Vehicle kit and MRE suggestions

[Camp_Bell]

For work I am required to be out in the field maybe once a week for a full day. The locations are normally reasonably remote. I use my own vehicle (Land Cruiser) so I can take what ever I like out with me.I always take a big lunch box and a flask of tea. Ordinarily I keep a big first aid kit under the seat, 2l of water, a bag containing jumper cables, puncture repair kit, tyre weld, elasticated tie downs, gloves, compressor, tow rope, toilet paper, along with a comprehensive tool box.
Last week I was out and got caught in the rain in my work PPE and had to endure being wet for a few hours.
I have now dug out an old 35l rucksack to live in the car and filled it with the following items:
Full change of clothing
Lightweight sleeping bag
Two piece rain suit
Bivvy bag
Tin foil type emergency blanket
Small gas cooker + gas canister
Stanley pot with cup insert
Multi tool type knife spoon fork
2l dry bag
Folding opinel knife
Fixed blade morakniv
Some hiking eco wet wipes
A whistle
Water purification tabs
And my spare survival tin.
Head torch to be added!

I am going to keep a small stash of tea bags and coffee sachets and would like some recommendations for a decent MRE that I can keep in the bag incase I need a decent meal.

Please let me know if there is anything else I should add. I will adjust this kit seasonally.

Thanks

[bigpaul]

dont see any matches or lighters or anything else to light the gas cooker.
maybe a water filter if you use up all your water supplies.
I prefer a camping type meal pouch rather than an MRE, but thats just me, "Wayfarer" meals are pretty good, I like the stew type meals.

[bigpaul]

do you have breakdown cover? AA, RAC, Green Flag?

[bigpaul]

toilet paper and a shovel in case you get caught short? LOL.

[Camp_Bell]

Thanks, I should have mentioned that my survival tin has both matches and a ferro rod. The ferro rod works really well starting the gas burner. I do have toilet paper but will consider leaving my entrenching tool in the boot too. I also have a life straw that I could add to the bag.

Breakdown cover is a good shout- I don’t currently have any.

Thanks for the input.

[bigpaul]

you seem to have everything covered.
Breakdown cover is something to be recommended unless you are an ace mechanic, I can change a wheel but I'm rubbish at mechanics.

[Mortblanc]

If you want a decent meal pass on the MRE packs, the original military ones are tricky since they are government product and not made for civilian sale. What civilians usually get are factory seconds. They are usually extremely expensive for what you get.

The aftermarket ones are sketchy. Bad food choices, bad packing and often bad flavor.

In your situation I would go with a commercial canned meal. A canned stew of good quality or some good chunky soup. Add a canned bread and some sort of pudding and you will be set. Toss in a couple of cans of tuna and canned fruit and you would be good for a couple of days.

Add some condiment packs. Salt, pepper and sauce packs go a long way to spicing up your road kill meals.

There is no need to look for a 30 year shelf life. Rotating the meal out each 2-3 years should be no big trouble. You should be shifting your gear/food/water from summer pack to winter pack at the season changes so just replace your meals at that time.

I would also swap the water purification out for a Life Straw or a Sawyer Mini. They are low cost, 100% reliable, no shelf life, and good for more than a year of drinking water for one person. I keep a Life straw in the glove box of my rig and a Sawyer in the big kit in the boot. The Sawyer will screw directly to a commercial water/soda bottle for direct filtering.

Tablets are a 150 year old technology and they have a shelf life. They add taste to the water and require a wait time to work in the water.

I would also recommend that you expand your cooking gear. Add a good sized tin billy of a liter or two. You are in a vehicle, no need for everything to be barely large enough to use. You can also take more than a "small cache" of tea and coffee. Throw a small jar of instant coffee in there, as well as a good zip lock bag of tea bags.

[CharlesHarris]

I don't know if they are available in UK, but a common commercial ration used for emergency feeding here is called Heater Meals. They have a 5-year shelf life and as sold in case lots of 12 assorted meals they are less expensive and come in more variety than military MREs. When I worked in Emergency Management we distributed hundreds of cases of these to displaced hurricane evacuees, volunteer workers, etc. They have less sodium and sugar than MREs and the portions are a bit larger. http://www.heatermeals.com

[Pete Grey]

Don’t forget some well broken in walking boots incase you need to abandon the toyota.

[Skean Dhude]

I was going to say the same about the MREs. I have a few stashed away but for everyday use I take some ready meals that you simply add water. I sometime take pot noodles but I prefer the John West On the Go tubs, for hot meals just add hot water, and the small Pasta or rice meals which can be eaten cold. They last months so you can keep them in your car and I use them as I think you are expected to use MREs. Several flavours, all filling and you don't need to store them well, although I've never left them in a hot car for a few days, I would think that would be an issue. I keep them in the boot for hot days although when I am in the woods that is usually cool enough.

If I'm going to be spending a few days away I will also take tins of beans and sausages, some tinned corned beef.and tins of salmon or tuna Again they will last for ages in the car. I can eat the things I like for a while without issue.

I haven't bought MREs for some time. Too expensive and I think dried and tinned stuff lasts as long and you can mix and match.