I bought the M40 kit to take camping. I live in Liverpool, England and while testing it in my local park, I had a couple of dog walkers looking over, looking to see what I was up to. The third dog walker came up and told me he had the same kit and regularly used his whilst on his long distance walks and camping trips around Hadrian's wall and such places. We spent an enjoyable hour talking mess kits and food that we cook in them.

Thank you Mark for showing the "Swedish M40 mess kit". For me its has a personal historic value as well as the military history. Myself, my father and my grandfather (WW2) was issued and used this cookware model 1940. My great grandfather (WW1) was issued the earlier aluminium model 1895 and my great great grandfather was issued the copper cookware model 1887. Before 1916 there was no field kitchens in the Swedish army and every soldier prepared and cooked his own meals from staples such as a piece of meat, peas, grain, lard and such. They dug a trench where they lit a long fire and hung a branch along the trench. Then used the hook to hang there personal cookware and cook their meal. They put a stick in the handle of the pan to fry meat over an open fire, just as you described. From WW1 the field kitchens became more common first horse drawn and later drawn from a tractor or a truck. The cookware served more as a mess kit with cutlery as you described. In 1959-60 the windshield, burner and kåsa (cup) was issued because the soldiers had to be able to cook there own food if the field kitchen wasn't able to keep up. The mess kit is a fine piece of military history in my opinion. In 2010 the M40 mess kit was replaced with a modern stove from Optimus/Katadyn with both a Trangia type alcohol burner and a gas stove.

These are great kits. I have an Aluminum and Stainless kits. Great NEWS.. Pathfinder makes a brand new Stainless kit. It's well made and seems an exact copy. The alcohol stove is plenty hot enough to boil water. I use a simmer ring to lower the temperature...for frying or cooking stew.

As usual, a very thorough review. Good job.

Good kit and great review. Indepth and concise as always, Mark.

the best and most detailed video I have ever seen about the M40 Mess kit.

Thanks for a great video! This brought back some fond memories. I was issued my M40 mess kit when I did my military service back in 1986-87 and used it extensively. It is true we only cooked in it ourselves when there was no field kitchen. The general going nickname we gave it was "snuskburken", and man could that be filthy! And not only due to scorching in the bottom, but also due to soldier hygiene, or lack of it. For all of us it was the first time we were away from home for 1-1.5 years and no mom to clean after us. Of course, we had "better" things to do (irony) than to wash our snuskburk. In fact, many times it wasn't even cleaned after use. So we used our snuskburk, with some traces from previous meals in it. If it was snowy we could scoop up some snow in it and just cleaned it with our gloves. "Good enough". Yeah, I know.... We even laughed at it at the time and said it was natural penicillin. The last few months of my military service someone found like a form fitting liner to use inside the snuskburk. This was practical when there was a field kitchen. This way we didn't have to clean the container.

Very good info video. I've been looking for one for over 14 months now with no luck. You have a nice all around kit now.

Bomb proof complete kit! I could see in the video some of of those "nooks and crannies" that would make cleaning a challenge! In depth video as usual. Thanks

Again, an in-depth explanation, good info!

Thank you for posting this outstanding video! I managed to purchase two of these stainless steel kits online years from a military surplus store selling them on eBay. I managed to get the last two in the store. I absolutely love using them. Both of them had the full complement of issue gear except for the cup. Also the paint was a cheap imitation military green that was flaking off the stainless when I receive them. I removed all the paint because I really didn't want any of that getting into the food. Your history on the Swedish variants of this kit is greatly appreciated.

Looks like a handy piece of kit regardless of the weight. Nice video, thanks for sharing Mark 👍🏻

Great news, Mark! After 2 days of searching, I finally found this same stainless steel model in Poland! All four units that were posted for sale on the site were sold within hours! Thanks again for a very fine review and demonstration! All the best, Russ

Nicely done, very thorough review.

Hello my outdoors, thank you for sharing this very informative video. The very best to you and your family. Be safe out there. 🤗

Very good overall review. Just bought a stainless steel model and looking forward to putting it to good use.

Great Kit Mark 👍love it

Looking forward to seeing it in use

Good review! I love this kit. It is a little demanding though, quite heavy, a little hard to clean and not the fastest cooksystem but most important...indestructible and absolutely bombproof...and that's what's needed in the end of the day.

