Yugoslavian Mess Kit Mods

I bought a former Yugoslavian Mess Kit from eBay and have tailored it to my needs. Watch the video to see more.
Mess Kit can be found on eBay easily, here is an example:
www.ebay.co.uk/...
British Army Water Bottle Pouch:
eBay user "Variable3" has ran out of stock, but this is similar:
www.ebay.co.uk/...

[@hughdotoh2]

Croat friend explained to me thus: - hook on the metal pot handle latches on to the loop in the plastic pot, and the little cup rests on the "bridge" between both pots. - because water should always be ready, they carried the water bottle in the issued pouch, separate from the pots. The pots themselves contained the dry rations and were stowed in the backpack. -overall, a good piece of kit for hiking.

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

Thanks Donn, I always wondered what the little cup was actually for. It seems too small for a tea or coffee. But one of my subscribers from the region was suggesting that some issued rations would go in the small cup (condiments, salads, etc). So your idea would make a lot of sense - having these small food items sitting close to your main meal. In Scotland, we have plenty of pine trees, so it also might be a good little cup to collect the pine needles to make the tea. Good comment, many thanks, Andrew.

[@Mat-kr1nf]

BushcraftNShizzle It says I n the instruction sheet that came with it, that is exactly what the little cup was for, salad or condiments.

[@zoki.to974]

wrong order of utensils, fork goes inside of the spoon and then together in to the knife. whoever packed before you got it, he messed up order...

[@Thereal111t]

Excellent video thanks for making it! I think you've put quite a functional kit together there. That is to say it is a functional cook kit. Like the bcb crusader system, the actual water bottle is buried under a bunch of stuff making it less ideal as a canteen system. I have a couple of the yugo kits as well as a bcb kit but I find myself turning back to my usgi kit for a standalone hydration/ minimalist cooking option. While I like the bcb kit a lot, it is very expensive here in the United States. The yugo kit is a great low cost option right now. The reason I say 'right now' is because as surplus stocks dry up the cost will tend to increase ridiculously. Look at the Swedish military trangia set for proof of that. I remember when they were $5 U.S. Anyway I really liked the video and I watched it all the way through. I like the pouch upgrade and stove selection. I'm basically doing the same thing with mine. I'll probably try to figure out some sort of lid for the pot and a windscreen for the stove.

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

Thereal111t Nice feedback, thank you. I totally agree, it doesn't make for a good canteen if you just want access to water quickly. I have used it together with a camelbak bladder attached to my pack and that works pretty well - although it means more weight to carry. With rainfall guaranteed in pretty much every month of the year, luckily few people die from dehydration in Scotland these days :) I guess the best system is what works best for you. That is probably also a result of your environment. The yugo kit probably wouldn't be a good call for trekking through the Mojave Desert, for example. In that case I would want a bigger steel canteen to guarantee I could make larger volumes of potable water to carry with me. I also have a Stanley stainless steel water bottle which nests nicely with a tatonka mug on the bottom. Then the whole thing goes into a maxpedition water bottle pouch. This gives quick access to water and can serve as a cooking solution. Sounds like it might be something more useful for you. Let me know if this is of interest and I will put a video together on it. I have also been testing the yugo kit in anger around a couple of different places in Scotland and should have a field testing video ready soon. Watch this space...

[@zvonimirzvone7044]

nothing is wrong with the mess kit.You putted things in the wrong order dude!

[@snowjoe43]

Good video. Here is my hack for this kit. I do not like my drinking water carried in this hard to deploy system. (The small plastic cup on top of canteen is for drinking the water! They have found that putting ones lips on the canteen contaminates the water leftover in the bottle. See BCB crusader kit which has two cups one plastic one metal.) With a hacksaw cut off the top of the canteen bottle. You will now have a space to carry a hex stove, fuel, lighter, extra container etc. For me this is a much better setup.

[@jkirk888]

Excellent with some great ideas. Thanks for posting.

[@LeopoldUlysees]

I'm deaf, so I don't know what you're saying. But this is the mess kit I take with me into the bush. (I don't use the small cup, though.) I keep the canteen in a pocket of my ruck, and I use the pot/bowl to stow my fire-starting stuff. Its shape makes it pack well. As much as I like this mess kit, I'm starting to notice the limitations of military mess kits. They're meant more for eating than for cooking. In an army unit, there will most likely be cooks who will prep meals for distribution to the troops. For cooking, the most useful and versatile one seems to be the three piece French army mess kit. I've used it for everything from scrambling eggs to baking cornbread. But for the bushcrafter, who needs to be able to actually cook, I wonder if there's a better mess kit out there.

