Military Mess Kits

The U.S. Military surplus mess kit is basically worthless in the field. It's more intended as a plate in a chow line, not for actually cooking in the field.

I have gotten excellent use out of an aluminum East German mess kit. Most German mess kits look something like this:

During a time in my life where I was virtually obsessed with spray painting everything, I painted mine with ultra-flat tan Krylon. I then sprayed the base of the kit with black Rustoleum BBQ paint which is heat resistant to about 1200 degrees fahrenheit. This was an attempt to prevent heat damage as I was concerned that frequently using the mess kit over open fires would eventually cause it to fail.

The reason I like this mess kit is that it serves as a storage container also. My entire sustainment kit can fit inside the mess kit, with the exception of a fuel canister for a stove.

Inside, I can store:

(1) Hand towel, to handle the kit when hot
(1) Coleman Micro Peak 1 stove (an affordable stove for an affordable mess kit)
(1) Box of waterproof matches
(1) Bic lighter
(1) Light My Fire Spork
(1) Spice Container

An affordable, self-contained mess kit; everything you need to cook and eat in the field. What's not to like? If there was any military surplus mess kit that I would trade mine for, it would be the Swedish mess kit, complete with a Trangia alcohol stove.

They're supposed to be quite excellent, but complete kits in serviceable condition are hard to come by. The German kits however, are readily available online in good condition.