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It's interesting to see people eating stuff from Russia or Asia and such and not knowing what are they eating. Do you prepare yourself what's what before hitting outdoors with like Russian ration, or before making a review? Ask a friend who knows the lingo or use translations from webshops you find your menue on... what do you do? Or you just open and start opening hoping the best, you will recognize something or taste to know it with time?

Delicious made an russian ration review I found awesome, it's clearly prepared translations or he knows the language. Steve had pork brain pate, I believe with an use of web or phone based translation program.


I've also watched Alduins's Kazakhstan review, maybe I'm biassed because I don't like the guy much, but he don't even use common sense or to say logic during his reviews. Can an review like that even be called a review? Guy rips the ration and starts eating dinner calling it breakfast, even anyone can see when you get all out it can't be breakfast and on top of all that you have a carry handle that's made to be used throughout the day so you rip the bottom part for first meal, then middle for lunch, and you are left with dinner that still has an carry handle on it...



I like seeing reviews where person actually gives us an about the ration. Like Paul B. few times explained how to drink from the canadian beverage pouch. Or someone showing you don't need to strike match to light russian fuel tab, you just take it and slide it over the surface you use to strike the match (don't know the right word). And it lights...

I try to prepare before taking a ration camping if I do not know the Language.
The Russian Ration I tried at home before taking a second meal to the field .
Then I tried to get translation from native speakers. Myself found the Russian meals to be good in almost ever case.
Only a few items I found to be less than first class was one type of canned cheese.

Last I keep an open mind about other nation's military meals.

For a Chinese PLA meal I went to the local Chinese restaurant and ask them to translate each item.
They seemed alarmed that I would want to eat Military rations. They explained what each item was and I decided not to take the Chinese meal camping.
So I tested it at home and found it was not that bad.

Reviews are all subjective to the reviewer. Me for example, my only goal in my vids is to try what a particular country gives their troops to eat cause I'm curious. As far as if I do it right? Hey, if I can open the retort pouch or can and get it in my mouth I consider it a success. I do this for fun and as my channel description says "Not here to be serious, just to have fun". There's enough BS and Drama in the world so take anything I post or say with a grain of salt.

As far as research, translations, and other homework that tends to be just as subjective to a content creator as anything else. You can always reach out and ask for help but in most cases it's after the fact you learn all the tips and tricks. My first years vids were all soup sandwiches but eventually you get your niche, editing style and camera presence. I'll never be in Gschultz, Steve or Craigs class in research and prep but that's cool cause I'm not them and I can rely on them for giving you guys all that fancy book learnin'. You can rely on me for mistakes LOL! lordy, lordy...I just filmed a Lithuanian ration and during eating segment forgot to turn the camera ON! Nice!

As for other styles Ashens just opens and eats and he's got over a million subs so he has to be doing something right eh? And Alduin, I don't have a problem with his style, he's being himself and that's a good thing. I mean really, why be fake on camera? I think the only thing I censure myself on is swearing, which I do more often than I'd like to admit....but that is simply because I don't see the need for it, not to mention Crystal or Kiwi Dude's "The Boss" is my greatest fan and she doesn't need to hear Uncle Gundog cussing like it's raining hard in the field when the bowel movement comes a calling.

I totally agree with Norton about being respectful and honestly have not had a bad experience other than those horrendous Civil Defense crackers.

I guess most important from my outlook anyways, people are people. For the amount of people in this community and there not to be blood feud issues like just about every other youtube community is amazingly rare. that being said, I'd sit down in an old fighting position and swap tales and lies over an MRE with any of you.

Cheers

I did not mean to make this about reviewers quality, I love your videos and I don't put anyone on a special place from you old guard guys. Beside, you do try to learn and get as much info as you can and you always present that to us during the reviews and we all learn something more.

As for Alduin I don't want to hijack this theme with him and to explain why I don't like the guy, but beside cursing and ghetto attitude I don't really need much more negative points to not like the guy. Same as he has right to do his stuff as he want's, I have right to like it or not, I like many ration reviewers with various styles and I don't like just one - no big drama. You are always positive guy with always interesting straight reviews and stories, Steve is in x-files zone of rations and always estatic when he gets something he liks or he waited for a long time and he transfer all that to us, Gschultz reminds me of futuristic science fiction AI because of his calmness and voice colour and his approach is amazing the first evidence for that can be his last HDR videos... I wanted pointed out only he's bad approach to subject like Kazakhstan ration made me mention him (Alduin), nothing else. He is one of the guys who get's an ration not bothering about anything so he just open's it and starts guessing what to do with it and yes of course he has right to do it his way, in his style. Ashens is famous british humor in a review themed surroundings, one who like Allo,Allo, The new statesman, Only fools and horses and tv shows like that will most possibly find Ashens amusing and keep following him.

Norton gave cool and honest answer, just why I asked this questions. I hope others will jump in to say their approach to foreign food they don't really know what it is by just looking at packaging. I for one never laughed HDR picture instructions how to eat (seen it on yt reviews), but I guess many people find that very funny and they laughed at it.

No worries mate. Keep finding yummy stuff to eat! Cheers

I agree with Gundog 100%. I was mentioned in the conversation, so just my approach and reason for the reviews: I'm a food fan, I like to cook, taste new things, used to work as cook/chef for some time. I'm interested in the content of the rations and how the meal from different countries taste like. I'm not an expert on military equipment.
But everybody is allowed to have his own fun with rations
PS. Yes, I do speak Russian

I think that half of the fun is not knowing on some rations!

At one point i though i was eating dog meat due to a rough translation, another time it was the the magical anti-hypoxia ration that was a mysterious bar of tar. (still no super powers from that one)

But as said for the most part its food! so its tough not to "get it right"

I like the different styles, and effort everyone of the reviewers puts in, my videos arent great... but it takes time to make them that bad haha and i still enjoy it, if someone else likes my style awesome if not there are others they can relate to.

In my picture reviews there is more of a different style due to not being able to say what i want to get across so more images and words are required.

As with the rations, the reviewers come in all varieties and flavors. That is one of the beauties of this group. Also, as with the rations, some varieties and flavors of viewers. Will not be to everyone's taste.

Personally, I prefer pictorial reviews as opposed to video.

Look in the MRE Tips & Tricks thread for something I found. To help in deciphering unkown food and drink.

Yeah let's link it from here also viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6435

BTW someone used water purification tab on this forum thinking it's normal 1 tab = 1 liter of water but it was small amount of water like that with one tab made liquid for cleaning stuff and over 5-6 liters 1 tab worked as purification tab. Can't remember who on this forums but I think it was french ration.

Asger wrote:Yeah let's link it from here also viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6435

BTW someone used water purification tab on this forum thinking it's normal 1 tab = 1 liter of water but it was small amount of water like that with one tab made liquid for cleaning stuff and over 5-6 liters 1 tab worked as purification tab. Can't remember who on this forums but I think it was french ration.

haha that was me, it was an Italian ration.

1 tab for 15 liters! and i put it in less than 1 liter of water

I should have read more carefully, but who puts the instructions on a separate sheet instead of the package!

At least it was entertaining