View Full Version : Mountain House Pouches
o hiker guy
05-27-2013, 15:06
I'm trying to cut back on pack weight and I was thinking about taking the dehydrated food out of the pouches and vacuum seat the food. The pouches with food weigh about 6 oz, not sure yet what food in a vacuum bag weighs but I would guess half of that. Would it be safe to do this if the food was going to be used in a couple of weeks. Thanks
scrabbler
05-27-2013, 16:12
Certainly. Also convenient to split into two packages if you're not a big eater. Me, I finish them. ;-)
yellowsirocco
05-27-2013, 16:17
Mountain House pouches by themselves don't weigh much. Take the food out and measure it. Less than an ounce I would guess. It wouldn't be worth your while to vacuum bag them. Plus you lose the ability to pour water in the bag and not have to clean a pot which is half the reason for doing Mountain House in the first place.
I'm sure that the freeze dried food inside will last for quite some time exposed to the air. I can't imagine what this will accomplish. Why not just buy the Mtn House bags that are already vacuum sealed if this is about saving space?
slbirdnerd
05-27-2013, 19:41
I do find the MH bags to be just kind of bulky, not so much heavy, they just don't fit well in my food bag and I worry about the sharp corners poking my bag. I will be taking some with me in 2 weeks but putting the contents in quart size Ziploc freezer bags to pack them. You can cook them in those (Ziplock freezer bags only, don't use other brands). Also, consider adding some seasonings/spices in there. The ones I have had so far are very good quality, but bland. Season to taste I guess. We were out this past weekend and had the beef stew, I was really impressed with the meat, but for my bigger hike I plan to throw in some McCormick gravy powder and pepper, at least.
MuddyWaters
05-27-2013, 22:46
The big drawback for the MH meals is their bulk. They take up room in a food bag.
I met a hiker once that was using ONE MH bag to rehydrate his meals. The rest were vacuum packed. The bags are durable enough to last a long time, dont need a cozy, dont need to carry a bunch of freezer bags.
Pretty good approach really when you think about it.
But you do have to wash it out each time. Not a showstopper, but a bit of a pain. Add water, shake, drink, repeat. Eventually use a spot of soap too.
Instead of buying the pouches and repackaging, you could buy the meals in the #10 cans. I did that quite a bit, packing the food into sturdy plastic bags for freezer-bag cooking. I didn't vacuum seal the bags, but simply pressed out most of the air. The meals kept just fine for a number of months that way.
keepinitsimple
05-28-2013, 06:51
They make the "pro-pak" to help with this. It's a larger portion for 1, and it is vac pak'ed. Never had a problem with the edges being too sharp, and the bags can take a beating. I agree the luxury of MH is eating right out of the bag, its very simple. Don't think that bag would save u much weight.
MyName1sMud
05-28-2013, 10:27
Certainly. Also convenient to split into two packages if you're not a big eater. Me, I finish them. ;-)
Me too! :)
hikerboy57
05-28-2013, 10:29
Me too! :)
although they say the portion size is for two, this holds true only when its lousy.
although they say the portion size is for two, this holds true only when its lousy.
now, that's funny. i guess you could say some are adequate to feed three or four.
atmilkman
05-28-2013, 12:15
now, that's funny. i guess you could say some are adequate to feed three or four.
I like most all of them but there are some you can't give away.
Fellow Lexingtonian, I have to say that if you haven't tried them beforehand, be sure you do before relying on them while hiking. I confess to carrying them on all but one of my section hikes, and after each hike I swear that I won't do it again. My reason is that I find them to be paralyzingly salty. Granted I never add salt to food and, for ex., eat unsalted chips, unsalted peanut butter, etc., but Christ on a pony, they really up the sodium content in Mt. House. I can't eat them anymore.
Good luck.
MDSection12
05-28-2013, 14:24
Fellow Lexingtonian, I have to say that if you haven't tried them beforehand, be sure you do before relying on them while hiking. I confess to carrying them on all but one of my section hikes, and after each hike I swear that I won't do it again. My reason is that I find them to be paralyzingly salty. Granted I never add salt to food and, for ex., eat unsalted chips, unsalted peanut butter, etc., but Christ on a pony, they really up the sodium content in Mt. House. I can't eat them anymore.
Good luck.
That's exactly why I stopped using them... Well that and cost. I dehydrate my own meals now. :)
o hiker guy
05-28-2013, 21:01
Thanks again for all the responses. John B they are very salty and I've been trying to dehydrate my meals but I have a ways to go before I can eat them. Thanks Marta, I had forgot that I had a #10 can in the closet, so i,ll use that.
Old Hiker
05-28-2013, 21:42
Instead of buying the pouches and repackaging, you could buy the meals in the #10 cans. I did that quite a bit, packing the food into sturdy plastic bags for freezer-bag cooking. I didn't vacuum seal the bags, but simply pressed out most of the air. The meals kept just fine for a number of months that way.
http://www.theepicenter.com/
Going to have another sale the beginning of June. Several varieties have an additional percentage off as well. If I didn't use the Pro-paks, I'd buy the #10 and divide it up. Wait - that's what I'm planning on doing for 2016!!
If you DO divide it up, +1 on the Ziploc FREEZER type bags to dump boiling water in. I never paid much attention to the sodium content and I've never tried adding additional spices, etc. to them.
Thanks to Zelph for additional sale coming up !!
Wise Old Owl
05-28-2013, 22:13
They make the "pro-pak" to help with this. It's a larger portion for 1, and it is vac pak'ed. Never had a problem with the edges being too sharp, and the bags can take a beating. I agree the luxury of MH is eating right out of the bag, its very simple. Don't think that bag would save u much weight.
+1 Propak is the answer the old pack style is folded over for room - repacking possibly not worth it.
http://www.theepicenter.com/
Going to have another sale the beginning of June. Several varieties have an additional percentage off as well. If I didn't use the Pro-paks, I'd buy the #10 and divide it up. Wait - that's what I'm planning on doing for 2016!!
If you DO divide it up, +1 on the Ziploc FREEZER type bags to dump boiling water in. I never paid much attention to the sodium content and I've never tried adding additional spices, etc. to them.
Thanks to Zelph for additional sale coming up !!
Yes on using freezer bags, the sturdiest you can find. It's very sad, and messy, to have a bag split open when you fill it with boiling water.
When repackaging the #10 can contents, I first emptied everything into a very large bowl. Stir throughout before dispensing. In the cans the food stratifies into powder at the bottom and largest objects at the top. The granola with blueberries, for example, is all milk powder at the bottom and all blueberries on top. Just shaking the can won't mix things up well enough.
I like Mountain House (generally). For me, one of the biggest reasons that I buy them IS the packaging. Virtually indestructible. Lightweight. You cook in the back. You eat right out of the bag (and have no dishes to wash). Then, you throw away the bag.
They are not cheap. Thus, if I was going to go to the expense of buying them, why would I THEN break them down (losing the advantage of the vacuum seal and losing the advantages of the versatile and indestructible bag)? If you are going to use the less durable and more prone to problem zip log bag---there are other less expensive food options than Mountain House. Buying the expensive Mountain House meals and discarding the packaging is sort of like buying a deluxe pizza---and paying for all of the extra toppings in the process. THEN--proceeding to pick off all the toppings and eating just the crust and cheese. If crust and cheese is all that you want, you might as well start off with a plain cheese pizza--and not go through he expense and trouble of buying the deluxe pizza and picking off the toppings. The same is true for dehydrated meals. No need to go "deluxe" and then break it down to something lesser.