Camping Fuel: Why Jerky & Biltong Belong in Your Pack

Every gram counts when you carry your kitchen on your back. Fresh food is heavy, needs a cooler, and turns into a soggy mess by day two. Dried meat plays by a different set of rules.

Jerky and biltong were built for exactly this kind of trip, long before anyone printed the words "backpacking snack" on a label. Here is why a bag of dried beef deserves a permanent spot in your pack, and what to throw in before you hit the trail.

Why dried meat rules the trail

The whole point of jerky and biltong is that the water is already gone. Drying strips out the moisture that makes fresh meat heavy, perishable, and fridge-dependent. What is left is dense, shelf-stable protein that shrugs off a warm afternoon buried at the bottom of your pack.

• No cooler, no fire, no cleanup. Tear the bag open and eat. That is the whole recipe.
• It travels light. A small pouch carries a serious protein punch without dragging down your load.
• It keeps. Sealed jerky and biltong last for months, so you can stash a bag now and forget about it until hunger hits.
• It survives the journey. No melting, no crushing into crumbs like a granola bar, no bruising like fruit.

For hikers, climbers, and anyone counting grams, that combination is tough to beat. You get real, high-protein food that keeps you going between camps and tastes like a reward at the top of the climb.

Jerky or biltong? Pack both

They are cousins, not twins. Beef jerky is marinated and then dried low and slow, usually with a smoky or sweet-savoury edge and a proper chew. Biltong comes from South Africa, cured with vinegar and spice and air-dried in thicker pieces, which gives it a softer, beefier bite and often an even higher protein hit gram for gram.

On the trail, that difference works in your favour. Jerky strips are easy to ration through a long day of walking, one piece at a time. Biltong feels more like a real meal when you are parked at camp watching the sun drop behind the ridge. The smart move is simple: pack some of each and let your mood at kilometre ten make the call.

What to throw in the pack

A few crowd-pleasers that earn their spot:

• Jack Link's Beef Jerky Original is the classic for a reason. Smoky, familiar, endlessly snackable, and the small packs slot into any side pocket.
• Indiana Biltong Original is air-dried the traditional way, tender and loaded with protein. Reach for it when you want something that eats like a meal.
• Wild West Original brings a sweet, savoury profile that is easy on the wallet, so you can toss a few 25g packs in for the whole crew.
• Feeling adventurous? BeJerky Boar Jerky Original delivers a rustic, wild-game flavour that just tastes right next to a campfire.

Want to build your own stash? The My Own Bundle Box lets you mix and match your favourites, so nobody has to fight over the last strip.

Pack smart, walk far

Good trail food is the kind you forget you are carrying until you need it, and then it feels like a small miracle. Stock up before your next trip from our full range of beef jerky, biltong, and wild jerky, and get your protein sorted before you even lace up your boots.