Surplus and Outdoors Problem?

[parafireboy]

After multiple orders in which I've always been pleased, I had a little bad experience with Surplus and Outdoors. It might be a fluke, but I wanted to put it out there in case any of you had similar experiences lately. I ordered some British 24-hr ration packs. They were shipped separately to save shipping cost, and the first one that arrived was in a very beat-up plain cardboard box (not the official British ration pack box), and one of the vegetarian entrees had been sliced open, then crudely repaired with packing tape. There was no notice on the shipping package or within in regards to any customs inspection. The tape of course didn't hold too well, so it leaked food on many of the other contents. The other package still hasn't arrived yet (which is very unusual since they are usually pretty fast with their shipping).

I've reached out to them to see what they can do about it, but I was just curious if anyone else has experienced this lately.

Thanks.

[BlackDogBob]

I have had some issues, but not many. After buying over 40 rations from them in less than 5 months, I expect one or two issues. Nothing compared to what you went thru though.

[cavguy]

That sucks! Sounds like they opened the ration with a knife in order to avoid shipping the "MOD Property" marked cardboard box and damaged the contents!

[TechManDan]

I have had one come in missing the apple sauce packet and another that had the mains substituted plus some extra items added.

[parafireboy]

So the other parcel arrived, and while the contents were intact in this one, the outer box had been totally "de-militarized" and was essentially just a beat-up cardboard box. This is a big change from the way they used to ship their British ration packs in the original military packaging (the exception being the removal of the lettering on the top of the box, which I can live with).

I contacted them, but really didn't get an explanation, other than they said they would send me a couple of flattened boxes with my next order, and would also send another entree to replace the one that was damaged in the first parcel.

If anyone has any other sources for British ration packs, let me know, I may be done using them for British ration packs. The French RCIRs are still coming fully intact, wrapped / sealed at least.