This week I’ve been dehydrating foods for an upcoming wilderness trip and I’ve included, as I always do, enough food for an extra day.  Some may argue that this would only increase pack weight and that it isn’t a good idea. I disagree and feel that it is very important, even crucial on some trips.

Having extra rations are beneficial in case of injury, getting lost, or in the event of a meal disaster. Carrying extra food is very important when you are in remote areas, alpine regions or on paddling trips where one might become storm bound for a day or more. Even on a day hike a little extra food just to be on the safe side because you never know what could happen.

I’d love to hear how you handle emergency rations. Do you plan emergency food into your trail menu? If so, what do you usually take?

Like many backpackers and paddlers, we miss things like bread when we are on longer backcountry excursions. From time to time we will bake in a skillet rather than take the Outback Oven.

The fine folks over at PackIt Gourmet have taken the time to write a great article, How to Make Bread in the Backcountry. This method works great for bannock and cakes too.

When I rehydrate foods on our backcountry trips I like to use a cozy especially in the cooler weather. Not only does it speed up rehydration but it also keeps the food warm. Most of the time I don’t even need to reheat the food after it reconstitutes.

While there are many types of cozies on the market, such as the Granite Gear Aquatherm and the MEC Hot Pot Cookware Insulator, you can easily make your own to work with freezer bags. Of course, you have to ensure that you use good quality freezer bags such as those from Ziploc® or LOKSAK so that you don’t have any leaks.

Joe, of Long Trail Hiking, has posted some great instructions and included pictures in his article MYOG: Fabric Freezer Bag Cozy. The idea is simple and very easy to make. Even better you can customize the size to suit the type and size of freezer bags you prefer to use.