Homemade MRE, intro video

Some decades ago, the military created the Meal Ready to Eat, aka MRE. The concept was that everything in the pouch could be eaten with minimal (if any) preparation. Over the years, these meals have improved significantly. Nonetheless, there are those of us that like to create our own, tailored to our tastes or specific requirements. Hence, I came up with a name: Shipwreck Rations. Here’s a video introducing my concept.

Over the coming weeks, you’ll see a total of four individual meals and two 24HR packs. Each one is truly an MRE, meaning you can eat them as is. There’s also a heating method, either flameless ration heater or micro stove, to warm them up. These are useful to have on hand for disaster both man-made and natural, as well as camping, bicycle treks, flying safaris, and much more. Keep one or two at work in case you have to shelter in place. Either way, it is better to be prepared than to be hungry! Enjoy every meal.

Esbit Pocket Stove, video review

This time, I take a look at the Esbit Pocket Stove (combined with the Stanley Cook Pot set). The Esbit Stove is a compact design that burns the solid fuel tablets, which are handy for camping or power outages or that sudden emergency. I found the Stanley cook pot set at a very good price and added it to my gear. Here they are in action:

I had to burn a complete fuel tablet to boil the water properly. It was only about 12 ounces. Thus, if you’re planning on boiling more water for rehydrating a freeze-dried meal, be sure to have plenty of tablets with you. They’re small and light, so it’s not a burden to have them along. Of course, the stove folds neatly, making it easy to carry as well. Both items would be perfect for your get home bag or bug out bag.

Adventure Medical Kits, video review

A first aid kit is necessary for your vehicle, house, and even your suitcase when you travel. Today, I take a look at the World Travel model from Adventure Medical Kits. This one is rather large for personal travel. It’s designed to be used for up to four people on a multi-day trip. Hence, it contains quite a bit of the items you might need, from bandages and pain killers to a scissor and spare bottles for your own meds. Take a look at the video:

I would add a few things, such as a seat belt cutter, my personal medical info on a card, a penlight, and hand sanitizer. Still, this is a great kit to have on hand. Check the one you have and make sure the meds are current and that it is customized for your own personal needs.

Altoids Survival Kit: Aruba v1.0

There are a number of very creative survival kits out there, some of them packed into an Altoids Mints tin. I decided to make my own version, specifically designed for use on the island of Aruba. Check out the video:

Surely that little kit will come in handy. Make your own and customize it for your needs. You never know when you’ll need one of those items! Bon dia.