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

LeopoldUlysees Does anyone out there know what the small cup is for? Surely in the deepest depths of the internet, there must be at least one former Yugoslavian soldier who can tell us what they used it for. It really seems too small for a coffee and i'm sure it's not a receptacle for diced sausage as I mentioned in my field test video :) I have been using it for quite a while now and would say that it is a versatile kit, but there is only ever so much you can achieve from one cooking pot. I like the fact that it is very modular by design and you can just chuck it in a backpack. Then you know that you have cooking covered (for at least yourself that is). It really could do with a bale handle, but again you can see my field test for a workaround on that one. Is there a better bushcraft kit out there? That's a very good question - and one that I don't think I can answer just yet. I used a set of British Army mess tins for years and found them adequate if a little boring. I have recently bought the East German Mess Kit and will hopefully post a video on that shortly. I will also see if I can get some subtitles on that one. Thanks for the comment. ATB, Andrew.

[@LeopoldUlysees]

+BushcraftNShizzle Yes, that thimble cup is an enigma. I gave mine to my grand-daughter. I have no idea what she did with it.

[@snowjoe43]

You are correct!

[@NeillRobinson]

Oh also - another handy thing I have put in my little kit is a bit of tin foil, folded over a few times to make it thicker - I use it as a lid on the metal pot when boiling water - it really does dramatically reduce the boiling time and takes up no space at all! :)

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

Well spotted. Cheers very much for the advice. I have done something similar in the past with the aluminium dishes from supermarket ready meals to make a lid for a British Army Mess Tin, but completely overlooked the idea here. Thanks.

[@001desertrat3]

Neil Robinson - You can also reduce boiling time by STIRRING, works great for HIGH Altitudes and works faster than just a lid .

[@mtwolf13a]

Thanks for the idea of the Web Tex Water Bottle Pouch. Excellent. I will have to buy a couple.

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

+mtwolf13a The Yugo kit fits into them pretty well. If you want to get the pouches quite cheapily, I would recommend keeping an eye on ebay. If you're willing to watch the end of an auction on an item, you can quite often grab yourself a good deal. ATB, Andrew.

[@Varvact]

Put a stick of wringleys doublmint gum in it when you arent using it, works really well for my canteens and mess kits and i would put a half piece in every piece of the kit

[@elmer4446]

My cutlery is easy to take appart and leaves no marks on the spoon. I recommend trying to switch the spoon and fork so whichever you have been putting in next to the knife blade is in the back and move the other to the front.

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

+elmer444 I have tried it in a number of configurations including the one you mentioned and the set just won't go together. I think this is because the knife, fork and spoon set is twisted or warped from it's original spec. I'm sure that there are plenty of good sets out there. But if I had to give advice on purchasing the whole mess kit, I would say buy it from an army surplus store, because then you can check these things out before you buy. But i'm happy using the light my fire titanium spork instead, it's super light. Many thanks, Andrew.

[@thomasmaraschiello1156]

Scrubbed mine in the sink with dawn and soaked it in bleach for ten minutes. The canvas pouch was flimsy,so I put it in a Swiss rubberized military pouch. I ditched the cutlery and use a plastic spork and in the Swiss pouch I can fit my fire making,Esbit stove ,knife and water purification system. Four C's of survival in one pouch. Thank you for your video inspiring me to buy one and you can drill two holes in the edge of the bottom pot and hang it over a fire with a wire hanger. NE DrZATI NA VATRI means don't put in fire. :-)

[@jelkel25]

Well done! You do tend to take there being a rubber washer in water bottles ect. pretty much for granted these days, I have one of these kits on the way and will now look out for it not being there. I will sanitise things like this no matter how they smell or where they come from when I get them but I hadn't thought of using baby bottle cleaner, again great stuff! Thanks for the upload!

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

No worries and cheers for the feedback. I should have mentioned that the baby sterilisation tablets can be used to make water drinkable too (guidelines on packet). That makes them quite useful for having in your kit when you haven't made it to a camping or outdoor shop to buy the expensive lifesystems ones.

[@GoonieBushcraft]

Nice vid mate, Have just purchased the same mess kit on ebay and was looking for ideas. Very helpful mate! : )

[@Mat-kr1nf]

You’d be better putting the stove at the front, so the pouch is flat at the back, that would be better if it is on your belt. The way you have it now, the stove sticks out quite a bit. I like your thinking on this, I may get one of these pouches myself. Mine came with an instruction sheet, it says the small bowl is for salad or condiments. The plastic is thermoplastic. I had to use google translate, to decipher the instructions, so this may not be correct, it said the original pouch was impregnated canvas, it may be to stop it from rotting if it is wet for long periods, I believe the original mills bank filter was also impregnated in this way, when it first made its appearance.

