PS please forgive me if you've discovered this for Yourself since but the loop that the top/pan handle locks over was originally for a leather strap which would wrap around horizontally and lock the two pieces together if You can't find a suitable 'military' style strap the half inch wide Coglans with spring jaws will do fine. When You are boiling with the pot directly on heat, bring the bail over twist the hook until you can pass it through strap loop, a little practice may be required this locks the bail in place and also gives You a sideways extended handle to pour with. When packed for travelling again bring bail over wiggle hook until You can pass it between wind shield and pot, keeps it out of way, finally You may want to invest in a surplus Polish or similar bread bag to carry the packed up mess kit food and stove + fuel all self contained 😇👍
Thanks! This is my first Swedish Mess Kit, so I don’t have much experience with it so I appreciate the info. I will have to get a strap and try the bail hook in the strap loop. 😊
I use a WW2 Swedish army gas mask bag, the bottom of the canvas bag is leather covered, it’s a perfect fit for M40/44. It also has a small pocket on the front. They are quite difficult to find, but are out there.
@@sams568 Just checked them out- never seen one before, they look pretty good. They’re certainly heavy duty! It looks like you can fit a few more bits and bats, such as powdered coffee packs, snacks etc. in the main compartment with the mess kit?
very nice "re-issue" of the Swedish army classic, I looked so long to get a stainless steel version... but now I feel I do not want to carry that much weight any more, and considering volume and weight I might as well take the Trangia 27 which is far better for cooking and more versatile... so I guess my romance with the Swedish army kit is over, but I stick with Trangia + Ti cups/or the original HA27 kit (= my standard equipment + Firebox Nano stove)
I like military surplus gear. A lot of good surplus is hard to get ahold of though. There are companies that make "gi style" gear that turns out to be garbo, but when a reputable company makes something it can be even better than the original. Pathfinder Canteen set is the perfect example. I am happy to see new things coming from Dave.
I've used these kits for many years. One of the biggest niggles I have with it is that the handle on the lid/pan will not fold over on itself. Sometimes when travelling light ,especially in summer, the lid is all you need. The Finnish mess set pan folds right over so you can easily fit it in a pocket. The German version needs a piece cut out with snips, and will fold once you have removed it, easy to do, a 5 minute job. Doing something similar with the stainless steel Swedish/Pathfinder version would be hard work with basic hand tools, surprised Dave Canterbury didn't modify his version so it would do this.
I have an original Swedish M40 and love it . If anyone thinks the price of the Pathfinder version is steep, they will pay at least $80 bucks for an original Swedish M40 / if they can even find one. The pot stand / wind screen for the Pathfinder is steel. The same component for the Swedish M40 is aluminum. Something to consider. Nice review even if you are disappointed with some aspects.
I am interested in seeing a comparison with the authentic M40 set. Wondering if weights and dimensions are the same. I would like to add the stainless steel windscreen to my set. Thanks for sharing Chris
The bail handle an hook is made in a way to hold itself out straight to the side. Also to pour it one handed. Actually got my original Swedish military one on eBay now after ordering this one. Hopefully the steel is the same gauge as the real deal. What sold me is the stainless windscreen. The original I bought was a New unused stock so was basically new. An only boiled water like twice. But it put off a smell I couldn’t get past I could only assume from the paint. Otherwise what could make a smell ya know. So definitely have high hopes in this one to off the original real deal one. But the stainless windscreen is what reeled me in on it.
Tha army "nickname" for these was "snuskburken" wich translates to the "filth jar" and can be bought on Tradera for 20-30$ ther is both aluminium and stainless verisions
Funny, the Swedish had a M40 mess kit from stainless steel without a windshield. Later they made a M44 aluminium mess kit without a windshield. They supplied the windshield in the fifties with the aluminium M44. And this is a PFM40, styled like a M44 (two indents and the bail like a M44) and with a windshield ... Marketing got something wrong :-). Tho I like the stainless steel windshield ... 🙂
It's a reproduction of the aluminium M44 in stainless steel so is very good for those who don't want aluminium problems (toxicity and melting with high heat).
