Bushwalk Australia

For my upcoming Holland Track ride I have decided to take Backcountry Cuisine meals along with me as I suspect that the single serve sizing will be more than sufficient and it just makes things a little easier for this ride. One of the issues bikepacking is limited space so looking at options to reduce both packing size and weight.

Anyway my probably rather silly question (and I suspect I know the answer) is, is there any reason why I cannot put a small hole in the packets to let the air out so I can get them to pack down smaller or for that matter any reason why I couldn't repackage them them into ziplocks as really I cannot see the need for the package for rehydrating; my pot can do that.

Silly ideas?

Initially I would cut around the original packaging and remove the sharp edges, then poke a hole in the packaging to let the air out and tape it up (make sure this is done close to your trip so it doesn't go stale).

Now I just repackaging them into zip lock bags as it's lighter and slightly less volume. I put the zip lock in my pot cozy then pour the boiling water in, zip it up, and put the cozy lid on.

Tintin wrote:Now I just repackaging them into zip lock bags as it's lighter and slightly less volume. I put the zip lock in my pot cozy then pour the boiling water in, zip it up, and put the cozy lid on.

Sounds like a plan. I think I will do something along these lines. I don't have a cozy so may just use the pot to hold the ziplock.

Please forgive me if this comes across as stating the obvious or unnecessary Aushiker ... But for other readers' benefit, the Holland Track is in Australia, not Holland, and generally it would be fair to say to other readers going overseas thinking 'oh that's a good idea', make sure you don't do this until you are at your destination (in terms of international flights that involve clearing customs) as some countries might confiscate your food, e.g. Australia, New Zealand...

Having said all that- Aushiker, if you are going to pop them into zip locks, adding in a food safe moisture absorber, like the ones you find in vitamin pill jars, would likely improve the longevity and 'freshness'.

I hope you post a track report when you return . Have a good time.

dagsands wrote:... (in terms of international flights that involve clearing customs) as some countries might confiscate your food, e.g. Australia, New Zealand...

Learnt that the hard way when I brought some Backcountry Cuisine back from NZ ... it was confiscated at the airport. The fact it was sealed up and that would could walk the airport and into Mountain Designs etc and buy it was last on the "Border Protection" person.

Having said all that- Aushiker, if you are going to pop them into zip locks, adding in a food safe moisture absorber, like the ones you find in vitamin pill jars, would likely improve the longevity and 'freshness'.

Yes I think this is the way I will go.

If you know someone with a cryovac machine, preferably the chamber type that restaurants and butchers use, just repackage it into those bags. Then you can seal them airtight without air, and shape them any way you want. Those bags are often rated for cooking too, depending what you buy, so good for rehydrating with boiling water.

Aushiker wrote:Learnt that the hard way when I brought some Backcountry Cuisine back from NZ ... it was confiscated at the airport. The fact it was sealed up and that would could walk the airport and into Mountain Designs etc and buy it was last on the "Border Protection" person.

Never could understand that as I get a lot of meals and makings (dehydrated/freeze dried meats, dairy, eggs) from the states and have never had one confiscated. Why then confiscate meals being carried in?

jjoz58 wrote:

Aushiker wrote:Learnt that the hard way when I brought some Backcountry Cuisine back from NZ ... it was confiscated at the airport. The fact it was sealed up and that would could walk the airport and into Mountain Designs etc and buy it was last on the "Border Protection" person.

Never could understand that as I get a lot of meals and makings (dehydrated/freeze dried meats, dairy, eggs) from the states and have never had one confiscated. Why then confiscate meals being carried in?

I was told it was because it contained meat. I think it was just an excuse to be "superior."

Had a go at re-packaging one of the meals today, will do the rest just before I go on my ride. The weight saving (single meal) from going to ziplocks was ~25 grams but the big winner for me the was packaging size. Much less bulk with the ziplocks.

Zip lock bags are certainly the way to go, but keep the pack to cook up the food.


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Aushiker wrote:The weight saving (single meal) from going to ziplocks was ~25 grams

25g saving from a single single-serve? That seems excessive.

oyster_07 wrote:

Aushiker wrote:The weight saving (single meal) from going to ziplocks was ~25 grams

25g saving from a single single-serve? That seems excessive.

I don't have another packet of that particular meal but I weighed another meal and it came in at 111 grams in its packet on my scales. The weight of the first meal in the ziplocks was 90 grams, so yep according to my scales ~ 25 grams is about right.

roysta wrote:Zip lock bags are certainly the way to go, but keep the pack to cook up the food.

No need to keep the pack for cooking in in my view. I regularly rehydrate meals in normal zip lock bags and have never had a problem with it. Popping the zip lock into the stove while the food rehydrates will keep your food warm too. If you're worried about the plastic melting (one of my concerns at first), you can try zip lock microwave steamer bags too - they're made of tougher plastic (but don't squish down as well as a result).