Datrex 3600 review

What a Datrex pack is

Datrex makes emergency rations for ships' survival craft, and the 3600 is its largest pack: 18 bars of 200 calories, 3,600 calories in all, in a hermetically sealed foil laminate package. Datrex lists the pack at 3.5 by 2.5 by 4.5 inches and about 24.8 oz. Each bar is wrapped on its own, which Datrex says makes rationing easier.

The ingredients are short: enriched wheat flour with malted barley flour, palm oil shortening, cane sugar, water and natural coconut flavoring. Datrex says the bars are vegan, non-GMO, free of peanut products, with no preservatives, and are baked and packaged in America at what it calls FDA certified facilities.

The marine pedigree

The 3600 holds a US Coast Guard approval, number 160.046/19/0, valid until September 2030 according to the certificate Datrex publishes, and Datrex lists Canadian Coast Guard and SOLAS approvals too. Datrex now also declares conformity with ISO 18813, the standard that replaced some Coast Guard type approvals. That tells you the pack is designed to survive storage in a life raft and be eaten when normal food runs out, not that it is a balanced diet.

How to use it, and the calorie math

Datrex says the bars are ready to eat, can be eaten solid or mixed with water, and are not thirst-provoking. At 3,600 calories, a pack covers about 1.8 days at 2,000 calories, or three days at 1,200 calories, the lean ration these packs are traditionally built around. Plan on one pack per person for a short evacuation or a stranded drive, not as your whole home food supply.

Water is separate. Ready.gov's kit list calls for one gallon per person per day for several days, and the bars contain none to speak of. Our how much water to store guide covers the rest.

Shelf life and storage

Datrex gives a five-year shelf life from the date of manufacture, printed on the pack. Write the date somewhere you will see it, or set a reminder to rotate it. Datrex does not publish a storage temperature range on its product page, so treat a car in summer with some caution and keep a spare pack indoors. Ready.gov lists high-energy foods and protein or fruit bars among good emergency staples; see our non-perishable food list.

How it compares, and the verdict

The obvious rival is the Mainstay 3600: the same 3,600 calories, split into nine 400-calorie portions with a lemon flavor, and Mainstay says its bars are enriched with vitamins and minerals. Datrex's smaller 200-calorie bars make it easier to ration in small steps. For real meals rather than survival rations, the freeze-dried kits on our emergency food comparison, such as the ReadyWise 72-Hour Kit, are far more pleasant but need hot water.

Verdict: a compact, no-preparation ration that belongs in a car or go-bag. Skip it if you have a wheat or coconut allergy, want food that resembles a meal, or are stocking a home pantry for a long outage.

How long does a Datrex 3600 pack last a person?

It holds 3,600 calories: about 1.8 days at 2,000 a day, or three days at 1,200 a day, which is how survival rations are usually planned. It is meant for short emergencies, not as a long-term diet.

Do Datrex bars make you thirsty?

Datrex describes them as non-thirst provoking, and they can be eaten dry or mixed with water. You still need drinking water: Ready.gov suggests a gallon per person per day.

Are Datrex bars nut-free?

Datrex calls them nut free and free of peanut products, but the ingredients include natural coconut flavoring and wheat flour. Check the label against any allergy in your household.

What is the shelf life of Datrex bars?

Five years from the date of manufacture, according to Datrex. Rotate packs before that date and keep them out of extreme heat where you can.