Canteens

[MEP]

I was just reading a thread about overwhites in the BDU forum and it was mentioned that canteens freeze. Well, how do you keep them from freezing or do you use something else in the winter? Thank you.

[Razor]

There are a couple solutions for keeping your water from freezing. First, you can keep your water in a camelback under your outer layer jacket/parka, thereby allowing your body heat to keep it above freezing. In our team equipment, we all had NATO metal canteens. They had a much wider neck opening and were metal, so you could heat them up to melt the frozen water inside them. Well worth their weight in cold weather. By pulling a sock over the canteen, you could muffle the metal on metal sound of canteen and cup, plus it provides a good barrier between skin and cold/wet metal, in case you don't have your anti-contact gloves on.

[recce_o]

One additional point on frozen canteens: if the temperature is low enough to risk freezing, make sure your canteen isn't more than three quarters full. As water freezes it expands. If the canteen is full, there is no room for expansion and it will rupture. Some say that keeping the canteen less than full allows the water to slosh around and prevents the formation of ice, but my knowledge of physical chemistry leads me to conclude that this is bull s**t.

I carry a thermos. Not only does it prevent my stuff from freezing, but it actually allows a hot drink without having to stop and brew up.

I've never thought about a Camel Back for winter warfare. I'll have to try that. And the sock... I'll have to try that one too.
Two questions for Razor:

1. You'd have to take your Camel Back into your sleeping bag at night or else it would freeze?

2. What type of metal canteen are you talking about? Any idea as to where I can get some?

[jeff]

Recce,
The camelbak goes into the bag with you, just like the batteries, the IVs, boot inserts, and any other stuff deemed necessary, gets pretty crowded. The metal canteens I've used are German made, 1quart with a leather thong holding the cap on.