Of the four major brands (Mainstay, Datrex, Millenium and UST) is there one that is better than the others? Which should be avoided? Is there any warning I need to know about such as it is best to not eat than to eat one of these?

Jeanette Isabelle

I think of ER Bars and Mayday as being major brands for this as well.

My recommendation is to buy one of each and test for your people and your situation. The Millennium Bars and ER Bars are popular with my young'uns, other options not as much. Some were excluded from my personal testing (I won't eat anything coconut flavored, for example).

I could eat the Datrex rations every day! Maybe I am a weirdo but I really love them. The other brands...not so much.

Of those, I have only ever tried the Mainstay and UST. I like them, the flavor isn't overpowering or off putting, they're not greasy but are very crumbly.

I also like the little Russian lifeboat rations.

Where can one find the Russian ones? Short of going to Russia to get them, that is.

Amazon or Ebay has them, but prices vary wildly... I think I ended up paying around $15-16 for a pack of 3 (one had lost its vacuum seal)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FPLP1QQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_FH1rDb0GDD43B

Here's a review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KNPYxvKMAg

Doesn't look very appetizing, but it tastes pretty good, sweet but not overpowering.

Texture when eating is a little hard to describe. It looks hard but crumbles easily like most lifeboat rations so you won't need to bite hard, but it also dissolves slightly in your mouth as you eat it kind of like these little wafer bars

Cool! I'll check 'em out. The ones at Amazon, the Rusky ones, look almost exactly like Datrex rats.

I I am ever on a lifeboat for an extended period of time, I am sure that I will relish lifeboat rations. In any other situation, it is dreadfully easy to equip onesself with food that is more nutritious, tasty, and appealing than a bunch of chemically laced crackers.

Of course, my standards probably aren't all that high. I just finished a trip where three straight evening meals were canned beef stew (plus a few veggies).

My thoughts on the matter (and the reason for posting my question) is to use a lifeboat ration as a side item for other food items such as a freeze-dried meal.

The advantage of a lifeboat ration is obvious, pack a lot of substance for its space and weight. However, it can't be a complete meal.

Jeanette Isabelle

What is it with people who need to have something different every night and yet feed their dog the same stale kibble for weeks/months on end. Three nights of beef stew with some green veggies added sounds delish...

I pulled a can of beef stew out of the stock that was way past its expiration date. Tasted just fine and I had no ill effects. I added some dehydrated peas that are first rehydrated and then mixed in — easy pea-sy.