The East German Army Mess Kit Revisited

[@crispyblacon1]

I realise this is an old video so I'm not too sure how relevant this may be to add but, the reason the kit is sort of clanky and wouldn't hold together well without a strap is due to the fact it was simplified from the former model. Just after ww2, immediate post war mess kits were essentially identical to the Wehrmacht models save the production stamps. The lid, and pan handle of the lid, had a metal loop at the top and bottom that a strap would slip through and be held secure by to keep it from sliding off the kit and the kit from slipping out of the strap when worn and banged around. This was the mentality of when these kits were being worn on the exterior of the soldier on his bread bag and taking it into battle environments regularly. They maintained this system and design through the 50s but because to simplify the design over time. Removing one of the retaining loops and leaving just one loop present. Then, they decided to just remove the retaining loops from the handle/lid entirely on later models because the kits were no longer being worn on a breadbag as the breadbag was phased out of usage by the new military by that time. East german bread bags do exist, the heavier duty canvas and leather made ones were the type actually used. And the light, sort of cheap feeling grayish blue colored ones with a fake feeling thin leather were civilian market models that the military never actually used ( they're always sold as such, but aren't in actuality. ) by the 60s, 70s, 80s, bread bags were essentially no longer being used except by paramilitary groups such as the KDA and , early on, the police forces. In short, the only people who were really wearing, if ever they did , the mess kit on a bread bag it was police and paramilitary, but not the primary army. The army troops ( inclusive of the border troops , air force , etc. ) kept the mess kit secured inside their backpacks, as they were left in storage in vehicles. Because it would be kept snugly among other gear in the pack, there was no need to bother worrying about how effectively it would be strapped shut/to things. Only short ridges to keep a strap in place remain on these models, as a sort of benign leftover of the changes. Wordy explanation about it, but that's why it doesn't have a better means to secure it shut, that particular model was not intended to be. Nice video!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

crispyblacon1 Thank you very much for your explanation. I’m sure other readers will find it useful too. Thanks for watching my video!

[@Digital_Samurai]

Amazing! I just found one of these in my old garden shed, I think a friend gave this to me many years ago. I'm heading out next week on a Euro road trip from England to Finland, its coming with me for sure! Thank you!

[@stukafaust]

I didn't realise the kit was wide enough to hold a tin can. Just tried on my Polish one and it's snug but still fits. Very good to know.

[@gijr2003]

For my kits, I used narrow dog collars to keep around them, fits into handle just right. Plastic buckle and also a ring to use for hanging on pack.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

gijr2003 that’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

[@camdenmiguel225]

i guess Im asking the wrong place but does anyone know of a method to log back into an instagram account..? I was dumb lost the account password. I would love any help you can offer me.

[@joegunner4768]

@Camden Miguel instablaster ;)

[@camdenmiguel225]

@Joe Gunner I really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and I'm trying it out now. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@camdenmiguel225]

@Joe Gunner it did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out!

[@sartiwitt4892]

East German mess kit is one of my favorites, because of the extra cup

[@the_orange_shepherd6938]

If you want the leather version check out AT the Front, they make repro wwii gear including that leather strap.

[@dodgydruid]

Recently decided to refresh my camping kit and found I had lost my old issued army messtins so went onto ebay and for a few pounds found a GDR set missing the inner handled cup but still good enough to use, also had to buy another 58 issue British army water canteen as my issued one in the cupboard got crushed by a heavy motorbike engine stacked on top and I suspect that may well have been the fate of the ol' mess tins lol Attaches well to my bergen the GDR kit does as I had an old Lada toolset which used almost the right leather belt and works perfectly keeping it all together. It is clanky but I'm not exactly behind enemy lines these days so I can break the 5 "S's" no problem :P All goes so well with my other gear, Austrian special forces NATO boots, British army 68 issue lined camo trousers (best camo trousers ever imho), MTP woodlands undershirt and a British army 95 issue camo jacket in the warm or a 1960 British army combat jacket for cold weather or my super M65 parka for horrible weather. I cheat with stove, got an ancient Camping Gaz Bluet set for cooking, heat and light, cans are super cheap and lightweight and I fill my bum pouch on the bergen with 'em and about six lasts a long weekend with plenty of tea, light and the little radiant heater running full blast. I did try with the hexane burners but I found them today as much fun and use as back then... not good and rather have a stove capable of turning water hot in shorter than a week hehe Oh in the UK we have an epic product called Typhoo QT, its strong instant white tea, made from the same tea they brewed in the NAAFI and I go loaded with two jars always hehe

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

It’s good to go through your kits periodically as unexpected things can happen in storage. I find equipment broken or damaged from time to time. I prefer a liquid fuel stove too as those tablets or wood stick stoves don’t burn long and even for cooking things other than boiling water for instant foods. With more complex menus it’s great to have a liquid fuel stove. But also I find those tablet stoves handy when something else I’m planning on using fails or I need an extra stove to cook with. I’m looking forward to getting out in the woods this fall and winter and I hope your upcoming adventures are great! Thanks for your comment!

