Over the past six weeks, we had the opportunity to sample and taste the REV Dry meals of Nomad Nutrition.
Based in Vancouver, BC, Nomad Nutrition is reinventing alpine meals by using organic whole food ingredients while maximizing nutrition without sacrificing taste. With four different flavours and a growing inventory, Nomad Nutrition is sure to make it on your pack list, whether your are on the road or backpacking across the Tantalus range. After two of our testers sampled each meal multiple times, the bottom line is that these meals taste great and offer enough energy to enjoy the day hiking and climbing wherever you are.
Taste
All the meals we reviewed from Nomad Nutrition were great but with four flavour options, we all had favourites and experiences with each meal. Below is a list of the meals and how we felt about each of them.
Hungarian Goulash
Our favourite meal from Nomad Nutrition was hands-down the Hungarian Goulash. This was confirmed by two tasters and both agreed that the Hungarian Goulash not only stayed with us a great meal but we also had cravings for it days later. For those looking for a hearty meal with good consistency and a nice amount of spice, this is the meal for you! Cooking directions for this meal are spot on. Half a cup of water and wait 7-10 minutes.
Irish Shepard’s Pie | $15.00 CAD
Almost in contrast to the Hungarian Goulash, our second favourite meal was the Irish Shepard’s Pie. For those who want to tone down the spice, this meal is a perfect contrast to the Goulash and mixes up the experience from night to night in the alpine. The Shepard’s pie had a great consistency and there was something just nice about the dried potato mash. Again, Cooking directions for this meal are spot on. Half a cup of water and wait 7-10 minutes.
Katmandu Curry | $15.00 CAD
We really enjoyed the Katmandu Curry, tasting much better than your regular dry meal. At first taste, we expected the Katmandu Curry to have a big curry flavour but the taste was more mild than expected. The recipe for the Katmandu Curry also uses angel noodles, or very thin noodles, which is a change in consistency from the Goulash or the Shepard’s pie. In our experience, the Katmandu Curry required a little more water than half a cup and really soaked up everything.
Indian Red Lentil Stew | $15.00 CAD
Indian Red Lentil Stew was another great meal! This meal is less spicy than expected and has a milder taste similar to the Katmandu Curry for those who don’t like a ton of spice. The consistency of this meal is much similar to the Hungarian Goulash. In the field, we also found that this recipe required less water than a half a cup for good consistency.
Meal Size and Energy
Each meal comes in an easy to use pouch and can be made directly in the packaging or in a separate container. Throughout the field test, we used the meals both before and after a high energy day and, in our opinion, the meals gave us enough energy to hike and climb to the best of our ability. We also used the meal as a ‘come-back’ meal, to fuel up after climbing and this was also a very satisfying experience. In our experience, one pouch is enough food for one person and would not assume that the pouch would be two servings.
See above graphics for those interested in the nutritional value of each meal.
Price
For any climber on the road, price is a big factor when making decisions about what to eat on the road and extend that road trip a few days more. The price point on all meals from Nomad Nutrition is high, with each meal costing $15.00 CAD per pouch in comparison to $8.00-$12.00 for other dry meals. On the high side, we think that these meals are worth the extra dollars. However, for those people on a budget, these meals may be just out of their price range.
Overall
Overall, the meals create by Nomad Nutrition were a very tasty alternative to the dry meals that are currently on the market. The focus on whole foods and quality ingredients is a big factor for us when making decisions regarding what to eat in an alpine situation and these meals do not disappoint. Each meal offered enough energy for a climbing day and was a great base to start the day. When it comes to price, these meals are a bit on the high side in comparison to current dry meals on the market.
Nomad Nutrition REV Dry meals are available online and at Climb On Equipment in Squamish. For those purchasing online, our subscribers receive a 10% discount by using the code: SCM10.