Great video. I've had mine for a couple of years and really have enjoyed the addition to my "kit". It makes a great (if small) camp oven. I cut a small backpack grill to fit inside so what I'm baking does not rest on the bottom. This also allows for the heat to circulate around the food similar to our home ovens. I've baked breads, pizza, biscuits....One other thing, using the stove this way I cut small baking sheets out of pie tins. Bread baking in camp smells almost as good as morning coffee. Stay safe

I’ve used my kit for making lunch at work and it was a life saver as part of an emergency kit in my van, happened to be displaced for a few weeks. The pot sizes are big enough to prepare regular packaged foods, Mac n cheese, rice side dishes n such. You can really cook with the set instead of heating water or can food.

The IKEA zip-bag for the alkochol stove inside a Swedish mess-kit is a extremely swedish touch :)

Awesome little kit, all a fella needs!👍

I've used my M40 for years on many motorcycle trips to northern Canada. The Trans Tagia road and Labrador for example. Great kit. Bullet proof, compact and fun to use. Mine is outfitted with the fuel bottle, 2 nesting Stanley green cups, trangia. pot holder, utensils and lastly, a scrub pad.

Excellent review Mark, nice touch with a little bit of history on the item. Add a BushBox or FireBox G2 & you would be all set for just about anything you could cook in it. Well as long as your vehicle isn’t to far away.

I have a SA alu kit. I did have some issues with burning food. Very tough to clean. I have to tweek my cooking skills with this kit. Thanks for showing us.

Nicely designed, bomb proof kit, Mark. Another thorough review. Would be excellent for short hikes, base camp, or car/canoe camping. It's a piece of military history, though I can't help but think of a soldier carrying all that weight just for a hot meal. 😊

Very detailed sir, I enjoyed this very much. 👍🏼🙏🏼

If the simmer ring is an issue you can get the Tatonka simmer ring (they call it their Flame Adjuster) - works perfectly with the SVEA military stove, they can be picked up separately online without needing to buy the whole burner.

Great Review I have a M40 stainless steel with wind screen for 21yrs.with the Trangia alcohol burner . The Svea and Trangia burner are the same size .

Nice kit and show thanks

Cracking review my friend love the Swedish army mess kits I have a good few in my collection thanks for sharing. Atb Wullie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✊🏻

Hi Mark, Thanks for another excellent and very informative video. It was watching this video and while searching for a Swedish M40, that I came across another Swedish military stove. This was the Ranger, again like most Swedish equipment, built to last, but probably easier to clean and a lot cheaper, at least pre-owned in the UK. This uses the same burner as the M40, built in heavy aluminum and also probably the origin of the Trangia mess kits of today. Trangia also made burners for the Ranger, so I am led to believe. My own burner was Svea, made in 1964. The Ranger, like the M40, is storm proof, but like the Trangia sets, has two pans and a lid/fry pan. However, the pans sit a lot closer to the burner than the M40 or the modern Trangia storm cooker design, so the burner needs to bloom before puting on the pans. The pans have a capacity of around 1 litre each and unlike the modern Trangia pan set, cannot be nested while cooking. This stove runs hot, so I am thinking that anyone using this, is wanting food cooked very quickly, (in my experience), with no fancy messing about. I have noticed that when cooking a two pan meal, the first pan of food keeps pretty warm, while the second pan is cooking. It is pretty quick at boiling water also. I was thinking that you perhaps could make a video of this stove as not many people know about them, while less use them. You can find these on the internet, at 'militarymart.co.uk', the real thing, for around £25 UK, which is really a steal. Sorry about putting this in your comment section, but no other way of contacting you, so please delete. All the very best and have to admit that for me, your videos and explanations are some of the best made. Many thanks.

I bought one back in '93 and carried it for almost a decade, i still have it. They're good kits. Their only weakness is that despite the burner is designed to specifically work in the cold it's very prone to working so poorly you can never get the water to boil if there's any wind. You have to be careful and use it away from any wind when it's below zero.

Awesome overview!

