Mess Kits
A Mess Kit is a scout’s personal eating containers and utensils. While the Troop does have some spare items to lend, we expect all scouts to bring their own gear for eating on every camping trip. Scouts will also responsible for the cleaning and storing for their the gear during an outing.
At a minimum, a Mess Kit should include:
- Plate
- Bowl
- Cup
- Fork and Spoon (or a Spork).
- Mesh Drawstring Bag
Having a knife in your mess kit may come in handy, but for most meals, it isn’t necessary. To store and hang your mess kit, all of your gear should fit into a mesh drawstring bag. These bags are hung in camp to allow the gear to dry in between meals and to keep them safe and out of the way as well. If your kit does not come with one, they can be purchased separately, just be sure that the bag will fit the size plate you purchased.
Important Note: Be sure to write your name on each piece of the kit so we can tell yours apart from the others at camp. Also, although scouts wash their personal gear after each meal while camping, mess kits should be thoroughly washed and sanitized once they are home. The troop has seen some interesting science experiments when the kits are left to ferment between campouts.
Some commonly used kits and accessories are shown below. All affiliate links below are just for informational purposes only and these items are not required in any way.
Aluminum 5-Piece Outdoor Cooking Set (NOT RECOMMENDED)
*Dents, deforms and stains easily. Scouts often lose the nut & bolt.
*Great high-adventure backpacking option
*Great high-adventure backpacking option
*Nestles over 32oz Nalgene bottles and most 25oz Camelbak bottles.
*Select a size appropriate for your kit
The options for mess kits are endless. The items above and many other types of kits can be found online or at camping retailers. Search for “Camp Eating Kit” or “One Person Mess Kit” online to explore additional options.
