I pack fat / protein. Much easier. 5% Knock the Carb Out bars are perfect. MRE are just a huge caloric load. Sugars. Bad fats. Not good. Better for sustained energy too
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I was weighing the pros and cons yesterday. The first thing was the boiling water, vs the weight, vs ready to eat status and the cheese! That stuff would survive a nuclear blast… lol
I am not talking about hike out in the woods but in an honest shit hit the fan situation I would still lean towards the MREs. More bang for the buck. You could eat them cold. Some have matches, gum, salt, pepper, sugar, electrolyte drink, protein powder, coffee and toilet paper. Plus you can use the FRH as a hand/ foot warmer. Nasty? Yes, but…
I looked at several camp stoves but opted for none in the bag. Just a small folding stove. I have a coleman backpack dual fuel stove that will burn unleaded gas. No specialty fuel.
I agree with a few protein bars along for the ride but at some point, once the adrenaline has wore off, I am going to want to eat something. I know me. I get hangry.
My MRE’s sit in the basement in a case, just in case. They also keep way past their expiration. How far past depends on the storage conditions and your intestinal fortitude.
Here’s a fun channel of a guy who methodically opens and eats really old MRE’s, along with new ones from all over the world. If you ever stumble across Lithuanian or a WWII era MRE during your post-apocalyptic wasteland travels, you’ll have a good idea whether you should go ahead and eat it or just pick up your sawed-off shotgun and move along, keeping to the shadows as always.
I also have an MSR mult-fuel stove, I can’t recall the model right now. It works really great, is seemingly bomb-proof and works great for a plain-old burner considering how small and light it is. It lives in one of my grab-and-go camping bins with some grab-and go cookware, ready for a resistance encampment or the next group canoe or backpacking trip I embark on.
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Fairly happy to see I would have been prepared in 1944 
Not sure I would have lit that firestarter in the house though 
Being fat adapted will knock off a lot of those cravings. If you’re out in the wild I’d also suggest a bag of Redmond sea salt.
Post #6 of this thread I listed salt.
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Electrolyte tablet packets are cheap, small, easy to pack, and can be VERY helpful.
Similarly, large, clear trash bags are multi-use items. Two bags stuffed with leaves, dried grasses, or pine needles then tied together with the ends can make an improvised blanket. A clear plastic bag tightly duct taped around a leafy tree in direct sunlight can draw water from the leaves and be a source for clean drinking water. A plastic bag can become an emergency poncho.
I’m glad @twojarslave mentioned the Stanley Wonder Bar. I have the 7.5" version in a gear pouch, and those little buggers are TOUGH. It’s part of my in-town tool kit. They cost $7 at Lowe’s or Home Depot; $12 for a larger one or for a hexagonal crow bar, so it’s silly to not buy one.
Having a larger pry bar in one’s vehicle is also a good idea. Now that I think about it, placing a tough pry bar under the front seat could prove useful in a once-in-a-lifetime emergency.
I’ll post more gear and uses as I think of them. Good thread!
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Anyone have a take on lifestraws? I saw water purification tablets mentioned a few times, but not these.
I have a couple. They are great for what they are, which is a light and cheap filter.
What they are not is a complete filter system that addresses things as small as a virus. I’m pretty sure they cover most parasites, not sure about bacteria.
The type of filter you might need will depend on what is in the water where you happen to live. This varies wildly across the planet.
A lifestraw definitely beats a handkerchief, and costs under $20.
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Great point! I have a couple of the life straws as well, but should pick up some of the filtration tablets mentioned above for this reason.
I know these straws and tablets are an easy fix, but they are exhaustable. I think the low tech solution of boiling water, capturing water with a tarp, and the solar still deserves another honorable mention here.
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Knowing how to navigate is just as important here as in the military.:
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