Mre's

[Diet Orange Soda]

Has anyone useds MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) on the trail? And if so how did you like them. Also, do you happen to know how long the shelf life is for them. I have a good many that was given to me when a hurricane came thru our area. I have looked online and it seems if I had to buy them they are pretty pricey. Any input would be appreciated.

[Majortrauma]

This subject has been beat up quite a bit.
Check this out.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=55027&highlight=mre
They are very tasty in my opinion and really pack the calories but they're damn heavy.

[Wise Old Owl]

Real MRE is not for retail sale anymore. Too many were ending up on Ebay and not in military stomachs. They exceed a pound and a half with the core heaters and yes I have a few, they last for more than five years. I would not take them packing. Stick with easy MH propack and add snickers and you will be fine.

Honest, I just ask my military buddies for a food swap now and then.

If you want the heaters you can pick them up seperate now adays.

[SMSP]

"...they last for more than five years."

MRE's can last well over 10 years. From what I have researched about them. An MRE really never spoils, they may taste funny after 10, 15-plus years, but nothing to make one sick. An MRE's length of freshness last longer if kept in a cooler storage area. I used to keep mine in the garage, but now keep them in the bottom of a spare closet inside the house. I read somewhere, a person buried one in their yard, then after 5-7 years, dug it up and no problem. I personally have a few that I know for a fact are well over 10 years, close to 15. I almost tried one the other day, but didnt, but may, perhaps, when I cant afford other food options. Lol.

MRE's are cool, heavy, actually somewhat tastey and not useful for long distance backpacking IMO. Good Luck.

SMSP

[gunner76]

Having served in the Marines for 20 years and having eaten a few C Rats and MRE's (Meals Refused by Everyone) over the years, they can be tasty but they are heavy for backpacking purposes. Too many other alternatives that weight less and taste better.

When you are hungry even stuff you would not eat at home taste good. Don't know about the Army but in the Marines we always carried a bottle of hot sauce to to give the MREs or C Rats some flavor.

[Wise Old Owl]

I heard about the 10 year thing, but you forgot, even if they do last 10 years - would you eat one? probably not.

We used to joke about the crackers that used to be stored in the cold war shelters.

[SMSP]

If I run out of lunch money this month, I may just have too!

Or, may need to go find a soup kitchen!

SMSP

[earlyriser26]

My brother was in the air cav and I regularly got MRE's. They are OK, but not nearly as good as food you can buy at any hiking store. I generally took out the good parts and tossed the rest. If they are free, then it is a good deal. otherwise, skip them.

[Snoring Sarge]

stripping down MRE's was the first part of any patrol. Too much junk you did not need to carry.

[SurferNerd]

stripping down MRE's was the first part of any patrol. Too much junk you did not need to carry.

Exactly my thoughts. I remember throughout my time in the USMC that we always field stripped our MRE. Take out the cardboard, all the stupid crap, and leave only the essentials. Even then..they are heavy because they are pre-wet.

[Spider]

I'ved used MREs for plenty of Civil Air Patrol training/missions and they've worked great. I'd be very hesitant to bring them on a backpacking trip though because, although they're packed full of calories and some of them are even quite tasty, they're extremely heavy. You'd also be carrying a lot of things you don't need. Even if you were to strip it down to only what you need, you'd still be sacrificing a lot of weight by bringing them.

[Raul Perez]

good for car camping or even day hiking... bad for extended day hikes with backpacks. Too heavy. You can get more food for less weight dehydrating or using freeze dried foods.

[Sickmont]

I'ved used MREs for plenty of Civil Air Patrol training/missions and they've worked great. I'd be very hesitant to bring them on a backpacking trip though because, although they're packed full of calories and some of them are even quite tasty, they're extremely heavy. You'd also be carrying a lot of things you don't need. Even if you were to strip it down to only what you need, you'd still be sacrificing a lot of weight by bringing them.

YEAH! Go C.A.P.!! I learned a hell of a lot of outdoors stuff when i was in the CAP in the 80's. Especially when i went through GSAR training in NJ in the Water Gap. And yes, i also learned back then(quickly, i might add) that MRE's are a bit too heavy for backpacking trips.

[TheYoungOne]

"...they last for more than five years."

MRE's can last well over 10 years. From what I have researched about them. An MRE really never spoils, they may taste funny after 10, 15-plus years, but nothing to make one sick. An MRE's length of freshness last longer if kept in a cooler storage area. I used to keep mine in the garage, but now keep them in the bottom of a spare closet inside the house. I read somewhere, a person buried one in their yard, then after 5-7 years, dug it up and no problem. I personally have a few that I know for a fact are well over 10 years, close to 15. I almost tried one the other day, but didnt, but may, perhaps, when I cant afford other food options. Lol.

