anyone else eat supper on the trail vs camp?

[mtwarden]

I've dabbled in longer adventure races and decided eating supper between 6-7-ish PM on the trail vs waiting until pulling over to camp was a better strategy. It accomplished several things- one we often go to 11 PM or later (headlamp) before pulling over- eating at 11 PM and then going right to bed isn't a good combo. Getting calories in earlier for the last 3-5 hour push has really helped. Taking a 45-60 minuted break in the evening really helps physically and mentally. We are in grizzly country, so no cooking smell in camp. When we finally do decide to camp, no food/cooking to dick with- set up your shelter and hit the hay.

I was Spring bear hunting this past week and already had a camp set up by early afternoon. I was going to hike to a glassing spot and return to camp when the sun went down (9-ish now). I decided to bring my stove and supper with and eat it on the hill. I'm now starting to think this isn't too bad a strategy for backpack hunting as well

 

[FlyGuy]

My favorite thing to do is to make and eat dinner on top of a glassing point about an hour before dark, then once dark walk a few hundred yards down to where I’ve made camp for that night. Then repeat that for breakfast in the am, before pulling stakes and moving on. Before I learned how to bivy I was always eating (a big) dinner at 11:30pm after a long day-hunt trek and hiking back out to a basecamp. Then I wouldn’t sleep well on a full stomach, or long, before waking up a few hours later to hike back in.


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[mtwarden]

Before I learned how to bivy I was always eating (a big) dinner at 11:30pm after a long day-hunt trek and hiking back out to a basecamp. Then I wouldn’t sleep well on a full stomach, or long, before waking up a few hours later to hike back in.


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Exactly- going to bed with a full stomach

 

[BBob]

Well I'm a dinner eating person so I cannot offer any advice to a supper eating person

I will say I do like your strategy!!! Carry on with the good work

 

[rclouse79]

We are early dinner eaters. I agree that a mountain house break while glassing beats fiddling with it at the end of the day when you are dead tired.

 

[rclouse79]

Well I'm a dinner eating person so I cannot offer any advice to a supper eating person

I will say I do like your strategy!!! Carry on with the good work

I noticed “supper” referenced in a different thread. I wonder if different regions of the country lean one way or the other on dinner vs supper. It does seem the younger crowd is more likely to go with dinner in my experience.

 

[2muchhp]

We are early dinner eaters. I agree that a mountain house break while glassing beats fiddling with it at the end of the day when you are dead

Well I'm a dinner eating person so I cannot offer any advice to a supper eating person

I will say I do like your strategy!!! Carry on with the good work

Lol,

I noticed “supper” referenced in a different thread. I wonder if different regions of the country lean one way or the other on dinner vs supper. It does seem the younger crowd is more likely to go with dinner in my experience.

My dad says supper(80) . Honestly I've never met a man that states supper that I didn't like
@Bighunt531

 

[2muchhp]

On topic though I typically feel better /stronger if I don't wait to eat. I eat when I'm hungry.

 

[MHWASH]

When spring bear hunting, we eat dinner at 3:00 sharp. Any later than that and your supper is likely to get interrupted by a bear sighting.
of course as fall progresses, the earlier it gets dark. By November, we're eating a big meal back at camp, then staying up and enjoying the campfire.

 

[rclouse79]

When spring bear hunting, we eat dinner at 3:00 sharp. Any later than that and your supper is likely to get interrupted by a bear sighting.
of course as fall progresses, the earlier it gets dark. By November, we're eating a big meal back at camp, then staying up and enjoying the campfire.

Probably smart. Firing up the jetboil seems like a sure fire way to have a bear walk out. I made a move on a bear last night that gave me the slip. I had to take off immediately, and just got to his last know location with 20 minutes of light left.

 

[Tick]

When spring bear hunting, we eat dinner at 3:00 sharp. Any later than that and your supper is likely to get interrupted by a bear sighting.
of course as fall progresses, the earlier it gets dark. By November, we're eating a big meal back at camp, then staying up and enjoying the campfire.

