Anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors,—for work, travel, hiking, or camping in the wilderness, around trails, campgrounds, and so on—benefits from investing in a canteen. These reusable water vessels designed to accompany you on such excursions make it easy to stay hydrated on your adventures while saving you money, diminishing waste in favor of ecological responsibility, and avoiding the cumbersome inconvenience of managing an ample supply of disposable bottles. If you’re in the market for a more efficient water container and want to know more about canteens, or maybe you’re just interested in what makes them such a reliable tool, read on for a full overview of this invaluable invention.
Style and Size Options
Among the first question many ask as they start shopping for a canteen is, “How much water does a canteen hold?” While this is entirely up to the user, the maximum volume available in most models of design typically ranges between 1 to 2 liters, weighing in at about 2.2 – 4.5lbs when full. Although other sizes may be available in the market, you may be hard-pressed to find anything larger or smaller than this most standard size.
With most canteen designs, form follows function. There are a variety of strap options and methods of carrying your canteen—such as in a pack, strapped to a belt, or over the shoulder. The various shapes are also something to consider, should you prefer a round canteen, square, bottle-shaped, or even designs hearkening back to traditional wineskin bladders.
One that I highly recommend is a 2Qrt. collapsible canteen. It comes in a carry sling. Click here to get the latest pricing from Amazon.
Caps, Covers, and Accessories
While some don’t give much thought to cap and cover stylings or even add-on accessories, it’s important to consider these details in order to properly address your specific needs and appropriately prepare you for withstanding the elements without being forced to adapt to unexpected conflicts where your hydration is concerned.
- Caps and seals must be impenetrable and secure. The risk of leaks or contaminants should be a non-issue, as a clean, ample, and reliable water supply can mean the difference between health and illness or even life and death.
- Cloth covers, be they built into the design or purchased and applied separately, are a canteen standard, as they allow for easier, more firm gripping of the container, while serving a dual purpose of temperature regulation—evaporative cooling of a wet cloth cover is great for maintaining cooler, more refreshing temperatures to combat even the hottest days.
- Accessories can add to the form and function of your canteen, such as strap variations, belt clasp attachments, cups, portable stands, and even drinking hoses for easier, hands-free access and supplementation to gas or elevation masks. Remember to factor in the overall weight of your canteen with any added features, as the heavier your load becomes, so too does the burden of your trek increase.
Safety of Constructed Materials and Use
The materials used in canteen construction vary and may be an important aspect that contributes to your choice of purchase. Plastic, aluminum, and stainless steel canteens are the most common, and each carries with them their own pros and cons.
- Plastic is durable and lightweight, without the risk of rusting or denting. A downside to this material is the possibility of the general toxicity and sourcing of the material itself. As individuals and corporations become more health conscious and environmentally friendly, there are more options of plastic canteens that are clearly noted and certified as BPA-free, so you can be sure the plastic used in the canteen’s construction is reliably sourced and free of toxic chemicals that may be absorbed into your water supply.
- Aluminum is another lightweight option and more likely to help in the regulation of maintaining cooler temperatures. While lower grades of aluminum, such as foil-based blends, can bend, crack, or flake over time and distribute tiny metallic particles into your water supply or result in undesired chemical reactions when exposed to heat for prolonged or repetitive exposure, higher grades of aluminium can be a fantastic alternative, particularly where reliability, your health, and environmental awareness are concerned. Like BPA-free plastics, cleaner blends of aluminum are usually noted and certified within the packaging or documentation of canteens.
- Stainless steel is a heavier material used in canteen construction but some would consider it to be the cleanest, durable, and reliable. Like aluminum canteens, stainless steel options are less likely than plastic to absorb heat, keeping your water cooler, longer. Most stainless steel blends are free of harmful or questionable toxins, but if this is a concern for you, it’s still a good idea to review all packaging and documentation before making your purchase. Remember also to consider the total weight expected when full and how likely it may be to get dented, depending on what your excursions may entail.
While canteens of other materials are available—such as glass, ceramic, leather, or waterproof fabric blends—they may be lined with or incorporated some way into designs using any material listed above. Always consider your own specific needs and preferences, adhere to recommended cleaning and maintenance instructions regularly, and, if needed, thoroughly research the pros and cons of each material you may be considering to make absolutely certain it will meet your expectations without disappointment.
Historical Background
Canteens have, in some form or another, been used for centuries. Wineskins, animal bladders, or treated gourds are among the oldest constructions utilized as water vessels. Wineskins, by their namesake, indicate sealed pouches commonly containing wine and made of animal skin, while animal bladders were literally the bladders of animals adapted for water containment and transport. The hollowing out and fortification of gourds was a common alternative for regions and cultures in which the use of animal material was less frequent or accessible.
As time went on and with it the progression and experimentation of human invention, various advancements made their attempts to improve the design of the canteen. For example, many antique canteen designs from the Victorian Era, all the way into the early 20th Century, contain lead, a material which we now know can cause serious illness, if not death over prolonged use and exposure. Other designs had even less practical implications, like the glass canteens and cork stoppers briefly used in the early 1900s.
Modern technology, such as the advent of plastic and the continued developmental improvement of more reliably sourced blends, has made canteen production all the more cost-effective and accessible to meet diverse demands of individual preference while becoming increasingly conscious of what material we consume and how such effects our health and overall planetary environment. While the history of the canteen may or may not be of any interest to you personally, it’s worth looking into nonetheless if you want to learn all you can about methods of portable hydration, storage, and how this invaluable tool has adapted over the centuries to better suit our times and required functions. The history of the canteen can actually be quite fascinating!
Tying it All Together
Given the absolute necessity of water to our survival, good health, and typical regulation of bodily functions and temperature, a reliable source of hydration is among the most critical, if not the most important of aspects in preparing for any excursion or journey away from home. Being properly prepared for even the most extreme scenarios can mean the difference between life and death, especially when you’re alone in the wilderness with limited access to fresh water sources. Equipping yourself with a canteen or hydration bladder to ensure you have the minimum 2-liter-a-day supply recommended for an average adult to sustain sufficient hydration levels is vitally important in preparing for your adventures. The last thing you want is to be stranded in the wilderness without water.
Should you research canteens and decide you prefer a different method of water transport, the aforementioned option of hydration bladders—such as Camelbacks—supplement even greater variety, function, and wear so you can find the perfect solution and combination of tools and resources to fit your individual needs, preferences, and any uniquely applied circumstance you can expect to find yourself in. With the proper investment and care, your reusable, portable water containers can have the much-needed dependability and longevity to see you safely through even the most extreme circumstances as you face off against the elements. Once you’ve found the hydration system that works for you, you’ll never leave home without it!
For a 2 qrt. collapsible canteen that is highly recommended and rated, click here to get the latest Amazon pricing.