Water Canteens

Water Canteens have been around since prehistory when hunters and gatherers realized they needed to carry a supply of drinking water with them on their forays. Water canteens have been made of a very wide variety of materials including animal guts, leaves, gourds, wood, glass, clay and metals right up to modern plastics. Historically, the materials they were made from depended on what was at hand.

 

It is interesting to note that the designs used for water canteens today would be readily recognized by ancient peoples the world over, even though the materials in their construction may not.

The natural progression from animal hide and animal bladders to gourds, wooden canteens, ceramics, plain and enameled metal canteens, glass canteens right up through good old plastics, which aren’t so good, or old, has steadfastly retained similar design features throughout the ages.

Though all of them can hold water, a few of the materials can be used to heat that water as well such as the metal, ceramic (clay) and some glass canteens.
 

The various covers made for water canteens serve several functions aside from aesthetics. They give a readily available place to attach carrying straps and can be soaked so that natural evaporation would keep the contents cool, to say nothing of protecting the canteen itself.

 

All styles and materials have their own drawbacks:

Metal water canteens will sustain minor dents with little or no effect, however, pinholes may appear in the dents over time. In an emergency you could always use some pine pitch or tape from your survival kit to patch it.

Water canteens made from animal hide, or bladders and some plastics, are light, very flexible, and easy to stow when not in use, however, they are subject to easy puncture and cracking over time.

Water canteens made of gourds or light wood cannot withstand much abuse. If you accidentally drop it when it is full, it is very subject to fracture.

Because of today’s environmental and health issues with plastics, consider choosing a different material. We prefer metal water canteens for their durability and versatility. (You can even heat water in it if necessary.)






If you are into reenactments, gourds, wooden or animal hide water canteens would be appropriate. Maybe even a clay canteen for use in the early Roman Empire time period.

The ultimate choice is yours. Water canteens range in size from a small pocket flask that will hold a few ounces to larger containers that hold gallons. One and a half to two quarts is what we recommend for general use in the wilderness to maintain your minimum daily requirements. When choosing the size of your canteen, remember that water is heavy. In very arid areas, you may need to carry more than one water canteen.