Eating Freeze Dried Food Cold

[Durran87]

I’ve heard that some extreme lightweight backpackers eat their food cold. Has anyone tried this? Are there any types that are better cold?

 

[BRTreedogs]

Oatmeal
Chilli
But bluhhh.
Just eat bars.
No since in paying $12 to eat it cold.
What are you saving 1 lb for a stove system?

If im.not gonna eat hot food its to save water not weight. And ill just eat another large bar.

 

[*zap*]

that is nuts.....jmo.

 

[Tod osier]

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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[EdP]

I think a number of long distance hikers (AT/PCT thru hikers) put dried/freeze dried food with water in a water bottle, let it hydrate all day, and eat it cold at the end of the day. I guess it will keep you on your feet but definitely not my thing.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Imo it just doesn't make enough savings for a hunter.
They are doing 2-3 times the miles per day, and 4 times the miles/days per year.
It just doesn't add up for hunting to me.

 

[taskswap]

I agree, our needs are different. These through-hikers will go weeks at a time some times between "refits" and as BRTreedogs said, they could be doing 20+ miles a day, every day. I think they have needs most of us just don't have. We don't do that not because we "aren't up to it" but because let's face it, most hunting seasons just aren't that long. And if you pounded out 20 miles a day through the valleys you were hunting you'd cause so much commotion you'd blow all the game out of en entire basin.

I hunt Rifle 1 Elk here in CO and that's a Sat->Wed thing. Typically I have a base camp (where I have all the resources to cook real meals) and then "spike out" Friday night. I might be out 2-3 days and then come back for a refit. Breakfast for me is usually some dry granola, freeze dried fruit, and water. Lunch is jerky, bars, trail mix, nut butters, etc. Dinner is a dehydrated meal (cooked).

If you really want to save weight and you know you're only going to be cooking 1-2 meals a day for a week, consider a folding fuel-cube style stove. I use the UST version, it's $12 including 8 fuel cubes and each cube will boil about 3 cups of water - that's enough for one dehydrated meal (2 cups) and one cup of tea or coffee. And with 8 fuel cubes the whole thing is 4.6oz. That's insanely light for what it does. I have a MSR stove too for longer trips or if my wife joins me, but this is my go-to for most hunting trips and it's so light and cheap I never see a reason not to use it.

https://www.amazon.com/Lightweight-Construction-Backpacking-Emergency-Survival/dp/B01B3NRAUA

 

[BRTreedogs]

If you're dead set on it.. you will probably have to join a thru hike forum, search on YouTube.
I don't think they are popping open freeze dried meals either.
Thru hikers generally quit there job for the hike season.
Most of what they eat is found at gas stations and regular grocery stores.
Tuna and knorr, rice and noodles i know is of the more popular.
They live as cheap and lite as possible.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I’ve done the just bars/nuts/dry foods before but just because of water availability. I agree, weight savings on a hunt for dropping the stove is negligible, and I lean towards being UL.
I think I’ve heard Kurt or some of the SG boys that hunt the unlimiteds do it. If I was going to do it, I’d stick with the granolas and desserts!

 

[BRTreedogs]

I’ve done the just bars/nuts/dry foods before but just because of water availability. I agree, weight savings on a hunt for dropping the stove is negligible, and I lean towards being UL.
I think I’ve heard Kurt or some of the SG boys that hunt the unlimiteds do it. If I was going to do it, I’d stick with the granolas and desserts!

Just a guess, but there probably worried about water freezing???

 

[Davidson51]

LMAO

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

 

[ELKhunter60]

I drew a Park County Wyoming elk tag 5 years ago and went in to scout for a couple of days in July. Packed really light. Sleeping bag, water filter, matches, little boiling pot, lighter, binoculars, granola bars and a couple of freeze dried meals. Long story short my lighter failed me and granola bars weren't going to cut it for the entire trip. Time to eat freeze dried cold.............

Not something I care to do again. Mountain House was the brand but I'm guessing most taste the same - especially cold.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Just a guess, but there probably worried about water freezing???

Wouldn’t think so, they usually close down by mid Sept. I guess for weight savings on stove/fuel. Every mile in that country is difficult…. Or maybe just hard mofos.

 

[Durran87]

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

They really have thought of everything these days! I guess calling it a food diaper wasn’t part of their marketing strategy?

 

[Dwnw/theAltitudesickness]

Forgot the stove at home and almost had to try this out myself this past weekend. Decided to make rations and eat everything else. Not sure it would of been edible. Did indeed have 2 pillows, one about the same size as my stove stuff sack tho.

 

[cornfedkiller]

I think I’ve heard Kurt or some of the SG boys that hunt the unlimiteds do it. If I was going to do it, I’d stick with the granolas and desserts!

Just a guess, but there probably worried about water freezing???

I've heard Kurt mention in a youtube video that he does it to save fuel, even though he brings fuel with for melting snow. I would think he'd have enough fuel in a canister to heat up some water for a meal for quite a few days, but he knows a lot more than me! He talked about soaking 2 packs of ramens and adding a coconut almond butter packet for a poor mans Pad Thai.

I've also heard him mention on a podcast that sometimes he doesnt heat his water out of laziness or just not wanting to take the time/effort.. dump some water out into his meal, set up his tent and all that, eat, and hit the hay.