[@davidcooke7744]

Great ideas never thought you could get so much in it.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

I'm glad my video was useful. Thanks for watching!

[@jelkel25]

I'm having a few problems fitting the East German kit into my backpack for hiking as I've been using US/British type canteen cups for so long my backpacks have been bought to fit them. I'll probably just have to fill it with gear and put it in the main compartment. The notches on the lid are a great idea, the pot doesn't balance when hung up over a fire with the lid on and you need the lid on to cut the boiling time and keep junk out. Great stuff, thanks!!!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

+jelkel25 Thanks for watching and commenting on my video! I got my kit out to check the balance of the pot with the lid/fry pan on top. I didn't remember ever having balancing problems when hanging it over a fire. I found with mine, if I have at least one measuring cup (237 ml) of liquid in the pot, that the liquid weight counter-balances the weight of the lid/fry pan handle sticking out enough when hung by the bail handle. It seems sturdy enough to me to be hung over a fire. Generally, when I make camp coffee for myself, I fill the pot to at least the bottom line which is two cups. This makes it even more sturdy with more weight. Check your bail handle that isn't bent or damaged and check the mounting lugs of the handle to the pot for correct centered mounting position. I have to agree with you that the kit is a little bulky. The E. German soldier would have carried it on a belt around his waist and not in his combat pack. I don't think that a comfortable option. But you could attach it to the outside of your pack if possible. If I was hiking a really long distance I would probably not take this kit. I would take either my GSI Soloist or Minimalist kit. But don't throw this kit to the side! It is really great for car camping, kayak camping, short hiking trips, or in a emergency kit. Plus its got that military surplus appeal which I love.

[@jelkel25]

Bought it unused which was part of the appeal, many of the Hungarian/West German ect. ones were pretty beat up. Yes I haven't had chance to hang it over a fire yet so I wouldn't have known liquids level out the pot. Thanks for that!! I'll wait until I'm out in the woods longer as the fact this pot can pretty much do everything is fantastic, I used to pack eggs in newspaper in my (very) old British mess tins and I think this set will work for things like that. Yes, I grew up (partly) in a town with lots of (ex)service people so learnt much of my early bush craft skills from their perspective so tend to trust army surplus over civilian versions of kit (most of the time). I do have a particular like for East German stuff at present though!!!

[@robertdutcher8081]

Very nice setup. Good job.

[@robertchilders4031]

It looks like a good kit. Well presented and thought out. Thanks for posting it!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Since this video I have added a Swedish mess kit stove/windscreen to the setup. I had to alter the stove slightly to make it work with the East German mess kit. Hopefully I will post a video soon of how I got it to work.

[@redriverscout4404]

The locking notches were actually built into the soviet VDV paratrooper version of the mess kit/canteen combo set. It helps keep it together and is handy for cooking too. Unfortunately mine is out of commission.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thanks for the info. I bought a VDV kit. Its very mice. What happened to yours? I can't imagine something breaking on it.

[@redriverscout4404]

It is a great piece of kit. I will be buying another but it was essentially user error. I did something dumb. I was winter camping and left water int he canteen bottle while it was assembled. The water froze and the bottle bulged (no leaks) and got stuck inside the pot. So now the pot with the bail handle is pretty much permanently stuck on the canteen bottle. :(

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Red River Scout That's too bad. You must be in a seriously cold climate. It doesn't get that cold very often here in Florida. This is good info for me to remember If I ever camp in a cold part of the country.

[@johnbradley5236]

Thank you for the popcorn idea my son will enjoy it.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

John Bradley Thanks for your comment and I hope your popcorn turns out perfect!

[@nobodxy]

that notch thing is awesome.. gonna do that to mine too

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thanks! Good luck on you modification and thanks for watching!

[@matthewprior3762]

Oh hell yeah!! The Trangia fits in it!!! You dont know how helpful knowing this was!!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

I'm glad my video was some help. Thanks for watching!

[@Leatherbark]

Hello John Very interesting. I just received my Austrian version in the mail yesterday. I cleaned her up and will put some of your advice to use. Bob

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

I'm glad you found my video helpful. I would be interested in how your kit works out for you after using it. Thanks for watching!