Not an "Ultra-light" kit, BUT with a set like this, only one would serve for a party of two, or even three campers! Thus, unless your really into the dangerous practice of going solo alot, this is a great choice! Plus, if your in a canoe or pulling a sled, the weight won't be so important.
It should be because the actual original issue kit was supplied with a military issue Trangia burner (because they'd obviously purchase from a Swedish company) and I'm pretty sure that that burner is slightly larger than the civilian versions. Also it was issued without a simmer ring so the civilian version is better although it might be pretty difficult to use except for almost closed i.e. with a tiny flame.
Hopefully you have learned how to use the hook and bail handle properly by now. It is by no means obvious, but you use the off-centre notch... er... it's difficult to describe, but there are videos around that show you how to do it. You will be able to keep the handle upright and do one-handed pouring. It's pretty ingenious.
I detached the hook from the loop, that cuts down alot of rattle. I can snap it on/off if I need to. I've also bent my M44 (alu) wind cover so the pan clasp to folds inside wind cover. Not sure if that stainless version will allow it though. Another outdoors guy (aaargh! Name escapes me) recommended a super helpful mod: make a cut out in wind cover so you can put the pan on stand reverse facing! The original front cutout is really large/deep, and usually alot of heat and flames may exit there making pan handle/clasp furiously hot (which is why you tend to need a tool/stick to handle pan once its on burner). By using pan/handle in reverse mount, the handle doesn't get so much excess heat making all easier and more secure/quicker to manipulate.
I suspect that the Swedish mess kit is more robustly built considering that it has an aluminum wind shield and weighs more than this newly produced one which has a stainless steel wind shield.
If you have the original M40 in stainless steel, you will see that the kitchen he shows has never existed as an original. He has the stainless steel M44. The M44 was made of Aluminum. If you want to use the kitchen, it works. If you only make TH-cam videos and show off military nostalgia. A copy of something that never existed doesn't work for me.
My understanding is that Dave sent his original M44 for the tooling to be based off of because he didn't want to send his M40 and have it get lost. Thus the two rings even though this is a SS mess kit
The original kitchen cannot be found today. M40 is made of stainless steel. M44 is made of Aluminum. What you have is Model 1944, i.e. M44, which is made of stainless steel. No such model exists as an original.
Its a perfect copy l compared it to my original its nice, as for locking it all together you need leather strap which goes around the stove part of kit and though the metal u piece bail handle latch, stap it and it will all stay together, l believe they make these leather straps but l made my own from old leather brown belt. The reason for big hook is actually the bail handel. This hook goes through that u piece on bail it is difficult to explain in words best to look at you tube videos of set up, by the way don't use fire on these only trangia alcahole burners if you build a fire in them younwill warp stove and ruin your kit cheers have a nice day
This is great because the stove preserves the heat for efficiency and it also provides excellent protection against winds. And stainless steel! As it should be. But how can you call this a review? Cool something on it please!
It's a great piece of kit. Check out my video named "Lunch with the NEW Pathfinder Alcohol stove and PFM40 Cook Set" to see it in action with the Pathfinder Alcohol stove.
The handle will lock if you use the hook in the thingey on the front. There are videos showing how to do it. Look at this following video at 8.21 th-cam.com/video/uZs56l4CEQg/w-d-xo.html
After years of struggling with scrubbing off the baked-on food stains from stainless steel, I refuse to buy anything that requires the same kind of effort (and water) when out camping... This thing will be a BITCH to clean in the field... The guys at Self Reliance Outfitters REALLY didn't think about this at all. They really should have made it from the same kind of hard anodozed aluminium that the GSI Soloist is made from.
I've used stainless cookware for 30+ years and never had such an issue. Maybe it's the way you're using it that's creating the problem. What I do is brown off the meat in some olive oil, then add chopped veg and a very small amount of water, to allow the veg to steam for a few minutes, by which the water is gone and everything is ready to eat. Food never sticks to or blackens the pan this way, and a quick rinse is all the cleaning required. 👍
Ive got plenty of SS cook wear - trick is to wipe a thin coat of high heat oil (I use avocado), not olive oil, then put them in an oven for an hr at about 150deg C. The oil will ‘cook off’ and create a golden sheen - this essentially becomes a non stick coating that is baked on. Just wipe clean - no more sticking
Ive carmalized bake beans that were welded to the bottom of an MSR aline stainless pot. I need to use oil or watch my heat up process. Ive ruined two pots.
