Let's talk light weight packpacking food!

[Karl Blanchard]

Been at this packpacking thing a bit over two decades and my food system is dialed in.  I learned a long time ago that if you hate your food then you aren't gonna eat it so t that point you are lacking calories and essentially carrying dead weight.  I pack food that I like to eat and that will sustain my energy output.

February I leave for kodiak on a winter mountain goat hunt.  With the added winter gear I am trying to get my pack weight (and space) down.  Currently I run at about 2 lb a day or a little over. I'd like to get that down around a pound and a half based on 4000 calories a day.

So let's hear what tasty high-calorie dance items some of you are eating in the backcountry that could save me some weight.

[Karl Blanchard]

Dditionally, I'll be running 2 freeze dried meals a day.  With snow pack, water wont be an issue.

[blackveltbowhunter]

   I added a F bombs and Trail Butter as a couple of my staples this past season along with Brain Octane packets. easy calories and very lightweight.

[Karl Blanchard]

   I added a F bombs and Trail Butter as a couple of my staples this past season along with Brain Octane packets. easy calories and very lightweight.

do you prefer the trail butter over Justin's? I run the Justin's currently.

[blackveltbowhunter]

I like them both but prefer the trail butter flavors tho. The trail original and  chocolate coffee are my favorites. 

[cougforester]

I've started adding in instant potatoes before I even start hiking. Just be sure to close them up with a bit of tape to be sure they don't spill all over. A quarter bag per freeze dried meal adds quite a bit of volume to the meal to fill you up more and adds another hundred calories or so.

[jackelope]

I'm definitely going to start going with the potatoes idea. That sounds awesome.

[cougforester]

I'm definitely going to start going with the potatoes idea. That sounds awesome.

All sorts of flavors to try. My favorite is the one with apple wood smoked bacon bits in the biscuits and gravy Mountain House.

[trophyhunt]

Screw the food, I want to know more about your hunt!!!    seriously, good luck and take lots of pics!

[muleyslayer]

I starting using these this year, they are a lot better tasting than mountain house in my opinion.

[Karl Blanchard]

Should have added that I make my own dehydrated meals and then some freeze dried stuff from JonathanS so portions are oversized already   I do a meal based around the idahodians though.  Dehydrated burger and veggies.  Add some water to the meat and veggies an hour before I plan on eating or at some point when I think about it, then when I'm ready to eat I add the potatoes and hot water to reheat.  I'll usually add in some brown gravy mix and a tapatio packet

[Karl Blanchard]

Screw the food, I want to know more about your hunt!!!    seriously, good luck and take lots of pics!

low odds I take many pics and the ones I do will be crappy cell pics  

Nothing crazy.  Baby bro is a resident from when he was stationed at Richardson in Anchorage.  Been trying to do a hunt of some sort for years but his leave never lines up right.  We've got a window in February and hunt RG480 is open till mid March.  May not get another window so we are going for it.  Not the best time of year to try and go into goat country but YOLO

[HighCountryHunter88]

I'm definitely going to start going with the potatoes idea. That sounds awesome.

potatoes are where its at! i will bring a package with me on 2-3 night trips and when im eating my nightly mt house i can sprinkle some in when im hungrier than normal or if the food is too watery. also when you buy those mt house boxes with assorted meals, i hate the scramble by them selves but if you add apple smoked mashed taters and some tacobell packets and roll them up in tortillas 

[HighCountryHunter88]

olive oil packets, tuna creations packs. freeze dried avocado is something like 150 cal per ounce

[Karl Blanchard]

olive oil packets, tuna creations packs. freeze dried avocado is something like 150 cal per ounce

already do the tuna but this freeze dried avocado intrigues me immensely.   Do you DIY them or buy them?  I freaking love avacado!