Thank you for this interesting video. I would add that the lid-pan part of the kit can also be used with the aluminium windscreen as a separate part, and will come level with it. Quite cleverly designed, as all the rest of the kit :-) Take care :-)

Very comprehensive! I bought my M44 and I do like it. It is heavy but it was great as added cooking with my Trangia 25, used over open fire too. With something this old (mine is circa 60s) it can take a bit of abuse, so no mamby pamdy rubbish. Want an ultra light kit, keep looking. Want something that will last years then here it is

I just received 2 kits from a military surplus in Lithuanian. Am clueless,as how to use it , thank you all for the tips, and instructions. Thanks Bearhunter5. Inspires this 65 yr old to get out there. Again thanks

Great piece of kit.

Have seen this before but it popped up on my YT feed before and you can never tire of listening to Mark. Just dug out my own one to have a play with over the holiday period. Has anyone had any luck making a lid for the fry pan/cup element ? Someone commented earlier it can be used on its own as a small pot and fits snuggly in the wind shield. I think I will be after the wife’s tin foil turkey roasting tray 😀

all! Have two aluminium and one in stainless steel. They are absolutely amazing! I think they're the best designed military mess kit ever designed! I absolutely love them next to my WCSK knife they are my favorite piece of gear! I own US GI, Yugoslavian, Russian and Russian VDV, also a German mess kit. But of all the kits I own I would highly recommend the swedish M40 over all others! Nice video Mark, Thank you! ATB Sam Adler from USA

I was gifted a stainless one by an old friend. It has served me well for about 10 years. Probably the most bullet proof kit one can own, but they are heavy.

I've always been intrigued with these. They look like the perfect car or basecamp bug-out setup. I passed on the aluminium kits (sans stove) at a local surplus store for $6.97 just 5 or 6 years ago. Wasn't uncommon to see them around but I didn't appreciate aluminum cook gear and decided to hold out for steel; big mistake. Both have disappeared where I shop except for Chinese military copies at elevated prices online or in mail order catologs

I love my Stainless Steel kit. I bought it at a Camping Store in Salt Lake City while stationed at Tooele & Dugway.

When I did my service, we used moss or snow to clean the inside after use, if there was no access to water. It always left a trace of the previous meal inside. Sort of suited the nickname of the kit.

I have the same Swedish kit, even to the cloverleaf. and the brass alcohol stove. I have used it often and hard, most often just for boiling water for coffee in the morning camping. My plastic flask broke so I use a steel 7 0z. hip flask (labeled FUEL, DO NOT DRINK) that fits within the kit. You can also use sterno cans or Girlscout "Buddyburners" in the "windscreen". Mark called it "bombproof" I concur. My favorite mess kit of the many I have used, and I prefer the steel, having seen one too many aluminum mess kit pans melted on a fire too hot for it.

Another GREAT video, Mark! Very informative. Here's my question: "When are you going to introduce me to your friend, Eric?" Hahahahaha!!! It looks like a very nice kit. Thanks again, Mark! Happy Trails!

Good introduction video. I found such a steel mess kit second hand market today. It had no burner and no wind shield. Just a pot and a lid. It cost 7 euros. It's not as good condition as yours. I need to clean it properly. But in good condition for an approx. 80-year-old item. Completely usable. The manufacturer's name Gense is written on the cover. There are three crowns inside the pot with 5012 Cr text below it.

I recently purchased a PFM40 copy of the swedish mess kit. It very well made and works as well as the Original. It DOES NOT come with the alcohol stove,but they can be found on the internet. This mess kit is sold by the Self Reliance Outfitters and are are less expensive than the original and well worth the money! ATB Sam Adler

I just love kit that is smart enough to have things like the hook that doubles as a handle, or the D rings to make an extension. You're awful lucky to have been given one of those. Hard to find complete, and as you said, expensive.......I'll watch to the end, just in case there's a give a way 😉. 😃 I'll probably pick up an aluminium one one day.

Sure looks like a Rock Solid System, Thanks Mark ! ATB T God Bless

Fun fact if you didn’t know…the ss version has one notch around the top of the bucket and the aluminum version has two 😉 Great review of a great pice of equipment!

I've got 2 of these in stainless steel. They're increasingly hard to obtain in the UK, becoming an antique, so grab them when around! I love my Swedish "trangia" mess kit - compact, all inclusive, bomb proof, versatile, reliable.

