Survival Food Tabs

[mitunnelrat]

Has anyone got any experience with these? They claim 15 days food in less than a 2 pound package. It seems interesting to me.

http://www.survivaltabs.com/

[izzyscout21]

I've had my hands on them in the store. I've been meaning to go buy some to try out.

Seems like it would be a good option to keep in the BOB or a recon/patrol rig to keep the food weight down and save space.

[bacpacker]

These have been around since before Y2K. i looked at some then and decided to go the "lifeboat" rations instead for my GHB. I liked them fairly well. That said I think I will pick up a couple bottles of these. I wasn't aware they were still available.

[izzyscout21]

These have been around since before Y2K. i looked at some then and decided to go the "lifeboat" rations instead for my GHB. I liked them fairly well. That said I think I will pick up a couple bottles of these. I wasn't aware they were still available.

there's a small surplus shop down in cookeville. They have them on the shelf. Talked to the owner. He said he had been selling them fairly well after the whole "doomsday preppers/ apocalypse/ zombie" fad started.

[mitunnelrat]

I'm actually thinking INCH, in addition to some other meals and the means to hunt, trap, and fish to reduce diet fatigue. 5 of those would be 10 pounds, and last 75 days. Mainstay bars, otoh, which I also happen to like, are 2 pounds for 3 days, so I'd get 1/5th the food at 1/2 the daily caloric intake. I was reading that AT hikers consume 3,000-6,000 calories a day on average, so 1,200 calories definitely isn't going to cut it. This could potentially get me closer.

[bacpacker]

MIT, good thinking on the tabs vs bars for a longer term situation. I was thinking more along the lines of 2-5 days in a get home situation.

Izzy's if you don't want to post it, could you PM me the company name in Cookeville. I may need to check that out.

[izzyscout21]

G.I. Depot in Cookeville. They are down by TTU

- - - Updated - - -

http://www.gidepot.com/

- - - Updated - - -

really good guys to deal with, BTW

[carolinasurvivalist]

Very interesting. I have datrex bars but would like to know what anyone thinks of these.

[bacpacker]

I have eaten the Datrex brand in the past. Taste was not bad, not great, but not bad. Somewhat filling if you drink plenty of water along with it. However the bulk and weight vs nutrition is somewhat low. For something like a GHB, I think they are worth having (maybe 3 days or so). Long term I wouldn't consider them to be worthwhile.

[mitunnelrat]

I haven't tried the datrex bars, most because I'm not much of a coconut fan, but I had the same thoughts with the mainstay bars.

[carolinasurvivalist]

Yeah I have the datrex as last resort food in the bob. I'm not much for coconut either but I didn't mind the datrex when I tried them. I just watched a video on the tabs and they showed the nutritional values label up close and a days serving only had 240 calories so yes you wife definitely need to supplement them with something else. But, hell I'd by em because they supposedly taste like malted milk.

[Grumpy Old Man]

I have some millenium bars, some lifeboat bars, and some mainstay bars. They all are rather bland and boring but they will get you fed, somewhat if you aren't too picky. I've used them several years ago on a canoe trip on the Niangua in the Ozarks and I did survive, BUT..... I had coffee, and both beef and chicken bullion to relieve the boredom. Nowadays beef and chicken bullion are always in my kit for flavor enhancement and to get some salt into me.

That being said, I'll probably buy a couple of bottles to have on hand.

[mitunnelrat]

they showed the nutritional values label up close and a days serving only had 240 calories

I saw that too, and it concerns me, so I did some more reading. The claim is that we don't use 30-60% of the calories we consume in a day because we don't absorb them all.

I also know from my fitness guide that eating small amounts regularly throughout the day is a more efficient model to follow then 3 large meals. These tabs are even closer to the "grazing" standard than the 6 meal model it recommends.

So, I read a review on another forum from someone who ate these for a month. That user lost 10 pounds the first week and reported s/he seemed to run out of energy earlier in the day, but s/he also seems to have cut out stimulants like caffeine after the obligatory morning cup of coffee.

I think I'm going to do my own trial run around the first of the year and see what happens because that still doesn't seem to be near enough calories for any activity.

[mitunnelrat]

As an update, I just ordered some of these. I haven't done anything to potentially hurt or sicken myself lately, so I decided I'm going to try to stick out an entire month with these. Ya'll will know one way or another if they're a viable option or not.

ETA: I've been giving this some thought. Since fish, rabbit and squirrel seasons are open right now, I will include any of those I may harvest, and any wild edibles I can forage to my menu. I won't even cook it in any fashion I can't manage from my pack. I figure this will give me a more realistic test of how it will feel and affect me.

[Gunfixr]

I'm really interested in how this turns out.

[mitunnelrat]

I'm really interested in it turning out favorably! ;)

[Sniper-T]

Interesting. I'm interested in the tests...

tagged!

[mitunnelrat]

And here's one half of my month supply!
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00692-20121230-1607.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00695-20121230-1608.jpg
I couldn't get the photo's to upload that showed it alongside a one quart USGI canteen, but the container does indeed fit in a canteen cover. As for the pellets themselves:
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00690-20121230-1545.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00691-20121230-1546.jpg
I was telling my dad I must be something of a masochist...

I'll post a pic of the nutritional data once I surpass the time limit on the update feature.

[mitunnelrat]

And the nutrition label:
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00693-20121230-1607.jpg

[mitunnelrat]

It begins, and I already cheated :D lol. Well, if you can count 6 tic tacs as cheating. I also had one cigarette left in my pack, so I smoked that and don't plan to buy more. That'll actually be pretty easy compared to the caffeine withdrawals (I'll get back to this), since I won't be around any other smokers until Saturday.

