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• Mainstay vs Datrex

  • Price
  • Value
  • Quality
  144 of 276 people found this review helpful

  ***Posting this review on both bars***
  
  I bought both a Mainstay and a Datrex 2400 calorie bar to try out the flavor of each to determine which one I would end up wanting to use in my ditch kits. From some other reviews I thought they might both be the same, they're not. Here's a short review.
  
  Datrex bars are broken up in to 12 individually sealed 200 calorie cakes. They have a taste not unlike stale graham crackers. They can be somewhat crumbly, though. I grabbed a few while at a convention and they broke in my pocket. They were still edible, but were falling apart.
  
  Mainstay bars are one big bar sectioned into six 400 calorie blocks. They're thicker than the Datrex cakes. These have a slight lemon sugar cookie taste, but its very mild. They're less crumbly than the Datrex bars, however, you CANNOT reseal the package once its open. (Unless I'm retarded and missed something.)
  
  In the end, I think Datrex bars are better for ditch kits, car kits, or anywhere you might have multiple people around. They're very easy to divide up. Mainstay bars seem less prone to falling apart and making a mess, so would probably do well in shelter in place kits. The taste of both is pleasant (to me) so you'll probably just have to find your preference there. I'll probably end up getting both for variety.
  
  On a side note: It may just isolated to my insane cat, but both bars seem to drive her mad. She was trying very hard to get to them when I tried them.

  2/23/11

  ethanwolfe

• Mainstay vs Datrex

  • Price
  • Value
  • Quality
  146 of 281 people found this review helpful

  ***Posting this review on both bars***
  
  I bought both a Mainstay and a Datrex 2400 calorie bar to try out the flavor of each to determine which one I would end up wanting to use in my ditch kits. From some other reviews I thought they might both be the same, they're not. Here's a short review.
  
  Datrex bars are broken up in to 12 individually sealed 200 calorie cakes. They have a taste not unlike stale graham crackers. They can be somewhat crumbly, though. I grabbed a few while at a convention and they broke in my pocket. They were still edible, but were falling apart.
  
  Mainstay bars are one big bar sectioned into six 400 calorie blocks. They're thicker than the Datrex cakes. These have a slight lemon sugar cookie taste, but its very mild. They're less crumbly than the Datrex bars, however, you CANNOT reseal the package once its open. (Unless I'm retarded and missed something.)
  
  In the end, I think Datrex bars are better for ditch kits, car kits, or anywhere you might have multiple people around. They're very easy to divide up. Mainstay bars seem less prone to falling apart and making a mess, so would probably do well in shelter in place kits. The taste of both is pleasant (to me) so you'll probably just have to find your preference there. I'll probably end up getting both for variety.
  
  On a side note: It may just isolated to my insane cat, but both bars seem to drive her mad. She was trying very hard to get to them when I tried them.

  2/23/11

  ethanwolfe

• Calorie Bars

  • Value
  • Quality
  • Price
  95 of 180 people found this review helpful

  I figured these would be rather awful, but in my opinion, they are basically dehydrated lemon flavored cookie dough with vitamins and minerals. You must have water with these. They are filling too. Very useful for what they are intended.

  6/26/11

  Perigreno

• easy

  • Price
  • Value
  • Quality
  2 of 5 people found this review helpful

  These are easy to hand out in a situation and it's great how they are already portioned, so no need to make tough decisions for people when it comes to rationing. These are easy, no need to store large amounts of water. One drawback is that they are very dense and therefore a little on the heavy side.

  5/29/12

  Daniele

• cheaper options are available

  • Price
  • Value
  • Quality
  2 of 4 people found this review helpful

  These are good, but in my opinion most of these food bars are the same, Datrex bars tend to be a little cheaper. As far as calories and overall taste I don't see much of a difference.

  6/17/12

  Daniele

• We call it the Sugar Cookie on Steroids!!!

  • Price
  • Value
  • Quality
  183 of 379 people found this review helpful

  Sugar Cookie on Steroids, check out the ingredients and you'll see what I'm talking about. My kids absolutely love them and there's no doubt you get the calories they claim, however it really has very little nutritional value. You'd definitely want to be sure you're supplementing with a more nutritious product. Your kids definitely won't go hungry if you have these on hand.

  9/23/10

  Jerry

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