A solution to get the best of both burners would be to set the little burner on top of it's lid, elevating the height. = faster boil time + less fuel used. The best of both. Or you could carve a piece of wood the same size as the bottom of your stove, thick enough to match the height of the taller stove...

Something I found intersting about these kits - you can turn the windscreen upside down, cradle the burner in the post-stand legs and you use this kit with larger pots or pans - just place it over the hole on the bottom of the windscreen.

I used this in the Swedish Armed forces and in my civilian life and it is great. Yes they cost a lot, but it is very good and sturdy. It is simple, robust, can take the heat, you can cook anything in it and use firewood under ut if you dont want to use alcohol. Buy it, it is worth it !

Thank You for this video . You told Me more in 20 min. than I've ever heard about these cook sets . This looks to Me , like these cook sets would make very good car camping kit . ( back packing , not so not so much , at least , not for Me ) That being said , there's something to be said for that level of durability . I'm sure I'll most likely never have to go into a armed conflict with this kit ! ( thank GOD ) The men that did by necessity must have been tougher than a pine knot !

Ok, Mark, I saw you do the old "switch-a-roo" with the spirit burner caps near the end of the video. You have the Trangia top screwed unto the Svea burner. :-)

I have the ss version too and wouldn't give it up. Glad I bought it in 2004. Bought a 3 pack of complete kits for a huge amount of $15us. Sold the other 2 for $15 ea. You do have to keep your food moving to avoid burning. One advantage of the slower heat time of the Svea stove

Military surplus always seems like a good solid inexpensive option for camping/bushcraft equip

Those kits allow for cooking food items, for soups or stews, and baking bread, meat, fish, with fire and coals for what you have in the pantry or countryside.. Obviously using alcohol would be necessary for front line use when field kitchens could not supply hot meals. MREs changed everything first for the military and then campers and backpackers. I use several different items depending on activities, time, distance and whether solo or group as well as whether considerations for determining what meals do I want to make or carry to reduce weight. That’s why they are relevant for bushcraft but not ultra light back packing. Luv your channel.

$125?!?! Wow! I bought half a dozen of the stainless for under $15 each when I got mine. I still have three of the stainless. Heavy, but very reliable.

The plastic cup is called a kåsa, with the stress on the å (which in this case is pronounced a bit like (but a bit more closed than) a brit would say "awe"). Many traditional kåsor were bit rounder, but the design is fairly traditional.

Good review. A few years ago I had the chance to buy one of these for $12. Of course I passed on the purchase.

The stainless steel (over $100 pot and pan only) is about 2X heavier than aluminum. Stainless is best for car camping or used as a base camp cookware while aluminum is better suited for hiking and in conditions when weight counts. Aluminum allows better cooking as long as oil is used and food turned or stirred while stainless is bullet proof and easier to scrub off burns with scouring pad. Avoid using the civilian trangia simmer ring for the military burner because it leaves a small gap on bottom that allows flames to wick and heat burner resulting in a thermal runaway from boiling alcohol and this makes snuffing flames difficult.

I have 2 of these. Both aluminum. I just use 190 proof grain alcohol from the liquor store in mine. Works great. My first one has a reproduction pot and pan. They’re good quality but the pan handle is missing the rings and the pot is missing the hook. The first time I used it I went to grab the handle once it was done boiling. It was NASA hot. You wouldn’t think it would be that hot being outside the windscreen. I made sure my second set had the hook..... They are great kits. But heavy. I can’t imagine one in stainless steel.

I love this kit and have made a few videos cooking with it, but it is heavy. I have the stainless version and have swapped out the SVEA burner for a Trangia. Unfortunately, it's too heavy for serious backpacking. That being said, it's great for short trips or car camping. Mine came from a guy in Estonia, and I've seen stainless ones go for as much as $200 US.

Had one of these for years I love it .it's the first stove out at any camp water on ready for the tea coffee and pot noodles 😂 after the tent is up .I lives in car boot aka trunk ready for quick roadside brew . motorcycle tours .boiled eggs so easy. rice it is perfect . wouldn't be without mine .my brother also take his everywhere as well its . Sweden's dirty secret .but this Brit loves his too!

