Mainstay Emergency Water Packets

[Phred]

Recently I updated some water packets with a current date code. Both brands seem similar, but the Daytrex one lists both a build date and an expiration date. The Mainstay brand only lists an expiration date. Question: what would "time out" with these. The current packets have a "best by" date of 2025. I did a taste test of a pack that had expired in 2009 and it seemed fine. I don't know why these would expire. They are made of some kind of Mylar foil and kept packed in the bottom of some emergency provisions packs. Thoughts?

Read More

 

[Member 34319]

I'd be curious to how the water is prepared and if it is tested for particulates. If pure distilled H20, I'd say your good indefinitely so long as the package doesn't decay and seep into the water.

 

[Phred]

Thanks Reno. I did some searching and found this on another blog site:

Water envelopes

"Let's start with the water envelopes. These are silver colored packets that, according to S.O.S. Food Labs, are plastic-lined aluminum packets (tri-laminate foil film structure. The S.O.S. rep also told me that the plastic lining is BPA-free, which puts this water in a similar situation to water that has been commercially bottled, unopened, in the BPA-free gallon jugs as in my earlier article about being able to ignore that expiration date.

These envelopes are truly indestructible. I haven't pushed it to the max, but you can put a good bit of pressure on the envelopes and they don't burst or leak. S.O.S. tells me that they have an average burst in foot lbs of 862. As a testament to the twisted sense of humor of those who created them (or perhaps a testament to those people having fingernails and teeth like razor blades), there is a little notch at one corner of the envelope that says "tear here." But you can't tear there. You can't tear anywhere. If you cut a real notch with scissors or a knife, you still can't tear there. Only by slicing or cutting the envelope completely open can you get at the water inside, so if you get stranded somewhere with these water envelopes and no knife or scissors or vampire, I'm afraid you'll probably perish.

But the water won't perish. I opened it using the extreme method above, and found the water to be just fine. Perfectly clear, no odor, and only the slightest stale flavor that is expected in water that has sat for a long time and can be removed by aerating the water; just expose it to air and shake it. There was only the slightest hint of that taste, even 6 years after the "expiration date." Therefore, since the water rations cost a lot and are heavy to ship, I opted to keep those water envelopes for emergencies for the foreseeable future. Even if there was the slightest bit of some unknown chemical leaching in the water in small amounts, I feel ok about using such water for a few days or weeks in an emergency, even if I wouldn't necessarily want to live on the stuff on a daily basis."

 

[Tony617]

I have some Datrex water that expired back in 08/2020. I have replaced the old expired one with new Datrex. I always dump the old ones out but I forgot this time. Maybe I should hold on to them for a few more years.

 

[solv3nt]

I rock the dehydrated dihydrogen oxide.

 

[Stomper]

I rock the dehydrated dihydrogen oxide.

NASA freeze-dried space water, to reconstitute just add water and let sit 3-minutes before consuming!

 

[JohnnyMac]

I would think if nothing else, you could add an extra layer of safety and boil the outdated ones if you were forced to drink them. That would, of course, only work if you had access to fire/heat, but nonetheless, I wouldn't discard them. Like throwing away your outdated boating signal flares. They still work fine, they just aren't going to keep you from getting a ticket.

 

[Koda]

if one filled up a plastic water bottle with tap water and put on the shelf, how long would that water bottle be good for?

 

[edzz]

if one filled up a plastic water bottle with tap water and put on the shelf, how long would that water bottle be good for?

Depends on the quality of the water, not all city's have potable water IMHO. I usually store a few 55 gallon plastic (food quality) barrels with a bit of bleach added. My primary use is for sanitation however I wouldn't hesitate to use it for drinking or cooking. I change the water out every few years.

 

[Alexx1401]

if one filled up a plastic water bottle with tap water and put on the shelf, how long would that water bottle be good for?

Will vary GREATLY with your water system. Some are "questionable" when it comes out the tap. One easy and cheap way to keep prep is buy some purification tablets. They will make even pretty nasty water safe to drink. Will not taste real good but it will not make you sick at a really inopportune time to be sick.

