The Canteen

[lowangle al]

I guess that when I started tripping I probably used a Nalgene water bottles to carry water, then I switched to empty Gatorade bottles. They worked fine, but in the late 90s I started using a gallon canteen.

When I first moved to Ak. I went on a little gold prospecting trip with a friend and a friend of his. His friend was an older guy who drank whiskey with a water chaser. He had a gallon canteen that he hung from the side mirror on his pick up truck and I was impressed with this. The guy, Jay, worked in a liquor store and I would see him from time to time. Years later when I moved to a different house Jay became my neighbor. He still had his canteen which was always handy. He told me I should get one and related a story when he was in New Mexico and suffered severe dehydration in the desert and ever since has always had his canteen available. He said there was a gun store in Anchorage that could order me one. Actually the minimum order was for two, for 30 bucks, so two is what I got.

I started using them on trips. On portage trips I would only bring one and typically didn't fill it up to save weight. On river or big lake trips I would bring both of them filled up. They worked out good. I didn't filter water, preferring to boil it. Every evening I would make sure to boil enough water to fill the canteen. That was enough to get me through the next day until I got to camp.

These canteens were not only good for tripping. I used them at home too. I always had one in my truck from May to October. The other one was usually in my Baker tent that was set up in my yard. In the winter I would keep one in my bedroom. Always having them around made it easy to keep on on my water intake. When I was thirsty or felt dehydrated I could guzzle down a pint and still have plenty left. For almost thirty years I've never had to worry about needing to get water, it was always with me.

You don't need a dedicated canteen for this. You could always use a plastic jug, but having a dedicated container enabled me to develop the habit of always having it around. For tripping it was nice to have the capability to have two gallons available. They are very light when empty and I sometime would bring an empty one to have the ability to store water later in the trip, like after the portages were done. I still use my two original ones after 25 years. When I brought one to Pa. I replaced it with another, so I still have two in Ak. The new one I got is lighter and cheaper than the original but will hopefully hold up as well. What are you guys using for water containers?

2001


2021 This one was chewed on, by probably a mouse.


October 2025

 

[snapper]

I remember having one of those canteens when I was much younger. We'd always dunk it in water so there would be evaporative cooling as the wool felt dried out.

Today I mostly use Nalgenes that can accept boiling water without my having to be concerned about long-term ingestion of micro-plastics. I may be 72 but I don't need to scramble my brain more than it already is by ingesting plastics.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[lowangle al]

I had smaller ones but they didn't seem to have any advantages over a Nalgene bottle so I stopped using them. I never thought about the micro plastic issue but I did let the water cool before filling.

 

[Pseudonym]

We'd always dunk it in water so there would be evaporative cooling as the wool felt dried out.

That's very interesting. I've always used Nalgenes and try to keep them out of the sun. Two 32 oz. Nalgenes per day on the water was always sufficient for me, with a refill at camp that evening.

I always set them up with a webbing strap like this:

 

[dramey]

I use Nalgene bottles. If you find a Nalgene bottle of mine that has duct tape on it, DO NOT DRINK from it. That is my piss bottle.

 

[Erica]

I still have one of those old felt covered canteens, but I haven't used it in forever. I use the Nalgene bottles when tripping. At home I use a pint canning jar.

Today I mostly use Nalgenes that can accept boiling water without my having to be concerned about long-term ingestion of micro-plastics. I may be 72 but I don't need to scramble my brain more than it already is by ingesting plastics.

A quick web search indicates Nagenes do release microplastics. I've never considered it before.

I always set them up with a webbing strap like this:
View attachment 152369

I love this!

 

[Patrick Corry]

Al, your wool-jacketed canteen fits well with your Duluth style packs! I imagine that when the wool is wetted, evaporation helps keep the water cool. Does anyone remember lister bags? They provided water for a large group and the water soaked canvas kept the water somewhat cool. Our Boy Scout troop kept one on a tripod for full-troop campouts, jamborees, etc.

I used to have a flask shaped plastic canteen which I hung around my neck, under my outer layers, to keep it from freezing while winter climbing in the ADKs and White Mountains of New Hampshire. Then Nalgenes, and now I just use Smart Water bottles. They are slim and easy to pack.

 

[Penns Woods]

I have always been a fan and carried a large, covered metal canteen until it started to leak. It was easy to carry and to me water seems to taste better out of a metal container. The military type canteens are good for hunting or day trips but seem too small for camp. I really don't know why the large round canteens aren't used that much anymore. Everyone seems to be using the smaller plastic bottles.

 

[tketcham]

...water seems to taste better out of a metal container.

I agree. I use stainless steel thermos bottles now (Hydroflask) instead of Nalgene bottles. The drawback to the thermos bottles is they don't hold as much water for the same size bottle, so you have to carry more bottles or use larger bottles. I suppose I could find uninsulated metal bottles but having cool water during a hot day is nice.

 

[ABT]

I really don't know why the large round canteens aren't used that much anymore.

I don’t personally use them because they are harder to clean than the newer stainless bottles or nalgenes. I really like canteens, and think they are a much easier way to carry larger amounts of water. But the shape and only the one small opening is a lot harder to clean easily vs a newer style wide mouth stainless bottle, or a Nalgene, etc. where you can fit your whole hand or a brush inside and hit all surfaces, and rinse easily (or better yet, put in the dishwasher).

