1830 Oct. 310/2 The chests, the wash-tubs, the clothes-bags, the mess-gear, every thing in short had broken loose.
1918 L. E. Ruggles 98 Mess gear, the tableware, plates, cups, saucers, food containers and implements used by mess cooks.
1945 9 43 He came back with a new jacket and shining mess gear.
2010 J. R. Barry xi. 100 Redfern stumbled over a root and his mess gear jangled a little.