Talk:Backpacking and Camping

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Trying to cover the basics of camping and backpacking while explaining that you dont have to hav the expensive gear. Need more ways to boost calories of camping foods.

full text from trimmed areas:

If you're bringing anything in a can, pick up a small folding can opener at your camping or Army Surplus store. They were developed in WW2 for the can-based "C-Rations" and were officially known as the P-38 (the larger version used to open large cans was the P-51) but was known by the troops as the "John Wayne". It's small enough to put on a key chain, and has only one moving part. Get one or two for each of your party. (Note: These are "prohibited items" on aircraft flights because they have a sharp point, and may be confiscated.)

You might have noticed this referred to in movies or books set in the 18th and 19th centuries (Revolutionary or Civil War, Westerns, Naval Dramas). Hardtack is little more than a large cracker that, if kept dry, could stay edible for months, perhaps years. The problem is that much hardtack is so hard, it can break teeth; hence the nicknames "tooth dullers", "sheet iron" or "molar breakers". Often it's broken and mixed with some liquid to make a porridge. If you make enough in advance, it can be eaten on the march or at camp. A recipe from the WikiMedia Cookbook follows:

Some recipes also recommend a second baking at 250°F (120°C) to thoroughly dry out the bread. The hardtack made for long voyages were known to be baked four times and allowed to dry for six months.