a certain point in the year, I switch the M&Ms. Generally peanut M&Ms, but I prefer the almond ones if I can find them.
But, then, I don't make gorp anyway, but just carry little packets of various things--sunflower seeds, nuts, candy. Why mix them together? Sometimes I feel like having a sweet snack and sometimes I want a salty snack.
solstice
06-16-2010, 07:42
At a certain point in the year, I switch the M&Ms. Generally peanut M&Ms, but I prefer the almond ones if I can find them.
But, then, I don't make gorp anyway, but just carry little packets of various things--sunflower seeds, nuts, candy. Why mix them together? Sometimes I feel like having a sweet snack and sometimes I want a salty snack.
Agreed! Never did like all those mingled flavors. I bring along home-made granola instead; nice and sweet, calorie-dense. Otherwise, it's straight-up sunflower seeds.
My favorite gorp was actually an accident. I was leading a canoe trip up in Maine for 10 days. Instead of putting m&ms in my gorp I put malted-milk balls. In the heat the nuts and seeds stuck to the melted malted-milk balls and became sort of like a Chunky bar, so that's what I use.
Here is a link to an article about Tropical Chocolate that you might find interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_chocolate
Back in the seventies we packed tropical chocolate which was often available at army surplus stores. It tasted pretty bad but it did not melt--even in your mouth!
You might try some of the new bars with more cocoa content. They are pricey and bitter tasting but probably have a higher melting point.
In the hottest summer weather I often take baking chocolate. Some brands taste ok to just eat and some are more bitter. Check in the baking section where you also find large bags of nuts. Semi-sweet baking chips are somewhat more meltresistant than milk chocolate chips.
I dont mix gorp any more because I always highgrade anyway and end up with all the stuff I dont like when i am most in need of a pick me up. I take a few different things in bulk and put some in my lunch bag that I fix in the morning during breakfast.