Backpacking Food (Cook, No-Cook, Cold Soaking, Storage, Stoves, Cookware)
video description
Modern world carrying a gun like almost literally everyone before 1900 did is not viable so you can't do the hunting people relied on historically, but there's still things like hard tack, dried soup (or stock cubes or bovril, very well dried meat, stabilised suet, and of course a small sack of flour, oats, or flourbran mix. Can even go with some pemmican if you want to be a bit American.
I have a recipe for a sort of honey pretzel hardtack that I've been meaning to try; 13-15th century travel food.
I feel like a lot of people just want to take their regular diet with them, but I always felt like I'd rather have a proper bowl of chili at home than some sad aproximation out of packet of freeze dried stuff. Actually having the sort of half-arsed version is not good for my morale. I think people make this mistake when trying to lose weight too; they try to eat a sad aproximation of what they'd usually eat, so it saps their morale. They'd be better off just reducing their portion size rather than having a 'diet' version of the food that tastes dreadful and makes them long for a giant heaping bowl of the proper stuff.
Date: 2020-08-18
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 9
The
as for the reasoning behind not taking a stove:
1. less fiddly and time consuming to not have a stove
2. less space taken up in your pack
3. less dead weight to carry, as in weight you're only going to use for 20 minutes every 24 hours.
4. I've hiked with just a hand-made wood stove, made from an empty rectangular olive-oil can with one of the long sides cut out, and the sharp edges folded in on themselves, and holes stabbed all around the high sides of the can for air flow. The stove can easily be strapped to the outside of your pack. That way, it takes more concentration and effort to make a fire, as in you have to gather sticks (and store dry ones in your pack is also an option. This however got me into trouble with park rangers a couple times as we used it in places where fires are outright banned (naughty i know oopsie daisie. Fire stoves are certainly not for stealth camping or leave no trace, but having the warmth of a fire at the end of a long day of torrential rain sure is worth it for morale, and you can fit 2 pots on the stove at the same time as huddling around it for warmth!
reply
as for the reasoning behind not taking a stove:
1. less fiddly and time consuming to not have a stove
2. less space taken up in your pack
3. less dead weight to carry, as in weight you're only going to use for 20 minutes every 24 hours.
4. I've hiked with just a hand-made wood stove, made from an empty rectangular olive-oil can with one of the long sides cut out, and the sharp edges folded in on themselves, and holes stabbed all around the high sides of the can for air flow. The stove can easily be strapped to the outside of your pack. That way, it takes more concentration and effort to make a fire, as in you have to gather sticks (and store dry ones in your pack is also an option. This however got me into trouble with park rangers a couple times as we used it in places where fires are outright banned (naughty i know oopsie daisie. Fire stoves are certainly not for stealth camping or leave no trace, but having the warmth of a fire at the end of a long day of torrential rain sure is worth it for morale, and you can fit 2 pots on the stove at the same time as huddling around it for warmth!
reply
Kona
If you're gonna cold soak, all you need is some kind of container with a twist lid. You mean like the Nalgene bottle you told us to leave behind in another video? LOL!
Here's an idea I haven't seen done: There's tons of video's comparing the weight's and burn times of the different stoves; IsoButane v White Gas v Alcohol v wood. What I've yet to see is one comparing the costs of fuel. For example, an 8 ounce can of Iso from MSR is 30 on Amazon right now, and 32 ounces of Coleman Premium is 5. 27. Spread over several people and multiple trips, that can be a lot of money for some. maybe that extra pound is is worth it?
reply
If you're gonna cold soak, all you need is some kind of container with a twist lid. You mean like the Nalgene bottle you told us to leave behind in another video? LOL!
Here's an idea I haven't seen done: There's tons of video's comparing the weight's and burn times of the different stoves; IsoButane v White Gas v Alcohol v wood. What I've yet to see is one comparing the costs of fuel. For example, an 8 ounce can of Iso from MSR is 30 on Amazon right now, and 32 ounces of Coleman Premium is 5. 27. Spread over several people and multiple trips, that can be a lot of money for some. maybe that extra pound is is worth it?
reply
Rick
tried them all. for many reasons Trangia alcohol works best for me. i carry all types pots and pans cook all kinds of food from steaks to retort! like you i want my coffee and a lil debbie pack and go. soups and cheese crackers for lunch with peppermint tea; dinner is my big meal. I stop at three every day no matter where i am. set up camp and cook cleanup before dark. Sometimes a campfire sometimes a candle in aluminum tube just to relax. change to night socks after washing with baby wipes. change into sleep silks and night cap and soft gloves - sleep like a log.
reply
tried them all. for many reasons Trangia alcohol works best for me. i carry all types pots and pans cook all kinds of food from steaks to retort! like you i want my coffee and a lil debbie pack and go. soups and cheese crackers for lunch with peppermint tea; dinner is my big meal. I stop at three every day no matter where i am. set up camp and cook cleanup before dark. Sometimes a campfire sometimes a candle in aluminum tube just to relax. change to night socks after washing with baby wipes. change into sleep silks and night cap and soft gloves - sleep like a log.
reply
mattastic
I use to go stoveless for several reasons.