MRE's are cool, heavy, actually somewhat tastey and not useful for long distance backpacking IMO. Good Luck.

Actually the manufacture says the shelf life is 5 years but it is actually alot LESS if they are not stored properly. I would NEVER eat a 10 year old MRE. The are not like C-rats, MRE will spoil easily.

http://www.goldenseason.com.sg/images/mre_storage_chart.jpg

SMSP

lots of MRE given out buy the government during Huricane season are at this point possibility spoiled. Think of the millions of MREs given out after Katrina. Most sat out in the heat, store in garages an attics until they were sold or traded away.

You can buy civilian versions of MREs thru contractors like A-pak, but as others have said, they are heavy.

[double d]

Lets be honest, MRE's are "okay", but there is so much better options for long distance hiking (as others have posted). But...its fun to read about everyones experience with the damn things!

[JohnEbner]

We received a lot of them when Hurricane Ike came through and didn't have to use them all. I wound up breaking them up and using parts of them on occasion since we had them. Some were pretty good but there were some really bad ones too.

[twsmith001]

mre's do exp as i recall they have an exp printed on the bag its been like 15 years give or take since i had to eat one so.....anyways my brother who was also in the army well they got fed some exp ones but he said it was just stale so....but im suprised that everyone is talking about weight and not the obviouse problem of bulk theres no way you could carry a weeks worth of mre's without taking up all of your pack.....well unless u took them apart....maybee but that kinda defeats the purpose of a self contained meal all in one package right???

[swjohnsey]

Common practice to take them apart before going on patrol, get rid of all the excess stuff that you won't use, reduce bulk. One MRE is about 1,250 calories.

[sbhikes]

My boyfriend ate some C-rations from WWII. They were older than he was. There's something wrong about that. MREs are way too heavy and there's too much trash.

[swjohnsey]

I ate C's from WWII. Yummy, 'specially the John Wayne bar. I still have C's in my survival store.

[Thatguy]

Where are all you thru-hikers who use MREs? I know you're out there as I've seen you. Quit hiding!

When I hike 4 -5 days I ALWAYS have parts of an MRE with me. The thought of trying to choke down rehydrated dehydrated food cause me to struggle keeping my gag reflexes in check. I've tried all of them from Salmon to chili mac to scrambled eggs and more. I've seen people on the trails who love the dehydrated food. I envey you.

I agree MREs are heavy. I feel with MREs & heaters I don't need to carry fuel, a stove or even a cook kit. As the hike goes on the weight for the MREs goes away. The weight from the stove, cook kit is still there.

There are places on line where you can get just the entres or the sides of an MRE and buy them individually. That's what I use.

The bottom line in all this is HYOH. Guess we all have to find out what works for us. I remember C-rats in the cans and the trading that went on during meal time.

[swjohnsey]

MREs are just too expensive for what you get. I like 'em because I ate 'em for years. I have many cases of Cs and MRE but I save 'em the apocalypse and eat grocery store stuff on the trail.

A little trivia. Cs were packed twelve to the case, 12 different menus. Cases were opened upside down so the menu label wasn't visible, you just pick a box at random instead of tryin' to pick what you like. The cases were packed so that the same meal was always in the same spot. Guys had the packing order memorized so they could always get something they liked.

[Praha4]

The old "C" rats were awesome when I served back in the mid 70s. The pound cake would always get the highest trading value in the squad. MREs are good too, but too heavy for extended backpacking.

If you like freeze dried meals, go with Mountain House meals, they are pretty good and very easy to fix, just add boiling water. Take along some power bars, Cliff bars, snickers bars, or whatever snacks you like during the day.

I found the entire food-meal aspect of hiking on the AT to be one of the more interesting, you see and learn so many varieties of hiking food while on the AT from other hikers.

[off-pher]

C-rats were better than MREs

[swjohnsey]

Even the ham a lima beans?

[Sickmont]

Jeez.......we were training at Wendover, UT when i was in the Air Force and they(The Major) decided we needed to "get hard like the army" so they put us on MRE's for the 3 weeks we were in the desert.....i gained 15 pounds from those damn things.

[swjohnsey]

Yep, 3 x 1,250 = 3,750 calories!

[TheYoungOne]

C-rats were better than MREs

Didn't the old C-rats come with cigarettes? If that is true, that is kind of funny how times have changed.

[swjohnsey]

Yep, four cigarettes, stuff like Lucky Strikes and Camels. The French rations came with cigarettes (Corporals) and a little bottle of brandy. Only thing lacking was a loose woman.