Compact Iron Rations?

Will Power

Will Power

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I'm sure this has been done before but I'd like your suggestions please.

Let's suppose you and 2 or three others are on a trek,water supplies are not a problem but food is. Not any game about,scant fishing. Basic rations have run out but you must get by for up to three more days and keep walking each day. I know you don't need food but what compact iron rations would you recommend? I want to keep this food down in weight and bulk but have something with variety and nutrition. I once had to survive on very little for 2 days and found a block of pressed dates I had in my pack really useful! This is an emergency 3 day ration thing:thumbup:
 
I like Clif bars, but they are usually the pack-along snack anyways. Of the "emergency" rations, I really like the Datrex bricks. They taste better to me than the other coast-guard rations (Mayday or Mainstay)...I've heard the Mayday ones are pretty good as well. I guess they taste like paste so you actually leave them in the bottom of the pack for emergencies:D

To be honest, a few hard candies can do wonders unless you're out in the colder season where you really need the calories.

ROCK6
 
Thanks. I was thinking about some meat cubes,a dried soup or noodle mix but must be compact. Anything else,including storage containers?
 
Iron rations come in cans. That little 6oz can of blue diamond almonds has almost 1000 calories. When you are done eating them, you'll have a seamless aluminum cup with a plastic lid.

Variety? Buy one of each flavor, or mixed nuts.
 
Peanut butter is another good bet. For it's weight and volume, it is VERY calorie dense, and has sugar, fat, protein, and other goodies to keep you going. Heck, I usually take peanut butter as a FIRST choice for food on the trails. Add honey and some flat bread and you have a tasty meal that is full of energy.
 
spam, spam singles,

a couple can vienna sauages.

Beef jerky repackaged(vacuseal yourself)

slimjims

small cans of deviled ham or potted meat

small cans of beanie weenies

original powerbar

Almonds
 
All of the above-mentioned foods would be good. But don't forget to treat yourself - take a jar of Nutella to eat with a spoon. Plenty of calories, and tastes great!
 
I keep a foil pack of salmon with me. The 3 oz. size has 15 grams of protein, tastes good, and will keep a long time.
 
ROCK6 said:
I like Clif bars, but they are usually the pack-along snack anyways. Of the "emergency" rations, I really like the Datrex bricks. They taste better to me than the other coast-guard rations (Mayday or Mainstay)...I've heard the Mayday ones are pretty good as well. I guess they taste like paste so you actually leave them in the bottom of the pack for emergencies:D

To be honest, a few hard candies can do wonders unless you're out in the colder season where you really need the calories.

ROCK6
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Interesting, I'm a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and I'm not familiar with what you call "coast-guard rations" Mayday or Mainstay - I'd like to hear more about that :)

I'm guessing by "iron rations" we mean "tinned rations" or meat stuff in a can. I'm a big fan of corned beef and spam. Grew up on it.

Funny story my uncle told me, there was a time during WWII when they sold canned goods cheap because the labels were missing. He opened some canned meat and thought it was great. Turned out it was dog food. Guess you had to be there to appreciate the humor :D

I can't see humping canned goods in a back pack because they're so full of water and heavy. Excellent for home reserves, however. For walking, I would want high-protein dried foods like jerky, raisins, walnuts, triscuits for carbs, chocolate, etc. Good thread :thumbup:

Edit: Peanut butter, Grape Nuts cereal :thumbup:
 
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OK, Iron rations is perhaps the wrong term.I take the point about humping massive tins around is not on...mind you, Corned beef is GOOD. I often take a tin of smoked fish too,nice and flat and gives oil and protein. those compressed date blocks are good though, I can attest to it.Slice off pieces and they keep you going. easy to pack too. Dried meat could be useful too.
 
Coldwood said:
Interesting, I'm a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and I'm not familiar with what you call "coast-guard rations" Mayday or Mainstay - I'd like to hear more about that :)
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Well, it's like a lot of things in the Army...it's been tested by the Coast Guard standards (for storage life, etc.), but not necessarily "issue" items. In the Army, there are a ton of items that have an NSN...but that doesn't mean they are issued items, just that they met whatever requirements were needed and can be purchased through the system. Several manufacturers love the "meets Mil-Spec XYZ and used by the Army" in their marketing...