My complete one man stove with cookware m/40 in stainless steel weighs 1258g and the complete stove with aluminium cookware m/40 weights 894g. Thanks for interesting videos.

Wonderfully detailed review Mark and nice kit. Like you said, a bit heavy but certainly bomb proof. I am wondering if you could use it with wood. Build a small fire and turn the windscreen upside down and place it over the fire. I am thinking a few air intake holes may have to go around the top (which would actually be the bottom when used in fire mode) but the fire could be fed through the opening where the handle is for lid. It also may need something to raise the pot a little higher above the hole where the flames would come out. That would make it an ultimate larger cook system. Just some thoughts. Thanks for sharing, enjoyed the history of the kit as well. :) :)

I own an alu version of this, and we used to always have some lying around in the equipment crate when I was in the boy scouts as a kid, that nobody ever used because they seemed kind finicky when you were in a hurry to cook up a bunch of oatmeal or whatever. I guess it’s fine for the odd outing if you’re mainly making a bunch of boiled stuff, but for its size and weight I don’t think it really offers a lot of flexibility in terms of easily cooking a varity of stuff, with more precision, as is preferable if you’re out for weeks and months, at least to me. You can FORCE some cooking flexibility out of it, but it’s not as readily accessible as when simply using a trangia, for one installing and adjusting a simmer ring while cooking is an ongoing chore with these. The big burner is fun but doesn’t offer a huge difference. It’s a little better as a makeshift oven perhaps than a trangia, but at the end of the day, I’d rather have a proper pan that’s not so deep and with such a limited cooking surface, so I can reasonably cook and turn say pieces of fish in it and also have one or more spare pots to hold ingredients or cook rice or whatever on the side than, that. If you’re out for long and living off the land you most likely won’t be carrying enough flour to be making bread and cakes on a regular basis, it’s just too much weight and volume for the amount of meals it will produce, so personally I use any flour I may bring very sparingly just to coat pieces of fish and MAYBE make a piece of flat bread as a special luxury if I am ahead on resources. Honestly if I was doing a shorter trip I might still just bring a pared down or smaller trangia or if I was going for more of a fire compatibility - a small pan and bush pot + an alternate burner with a stand like say a trangia triangle and windscreen OR a Bush Box with the cooking options that adds to wood-fire-based cooking. I mean - at the end of the day you can juggle weight and volume around against the various applications, the amount of people you’ll be cooking for, the type of food and various pros and cons, but personally I like things to be a little more directly accessible with more flexibility of use, than is immediately offered by the M40 type of cook set. I like it but I find I don’t tend to bring it really, and if it’s about weight for a 2-3 day 1 person type hike, you can still go A LOT lighter than this if you err towards simplicity.

Mine holds a comprehensive survival kit. An updated and more complex kit based on the survival kit based on the onebd scribed in the novel THE COMMANDOS

The stainless steel "Snuffer" ring/flame adjuster currently offered by Tatonka company (Amazon) fits the Military-type burner perfectly; Vids on UKposts caused me to buy some for my kits. Bespoke aluminum lids available from UK vendor, but lids may not fit the SS version of the Swedish cook set. Disclaimer: No financial interest.

These are outstanding pieces of equipment. Unfortunately I don't have a stainless version but I do have an aluminum one. Some may say the aluminum version is junk but that's simply not the case. Both are excellent but the stainless one is just heavier duty. The design and use of how everything is contained is just so well thought out. Since I can't obtain an stainless version the next best thing is an Solo 1800 pot with Titan stove and an Trangia burner. This is actually a bit more practical as it can use wood material and the Trangia spirit burner for fuel source.

You can twist the hook thru the loop so you don´t need that strap, Done my service in Sweden so I have lugged that kit around a fair bit :)

Thank you for the interesting review of M40. Aluminium one is a chip piece of crap. Stainless steel M40, on the other hand, is the real gem nowadays. If you are lucky, you can find one on eBay and price will surprise you ( around $200 ).

Great movie. Greetings from Sweden

the iconic "snuskburk" = filthcan But actually it works quite well, its sturdy and get the job done. Ive done a lot of meals in this stove.

The writing on the flask says: Rödsprit - Methylated spirit, Mycket brandfarligt - Very flammable, Giftig - Poisonous. Prices in Sweden vary, but for an unused aluminum one its around 625 SEK and for an unused stainless one about 795 SEK.

