Finland has this mandatory military service for men and voluntary for women. Some start it in the summer, some in the winter. The army of course gives you everything the army thinks you need to survive. However, if you want to thrive there, you might want to bring along some extra gear, even if you end up there in the warm summer months. This group has some useful items that will enhance your army summer camp experience.

If you are looking for something to give to someone who is about to enter the Finnish military service but don’t know what would be the best thing to have, how about a Varusteleka gift card. That way they will surely get exactly what they need.

Thrive in the Finnish army in the summer

As we know, the Finnish summer can get hot but is also quite short: the nights get longer and colder soon and that's when you spend more time in the field. This group has just a few suggestions, so you should look into our product groups in more detailed manner. There might be some good stuff there, too.

• Puukko is the basic tool of every Finnish soldier.
• Flashlights and headlamps with adjustable illumination and preferably the red light. A camouflaged tent in the shade is rather dark even during the day.
• Reliable fire-starting equipment is vital to have during any season.
• High-quality Merino wool underwear and socks are worth bringing along. In the summer, the thin L1 variants are a swell choice. Merino wool is pleasant to wear and it won’t start stinking that easily. Airing them out is usually enough.
• Some yummy food that gives you a lot of energy is also good to have with you. For example beef jerky and chocolate with caffeine are worth their weight in gold on long camps and drills.
• Boresnake is just the thing you want for cleaning your gun and drying it. Forget the old crap that is traditionally used. This is a lot handier.