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Just thinking of a few things I'd like to look for an collect. I find the different nations and era mess kits to be really interesting. Which mess kit is your "unicorn"?

wats6831 wrote:Just thinking of a few things I'd like to look for an collect. I find the different nations and era mess kits to be really interesting. Which mess kit is your "unicorn"?

I like the versatility of the German ones. Great for boiling in bag, heating water for beverages, and for storing cooking gear when not in use. Stores my Trangia stove as well as my Esbit, plus all the other do-dads to go with them. I don't know if I'd go as far as Holy Grail, but it's my favorite mess kit of the ones I have.

parafireboy wrote:

wats6831 wrote:Just thinking of a few things I'd like to look for an collect. I find the different nations and era mess kits to be really interesting. Which mess kit is your "unicorn"?

I like the versatility of the German ones. Great for boiling in bag, heating water for beverages, and for storing cooking gear when not in use. Stores my Trangia stove as well as my Esbit, plus all the other do-dads to go with them. I don't know if I'd go as far as Holy Grail, but it's my favorite mess kit of the ones I have.

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Thanks, I'm trying to figure out which would be the one mess kit to rule them all. Heat up cans, tins, boil retort pouches AND be able to cook over an open fire or stove for frying up fish etc.

Any other thoughts? I'm leaning heavily toward the UK style square mess tins. not sure why everything is round...it's the most inefficient shape. !

wats6831 wrote:Thanks, I'm trying to figure out which would be the one mess kit to rule them all.

That would be Swedish.

Asger wrote:

wats6831 wrote:Thanks, I'm trying to figure out which would be the one mess kit to rule them all.

That would be Swedish.

I thought so too. They seem to take up too much room and can't store anything in them. But I'm open to suggestions. I really like the UK BCB sets as you can store lots of things inside and they pack easy as they are rectangle.

The rectangular UK ones are good as well. I've got one, but don't use it much. Lots of storage space, but I found the German one more useful since you have three useful items plus anything you store in it. I've used it to heat retort pouches, tins / flexible cans from EPAs/IRPs, as well as to fry with.

The Swiss kit is awesome, for sure, but you sacrifice some storage inside it when it's not in use.

There's a thread on here regarding mess kits that has some good stuff on it. Someone on here has an awesome kit put together using a UK kit, the pics are impressive.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5618&hilit=Mess+kit

Here's the link to the previous mess kit discussion. There's some great stuff in it.

I love my Swedish mess kit with the included trangia stove and fuel bottle. There's room inside for a few small items besides. I keep a FRED can opener, a butane lighter, and some wipes in mine.



In civilian products, for eating only not cooking, the plastic Swedish Wildo Camp-a-Box is wonderful. Two plates, a collapsing bowl, a collapsing cup, a three-compartment spice container, a cutting board/strainer, and a useful spork utensil.

wats6831 - Great thread as I'm still looking for one... recently picked up an inexpensive Esbit at my local Army-Navy store (certainly NOT collectable) as well as four of the same spork + knife in RockyRaab picture... heck, I have yet to pick out a tray... yes, I'm deadbeat!

mahalo

I found my unicorn thanks to Alduin. The Phillipines Army mess kit. Based off the US with a deep cook pan and cover/plate, but it is rectangular instead of oval.



(Not my pic, just one pulled from google)