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Can't really call this a review, but...I just got my hands on a couple cases of 2008 MREs, the new version with a completely new bag and contents. Curiousity got the better of me and I just had to open one up to see what was different than past MREs.
Noteworthy observations:
The entire contents of the brown bag were sealed in a thinner, clear plastic inner bag.
The military continues to waste space and material using a huge packet to pack 1/2 a canteen cup worth of drink mix. In earlier MREs (1990s-earlier 2000s), the packet was small for the same amount of mix. When I was in the Infantry, every milligram of weight mattered, so I can not see why the military would use a larger bag for this.
A butter-flavored food additive is included, as well as barbeque sauce. Variety is nice, and I can imagine trading these must be popular among soldiers in the field. However it's also more weight to lug around if the MRE can't be stripped.
There are certainly more components than older MREs. Particularly: aforementioned condiments, having both jelly and peanut butter for the crackers, the hot beverage bag.
Tootsie Rolls are now in their own government brown packet. Interesting.
Here are the photos, in no particular order:
Noteworthy observations:
The entire contents of the brown bag were sealed in a thinner, clear plastic inner bag.
The military continues to waste space and material using a huge packet to pack 1/2 a canteen cup worth of drink mix. In earlier MREs (1990s-earlier 2000s), the packet was small for the same amount of mix. When I was in the Infantry, every milligram of weight mattered, so I can not see why the military would use a larger bag for this.
A butter-flavored food additive is included, as well as barbeque sauce. Variety is nice, and I can imagine trading these must be popular among soldiers in the field. However it's also more weight to lug around if the MRE can't be stripped.
There are certainly more components than older MREs. Particularly: aforementioned condiments, having both jelly and peanut butter for the crackers, the hot beverage bag.
Tootsie Rolls are now in their own government brown packet. Interesting.
Here are the photos, in no particular order:
