Backpacking Meal Battle // Mountain House vs Peak Refuel vs Outdoor Pantry // Beef Stroganoff

Backpacking Meal Battle // Mountain House vs Peak Refuel vs Outdoor Pantry // Beef Stroganoff
For more information about these meals and more from each of these vendors, check here:
Peak Refuel - peakrefuel.com
Outdoor Pantry - outdoorpantry.com?afmc=1q
Mountain House - mountainhouse.com/collections...
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Edited using iMovie

[@outdoorpantryinc.debbiecyr2559]

Thanks Mark, we are super happy with your nod to our homemade taste and we love packing all our meals with lots of meat. Thanks so much!

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Always enjoy the Outdoor Pantry meals! Thanks for keeping them what they are!!!

[@azclaimjumper]

Thanks for decloaking & saying something. I'll have to buy a few of your meals & compare them with what I normally consume which are Peak Refuel Meals. Beside the taste, I like that PR meals have no fillers or TVP. I do like the high protein content of your Beef Stroganoff & will also be trying out your breakfast meal to compare with Peak Refuel Breakfast Skillet. Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada

[@azclaimjumper]

guess I'll have to order Outdoor Pantry meals off their website because they aren't offered for sale at either Sportsman's Warehouse or REI here in Reno.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

They are website order only. Small operation, small batch meals.

[@ManivanAdventures]

I used to buy Mountain house because of the price, but after trying a friend’s Peak meal once, I never went back. Lol I don’t go backpacking nearly as much as I’d like to anyway, so it’s well worth the extra few dollars.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Peak is just so far ahead of MH it isn’t funny!

[@jbullfrog81jw]

Those are all so expensive for such a tiny amount of calories and protein. None of those are worth $15 a bag.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

I get it, but you're paying for the convenience of it. For me, just boiling and adding water is about all I want to do at the end of a long day, and even that sometimes seems to take too long when I'm really hungry!

[@BSUSwim4Gold]

I completely agree Peak’s Beef stroganoff is the best and their Biscuits and Gravy is my other favorite meal.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

I wish I liked Biscuits and Gravy, but I really just don't.

[@scottbutler1561]

Great comparison, especially the protein/carb to weight ratio of each. Ultimately I think that ratio is reflective of the quality and nutritional value of the contents. I think the only reason that Mountain House is so popular is that it has market share and longevity, and it's readily available in stores like Walmart. For me, I've never had a bad Peak Refuel meal, if you can find them on sale they are a great value as well. Outdoor Pantry is a great option for less value and more inconvenience of rapid shipping, the quality is worth the wait if you have the time. To me, Mountain House is a last-minute solution when heading to the trailhead, it's palatable but to me most of their meals taste like salt and leave me feeling worn out afterward.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Great comment! I think you nailed it with this one. It's the convenience and accessibility factor that makes MH so popular, I'm sure if more of the Outdoor Pantry, Packit Gourmet, and others small vendors were in mainstream stores they'd be much more popular and might even put MH out of business!

[@SalmondOutdoors]

Great video man, I love Peak refuel, there hasn't been a meal of theirs that I haven't liked so far. I'll have to try out the outdoor pantry though, have to give some love to all the small brands :)

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

The only one I haven't been a fan of so far is the sweet pork and rice, it had a strange sweetness to it that I didn't care for. The rest I've had have all been awesome though.

[@alexwbanks70]

I really need to get some Peak Refuel.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Go get some!

[@chrislrob]

Peak Refuel is my go-to now. I've had a half-dozen different kinds. Love most of them Beef Stroganoff and Biscuits and Gravy are stellar.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

It's convenient and tastes great!