PS please forgive me if you've discovered this for Yourself since but the loop that the top/pan handle locks over was originally for a leather strap which would wrap around horizontally and lock the two pieces together if You can't find a suitable 'military' style strap the half inch wide Coglans with spring jaws will do fine.
When You are boiling with the pot directly on heat, bring the bail over twist the hook until you can pass it through strap loop, a little practice may be required this locks the bail in place and also gives You a sideways extended handle to pour with.
When packed for travelling again bring bail over wiggle hook until You can pass it between wind shield and pot, keeps it out of way, finally You may want to invest in a surplus Polish or similar bread bag to carry the packed up mess kit food and stove + fuel all self contained 😇👍
Thanks! This is my first Swedish Mess Kit, so I don’t have much experience with it so I appreciate the info. I will have to get a strap and try the bail hook in the strap loop. 😊
I use a WW2 Swedish army gas mask bag, the bottom of the canvas bag is leather covered, it’s a perfect fit for M40/44. It also has a small pocket on the front. They are quite difficult to find, but are out there.
You should watch videos on the swedish M40 and M44 messkits to get to know your how to stow and use these types of messkits.
@@Mat-kr1nf I have the French gas mask bags. They are rubberized and have inner pockets and 2 outer pouches.
@@sams568 Just checked them out- never seen one before, they look pretty good. They’re certainly heavy duty! It looks like you can fit a few more bits and bats, such as powdered coffee packs, snacks etc. in the main compartment with the mess kit?
Your excitement is infectious. Felt like Christmas morning. That is a beauty!!!
very nice "re-issue" of the Swedish army classic, I looked so long to get a stainless steel version... but now I feel I do not want to carry that much weight any more, and considering volume and weight I might as well take the Trangia 27 which is far better for cooking and more versatile... so I guess my romance with the Swedish army kit is over, but I stick with Trangia + Ti cups/or the original HA27 kit (= my standard equipment + Firebox Nano stove)
I like military surplus gear. A lot of good surplus is hard to get ahold of though. There are companies that make "gi style" gear that turns out to be garbo, but when a reputable company makes something it can be even better than the original. Pathfinder Canteen set is the perfect example. I am happy to see new things coming from Dave.
I've used these kits for many years. One of the biggest niggles I have with it is that the handle on the lid/pan will not fold over on itself. Sometimes when travelling light ,especially in summer, the lid is all you need. The Finnish mess set pan folds right over so you can easily fit it in a pocket. The German version needs a piece cut out with snips, and will fold once you have removed it, easy to do, a 5 minute job. Doing something similar with the stainless steel Swedish/Pathfinder version would be hard work with basic hand tools, surprised Dave Canterbury didn't modify his version so it would do this.
Dave used the Packable Grill - 6.25" x 5.5" in the PFM40 cook set to make a pizza.
I have an original Swedish M40 and love it . If anyone thinks the price of the Pathfinder version is steep, they will pay at least $80 bucks for an original Swedish M40 / if they can even find one. The pot stand / wind screen for the Pathfinder is steel. The same component for the Swedish M40 is aluminum. Something to consider.
Nice review even if you are disappointed with some aspects.
One just sold on Ebay for $339.
Isn't the M40 steel while the M44 aluminium?
I have been liking mine so far. Its heavy, but it is built well.
Nice to see this. I've got the original and it's built like a tank, you could probably dig a trench with it so I don't mind the weight.
I am interested in seeing a comparison with the authentic M40 set. Wondering if weights and dimensions are the same. I would like to add the stainless steel windscreen to my set. Thanks for sharing Chris
1st independent review I've seen thank you Sir
The cup doesn't have measurements because that's a PAN.
Nor does the original.
Wow,that's a beautiful kit . I've got the Swedish aluminum kit . I hope you enjoy using it.
The bail handle an hook is made in a way to hold itself out straight to the side. Also to pour it one handed.
Actually got my original Swedish military one on eBay now after ordering this one. Hopefully the steel is the same gauge as the real deal. What sold me is the stainless windscreen.