[@robertchilders4031]

Do you think the corrosion is because of water, or spilled fuel, or? that made the two metals react to each other. Or do you think it is just because they are dis-similar metals in a humid environment, like Florida? I live up in NE Florida, so I have a some small interest in this subject. I don't own an East German mess kit, but I do have a Checkoslovokian one and a Trangia that we sometimes use for picnics. I haven't stored the Tragia in that kit, but I do notice some corrosion in the pan we usually use for beans and what not.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

I think in my case it is because of a reaction of dis-similar metals touching all the time. I still store the stove inside the mess kit and haven't had anymore problems since I started wrapping the trangia stove. When the corrosion happened the kit was stored in my house which is air conditioned and low humidity. Also, I haven't spilled any fuel inside my kit. So with the evidence I have, this is my thinking. I'm not sure why you are having problems. I also own the Czech kit and use periodically and haven't had any problems.

[@robertchilders4031]

I;'m not sure either. We have left food in the pot for an hour or so, but other than that ... i don't know. We'll keep an eye on it and keep thinking.

[@HootOwl513]

Trangia now issues a big yellow plastic bag [polyethyline?] with thier new cook kits. The burner and potgrabber go in the bag, then it's rolled up and stored in the teakettle. The bag helps guard against leaking fuel getting on the inside of the cook pots, also cuts down rattle and combats dissimilar metal corrosion.

[@venomsnake5938]

Great collection

[@Zurgo-fl1kx]

Man that's one of my favorite mess kits!

[@canbee1252]

Can u do a video on how to clean them

[@dustbowlhammer7119]

Im eating cerial out of mine right now lol!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Lol! That's funny! I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching my video!

[@johnbradley5236]

Lol that's funny!

[@thomasnugent7602]

Very good ideas. Thank you very much

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thomas Nugent Thanks for watching!

[@markhager8321]

Nice vid John. Thanks

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Mark Hager Thanks very much. I hope it was helpful.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thanks very much for the tip! I’ll check it out.

[@robertchilders4031]

You may have mentioned it, and I might have missed it, but do you remember where you got this mess kit from? They seem like a pretty well designed piece of gear that I wouldn't mind picking up for myself. I haven't been able to find them anywhere in April 2017. Thanks.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

I bought mine from eBay a while ago. They are getting hard to find now. I have seen a couple recently for sale but they were missing the inside cup or they were in bad shape (lots of dents). Check eBay often and you might find one. An alternative would be the very plentiful and cheap Soviet/Russian mess kit. It is almost exact except it doesn't have the inner cup. Also look for the Austrian mess kit on eBay. Saw some there for sale. They have the inside cup but no handle (like the West German army/Bundeswehr kit) and I hear it might be better made than the East German kit. Good luck on your search!

[@robertchilders4031]

Thanks very much. I sure appreciate your response. I'll see what I can find.

[@robertchilders4031]

By the way, I bought a Czech mess kit after you reviewed one. It is a nice set up, too. Thanks very much for your help!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

robert childers I'm glad you like the kit. The Czech set is in my top three most favorite and most usable military mess kits that I own. My wife liked mine so much she wanted one for her car emergency kit. Have a great day!

[@Zurgo-fl1kx]

@@John-Sherwood-W4JFS I found a bunch at my surplus store for about 8 bucks

[@mattmatty4670]

Cool thanks mate

[@jalleman61]

Where did you get the oval cup

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

It’s a drinking cup from a ww2 German canteen. It’s actually a reproduction I bought a few years ago from a outfit in California. I can’t recall the seller but I believe it was from eBay.

[@wayneandrews1933]

Good job I like what you did with it I love my canteen cup

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

+Wayne Andrews Thanks for watching and commenting! When you get new kit like this one and you get out and use it a few times, you sometimes find ways to make it work better for you. My hope in sharing this video is that folks get ideas to make their kits better for them in their neck of the woods. Have a great day.

[@sosteve9113]

great video buddy

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thank you! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@dominikwolf1660]

Okey! I got a est German DDR one! Thanks for your Viedo.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

I'm glad you found one! I hope you enjoy it!

[@pmfman]

That looks like a ww2 era mess kit

[@Chiefs500]

Thanks for the video. I have a similar set up. I use an Italian version with the Swedish wind screen. I had to modify the screen/stove slightly to accept the OSIM 75. It works great. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYLdqJx-hLCDf7M

[@davidcooke7744]

Put your trangia in an old sock.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

David Cooke great idea! Thanks for watching and for commenting!

[@gijr2003]

A baby sock or little kids socks come in handy for covering stuff up without the long leftover from adult sock. I use ankle sock for my safety glasses.

[@charlesadamski_197]

Please take this constructively. I've watched 1000 video's from North Americans. They're all bullshit. Nobody's been there, nobody's done that. . If you want to learn, I mean really learn - watch poor country video's. They've been doing this forever and they're creative as hell in survival. . Check out Cambodia fishing or African cooking with no 4.00 to buy a stove or Filipino logging and lighting or Thailand piledriving. . You'll find awesome skills - not speculation. Just keeping it real. Learn from the experts that don't know what it is to turn on a light bulb at night or buy groceries or Cuba's re-invention of old broken equipment but still remain healthy happy people.