Finnish Bread Bag, surplus

What a treat for Finnish military history fans! These kinds of shoulder bags were used by our soldiers through WWII, heck, almost throughout the last century. And they will serve you for a long time, too. These are very hard to get these days, but our surplus wizards managed to conjure up a very nice batch. However, this will probably not happen again, so get ‘em while you can.

Features

This bread bag is an old classic. First fielded en masse by the Germans in WWI, and in Finland, this shoulder bag saw use through WWII up till the introduction of the M/85 load-bearing system in the early 90s! Most of the ones in this batch were made in the 1960s and feature four strap attachment points on the flap, but there can very well be older ones in the mix, too. No point in stopping to use a perfectly good bag just because they give you something better.

The lid covers the whole bag and is closed with two leather straps and buttons. The mouth can also be closed with a separate strap & button combo. The original idea was to attach the mess tin and the canteen to the flap. The mess tin was attached from the handle to the clip and secured in place with a strap to the attachment points. The canteen was hung from the D ring found at the top of the bag and secured to the attachment points with the strap found on the canteen itself. On the backside, you will wind belt loops that can be opened. The shoulder sling is adjustable and detachable.

An overwhelming majority of these come in field gray. However, there are a few green ones in this batch, so don’t blow your cosmic consciousness if you get such a rarity. The shade can also vary from darker to lighter colors.

Measurements roughly when full: 25 x 25 x 15 cm (10" x 10x 6").

Use

As the name indicates, these were often used to carry the soldier's daily rations. However, people also hauled ammunition and anything else needed in the field inside these. In WWII, a very common kit used by Finnish troops was simply a leather belt and this bag to which mess kit and canteen could be attached.

This is also an excellent everyday bag for all style-conscious vintage fans who appreciate the old ways. Combine it with anything, and you look great.

Condition

Classic Finnish military surplus that is becoming rare these days. These are used and decades old; some might even be from the WWII era, so they can be patched up, stained, and include other signs of use that only make them look even cooler. A product made well is a well-made product, thus they are still in perfectly serviceable condition. Some buttons might be missing, so be prepared to get new ones.