The East German Army Mess Kit Revisited 

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!

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

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!

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.

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

Very nice setup. Good job.

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.

Great collection

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

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

Man that's one of my favorite mess kits!

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

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

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!!!

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

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

Very good ideas. Thank you very much

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

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

Nice vid John. Thanks

great video buddy

Im eating cerial out of mine right now lol!

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.

Cool thanks mate

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.

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

Can u do a video on how to clean them

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.

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

Where did you get the oval cup

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. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WQzwiHOKPIQ.html

That looks like a ww2 era mess kit

Put your trangia in an old sock.

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.