Nice Items

The reason for the burner to be stored in a plastic bag is the (slight) possibility of galvanic corrosion btw aluminium and brass (cathodic). Especially if you happen to pack it down wet and leave it for some time... It even works when it is not a zip bag from Ikea.....

If you buyt the tatonka stainless steel flame aduster, that will fit the mil svea, even with the main lif attached as well

Carried one of this kit when I did my service in the swedish army. It works well. Most often we were served food from the field kitchen and In order to avoid having to clean the kit afterward we used to insert a plastic bag before pouring in the food. As it happened the swedish state railroad used a small trash plastic bags at the time, which came like a book/block with several bags in one unit. As we used the railroad when traveling to the regiments from home, there were a tendense for these block of bags to "despair" when the conscript soldiers left the train :) I own one of aluminium kits but have not used it since I left the army 20+ years ago. It is one of of the swedish army item same as the LK35 rucksack which are very popular in the bushcraft crowd but we, who have used them in the army have a love/hate relationship with. Both are bomb proof kits but heavy and not always the most comfortable to use

always like these older type of gear,they where a bit more heave,but the where bomb proof thanks for sharing Mark atb Steve

Cool thankss

Very informatively presented. Thank you. may we know whether the plastics are 'foodgrade'? (By todays health standards)

Germans mastered the tank, Americans mastered the Garand, and the Swed's the cook kit. I have one and they are the best piece of cooking kit I have ever had. If you can find one for under $100 then you got a steal!

The brand Pathfinder makes such a kitchen in Stainless, and calls it the Model 1940. The M40 is the one that is most sought after. What pathfinedr has done is a copy of the M44 in the material stainless steel. Such a kitchen has never existed.

There needs to be a modern stainless steel version of this with a water canteen inside.

You are missing the most important thing, the can-opener! Absolutely necessary to open the "leverpastej" can, so you can spoon out leverpastej, (liverpaté), with pansarkex, (armor-biscuits), a total lifesaver! Armor-biscuits is a quite hefty biscuit out of oats and wheat, known for breaking jaws... 🤪

Self reliance outfitters has an identical set in stainless now.

The green cup is a "kåsa". My husband is sitting next to me remembering his time in the army and using exactly that kit. He says they put the shoe fat in the pan to fry with 😅

I've heard they probably have lead-base paint. I can't find much information on that, anyone worried about cooking over a fire with it?

If you're interested in the history of this mess kit I would recommend the video "The Dirty Swedish Mess Kit" by Very Survival on youtube. I use the Mil-Tec reproduction of this kit in aluminium with a standard Trangia burner and find it to be very versatile. I made an aluminium lid that can fit over both the large and small pans which lets me cook in both at the same time. I had to trim a little off the top of the windshield in order to use the lid on the small pan if using it on its own and the lid fits upside down on the bottom of the windshield when the kit is packed together. ATB

I bought an alleged kit, aluminum, but it turns out that the everything had the three crowns stamp EXCEPT the actual pot. It was some East German knock off or whatever. Still works well and is light enough to take backpacking, and is fine for cooking in. But I'd sure love to have an original! But oh....to have an updated modern set, all titanium....I'd PAY!

Another reason for the plastic bag to hold the burner? Galvanic action or electrolysis caused by dissimilar metals and an electrolyte ! In this case Brass (an alloy) and stainless steel. and Methylated spirit or water it causes corrosion when left! It's worse in the case of Brass and Aluminium! many a holed kettle in Trangia sets. Regrettably in my time as a scout master I'm viewed as monster for demanding the plastic bag should always be used, even says so on the Trangia supplied yellow bags for the burner. I hope that helps other stove users. And like your friend I keep a stock of sealable IKEA food bags for that very reason.

Same design as the Prussian//German mess kit since the 19th century, the last iteration was used by the East German military

Well, that was a great in-depth review, however, at the very end you said this is not something I would purchase for myself, so what value does it really have to you? Is the fact that you got something for free and you’re doing somebody else a favor and you’re genuinely appreciating the value of the product or are you just doing it because you have a UKposts channel?

Where can I get one

How does the Pathfinder M40 compare.? I hear it’s all SS.