[HoE] Camping Rations, mars bars and ratpacks

["pete rogers" <peterogers@hotmail.com>]

just to put a slightly different swing on this thread, i thought i'd put 
out some stuff re civvie camping rations.

BTW, i've just got back after a week off and had to cut a load of posts 
out of my mailbox (friggin 2megs limit) so if someones already put this 
foward i humbly apologise.

vacuum sealed dehydrated meals are becoming more popular over here in 
the UK, and are getting better. I don't know the shelf life off the top 
of my head, but with the being dehydrated and vacuum sealed i would 
suggest a REAL LONG time would be in the right ballpark. These are more 
lightweight than military ration packs (at least the English ones i've 
seen) but not of the same calorie content. if your posse comes across an 
abandoned camping store that hasn't been completely looted, or a 
campsite several of these babies may well come up. and they're pretty 
damn edible too - add water and put 'em over the stove and 20 mins later 
you've got yourself some pretty fair vittals.


interesting titbit re Mars Bars. I believe this to be true - this story 
comes from my course leader on my epsedition leadership course. Mar Bars 
are addictive - and we're not just talking chocoholics here. the 
composition of Mars Bars makes them extremely easy to digest in your 
stomach and deliver a very quick hit of energy. However, after a 
prolonged period of eating these suckers your stomach actually becomes 
somewhat addicted to them and basically can't be bothered to try and 
digest other, harder foodstuffs. the end result being your digestive 
system becomes lazy and you "pass" good foodstuffs without absorbing all 
the goodness - the mars bars you eat are sufficiently packed to allow 
this lazy proccess to get the goodies out of them. scary huh - if anyone 
can support or deny this i would be interested.

final titbit (this post is getting too long) - english ratpacks (our 
milspeak for ration packs) come with a hexiburner. (or they used too - 
i'm getting out of touch). these little toxic beauties  are a flimsy 
metal case inside which is a block of what looks like firelighter. this 
stuff burns pretty well (don't light it and leave it on tarmac - it will 
melt the tarmac), but the fumes are poisonous - as is the block itself 
(don't lick your fingers after handling the stuff).

well thats more than enough rambling from me. anyone who's read all the 
way down to here - i salute you, i don't think i would of !  :)

pete 'should be working right now, but what the hell' rogers 

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com