[@inspiracija100]

wrong combination of knife,fork and spoon. 1.spoon 2.fork 3.knife fork in spoon not back spoon

[@georgefolkner5830]

Are you taking it to the prom or using it out in the bush ?

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

+George Folkner Being a Brit, we don't have prom nights. But if we did, I would probably favour a steel canteen - these seem more tasteful when filled with Scotch :) If you think I'm not being harsh enough with this mess kit then check out my field tests here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nF6adKucjr-ffpI

[@georgefolkner5830]

+BushcraftNShizzle Thanks for the fast reply ! I will check out that website for sure . You handled my sarcasm very well , for that I will be subscriber # 63 . Take care .

[@mrbigmel3]

+George Folkner Typical sarcastic "TROLL" reply . Someone spends over 30 minutes on a video to help others and you reply with that comment ....no need

[@mrbigmel3]

+Noxious Rooster GEORGE ...... i missed your follow up reply or would not have replied Subscriber 50 ? i think 0)

[@georgefolkner5830]

+Noxious Rooster My question was not an insult . If anyone was , then please accept my apology .

[@pirtrom11]

if you get BCB BRITISH ARMY MINI MESS TIN you can use it as a lid for the yugoslavian set

[@crabtree8822]

the bag was /is used as a Millbank bag

[@Chromanoutdoors]

Try nesting the fork inside the spoon between the spoon and the knife.

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

+Intuitive Survival I've tried a number of different ways to nest them together, but I think my set is actually warped and doesn't go together nicely in any configuration. Good job I've got the spork. If it was socially acceptable, I would eat every meal with a spork :)

[@NeillRobinson]

Hi mate - re. The knife fork and spoon set that comes with it, you appear to have them the wrong way round a bit - the fork sits inside the spoon then they both slide into the knife in that order - much easier/better fit and the big spoon protects your fingers and supplies from any pointy bits. (I have the same mess kit) Hope this helps!

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

Hi Neil, I think I've got a defective cutlery set there. It seems like someone has driven over the knife section with a tank! When I use the configuration you describe, I can get the fork and spoon about a third of the way before it all jams up. Trouble is the only way you can get any purchase on the thing is to bear down on spoon with some force, this makes me think I'll over do it and drive the knife through my hand. Probably wouldn't be a good experience for a solo overnighter :)

[@davidcooke7744]

Great idea with the stove that’s what I thought when watching the video great 👍 stuff.

[@allanthompson9695]

Good vid, I have one of these so some very useful ideas here. Cheers.

[@dd-5634]

It's much easier to fill the canteen first and then pour that water into a pitcher with proper graduations

[@Chromanoutdoors]

The big cup is a bowl for when you are finished cooking, you may want to cook something else. The small cup is just a cup. I don't even use the small cup or the canteen. Also, You can take the lid off by twisting the bowl towards the metal clasp. It makes it easier to take it off. I always made that smell out to be plastic. All my other plastic stuff smells like that so I thought it was just the plastic. Be careful if you used any alcohol based cleaner for cleaning your plastic kit, alcohol with melt most plastics.

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

+Intuitive Survival Nice tip, I'll stay away from alcohol based cleaners on the plastic. Cheers, Andrew.

[@Chromanoutdoors]

BushcraftNShizzle If you wash it out right away it will be fine, Just don't let it sit. I have melted plastic BBs with hand sanitizer before. As long as you rinse it off right after you clean it there should be no problem, But don't take my words as a rule.

[@bexbugoutsurvivor]

hi mate, the small plastic container is your drinking vessel, pour you brew into it while the meal cooks, its just a cup...God bless pal Bex...

[@BlindDogCroatia]

Small plastic container is for salad. Big pvc bowl for soup, big alu bowl for main meal (meat) and small pvc bowl for salad. Trust me, i use it in service for a long time. Manual with pictures in serbian: www.mycity-military.com/Pesadijsko-naoruzanje-municija-i-oprema/Pribor-za-jelo_11.html#p1293085

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

Thanks Damir, I like the manual, that's really cool. ATB, Andrew.

[@chrisward6402]

I have this Mess kit and its pretty good, although I have a concern about any old food and water kit. Is the plastic BPA free? The Yugoslavian government were probably not too concerned with the long term health effects of there kit, but just got the cheapest they could get (like most militaries tbh). Any idea on how safe the plastic is to keep water and other drinking liquids in?