[@elderhiker7787]

I’ve made this comment before and I get some negative feedback, but I have never stopped to using dehydrated meals in a bag. I agree if you are a thru-hiker whose primary goal is high daily mileage and low base weight, then dehydrated meals probably makes sense. But I made delicious beef stroganoff for my final test to earn my Boy Scout cooking merit badge and fresh ingredients and fresh meat makes this dish a camping former meal. Meals in a bag just don’t cut it. Invite me along and you will eat like a king.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Can't disagree that fresh makes better food! Most of the time I log longer miles and so when I get into camp I am not wanting to cook a full meal, plus with the cooking gear I carry it's not really feasible. Now from time to time I do carry extra cooking gear, and fresh food and those are always memorable meals! No way to hate on someone saying fresh is better, it just is! Thanks!

[@Kenbur]

I've never had a good Peak meal - sorry - just never had. Their idea of spice, taste, etc. MEH is definitely not mine. MH is convenient and easy to get and passable for taste. As I said before, until you try the Stowaway IMO of course............., none of the two I've tried and the other brands do not come close. I've never tried the Outdoor Pantry so I definitely have to get some and try. Thanks for the comparison.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

I was looking at a few of the other brands like Stowaway that were recommended to me, the problem with all of them, Packit Gourmet and Outdoor Pantry included, is that since you can only mail order them, you either have to buy enough that justifies the shipping cost, or you end up with a single meal that is $25 due to shipping.

[@mikedidomenico1]

I will have to add Outdoor Pantry to my try list. Peak Refuel and Pinnacle Foods are both my go to

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Right on, give it a try!

[@deerless999]

Food for thought…….sorry, had to 😁 Honestly, great review though, unfortunately for me I was gifted a summer supply of M.H. Maybe I’ll regift and try some of these others.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Thanks, maybe find someone to make a coupe of trades with.

[@BSUSwim4Gold]

I can’t find a good dehydrated egg dish. If you could do a taste test and find the descent one.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Only one I've enjoyed has been the Outdoor Pantry Fiesta Ham and Egg Scramble, but it's almost always out of stock. I've heard the best dehydrated egg brand is Ova Easy.

[@hike-bike-paddle-and-drone]

Great review! I have had more Peak Fuel meals over Mountain House only because I seem to find deals on the pricing through Sierra Trading Post, especially when they mark some down at a further discount occasionally. I am starting to dehydrate my own meals now and probably eat only one bought prepackaged meal (or less) during the day in the back country. Peak is my favorite. If you are a gram weenie, the Peak can add up oz. in the pack. Jeff

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

By doing your own meals you have a lot of control over what you're eating.

[@hike-bike-paddle-and-drone]

@@SpiguyverBackpacking1 One of my best resources is Kevin Outdoors here on KZbin! His book is the best!

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

I'll have to look his stuff up. Thanks!

[@JasonSmith-jb6gb]

Mark or anyone else tried the peak refuel pork fried rice? I’m thinking of picking up a stroganoff and a few others to try out. I loved the coconut curry chicken I’ll be getting another of those. Now I’m also going to have to try outdoor pantry, never had anything from them.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

If you mean the sweet pork and rice, yes. I know some people really enjoy it, I found the sweetness to be very off-putting.

[@garrycollins3415]

I've considered Mountain House the Wendy's of backpack food. I hope these videos continue. This could be the season 2 of the alcohol stoves.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

I'd need some new stoves to put to the test, I think I've tried damn near all of them at this point!

[@garrycollins3415]

@@SpiguyverBackpacking1 yes so season 2 would compare backpacking food.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

Ah gotcha, for sure!

[@ChadHaviland]

Did I miss the price comparison?

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

They are all between $12-14, but depends on where and when you get them. You can get Peak and MH on Sierra Trading Post, sometimes for up to 40% off.

[@jamesedwards6269]

Peak refuel stroganoff is way better than mountain house haven’t tried the other brand.

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

I concur!

[@brianadventures9622]

Mark, I'm sorry you had to post an 18 minute video about how wrong you are... Mountain House for life!n

[@SpiguyverBackpacking1]

I am certainly not saying that. MH still isn't nearly as good as many others out there, their Beef Stroganoff just happens to taste decent.