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.