Agree. I am focused on hunting during the the daylight. Firing up the stove for a meal is a guaranteed way to get an animal to walk out. When I'm not hunting, I'll eat supper hours before going to bed.

 

[mtnrunner260]

I agree on eating earlier vs later but this always comes to mind when someone talks about eating supper on the trail.

The Crotch Pot

“You’re hotter than you think!” - The perfect gift for the ultralight backpacker in your life. This won’t be a gift they will have to return because they already have something lighter!Looking to shave those last few grams off your base pack weight, but not quite ready to go ‘no-cook’ and give...

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[DB29]

I agree on eating earlier vs later but this always comes to mind when someone talks about eating supper on the trail.

The Crotch Pot

“You’re hotter than you think!” - The perfect gift for the ultralight backpacker in your life. This won’t be a gift they will have to return because they already have something lighter!Looking to shave those last few grams off your base pack weight, but not quite ready to go ‘no-cook’ and give...

www.gossamergear.com

Damn you! I am going to buy multiple of these for gifts for hunting buddies… If the pet rock made a million dollars these guys are going to be rich!

 

[MHWASH]

Probably smart. Firing up the jetboil seems like a sure fire way to have a bear walk out. I made a move on a bear last night that gave me the slip. I had to take off immediately, and just got to his last know location with 20 minutes of light left.

We mostly use MREs when out on trail, this way we don't have to worry about the jet boil or extra water. This year my main course was due to be "done" @4:00. Guess when my bear popped out, yep 3:55. I just threw the MRE back in the backpack and off we went. We didn't get that bear until a couple days later, but my meal was nice and hot bu 5:30.

 

[dtrkyman]

I prefer it, eating late messes with me. I generally eat my largest meal mid day, no adventure races but if I were to do that I would probably be eating all day!

 

[Clarktar]

Once I eat, I get to sleepin' in about 15 minutes. Therefore, I don't eat unless the bed is close by!

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[wapitispokes]

Mt. Warden - Good Post. I've been thinking the same way, but haven't done it much yet. With availability of today's extremely light and efficient equipment more options are developing. ...But I also use MRE's like some folks have said.

Here is an idea I am going to test this summer. May not be perfectly consistent with your ultralight ethos..but here is my plan....use a GSI Fairshare 2 mug (6 ounces) for re-hydrating the evening (or any meal). It holds 32 ounces. I've tested it with a large freeze dried meal and it worked well - also keeps food hotter for better re-hydration. Traditionally, I make a FD meal and then cover it with my sleeping bag or warm clothing to let it rehydrate. I haven't had a problem in over 20 years, but sooner or later someone is going to step on that and make a mess. Using the Fairshare 2 Mug also eliminates the spillage risk.

The old original fair share mugs (with rigid plastic handle) are worthless and leak. The new ones seem to perform well based on my conversations with GSI and tests so far this summer.

My thinking is that if I plan to rehydrate most meals in the "heavy bulky" fair share mug, I can offset some of that bulk and weight by re-packing most of my freeze dried ipackages in regular zip lock bags. That eliminates carrying a lot of messy wet foil pouch trash and enables everything to pack tighter. In fact, I was thinking about pouring the first meal into the Fairshare 2 mug prior to starting that day's trip.

When on the go, make the meal at a convenient spot, throw the mug in a safe spot in the pack and keep moving. Or start glassing or whatever. Food should stay warm 3 hours later...

I have also splurged (on weight) and purchased an MSR windburner stove. It is heavier than other alternatives but should pay for its weight quickly in windy conditions (especially with two people), not to mention time savings. That could be a key element to the "eat on the go" system because it boils water so darn fast.https://gsioutdoors.com/products/fairshare-mug

 

[Poser]

I often eat while glassing. Or sometimes I will get a meal started rehydrating and then pack it with me for awhile.

 

[Damage]

I stop, cook, eat a few miles before making camp mainly because I don't want those food smells around where I lay my head. Also good to do all that when it's still light, around 4-5pm, little earlier than you mtwarden. But I like some time in camp before full dark too. Everybody does stuff a bit different, part of the fun in it.

 

[waterfowlife]

You can never go wrong with eating on the trail....it just seems to taste so much better