I just recived my Swedish mess kit and loaded it with alcohol,and put 9 oz. of water on to boil. In 41/2 min. I was drinking coffee. The temp. was 58 with a light wind. This unit will go in the back of my truck, and my gas rig will come out.
Quick easy and no gas fumes to worry about. It also has the ability to hang over the fire, if need be.

Every time I decide not to get one of those things to replace my Pepsi can stove and greast pot, someone like you comes along and changes my mind. Guess I might as well get around to doing it. Glad you like it...

OBG Take a look at e-bay#270092554670 This is the same stove I bought, and from the same guy. The one I recived I don't think has ever been used.

Hokay, thanks...

I've got 2 of these kits and thinking about getting another. They work great.
Big al... what did you use as your fuel? Denatured alcohol or Heat?

smitty

Denat & heet are essentially the same. I bought a can of denatured alcohol from wally world, and it runs fine out of mine.

Point- the yellow Heet is good stove fuel. But it isn't the same as denatured, denatured is mostly ethanol with enough methanol so that it isn't drinkable and thus tax exempt. Yellow Heet is mostly just methanol.

Red Heet is pointless as stove fuel, it's high grade isopropyl, too much water to burn well.

Hey, I found this link, for TWO of them, cheap! You cant go wrong with this deal! http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=288323

I like mine so much that I bought a second one for my nephew's backpack. I've been using regular de-natured alcohol and have had no problems (with the stove).

I have learned that cooking scrambled eggs or mixing instant grits creates quite a job cleaning the residue out afterwards. I do carry a U.S. Army messkit with me for frying food (eggs, etc.) and for the plate. I use U.S. Army canteens/cups to mix up the grits, oatmeal, & other sticky foods since they are easier to clean afterwards. A side note for those who use the U.S. Army system, I can fit a small ziplock bag/2 SOS pads, a small pill bottle of "strike anywhere" matches, and 4 Triox tablets in the U.S. Army messkit.

The best thing about this Swedish messkit is that there remains sufficient room inside for a ziplock bag/4 SOS pads, a large pill bottle of "strike anywhere" matches, and a Hobo knife. Placing these extra items in the messkits also reduce the "rattle factor" significantly. Less "rattle factor" means increased opportunities to observe wildlife while on the march.

I am a Military History Buff and I have noticed that the German Army has used this kit from at least WW1 up to the recent past. (I don't know if they are still using it today) I have noticed in the old war footage, you will quite often see this messkit hung on the outside of the Field Pack. I would like to know how the German Wehrmacht personnel are hanging these without losing them during the "fog of battle". I would rather hang it on the outside than take up that space inside of my pack.

Oldsoldier and all:

A word of caution. I've tried twice to buy them from Sportsman's Guide, and both times they arrived with so much damage to the windscreen that they were either unusable, or something I just didn't want to use.

All the units I've gotten from them are clearly heavily used, showing damage to the rubber o-rings that seal the alcohol burner lid, and evidence of wood fires having been used inside the windscreen.

I've bought these kits from other sources and had them arrive in near-perfect condition, and suggest you hold out for that.

Bear

I always saw this hanging on German soldiers. I assumed for a long time that it was a mess kit, stove, something like that. Later discovered that it is a gas mask container...

I ordered the 1st messkit from cheaperthandirt.com and it was in almost new condition. The 2nd messkit was gotten through my local army-navy surplus store (new condition). Both purchases were around $5 and of course, I paid S&H for the 1st messkit.

If you make a lot of oatmeal, grits, or other "just boil" foods look into Freezer Bag Cooking. Simply put the oatmeal and water in a heavy duty freezer bag then set this bag in boiling water. It'll cook up fine and not leave your cookware a mess. I've started doing this with eggs, canned chili, curry, etc... It saves me a lot of cleaning hassles in the woods.

-Blast

Thanks for the tip, I'll try it out!

I liked that idea so I made some versions from PVC piping and I use them to carry electronics gear (antennas, small parts), emergency rations (which can also be used as a water carrier).

My imagination is the limit.

Ok, responses & stuff:
dchinnell; thanks, I didnt order mine from them (got one off a guy in maine), but, good word of caution. They use a standard picture for it, so, I guess you cant guess from that. Good call, thanks for the word of caution.
OBG: I used to think the same thing! There is a guy local to me who has the worlds largest & most expensive collection of Nazi memorabilia. I asked him the same thing, years ago. He told me that, after a couple of years, the soldiers dumped the masks & used it to store stuff. This guy also has the only shirt in existence worn by Hitler. I touched it. what a bond with history....
Blast: I too am gonna try that out! Any time saved cleaning up is time spent, well, doing other things I guess

Keep an eye on it, last time I did eggs in a bag the bag tipped to the side and melted into the side of the pot above the waterline. Really made a mess of my gormet omlet...

Try folding the excess material togehter and holding it in place with a small binder clip then attaching the binder clip to something up away from the pot/fire.

Like so:

Three eggs, 1/2 onion, salt, pepper, and 1/3 of a summer sausage cooking to perfection.

-Blast

smitty:
I use Denatured alcohol from wally world. Works outstanding. I had to pay $14.95 + shipping for my unit, but after using it, it's worth it. The unit I recived was like new, and I realy don't think it had ever been used.