The original I bought was a New unused stock so was basically new. An only boiled water like twice. But it put off a smell I couldn’t get past I could only assume from the paint. Otherwise what could make a smell ya know.
So definitely have high hopes in this one to off the original real deal one. But the stainless windscreen is what reeled me in on it.
Tha army "nickname" for these was "snuskburken" wich translates to the "filth jar" and can be bought on Tradera for 20-30$ ther is both aluminium and stainless verisions
Do your research before you buy. It makes you look, well, bad if you don't. Enjoy your set good sir.
Funny, the Swedish had a M40 mess kit from stainless steel without a windshield. Later they made a M44 aluminium mess kit without a windshield. They supplied the windshield in the fifties with the aluminium M44.
And this is a PFM40, styled like a M44 (two indents and the bail like a M44) and with a windshield ... Marketing got something wrong :-).
Tho I like the stainless steel windshield ... 🙂
David Canterbury say he don't want to get up on M40 stainless steel version not marketing got something wrong lol
It's a reproduction of the aluminium M44 in stainless steel so is very good for those who don't want aluminium problems (toxicity and melting with high heat).
Hi I'm Mark I live in Delaware. Mark Young sent me your way. I like your content.
It doesn't look like something I would want.
Thanks for the video brother
Hoping they restock soon
Not an "Ultra-light" kit, BUT with a set like this, only one would serve for a party of two, or even three campers!
Thus, unless your really into the dangerous practice of going solo alot, this is a great choice!
Plus, if your in a canoe or pulling a sled, the weight won't be so important.
Just got mine in the mail yesterday can't wait to use it. Thank you for posting a video about it. Have a blessed day 🤙
Fancy fancy.... You could do so many things with that!
Awesome I hope my gets here soon good show thanks
I am glad pathfinder keep PFM40 close to authentic M40 mess kit from WW2 era and not mutate it to become modern cook kit
Great video thanks. Is it compatible with a Trangia burner though? I cannot find any info on the Web to say whether it is it not...
It should be because the actual original issue kit was supplied with a military issue Trangia burner (because they'd obviously purchase from a Swedish company) and I'm pretty sure that that burner is slightly larger than the civilian versions. Also it was issued without a simmer ring so the civilian version is better although it might be pretty difficult to use except for almost closed i.e. with a tiny flame.
Looks like a great kit !
Can't wait to see your actual testing !!!
Heard about you from Mark Young.
Keep up the great work !!!
Just got mine a few days ago
Got my 2nd one from them, one for cooking and the other one put up on den shelf with my other collection.
I ordered one of those in May and haven't received it yet.
Haven't seen you use this cook set in awhile. Are you still happy with it?
Still use it and love it. I have it in my car for day hikes and lunches in the park.
Enjoyed the video and the unboxing..
Hopefully you have learned how to use the hook and bail handle properly by now. It is by no means obvious, but you use the off-centre notch... er... it's difficult to describe, but there are videos around that show you how to do it. You will be able to keep the handle upright and do one-handed pouring. It's pretty ingenious.
can you send me a link to a vid showing this?
Used my farmer X this weekend to make a bow drill set. Couldn't get the ember though!
The Farmer and the Farmer X are my favorite EDC knives. Thanks for watching and the comment.
Just ordered
When I tested it, it seemed to take forever to boil water (I quit after 10 minutes with no luck) using the pathfinder stove. YMMV
Let’s wake everybody up. Damn that thing makes a shit to of noise.
Definitely the noisiest piece of gear i own.
I detached the hook from the loop, that cuts down alot of rattle. I can snap it on/off if I need to. I've also bent my M44 (alu) wind cover so the pan clasp to folds inside wind cover. Not sure if that stainless version will allow it though. Another outdoors guy (aaargh! Name escapes me) recommended a super helpful mod: make a cut out in wind cover so you can put the pan on stand reverse facing! The original front cutout is really large/deep, and usually alot of heat and flames may exit there making pan handle/clasp furiously hot (which is why you tend to need a tool/stick to handle pan once its on burner). By using pan/handle in reverse mount, the handle doesn't get so much excess heat making all easier and more secure/quicker to manipulate.