Here's the certification that Datrex emergency rations received and uses for their marketing: USCG Approved The PDF document is listed near the bottom, along with marine/coast guards of other countries...

My assumption is that there are just testing criteria that must be met and when they reach it, they get little stamps of approval to market it as such.

The nice thing about these types of rations is their ability to withstand heat exposure (like in the trunk of a car) for extended time without breaking down.

ROCK6
 
willgoy said:
OK, Iron rations is perhaps the wrong term.I take the point about humping massive tins around is not on...mind you, Corned beef is GOOD. I often take a tin of smoked fish too,nice and flat and gives oil and protein. those compressed date blocks are good though, I can attest to it.Slice off pieces and they keep you going. easy to pack too. Dried meat could be useful too.
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It's kind of a Catch-22, isn't it? For long distance trekking, you want light-weight dried food stuffs, but then you need water (which you either have to carry or find) to re-hydrate it. For a short haul of a few miles, I wouldn't mind packing iron rations, or canned goods. The water's already in the food and the empty tins become immediately useful for collecting water and as a billy pot on the fire.
 
Kind of an ambiguous type of food...here's what what Wikipedia has:

"Iron Ration" (1907-1922)
The first attempt to make an individual ration for issue to soldiers in the field was the "iron ration", first introduced in 1907. It consisted of three 3-ounce cakes (made from a concoction of beef boullion powder and parched and cooked wheat), three 1-ounce bars of sweetened chocolate, and packets of salt and pepper that was issued in a sealed tin packet that weighed one pound. It was designed for emergency use when the troops were unable to be supplied with food. It was later discontinued by the adoption of the "Reserve Ration" but its findings went into the development of the emergency D-ration. Wikipedia
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Coldwood brings up a good point about even a can of food that could be eaten cold, heated and then the can could be used for collecting/boiling water.

I guess my definition of "iron ration" is just something that stores well and can be eaten as is, without preparation (cooking/rehydrating).

Without going to the designed emergency rations, there are several simple alternatives such as foil packet tuna, canned sardines, gorp/nuts, energy bars, MRE entrees, etc.

I've kept a couple Clif bars, instant oatmeal/soup and some Coffee-singles/tea for "emergencies". Not a lot, but more or a morale booster for the 72-96 hour concept.

ROCK6
 
Down here in Arizona, I consulted with the local SAR and Forest Service before selecting "emergency" food for my pack. They all suggested PayDay candy bars, as they don't melt and provide both protein and sugar. Also a morale booster, even if they wouldn't meet your long-term requirements!
 
akabu said:
This are Coast Guard Approved life boat rations
http://www.campingsurvival.com/emfoba.html
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Thanks akabu, this is interesting stuff. I actually looked at the link and clicked on some of their products. They did some in-house staff revues, I found this interesting:

My favorite emergency food bar is the Mayday food bar. These are the ones in the yellow and black packaging seen here http://www.campingsurvival.com/emfoba.html I like the cinnamon flavor the best. It is a tough call though. All three are surprisingly decent to eat. When I first ask someone to try the emergency food bars, they look at it and make a face and say no. When I push a little harder they try them and are always surprised at how good they are. They are a great survival food. Read what our others said about the bars below. -Tom Sciacca, President JHL Supply/CampingSurvival.com

I found the comment "All three are surprisingly decent to eat" rather telling. My Black Lab finds deer poop surprisingly decent to eat.

We need to be aware that product comments like "USCG Approved" or "USDA Approved" doesn't mean that those agencies recommend the product - it just means that it won't kill you.

The real stuff has an assigned approval number. The stuff that akabu linked us to has those numbers.
 
Those bars sound very interesting. Is it the kind of gear that might be found on lifeboats on a ship/ferry?
 
I keep them in the car's, they have not been affected by heat or cold.
I like the lemon/lime.
If they going to take abuse wrap them up so they do not crumble.
an other point the Birds love them I had some that reached experation date I crumbled them up and spread in the yard birds of all types flocked in:D
 
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