Out On Trail

On our trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, we decided to compare the various brands of dehydrated meals marketed to backpackers. We hoped to determine which companies produced the best-tasting meals and whether some of the more expensive offerings were worth the additional cost. We're passing our findings along to you, in hopes that they will improve your future backpacking experiences! We did not receive anything of value from any of the companies involved in the tests, so you can trust our observations to be objective. How were the tests conducted? We conducted our taste tests in the field. We made our best efforts to adhere to the manufacturer's instructions when preparing meals (i.e. we didn't adjust the amount of water specified by the manufacturer nor the amount of time suggested for rehydration). In the few instances where we did deviate from the instructions, we will disclose the circumstances. We both tried each product, made notes about our observation...

For those of you who joined us for the first few installments of our "Food Wars" series, welcome back! If you didn't catch them, you can search "Food Wars," on the main page of our blog, to get links to the previous installments.  A quick recap: On our trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, we decided to compare the various brands of dehydrated meals marketed to backpackers. We hoped to determine which companies produced the best-tasting meals and whether some of the more expensive offerings were worth the additional cost. We're passing our findings along to you, in hopes that they will improve your future backpacking experiences! We did not receive anything of value from any of the companies involved in the tests, so you can trust our observations to be objective. How were the tests conducted? We conducted our taste tests in the field. We made our best efforts to adhere to the manufacturer's instructions when preparing meals (i.e. we didn...

For those of you who joined us for the first few installments of our "Food Wars" series, welcome back! If you didn't catch them, you can search "Food Wars," on the main page of our blog, to get links to the previous installments.  A quick recap: On our trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, we decided to compare the various brands of dehydrated meals marketed to backpackers. We hoped to determine which companies produced the best-tasting meals and whether some of the more expensive offerings were worth the additional cost. We're passing our findings along to you, in hopes that they will improve your future backpacking experiences! We did not receive anything of value from any of the companies involved in the tests, so you can trust our observations to be objective. How were the tests conducted? We conducted our taste tests in the field. We made our best efforts to adhere to the manufacturer's instructions when preparing meals (i.e. we didn...

Is it worth it to purchase pre-made desserts for backpacking? As with any purchasing decision, individual opinions will vary. It certainly can be, as a special treat can be motivation, or a morale booster, to offset a particularly tough day on the trails. If a Snickers or dried fruit just isn't going to get it done for you, there are other options that may be more satisfying. What is Backpacker's Pantry? Backpacker's Pantry is a subsidiary of American Outdoor Products (AOP). Doing business as DriLite foods, since 1951, the company adopted the Backpacker's Pantry brand name by the late 1970s. Originally headquartered in California, the company now operates out of Boulder, Colorado and supports causes related to renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and conservation.  Image from: Backpackerspantry.com Is Backpacker's Pantry Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Mix a worthwhile choice for a backpacking trip? If it fits into your budget, we think it's worth splurging for....