How many Oz does each pot hold?
Is the size comparable to the original Swedish m40? I found a waxed canvas carrier on Etsy I want to get for it.
As I understand it, it’s built to the same dimensions.
the bale hook locks the kit together.
PS. 2. weight of an original Swedish m40 (stainless) pot and pan plus windshield is 1103g
I suspect that the Swedish mess kit is more robustly built considering that it has an aluminum wind shield and weighs more than this newly produced one which has a stainless steel wind shield.
I have the original M40 and the fit of the pan to the pot is much better. I had considered getting one of these, but I think I will pass.
If you have the original M40 in stainless steel, you will see that the kitchen he shows has never existed as an original. He has the stainless steel M44. The M44 was made of Aluminum. If you want to use the kitchen, it works. If you only make TH-cam videos and show off military nostalgia. A copy of something that never existed doesn't work for me.
Yea, I know. He should have copied the m40 and not the m44. @@P6009D
@@P6009Dcould be that they wanted to avoid making something that could, with a little work, be passed off as an original M40. 🤔
My understanding is that Dave sent his original M44 for the tooling to be based off of because he didn't want to send his M40 and have it get lost. Thus the two rings even though this is a SS mess kit
The original kitchen cannot be found today. M40 is made of stainless steel. M44 is made of Aluminum. What you have is Model 1944, i.e. M44, which is made of stainless steel.
No such model exists as an original.
Its a perfect copy l compared it to my original its nice, as for locking it all together you need leather strap which goes around the stove part of kit and though the metal u piece bail handle latch, stap it and it will all stay together, l believe they make these leather straps but l made my own from old leather brown belt. The reason for big hook is actually the bail handel. This hook goes through that u piece on bail it is difficult to explain in words best to look at you tube videos of set up, by the way don't use fire on these only trangia alcahole burners if you build a fire in them younwill warp stove and ruin your kit cheers have a nice day
This is great because the stove preserves the heat for efficiency and it also provides excellent protection against winds.
And stainless steel! As it should be.
But how can you call this a review? Cool something on it please!
It's a great piece of kit. Check out my video named "Lunch with the NEW Pathfinder Alcohol stove and PFM40 Cook Set" to see it in action with the Pathfinder Alcohol stove.
Looks like the pathfinder kidney canteen might fit inside.
The handle will lock if you use the hook in the thingey on the front. There are videos showing how to do it. Look at this following video at 8.21 th-cam.com/video/uZs56l4CEQg/w-d-xo.html
Thanks .
It took u a month to get this in the mail
I pre-ordered so I had to wait.
All it needed is a lid😢
The pan is the lid.
Why is Pathfinder still a thing after Dave Canterbury was exposed as a stolen valor liar?
Because hes the best survival instructor this side of the late Mors Kochanski. And because we all make mistakes, which he apologized for.
@@robertdodd9623 The apology was half hearted and he deleted it from his channel the same day.
After years of struggling with scrubbing off the baked-on food stains from stainless steel, I refuse to buy anything that requires the same kind of effort (and water) when out camping... This thing will be a BITCH to clean in the field... The guys at Self Reliance Outfitters REALLY didn't think about this at all. They really should have made it from the same kind of hard anodozed aluminium that the GSI Soloist is made from.
I've used stainless cookware for 30+ years and never had such an issue. Maybe it's the way you're using it that's creating the problem. What I do is brown off the meat in some olive oil, then add chopped veg and a very small amount of water, to allow the veg to steam for a few minutes, by which the water is gone and everything is ready to eat. Food never sticks to or blackens the pan this way, and a quick rinse is all the cleaning required. 👍
Ive got plenty of SS cook wear - trick is to wipe a thin coat of high heat oil (I use avocado), not olive oil, then put them in an oven for an hr at about 150deg C. The oil will ‘cook off’ and create a golden sheen - this essentially becomes a non stick coating that is baked on. Just wipe clean - no more sticking
All it takes is a sandy creek bottom, rub your ss gear in a mixture of sand and water inside and out and rinse, should look freshly polished
Ive carmalized bake beans that were welded to the bottom of an MSR aline stainless pot. I need to use oil or watch my heat up process. Ive ruined two pots.