All the other elements are in play. The tabs are now my primary (and only) food source unless I get out to harvest from the wild. The one thing I didn't mention before is caffeine supplements. I had some packed in my BOB, so they're in play as well, but I'm only going to use them to eliminate the headaches I know are coming. Its time I started respecting it as the powerful stimulant it is, so I'll wean myself from dependence over the next little bit as well.

Finally, I have enough nay sayers I know I'll be informed if I have any detrimental changes in mood or energy that I don't notice myself, so I think I'm covered there. And, I reprogrammed my weight watchers scale so I can monitor more than just my weight during all of this. The closest I could find to my particular scale in a quick searc says

This Weight Watchers scale uses BIA (Body Impedance Analysis) to monitor Weight, Body Fat, Body Water and Body Mass. but mine also measures bone density.

This is all coincidental to the New Year though. I'm getting a chuckle out of my timing.

[izzyscout21]

Finally, I have enough nay sayers I know I'll be informed if I have any detrimental changes in mood or energy that I don't notice myself, so I think I'm covered there.

Don't worry, crankypants. We'll let you know.

[David Armstrong]

WARNING!!!! These tablets do not provide what you need. They should probably be considered as souped up vitamin pill/dietary supplement. Biggest danger is there is no fiber content, and unless you supplement ithme with a high fibersource you run the risk of developing colitis, which is incurable.

[mitunnelrat]

I'll make sure to pay attention to any feeling of constipation too then.

ETA: in case anyone's wondering what the concern and connection is:
"If you don't eat enough fiber, your digestive tract has a difficult time digesting food which can lead to constipation. If this cycle continues over time, a person can form pockets in their colon due to stretching of the colon from being overworked . This is called Colitis and once you get it, it can not be reversed. Colitis can be very painful if the person who has it does not eat significant amounts of fiber on a daily basis."

[mitunnelrat]

Well, I'm on day 3. My energy levels seem fine, but I've been a bit more sedentary than normal this week due to housesitting for a family member. I caved and bought a pack of cigarettes, only had two caffeine pills on day 1, and one yesterday (each equal to a cup of coffee) and that matters because they have a dehydrating side effect, which I'm already noticing is a concern here. The first two days I drank one gallon of water each day, and still noticed evidence of dehydration during the morning ritual. It only took one quart of water and the next urination to determine it corrected quickly, but I'm voiding more water than I'm absorbing, which includes during BM's.

I've lost 4.8 pounds in two days, already noticed that my body fat percentages fall during the day, but are going back up over night. I'm only done .2% My water levels have gone up, but they too follow the same trend. Bone density is staying the same, which is no surprise. Overall body mass just drops. Since that includes muscle, and nothing else is changing I already find this to be a matter of concern.

I'm already not liking the initial results as they'd apply to a survival situation. Its one thing to wake up a little dehydrated in the morning under my current circumstances. I can monitor my water intake and increase it as necessary from the tap. I also don't want to be losing overall mass faster than fat. From what I recall, that means my body is breaking down muscle to meet its quick energy needs.

I don't need to make this a test of will power and endurance when the little science I do know is telling me this is no good. They'll do for the short term I guess, but I'm gonna call this one off, and limit the tabs to that role and as supplements to other food sources.

[Sniper-T]

Shoulda bought the lobster flavoured ones. ;)

It has been my thought all along that these would be better served as something to take in conjunction with a small meal, as a subsidy. In a SHTF scenario, we can resort to our stocked foods, but rather than try to make up a 2000 calorie per day diet from our storess, drop that to 1000ish, and use these to bump it up as requirements necessitate.

Good experiment, and good honest info gleaned. I would not consider it a waste, but rather an important learning experience.

Personally though, I think the 'dinner porn' thread did you in! I sure am glad I didn't post anything that would have influenced you...

rofl.

take care of yourself bud!

T.

[mitunnelrat]

Agreed, except about the dinner porn ;) because...

I wasn't all that hungry. Only here and there as I skipped an hour to draw them out longer.

I think if I wasn't tracking the numbers/ various info that I was, that I would still be chugging along at this, happy to be losing weight like I expected to.

[Sniper-T]

I would miss food too much to do something like this. There is nothing more satisfying than the aromas and flavours generated by a couple hours in the kitchen. I could use to lose the weight, but cannot bear the thought of day after day with nothing but a pill. *shudder*

Sniper starts poking around the kitchen, planning dinner.... maybe some grilled swordfish, on a bed or arugula salad, with pasta and white sauce, and maybe a side of asparagus....

[bacpacker]

Great Review MIT. I didn't realize you were looking at so many variables. That is some good info you related. Losing muscle mass that quick is a very bad thing, in particular in a SHTF situation. You'll need all the strength you can to deal with whatever is going on.

I like T's idea of using these to stretch out your food stores longer. Maybe even to the point of timing their use to more down days, rather than when patroling, chopping wood, ect.

Thanks for doing the review.

[mitunnelrat]

Since thank you is covered, you're welcome.

And yeah, I tried to pay attention to a few things. I've already put myself in the ER once for being stupid, with multiple follow-up visits to my primary care Dr. for blood work. I don't want to do that again! That was water related, and either because something got past my filter (after a big rain w/ runoff that killed everything along a 15 mile stretch) or because I didn't get the filter cleaned and stored properly after its 1st use. Either way, I learned from it the hard way.

I doubt I knew everything I could track and pay attention to here, but I felt it was enough to throw up some warning flags. That was enough for me.

[DarkLight]

I know it's been said repeatedly but I'm going to say it again...thank you for being willing to do this test right. Most of us don't have the time, energy, patience or willingness to put either our bodies or our wallets through even a couple of days of testing, much less track as much as you have.

This type of real world, pre-shtf test is invaluable.

Thanks again.