CHOOSING THE LIGHT WEIGHT MESS KIT
The light weight mess kit combines the fewest utensils with which a
person can prepare his own meals from the raw materials. It must nest
compactly, have as few component parts as possible, be comfortably
carried on the person while en route, contain space for a lunch or
emergency ration and possibly have provision for carrying water. To meet
these demands one may well include the following articles:--a fry pan
(possibly rigged up as a baker also), a stew kettle, a cup, a light
fork, spoon and knife and a canteen. Most of the so-called light weight
individual outfits center around the above as the essentials with
variations in shape to best suit the particular outfit for easy nesting.
The preparation of food by frying is not the best thing for the stomach,
for the average bit of fried stuff is enveloped in tough greasy coating.
However most cooks use this method to some extent, so provision for
frying must be made. The frying pan is preferably made of steel and in
use is to be rested on a bed of coals raked to one side of the cooking
fire. If one prefers to utilize the big open fire the fry pan handle
should have a square socket into which one may fit a stick to extend the
handle, the same to be newly fashioned at each camp. For the lightest
kits use a small No. 0 pan with a socket.
The component parts of any outfit will vary according to the condition
and temperament of the user and the nature and locality of experience.
He has to choose from a multitudinous and confusing array of impedimenta
offered by well meaning and alluring advertisements.
The camper who is choosing his light individual mess kit has the
privilege of gathering together those utensils selected along lines
above suggested and easily procurable at any store or of getting through
the regular sporting goods dealers some specially made kit whose
greatest recommendation is compactness with lightness and utility. It
must have a pot and a fry pan and these with a pocket or hunting knife
and a pointed or flat stick answer all purposes. One must compromise
between weight and comfort.
Many cook outfits offered by sporting goods houses are too complete for
a place in the hiker’s kit, in fact their very completeness renders
them impractical because of weight, bulk and the number of utensils to
be kept track of. They are made more in answer to the call of city
sportsmen with fastidious trend of mind who as a rule favor more
elaborate equipage throughout.
In choosing a cooking outfit weight is the first consideration. One does
not wish to carry heavy stove utensils nor are such needed. They must be
strong enough, however, for hard service. In the second place
compactness is a desideratum, for here we must reduce bulk. The common
utensils of the shop will not nest well for they are all spouts, bail
ears, handles and cover knobs. One can reduce the bulk by getting such
articles as nest into one another. In making up the light weight mess
kit the nesting idea should certainly be carried out but never at the
cost of utility.
Of materials tin and iron are the cheapest and they may be light enough.
Here their merits end. Iron will rust and neither iron nor tin will
stand rough handling. Utensils of such material are hard to clean when
greasy and if the joints be soldered one is kept in mortal fear of their
early destruction. The so-called armorsteel which is strong stamped
steel with heavy tinning is quite good if one can get nothing better.
Enamel ware is the easiest to keep clean and its poor heat conducting
properties makes it for some things preferable. It has a tendency to
chip and flake under rough handling or in cold weather. This latter
fault can be remedied to some extent by gradual warming of the article
before exposing to fierce heat. Enamel ware is not much heavier than
other ware that is sufficiently strong for outdoor service.
Aluminum alloy is a boon to the camper, it being the ideal material for
certain outdoor utensils. It stands up in all climates--tropical, frigid
north, in use on horseback trips, in canoe work, sledging or on the
hike. It is much the lightest material we have. Any sporting goods
dealer can supply you. The unalloyed aluminum is too soft and easily
bends out of shape with hard usage and dry heat, hence a stiffener is
added yet without appreciable change of weight. Aluminum alloy has few
merits beyond lightness: it is a quick heat conductor, hence the cup had
better be of some other material such as enamel ware so as to save the
lips from blistering. Also under the application of dry heat to an
aluminum fry pan the food sticks and burns so the fry pan is preferably
of light stamped steel. However, where lightness is the great
desideratum all parts of the cooking kit should be made of aluminum
alloy.
The most commonly used outfit is the one mentioned, consisting of fry
pan, kettle, cup, knife, fork and spoon with perhaps a canteen. The
first three articles represent the essential components of an ideal
individual mess kit and provision for these in some shape or form is
made in most every mess kit combination you will come across. The above
outfit I have used for years, gotten together in the first place because
the parts were easy to get hold of and then they were retained because
they did the work expected of them--they withstood the “acid test.” The
large tin cup, Army pattern, I carried at my belt where it is easy to
reach and thus escaped the trouble to nest. In it I steeped tea thus
doing away with a special teapot. The kettle of tin was used for boiling
water, making stews, etc. Its wire bail I luckily lost and therewith
attached a chain bail which stays put when suspending the pot over the
fire and it is not cumbersome when packing away. The fry pan is a small
Number 0 size with socket for extension handle. It is covered with a
tight fitting lid and thus does duty as a baker. By heaping coals upon
it one gets the envelope of hot air.
The United States Army Meat Can combines a frying pan and baker: the
deep bottom also serves as a soup plate and the lid as a serving plate.
When the lid locks in place over the pan by the hinged handle it becomes
a roomy receptacle for lunch carrying on the march, the metal ring on
one end allows of its attachment to the soldier’s belt or the whole
thing can be stored in the pack sack. It is an ingenious contrivance and
ideal for the tramper’s use.
A large aluminum alloy tablespoon, a small steel fork and the sheath or
pocket knife or flat stick which displaces the table knife completes the
kit. On certain trips where water is scarce I add a second hand, felt
covered Army canteen.
Regarding inspirators, broilers, fire irons and other clap-traps, let it
be known that though seemingly insignificant they furnish more details
to look after, but as a rule they do not possess sufficient advantage to
pay for the care and labor of transporting on a light trip.
On a hiking trip the combined fry pan and baker will be used. With this
very acceptable breadstuffs can be coaxed out of camp fire heat, dough
and the frying pan. Indeed in emergency the frying pan itself may be
discarded and in such a contingency one can make very good bread by
winding the dough around a cleaned stick and slanting it up by the side
of the fire.
Canteens are nearly always a necessity in mountainous regions where your
work carries you on the ridges high above the valleys where the streams
are. In the desert a special water supply must be planned for. In
ordinary hunting or tramping trips the smaller Army canteen supplies the
more urgent needs. Where the water supply is contaminated it is
necessary to boil and filter the water for drinking. This can be done at
mealtimes and then cooled and carried in the canteen for use on the
march. The purpose of the felt covering of the canteen is to keep the
contents cool by the evaporation from the wetted felt.
As a rule one will, on a light trip, carry no folding grate or fire
irons as supports for utensils. Rocks, logs or earthen trenches will
take their places and one does not have to tote them around.
In choosing the hiker’s light weight mess kit take only those component
parts that are really needed and have these as strong, light and compact
as is possible.