In praise of metal water bottles

[Weetabix]

I saw an article here about using metal water bottles for camping. Using them for dual purposes (canteen/cooking) appealed to me. I got one for free at a seminar soon after that.

I've carried it in the side pouch of my backpack for a few months. The mouth on it is wide enough that air can get in, so it's easy to drink out of. It's not as wide as the one in the article above.

Then I took it on the deer hunting trip. I had it in the tent at night, and it was getting ice in it overnight. Thinks I to meself, "Here I am, sitting by a fire with a good bed of coals, holding a metal water bottle, and just about to go to bed..."

I filled it up and set it against the rocks around the fire circle with the bottom on a bed of coals while I got ready for bed. I let it get just about too hot to handle, and I took it into the sleeping bag with me. Instant hot water bottle and warm feet!

Next day, I heated it up a bit on the stove before I went out hunting, and it stayed warm enough while I was out with no ice forming inside and no frigid water to drink. I think the nighttime and early morning temperatures were around 15 degF

I haven't tried boiling water in it yet. I'll need a good glove or a holder of some type at that point. I'm thinking their trick with the nesting cup might be just the ticket for gear weight reduction and the fun of multi purpose gear when you're eating the food you add boiling water to.

Anybody else use these or have any ingenious uses for them?

[308Mike]

The metal sure makes it easy to heat using various means which would damage a Nalgene bottle. Just be careful of burning or freezing your lips/tongue if we get a little careless. It's better to be stuck to a metal water bottle than a frozen steel flag pole on a triple-dog-dare!

[Rod]

I hated it when the military went with those stupid plastic canteens. Ever try thawing out your drinking water in one? Anyone with any sense in Germany had an old metal canteen and canteen cup or they got one from the Germans. It didn't hurt to have an extra steel pot either. I'll have to tell you about cooking dinner inside an AVLB during a road march sometime.

[JAG2955]

I use a 40oz Klean Kanteen for my daily use water bottle. I also have one of the cheap nesting cups that it fits into. I got it for the same reasons you did, but haven't used it in that regard yet. I have, however, noticed that water tastes much better out of it than from a Nalgene or equivalent. I have put the nesting cup to good use on many field exercises. I have a collapsible stove called an Emberlit which can burn wood, but I usually use it with a small Sterno can in the field. Either the cup or the Kanteen will fit on it if you have the additional supports.

The only downside is the dents.

ETA: If you're military or otherwise qualified, ProMotive has a great deal on Klean Kanteens.

[Termite]

Stainless is much better than aluminum for water bottles. Heavier for sure, but doesn't give a metallic flavor to the water.

[Windy Wilson]

Where do you get the nesting cups? I have three of the 28 oz Kleen Canteen bottles and nesting cups would be handy.
And you're right, a little heat on a plastic water bottle really flavors the water. I have a bunch of plastic bottles and if I can, I only use the metal ones.

[JAG2955]

I think this is the one I have. Not sure if it'll fit your 28 oz, but it fits my 40oz.

[Weetabix]

Windy,

The one JAG linked to is the one in my local Bass Pro, and it fits the bottom of a standard Nalgene. I'd say check diameters.

Don't you have a Bass Pro near you? Take your bottle in and see if they have one that will fit.

[MelodyByrne]

It's on the Amazon registry...

[Combat Controller]

Love them. In Iraq it would freeze at night and our #*)(&*%@ canteens ended up with ice in them for morning chow.

Of course we also had problems with ice forming in our fuel lines in our Pinzgauers so.... enough said. We had a fire going at night eventually to keep stuff from freezing, but shielded for light discipline. What a freaking pain.