[Newman]

hey hey! i have been doing some reading lately, and thinking about how i can get my base pack weight down for the summer. i have done most everything i can to go ultralight, and wanted to take it a step further and possibly go cookless. any of you do this? if so, what do you eat? how has it worked? any details are appreciated. i have done this on a few overnighters, eating lots of Goo, and trail mix and such, but for a multi day trek, i have never done it. do you get enough calories? are you eating crap all day? let's hear it! thanks!

[sarbar]

<Beating my chest> Visit my website <ahem> and see that you can eat good and not be a total wanker Hehheh..... Really, I tried the Super Lightweight Wanker Way and ended up on the last day basically hallicinating for 10 miles about food. Psssttttt...my link is in my sig line.

[mtnwkr]

the few times i have gone stoveless, i ate summer sausege and cheese. if your out for more than an overnighter, i dont think going cookless will save you any weight. ANY type of premade foods will weigh more than a freeze dried meal. and alcohol stoves can weigh as little as a tenth of an ounce... my whole cook system only weighs 7.5 ounces(without feul) and i'll never leave home without it..again..

[marzsit]

even the great ray jardine, master of the ultralight phenomenon, cooks on the trail although he likes cooking over fires instead of stoves....

[salish]

I sometimes go cookless on an overnighter, just bringing a sandwich for dinner and bagel for breakfast. But I always take some type of stove because I'm addicted to my morning coffee.

[Malachai Constant]

Trout sashimi in the morning mmmmmmmmmmmmm

[jenjen]

Most of the freeze dried dinners will rehydrate without hot water. They just take longer (add water at noon if you want to eat the meal for dinner). I suppose if you got tired of eating landjaegger, cheese, and nuts you could rehydrate a Mountain House entree and eat it cold. Also consider, if you aren't carrying a stove and you aren't planning on rehydrating food and eating it cold - you're carrying all of the water weight of your food. That's not a big deal on an overnight, but it certainly would be on longer trips. I read somewhere that the guy who started GoLight usually eats cold. It certainly works for him. Personally, I like my hot meal at night and my coffee in the morning.

[WTCrocker]

Many Native Americans carried pemmican as trail food. basicaly gorp packed in Crisco. I suspect they would have chosen Mountain House if it had been available. I would rather leave out my sleeping bag and sleep in my coat that do without coffee. (Which I have done before, sometimes on purpose).

[polecatjoe]

[Allison]

I don't think I'd last very long without hot food.

[Stefan]

We had another thread like this not too long ago. Can't find it becuase our search engine sucks! for multiday trekking bring Little Smokies. Damn good. don't need refridgeration even after three days. cheese can also go several days in the pack. the only problem is noodles. I like wet noodles in the backcountry. I can't get decent wet noodles without a stove. other foods-bring bulk apple slices or banana chips. They are usually fine. I have gone stoveless and it is great. You just have to find really tasty food that lasts long. And that means it usually has sulfides or lotsa sugar on it, or even salt and vinegar. Sauerkraut will last forever.

[solohiker]

[Tom]

Cookless? I always bring a cook along, and sometimes a dishwasher.

[Blake]

[Backpacker Joe]