 

[Koda]

Generally here in the PNW we have some of the best public tap water. Lets assume a safe quality clean tap water, im curious how long a small water bottle would last?

 

[Alexx1401]

Generally here in the PNW we have some of the best public tap water. Lets assume a safe quality clean tap water, im curious how long a small water bottle would last?

Assuming nothing was added to the water when you bottle it seems to say 6 months to a year. They warn it may "taste off" but that does not mean its going to be a problem. So if you sterilize the container you use you could stay safe for a year. A bottle of bleach kept aside will make water safe that you are not sure of in a pinch. If you have to use purifier those simple gravity filters will take a LOT of the bad taste away. I have long kept a couple large plastic containers full outside. When I think of it I will drain them in the summer using it to water, then refill. If we were in a pinch I would just add some purifier to it and would have no worry drinking it. Its mainly there to use for cleaning and such in a pinch. Buy jugs of "drinking water" at the store and same with them. In summer I will dump old outside on things and buy some more. Main thing is if we are every in a pinch for water the last thing you want is to get the damn trotts from drinking water that is bad. Nothing more miserable than having that on top of the water down

 

[solv3nt]

if one filled up a plastic water bottle with tap water and put on the shelf, how long would that water bottle be good for?

I think the main concern is that the bottle material will eventually leach into the water. Tap water will eventually go bad.

 

[Koda]

Assuming nothing was added to the water when you bottle it seems to say 6 months to a year.

This was my guess. 6mo to a year is not bad to maintain a shelf of reused water bottles and rotating the water with fresh would be easy enough. Good to know.

 

[ma96782]

A lot of RVers say that they use a Berkey. Can't trust the water at the Public Park (or other strange) faucet or at the RV Park.

https://www.amazon.com/Berkey-Gravity-Fed-Filter-Purification-Elements/dp/B00CYW3EVO/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1TU5ZKO6DW259&keywords=birkey&qid=1639763880&sprefix=berkey%2Caps%2C268&sr=8-6

Aloha, Mark

 

[The Heretic]

Recently I updated some water packets with a current date code. Both brands seem similar, but the Daytrex one lists both a build date and an expiration date. The Mainstay brand only lists an expiration date. Question: what would "time out" with these. The current packets have a "best by" date of 2025. I did a taste test of a pack that had expired in 2009 and it seemed fine. I don't know why these would expire. They are made of some kind of Mylar foil and kept packed in the bottom of some emergency provisions packs. Thoughts?

View attachment 1089977 View attachment 1089978

I had some in my GHB supplies for years - might still have a few somewhere. Eventually the mylar foil will wear out from handling/etc. because it is so thin. A person could make their own from bottled (or tap) water and thicker mylar bags.

Or:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Can-Premium-Emergency-Drinking/dp/B00M9O9HTK/ref=asc_df_B00M9O9HTK

 

[Certaindeaf]

If it comes with clutching pearls you'll probably be OK.

 

[308]

How about just buying a 50 gallon food grade drum, fill it with water, add a tablespoon of bleach and be done with it. Use when if/when required and refil/change once a year.

 

[Phred]

308,
That works great for home based operation, but if you're mobile you still need some portable water storage/filtration. So it's filtered water bottles and packs of water for that need. A buddy of mine used to never pack water for our fishing days. He'd just use a life straw in whatever river we were in. Another guy carried a Katadyn. I do have a Lifestraw, but the Katadyn is more expensive so I haven't bought one of those. But they are highly rated.

 

[308]

308,
That works great for home based operation, but if you're mobile you still need some portable water storage/filtration. So it's filtered water bottles and packs of water for that need. A buddy of mine used to never pack water for our fishing days. He'd just use a life straw in whatever river we were in. Another guy carried a Katadyn. I do have a Lifestraw, but the Katadyn is more expensive so I haven't bought one of those. But they are highly rated.

Got it. We carry the lifestraws in our vehicles also.