I do really appreciate the insulated factor of the newer bottles as well and use them for both hot and cold liquids depending on my needs.

 

[scoutergriz]

I use Nalgene bottles. If you find a Nalgene bottle of mine that has duct tape on it, DO NOT DRINK from it. That is my piss bottle.

that's what those 1 litre/1qt gatorade bottles are for unless you drink premixed gatorade

 

[scoutergriz]

I don’t personally use them because they are harder to clean than the newer stainless bottles or nalgenes. I really like canteens, and think they are a much easier way to carry larger amounts of water. But the shape and only the one small opening is a lot harder to clean easily vs a newer style wide mouth stainless bottle, or a Nalgene, etc. where you can fit your whole hand or a brush inside and hit all surfaces, and rinse easily (or better yet, put in the dishwasher).

I do really appreciate the insulated factor of the newer bottles as well and use them for both hot and cold liquids depending on my needs.

I used to use them exclusively in my younger days but the chafing of the strap on your neck, plus their tendency to leak if banged hard, the inability to get inside with a decent bottle brush, and the pain trying to fill them with a filter, plus the nasty, plastic taste from some turned me off decades ago.
now I carry a full Nalgene in my pack and a12oz Mochic clear polycarbonate "canteen" in either my inside jacket pocket or thigh pocket on my pants, and refill from the Nalgene as needed

 

[Pseudonym]

I hadn’t considered the aperture size with respect to cleaning. Perhaps that means I need to clean mine more often…

I’ll tell you what though, drinking a Nalgene in the back row of an outfitter’s shuttle van is a pretty effective way to soak your shirt.

This thread has me thinking I’m going to look into a wool or neoprene Nalgene coozy

 

[scoutergriz]

I still have one of those old felt covered canteens, but I haven't used it in forever. I use the Nalgene bottles when tripping. At home I use a pint canning jar.


A quick web search indicates Nagenes do release microplastics. I've never considered it before.


I love this!

they are far safer than most plastics because Nalgene uses BPA- free polycarbonate, and has for year simply because leaching would have made them useless for lab-work- microplastics in solution could really skew the samples contained in them, plus BPA has been banned for food storage in most countries for 5-10 years now. As long as you use brand-name products tested by your government labs, there should be very little contamination of any type- the concern is some of the cheap knockoffs made overseas may not have been tested and could contain BPA.
also Polycarbonate is very tough and wear-resistant, it's used for everything from snowmobiles to aircraft windshieldsa

I hadn’t considered the aperture size with respect to cleaning. Perhaps that means I need to clean mine more often…

I’ll tell you what though, drinking a Nalgene in the back row of an outfitter’s shuttle van is a pretty effective way to soak your shirt.

This thread has me thinking I’m going to look into a wool or neoprene Nalgene coozy

I use a neoprene one made by Night eyez, especially in the winter, I also have a cordura one that can be wetted on hot days. there are also "sipper" lids or inserts available, I use an insert that pops out easily for cleaning and has an air-hole at the top and drinking hole at the bottom, I don't remember the brand. I also like that it's a direct fit to my old(still going) MiniWorks filter

 

[Gamma1214]

We carried those canteens everywhere when we were kids but I haven't seen one in ages (it looks good with your outfit).

I carry a variety of containers these days and they're all very different which helps to avoid confusion. I take 2 smart water bottles for daily hydration as they are thin and slide easily into the exterior pouches of my packs. One goes on each pack for portages. I rinse them but have never washed them.

I carry a Nalgene bottle that I found in the BWCA and it gets used only for fish. I try not to clean fish in camp so, when I catch some, I pull ashore, clean the critters and stuff the meat in the Nalgene and fill it with lake water. I like that the large opening makes it easy to fill & empty while the small one allows for water changes without losing meat. I'll change water periodically during the day to keep the fish cool & rinse it out after the shore lunch or supper (I've never washed it)

I have a Gatorade bottle as well that is carried empty and it's distinctive shape is handy in the tent at night. (again, I rinse but don't wash it)

And, finally, I have a half-gallon (72 oz / 1.9L) stainless steel flask that typically gets lighter as the trip progresses. It's uninsulated yet does seem to have the capacity to spread warmth on a chilly night. Contents vary and I've found it easier to portage than beer.



Come to think of it, I've rinsed but never washed it either... Oh well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

 

[lowangle al]

I've never washed my canteens. I only put water in them, and it stays good even after months. I've even filled them with water from lakes that I'm OK drinking from. A little side story; one day at work standing by my truck getting a drink from the canteen while talking with a co worker I asked. "hey Leo would you like to see that lake where I catch the big trout" when he said yes, I poured out some water on the ground. He looked at me funny, I said "that's it, that's Swanson Lake" I thought it was funnier than Leo did, but at least one of us laughed.

Gamma, I would caution against putting water in with your fish. You are potentially adding bacteria, and the water will help that bacteria grow faster. You can also add Giardia. To kill Giardia you need to boil your water, and when cooking fish you don't usually add that much heat.

 

[Penns Woods]

I would never put anything but good potable water in mine. To clean simply rinse with a little bleach and water to sanitized, then rinse out well with clear water. Never had any problems.