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

+Chris Ward Hi Chris, I honestly couldn't tell you whether the plastic is BPA free or not. I can tell you that I have used the kit a lot of times and never ran into any health difficulties. I personally would try not to store water in the bottle for the long term, but only as I need it. I guess using military mess kits is more of a gamble in terms of materials used when compared to more expensive civilian ones (titanium for example). But they tend to be tried and tested by a lot of military personnel. You would hope that if there were health issues, we would hear about it. Thanks for the comment, Andrew.

[@flashdamingo]

Chris Ward It's been confirmed by reliable sources that long term use of this canteen will make you grow a third ball.

[@ScottishWanderer]

hi mate great video i am thinking of get one of them

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

I see you got two in the end, well done :)

[@rafaelthetall]

the sequence of the cutlery is wrong hence the dificulty to disassemble: the fork is between the knife and the spoon.

[@user-bc5nx7uf2c]

i have one to,but with a camo pouch for it no complaints

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

milos popovic It's a good mess kit system. Any ideas what the small cup is for? It seems too small to be for a coffee.

[@user-bc5nx7uf2c]

well,i think that it is for either water,or most likely for sides(seasons,sos),that sort of thing,at least thats what i use it for

[@user-bc5nx7uf2c]

i too have moded mine,adedd w.p. tablets,a and a bandana,but i keep the stove and fuel in a separate pack

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

milos popovic Yeah it is a bit of a squeeze trying to get the stove in and out of the pouch, but it really makes a nice space where you can rest a spork too. I have a further mod to make a bale handle using a C-clamp and a chain about half way through my field test video. That's worth taking a look if you want to suspend the system above a fire.

[@OttoWeber71]

When you go hiking, take off your titanium ring just for safety. Why? Because in case that you've been stung (by a bee, a hornet, an ant, whatsoever), swelling can occur. Why the small cup is too small for you? It is used as a measurement cup too, also you can share your water with finicky people. LOL

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

LOL, I always share my water the same as my whisky - using an eye dropper :) Thanks, Andrew.

[@MisterXdotcom]

@@bushcraftnshizzle8087 I believe its 250ml cup or 200ml, that's useful mate :)

[@bockypeters3184]

There is also full aluminium set...Rare but exsist!All parts from Al.Havier but stronger...😎

[@mrbigmel3]

Hi mate I got the webtex water bottle pouch and its a great piece of kit for the yugo mess set .....thanks for the video its perfect for my needs to store the extra,s like you have . I bought 2 yugo mess sets , one to keep original and store and the other to play with . Web-tex must have changed the backing on mine , or mine is newer / older stock ? This one the back is different to yours and has 2 x metal clips on top i,m guessing for a ruck sack ???? Otherwise all fits exactly the same 0) Any way can do a video / picture if anyone is interested , thanks for the research and video mines an exact copy of yours bar the back thanks for your help 0)

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

+Noxious Rooster Hey Rooster. Thanks for your support and interest in the channel. The two metal clips are actual part of the British Military PLCE system (Personal Load Carrying Equipment). They are designed to fit into cut channels on a webbing belt and then attach to a yolk and so on. All the ones I have seen have the velcro folding strap over the two metal clips. Your pouch might be an older one, I am not familiar with all flavours, or the velcro flap may have been damaged/removed. At any rate, I thought it would be really useful to have loads of mounting points on the pouch, but so far this kit has lived in the main pocket of my rucksack mainly. But I like having the pouch to keep everything modular and in one place. I actually got two of these pouches very cheaply from ebay, buy one get one free. The second one I use as a case for my ikea hobo stove (also on my channel) and that works brilliantly. All the best and happy new year, Andrew.

[@mrbigmel3]

+BushcraftNShizzle Thanks for the info very helpful Cheers

[@jrozanec1]

the spoon should be on top, not the fork

[@user-bj6xu7xv6i]

Thanks from Russia.

[@welshprepper8566]

enjoyed your vid, great review, cheers

[@bushcraftnshizzle8087]

+WELSH PREPPER Thanks for watching. All the best, Andrew.

[@Gubavach]

Ne ide kašika u viljušku, nego viljuška u kašiku i lakše se uklapa u nož...

[@vukadin968]

That bag is not original

[@tims001]

Good video umm ahh

[@ChrisC30]

A bit long-winded, but good info. :-)

[@geraldross5180]

God your fussy. It about the cheapest kit going. What did you expect?