Bought some pilot bread

[SimmerinLightning]

In fact, someone bought it for me. Now I don't have a very sensitive palate, so without doing an actual side-by-side taste test I can't make a definitive statement, but they certainly SEEM to taste a lot like MRE crackers. I just wish I had some jalapeno cheese spread to put on them
It has been my understanding that pilot bread is basically just another name for hardtack, and that it is called HARDtack for a reason. Well, these are certainly crunchy, and a little thicker and much sturdier than MRE crackers, but they were easily chewed.

https://www.mredepot.com/mobile/product.aspx?ProductCode=fe5012&404;https://www.mredepot.com:443/Canned-Pilot-Bread-p/fe5012.htm=
I don't know whence they were ordered so the above link is only for reference. The label indicates 12 crackers, and I did not count but there certainly seemed to be more that. Perhaps closer to twenty, but idunno.

[Coal Creek Griff]

There may be some similarities, but I don't believe that pilot bread and hardtack are the same thing.  Hardtack is, well, hard.

CC Griff

[Delmonico]

Harktack was sometimes called pilot bread in the past. 

Hardtack in unleavened, the modern pilot bread is leavened.  Most likely you got this brand.  Sold in about any retail outlet in Alaska and pretty much the same as the MRE cracker.

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[Coal Creek Griff]

I really like pilot bread crackers.  My family bought them for backpack trips because they survived the rigors and didn't crumble as easily as regular crackers.

The living history folks at Washington's Fort Vancouver make what they call "ship's biscuit" that is pretty much hardback.  I've said elsewhere that I have made hardback, but I also make something that I call "softtack" by not baking/drying it so long, which is more enjoyable to eat and not as dangerous to the teeth.

CC Griff

[Delmonico]

Lots of variations of the same theme.

[SimmerinLightning]

Harktack was sometimes called pilot bread in the past.  

Hardtack in unleavened, the modern pilot bread is leavened.  Most likely you got this brand.  Sold in about any retail outlet in Alaska and pretty much the same as the MRE cracker.

I have been looking for that brand for awhile but it is not readily available in this area, and I am too cheap and lazy to order any. A friend of mine ordered a can of the below to give me for Easter...

They are supposed to be leavened as you said, but they sure didn't seem to be. Not what I would call light and airy...

[Delmonico]

They are leavened, just baked low and slow to dry them out. 

True hardtack is like those old baked Christmas decorations we used to make as kids that were made out of flour, water and salt, same recipe for hardtack.   

[Delmonico]

That brand if you research it is just the Sailor Boy packed in a can, look at the ingredients, should find baking powder as one.

[pony express]

Don't know anything about MRE crackers, but those look a lot like the old C-rat crackers.

Similar crackers are popular in the Philippines(only rectangular shape) called Sky Flakes-their texture is somewhere between the C-rat cracker and regular saltines. Wife gets some occasionally from the Asian stores.

[Karl]

   Reading peoples post about Pilot Bread as almost exotic food is amusing.  Every store has mountains of Pilot Bread boxes especially this week when folks are stocking up for the year.

A while ago some mysterious (but appreciated) person dropped half a case of old school C-rats off on my hangar door.  Pilot Bread is definitely blander than the C-rat canned crackers or MRE crackers. 

My lovely wife may be the pickiest eater over 3 on the planet but when we are breaking out MREs for SaR missions she will wheel&deal for the vegetable crackers.

I have made hard tack and it is different than Pilot Bread but it is about the closest thing still on the market.  I have noticed that even though it is bland Pilot Bread is especially popular with teenagers here. 

https://www.adn.com/food-drink/article/rural-alaskans-pilot-bread-soul-food/2011/05/28/