1- more freedom. No worry about fuel or stove malfunction. Good ol natural fire.
2- fire is magical. Theres just something about making a fire. And then watching the flames dance.
3- fire scares away most wildlife including bears and rodents. HOWEVER, as you know; on a thru hike you will usually come across a state or region where campfires are prohibited. Like NJ on the AT. Which is when I turned to the 1L jetboil system. Love it love it love it
reply
I use to go stoveless for several reasons.
1- more freedom. No worry about fuel or stove malfunction. Good ol natural fire.
2- fire is magical. Theres just something about making a fire. And then watching the flames dance.
3- fire scares away most wildlife including bears and rodents. HOWEVER, as you know; on a thru hike you will usually come across a state or region where campfires are prohibited. Like NJ on the AT. Which is when I turned to the 1L jetboil system. Love it love it love it
reply
YodasKitchen
Although I often use BRS / Pocket Rocket etc + Isobutane, I find that especially in Summer, the Swiss Notkocher 71 (Swiss Army Emergency Cooker) is a good option, coming with a stand for your pot, and refillable with gel-alcohool fuel (as used in home fondue sets. One advantage is that at least where I live, gel-alcohool fuel is available in most grocery shops. It is slow to heat water and heavier but not bulky and very cheap to operate.
reply
Although I often use BRS / Pocket Rocket etc + Isobutane, I find that especially in Summer, the Swiss Notkocher 71 (Swiss Army Emergency Cooker) is a good option, coming with a stand for your pot, and refillable with gel-alcohool fuel (as used in home fondue sets. One advantage is that at least where I live, gel-alcohool fuel is available in most grocery shops. It is slow to heat water and heavier but not bulky and very cheap to operate.
reply
ProfessorLonghair90
Okay, I'll try to convince you. So, I'm a bikepacker which is a different life than you thru hikers. I cover 50-80 miles in a single day so therefore I go through a town every 1-2 days as opposed to you hikers which may not see one for 5-7 days. For that reason I don't bring anything to cook with. As I get in to doing longer distance hiking, I'm going to continue not cooking just because I've never done it before, why start now?
reply
Okay, I'll try to convince you. So, I'm a bikepacker which is a different life than you thru hikers. I cover 50-80 miles in a single day so therefore I go through a town every 1-2 days as opposed to you hikers which may not see one for 5-7 days. For that reason I don't bring anything to cook with. As I get in to doing longer distance hiking, I'm going to continue not cooking just because I've never done it before, why start now?
reply
Jay
Beef jerky. ramen noodles. instant rice/grits. almonds. and yes cold soaking is a good idea. oh yas, almost forgot to mention a small can or 2 of potted meat for fat calories. pound for pound the most calories in my pack will be ramen noodles. but after all of my rambling I trust your advice (=. oh yeah, some instant coffee along with some fine grind
reply
Beef jerky. ramen noodles. instant rice/grits. almonds. and yes cold soaking is a good idea. oh yas, almost forgot to mention a small can or 2 of potted meat for fat calories. pound for pound the most calories in my pack will be ramen noodles. but after all of my rambling I trust your advice (=. oh yeah, some instant coffee along with some fine grind
reply
Diane
question: during the day, where do you store your cook pot? i usually kind of rinse mine lightly but there is food residue and it isn't fully dry so historically, i've kept it clipped to my bag (obviously it goes in my bear bag at night. do you have recommendations?
reply
question: during the day, where do you store your cook pot? i usually kind of rinse mine lightly but there is food residue and it isn't fully dry so historically, i've kept it clipped to my bag (obviously it goes in my bear bag at night. do you have recommendations?
reply
David
how do you make coffee while on those trips? seems like it would be super easy to just do something like a cold brew and then heat it. that would use less gear than hot brewing unless you just dump coffee grounds in a mug.
reply
how do you make coffee while on those trips? seems like it would be super easy to just do something like a cold brew and then heat it. that would use less gear than hot brewing unless you just dump coffee grounds in a mug.
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
