RecPak Meal Replacement Review
Our bodies crave proper nutrition, especially on long, tough trails. But our typical response to this is eating convenient foods that are low in the type of nutrition we need to adequately resupply our body’s fuel storage. Early the next day and over the course of the next few hard days we can feel it. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that we have not taken in the type of food we need to properly recover.
There are some food brands that claim certain protein levels. There are some that boast big calorie numbers. But there are very few that provide all that and also replace the lost vitamins and minerals, the proper balance of mono, poly, and saturated fats, and a balanced quantity of slow and quick absorption carbohydrates. And there is only one brand that does all that and provides a full meal replacement with a satisfying taste in an ultralight, fully recyclable container designed for on-the-go consumption at an affordable price.
Who claims to have risen to the top? RecPak.
Who and what is RecPak?
RecPak puts out ultralight meal replacements. These are not casual meals you would typically have for lunch in the office. These are nutrition-dense products that have been formulated with oversight from sports nutrition experts, for the kind of sustained strenuous activities hikers and backpackers do. If you want to maintain your endurance, support hydration, and speed recovery, you would look for a product like this to take with you on your adventures.
The company was founded by two brothers – one is a service-disabled veteran and the other is a first responder. Two people who know what it takes to perform at the highest levels for extended periods of time and how important proper nutrition is in order for them to consistently perform at those levels.
The company is not funded by investors. Investors are driven by profits. But the primary motivation of the owners of this company is not profit. They are a people above profits company. They have donated thousands of units to first responders around the world and to veteran and youth groups here in the U.S. They are a member of 1% for the Plant and use a portion of their profits for various conservation causes.
It seems from at least an initial dig into the product and the company that this would be a great candidate for my review, one that could earn the respect of those, like me, who seek out great products from companies that support our causes.
BUT – it all depends on if the product actually lives up to the company promise.
What problem is RecPak trying to solve?
Way too often hikers and backpackers neglect proper nutrition, especially long distance thru hikers. You’ve seen it, right? All manner of bad caloric and low nutrition junk is consumed on trail, and that kind of neglect can be very dangerous for some people.
There’s a clinical study out there that suggests sustained bad nutrition during a long distance hikes can present a very dangerous outcome. Like, serious and detrimental changes to blood vessels. More studies need to be done on this. But, to even the causal observer, eating food that isn’t great for you for an extended period can’t be a good thing. I won’t go into it here, but it’s good to be informed; go check it out for yourself.
Many freeze-dried meals are bulky, require some prep time, and can’t be eaten while you are on the move. Most of them require heating and the associated equipment that needs to be carried (fuel and a stove). We need to depend on our stoves to never fail. We need to ensure we have enough fuel for your adventure. For longer trips we need to coordinate and rely on places to resupply the fuel we need.
Normally our backpacking food bags are full of calorie dense, nutrition-lacking food that is not designed for sustained performance. That’s why much of what we call “hiker hunger” is mostly the body starving for proper nutrition. Hiker hunger might be a badge of honor for some people, but, in reality, it’s a sure sign of a body neglected.
Operating at that level for a sustained period of time doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a formula that involves proper training and proper nutrition. The promise of RecPak is on the nutrition side of that formula to help keep you at your highest levels, when it matters most, without adding junk, and without compromising nutrition or efficiency.
Other Information about RecPak
- With RecPak you have an Any Environment Advantage. Cold, wet, high elevation, hot... It doesn’t matter. So, imagine it’s windy and raining – you just set up your shelter to get out of all that - mealtime with a stove in those conditions peg the suck meter. But if you had a RecPak meal – no problem – easy day.
- Cost. The cost is about as much as a freeze dried backpacking meal – without the hassle of the cook.
- Free Shipping. There’s free shipping for orders over $50
- Shelf life. These have an 18 month shelf life. So you could buy in bulk to save on shipping, and you’ll always be meal-ready for your adventures.
- Good for a while after adding water. These are generally good for a couple days after mixing; although hot temperature shortens that time frame. So, you could mix before you head out and you could consume any time during the course of the next day or two.
- Contains milk and coconut. If you have dietary restrictions, keep that in mind. But they will soon be coming out with a purely plant based product. Stand by for that.
- Nutritional information. Each pak contains all 39 essential nutrients. The ratio is 50% carbs / 25% proteins and / 25% fats. It contains 25% of the required daily value of most vitamins and minerals. It contains both fast and slow absorbing carbs to help maintain glycogen levels in a way where you won’t get a sugar high and therefore won’t experience a sugar crash – this is especially helpful for those who may have diabetic concerns. The proteins are high quality to mitigate muscle breakdown. And the fats are a good balance of mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated, and saturated fats, as we need all three of these.
- Three Flavors. They have Vanilla Chai, Chocolate, and Coffee right now. And they have plans to add more flavors in the future (probably something fruit-flavored). Again, stay tuned for that.
My Review
I tried a RecPak meal replacement after one of my recent training hikes. I’m not normally in the habit of having a post-workout recovery drink. My nutritional resupply comes from my normal diet. But while I’m out on trail, I don’t have the convenience of my home pantry and kitchen. So, in this test, I simulated what the end of a hiking day might look like with a RecPak replacement meal.
The meal comes in what can be described as a collapsible water bottle. It’s in powdered form inside the bottle. The cap is sealed with a safety ring that needs to be removed before adding water.
The instructions suggest to fill the container with 6-8 fluid ounces of water, shake well, add the remaining 6-4 ounces water, and shake again until all contents are fully mixed. No matter how you do this, the point here is to ensure the contents are mixed very well before consuming. If you’ve ever tried to drink a powdered mix before it is fully blended with liquid, you’ll know why it’s important to mix well. Chunks of unmixed powder is unpleasant.
I had the vanilla chai flavor. It was very good! I was still a bit thirsty after drinking the 12 oz, so I added more water to the container and drank again.
When finished, roll up the container, replace the cap, and recycle.
One objection that might come out of this is that there is some waste. But, not really. The container can be recycled. And with these meals there’s actually less waste than with a dehydrated meal, because dehydrated meal containers are not always recyclable and there is added waste associated with what it takes to heat the meal (fuel, fuel container, and the stove, considering also the manufacturing waste associated with all that).
Another objection may be that for some people it may not have the satisfaction of a meal. There’s no chewing; there’s no fuss with preparing the meal; there’s no cleanup after eating; it’s actually drinking – it’s not “eating”. Yes, there is a bit of a psychological barrier here. But, after a long, hard day, I’m normally not in much of a mood to prepare a “normal” meal. The convenience of adding water, shaking, and drinking my meal has a certain appeal on some days.
Would I do this for every meal? Probably not. But to have the option of a no-fuss meal on the go is really attractive – especially with the confidence that this meal has the proper refueling, rehydrating, and recovery ingredients that my body needs.
This may not be for everyone. But, after considering the nutritional impact, the convenience, and the environmental impact, maybe it should be.
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