Thanks for the input. Do you by any chance have a link to the manual? I looked around a bit, but my search didn't yield an actual set of instructions. I thought that I read somewhere (maybe on the box the canteen came in?) that something said that you can heat them over a fire, but to remove all non-metal parts before doing so. But yes, that would only be in the case of a freeze up, as why do that when you have a cup that would heat liquids much better.
@@scoutsniper485 Thanks! I have to say that I'm rather shocked to see it stated in writing that the canteens are vacuum insulated. When I poured boiling water into mine, I could easily verify that there was a double wall inside. However, within a short time so much heat was transferring through to the exterior, which led me to believe that the space between the walls was just filled with air. I'd think that a vacuum between the walls would provide much better insulation.....? I wonder if the heat transfer is happening via radiant heat, which a vacuum wouldn't stop?
I think you are getting a bit of confusion coming in here from the two different types of canteen. The old , artic , canteen was never designed to go onto naked flame. However, the more recent 'cold weather' canteen was ! Remove the plastic stopper elements prior to doing that though! If, as you do , have the old artic canteen but a new cold weather canteen cover it might well have been supplied in packaging saying you could use it on flame , but would have been relevant to the cold weather model. This is how the seeds of confusion are sown into the net !
@@GaerHampton Heat loss can be minimized if you add hot water, then strap the canteen(s) over your shoulders and keep them inside your arctic parka. As a Boy Scout 40 years ago, having learned the tricks of winter bivouac, I learned a few tricks. Happy to share knowledge!
I tried these the first winter I came to Alaska 17 years ago., They were garbage. Tossed em in the bin and bought 2 Austrian metal canteens and made some insulated covers for them. Never had a prob with those and I could put their ays in the fire w/o worry..
Exactly! The ice first forms inside of the narrow opening tube for two reasons (on top, and lack of insulation) and I forgot to mention in the video that the narrowness of the opening makes it tricky to fill with water without spilling some in the process. Of course spilling water on things like your hands is great idea when it's REALLY cold. Maybe someday I'll get my hands on the newer version of this model. They might have improved on a few things.
@@GaerHampton In the Finnish Army we didn't have any fancy arctic canteen type of a deal. They just said: Bury your regular wide mouth canteen in the snow upside down for the night, and you'll be good. And they were right :-)
@@Helsinkipop Spoken like the people of a subarctic/arctic land who knew how to live in it! Over here we just try to rely on gadgets 😉 There is a Boy Scout winter camping program that is based out of northeastern Minnesota, which I was fortunate enough take part in back in the 90s. While reading up on the guy who put the program together, I discovered that he was quite an innovator regarding cold weather survival/living for being a "lower 48 state", non-native American. His method was to look to the folks who live in the arctic (namely the Inuit & Sami) and to learn how they did things. He then took those skills and gear choices and adapted them to the uses of scouts in the U.S., and also apparently the U.S. military. He also helped develop and test outdoor gear.
I used to have one of the originals back when I was in the Army. I really need to get a couple new ones now that I just moved WAY North! I may just get some and the new covers, and spray-paint the covers with white paint that is compatible with synthetic materials...
Yes, they definitely are pretty stoutly constructed, and will last a long time. I've heard that the plastic (nylon?) stoppers often have a crack in them, but the performance isn't effected. Mine doesn't have the crack, but apparently they are so common that some people say that they were manufactured that way intentionally.
That's what I originally thought. However, mine, at least, doesn't behave that way. Boiling water poured into the canteen, taking care to not also spill any on the outside, very quickly started to warm the outer wall, eventually making it quite hot. This has never been the case with any vacuum bottle or thermos that I've owned before. .......those are my observations, at any rate.
The canteen should attach to a pistol belt which rides above the hips. You wear a parka over the pistol belt and therefore body heat will help keep the water in liquid form.
Tip: You can use a "regular" canteen in freezing conditions by putting a teaspoon of whisky and NOT filling to the top. Whisky being alcohol and the "water moving around" keeps the water from freezing.
Friend I think you are misguided. A teaspoon full of whiskey will NOT keep a quart of water from freezing. Yes, you'll lower the freezing point but not by much with a teaspoon....Also, moving water WILL freeze. That's a complete myth that it wont. Moving water is resistant to freezing somewhat, but not immune to it. Ever eat icecream?? How about vanilla icecream bearing a spoon of alcohol? I can guarantee you that if you fill your canteen with water and a spoon of Whiskey and take it outside at 10F on your belt you'll find it frozen solid in some time.
Thanks! Yeah, it's on the horizon. Oddly enough, I'm almost looking forward to going camping in the new season. It must mean that I've put the winter to good use!
I have two of these and I purchased the insulated covers too. One of my canteens is dated 1986 and by moving the canteen off center to the right, both cover flaps close. My canteen is a gray color. I am thinking the other way. I put cold water in because most of my outdoors is in warm weather. I am going to test the cold retention on one of our 90 degree full sunshine days. Some one else did this on youtube but used the canvas cover. I am going to compare my results to his.
Sounds like a good thing to try! Yeah, insulation definitely works both ways. (That's, of course, also why if you are outdoors in the cold, and are well insulated from the cold, you also shouldn't be able to warm up by a fire all that easily as you are also insulated from the heat.)
Best of luck in trying to get one of the newer "cold weather" canteens. There seem to be have only 1,700 of them produced , PLUS a further 500 rush manufactured for a ranger battalion being deployed to Afghanistan, the canteens of which were painted a khaki colour. So ; only 2,200 produced. No wonder they are rare, hope you find one and give us a review. I've only been able to get the new model mug. Good hunting.
So basically if you slide one or two of the pocket hand warmers in the cover during overly cold times it should keep it from freezing, or so I imagine. What do you think?
That's a good idea! I would think that doing so would certainly help prevent the water from freezing. I'm sure that the double wall of the canteen (and the supposed vacuum insulation [I'm pretty sure mine lost the vacuum]) would make the heat transfer from the hand warmers to the water quite inefficient. However, that extra bit of heat would have to help.
real POC canteen. hard to fill, keep clean, if you fill to neck it will freex and you need a ice pick to open. better with a UK , any wide mouth canteen. DO NOT EVER try to heat in fire.. it will ruin at best, explode at worse.