Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Ration vs S.O.S. Rations 3600
The Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Ration and S.O.S. Rations 3600 are both 3,600 calorie bars rated for 5 years. The duel is 18 individually wrapped bars against 9 bars with Coast Guard approval.
Updated October 6, 2026
Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Ration
Lifeboat ration of 18 individually wrapped 200 calorie bars with a 5-year shelf life.
Full specs, pros and cons
S.O.S. Rations 3600
Coast Guard approved 3,600 calorie ration with nine bars per package and no prep needed.
Full specs, pros and consThe short answer
The two are close. Both list 3,600 calories and a 5-year shelf life and need no water or heat. The Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Ration splits that into 18 individually wrapped bars. S.O.S. Rations 3600 uses 9 bars and carries U.S.C.G. approval. Pick by pack size as the brand stores sell cases of 20 and 5.
Choose the Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Ration if
- you want 18 individually wrapped bars rather than 9
- you want to buy a case of 20
Choose the S.O.S. Rations 3600 if
- you want a ration with stated U.S.C.G. approval
- you want a case of 5 rather than 20
- you want nine larger bars rather than 18 small ones
Specs side by side
Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Ration
Pros
- Bars are individually wrapped so a package can be opened without exposing the rest.
- No preparation is needed and the maker describes the bars as non-thirst provoking.
- The vacuum-bagged foil package is made for land and sea.
Cons
- Shelf life is rated at 5 years which is below every freeze-dried kit on this list.
- The brand store sells the bars by the case of 20 only.
S.O.S. Rations 3600
Pros
- The ration carries U.S.C.G. approval.
- Nothing needs heating or water before eating.
- Two test publications in this set cover the ration.
Cons
- Shelf life is rated at 5 years so the bars need replacing sooner than the freeze-dried kits here.
- A case of five is the only pack size on the brand store.
Frequently asked questions
Which bars are easier to ration out?
The Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Ration packs 18 bars of 200 calories each in individual wrappers. S.O.S. Rations 3600 packs 9 bars per package. With the Datrex you open one bar and leave the rest sealed. The S.O.S. package has fewer and larger portions. Both are ready to eat as they are.
Are both rations approved for lifeboats?
S.O.S. Rations 3600 lists U.S.C.G. approval in its data. The Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Ration is described as a lifeboat ration in a vacuum-bagged package for land and sea. The data shows no approval line for Datrex. If a stated approval matters the S.O.S. ration is the one with it on record.
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