Today we have a plethora of specialized water containers to choose from. What did backpackers and campers rely on in past decades? The water container is one of the most overlooked pieces of hiking gear. It seems other pieces of gear always get the spotlight in adventure stories. But every adventurer must stay hydrated somehow. Water is, well, the water of life.
As recreational camping arose in the 19th century, campers used what they had on hand. Tin or aluminum canteens were common, especially among veterans. They were often round with a shoulder strap. The lack of corners made them easier to carry under a cloak to prevent freezing. Others used more traditional water skins made of animal hide.
Long before Yeti or Stanley tumblers or Hydro Flask bottles, there was Thermos—the original vacuum sealed beverage canister. Vacuum sealed insulated containers were invented in the 1890s. The Thermos was patented in 1903 as a residential model. It quickly found success among mountaineers and cold climate adventurers. Before long they became indispensable for successful expeditions. Leonard Wibberley reports in his 1954 book The Epics of Everest on the first summit of Mt. Everest. He reveals how Thermos flasks were crucial to the mission despite the fact that they struggled to keep out the cold at high altitude.1
Speaking of flasks, here’s an idea if you want to have a little fun. Take a clean pocket flask and fill it with water and then some appropriate time when you’re in public or if your coworkers aren’t complete sticks in the mud open it up and chug the whole thing. Stick the flask back in your pocket and carry on like nothing happened. On a more practical note, pocket flasks are a great way to carry some fluid with you on the ski slopes.
Fill a flask with some hot drink like non-alcoholic apple cider or hot chocolate and then place it in your pocket with one hand warmer on each side and it will stay warm for an hour or more. This is a convenient way to stay hydrated without having to carry a full-size bottle and allows you to enjoy a hot drink on the ski lift or at the peak of a slope with a good view. Your drink of choice should be nonalcoholic because alcohol is typically banned on ski slopes.
Also, alcohol and cold weather don’t mix. Many people believe the old myth that alcohol warms you. Drinking can create a warm sensation on the skin sometimes called a whiskey blanket. But this is in fact due to vasodilation (widening blood vessels,) and heat escaping the body. Consuming alcohol actually hastens hypothermia. I know, now I’m being a stick in the mud.
By World War 1 military canteens changed shape to resemble a bottle with a flat bottom. They were still often made of tin or aluminum. Round canteens were still used also among campers as illustrated in The Official Handbook for Boys by Lord Baden-Powell from 1911.
Metal canteens continued to be used into the 1940s and beyond. During World War 2 the U.S. Government experimented with plastic canteens made of Ethocellulose. They saw limited use and were discontinued due to cracking.
While metal canteens were the standard, sometimes people simply used what they had on hand. Mason jars were fairly standard in camp for storing food such as dry goods or even cold items like butter. To keep items cold they could be submerged in a creek until needed. Other times, people simply used the mason jar as their primary water bottle.2
An unexpected brand in this tale is Coca Cola. For many decades people have enjoyed taking Coke camping. Carrying an ice chest in a backpack is not practical though. So people would place their bottles in a cold creek once at camp to let them chill. Coca Cola capitalized on this trend and placed ads in camping related magazines promoting the idea.3 Once the soda was drunk, the bottle could be used to transport water from the creek back to camp with a cork in the top.
Rowdy teens also enjoyed target practice by trying to break the empty glass bottles with rocks. Thankfully, this practice has mostly ended due to glass bans and better education on low impact camping ethics. Glass never biodegrades and old bottles can still be found along trails. Glass was never a good material for camp.
The U.S. Government finally found a suitable plastic in 1961 and the M1961 canteen became the standard replacing the prior metal models. These OD green plastic canteens were incredibly durable and popular inside and outside the military as surplus reached the private market.4
Plastic replaced metal more slowly for the general public. One 1960s guidebook reports that plastic bottles, metal canteens, and animal skin water bladders (bota bags) were all commonly seen in use on the trail at that time. Each option had its proponents and detractors. At this time it was not clear which would win this intramural conflict.
The 1970s brought advances in plastic technology and plastic water bottles proliferated rapidly. Most took design inspiration from the new military canteen. Green and opaque white bottles with narrow mouths and ribbed walls kept many hikers hydrated. Some were made by Open Country, others by Nalgene, and still others by long-since defunct brands. Many hikers liked plastic for its durability, though these early bottles were still prone to leaking around the lid. Despite this, they had effectively won and become the dominant beverage container on the trail.
Nalgene, one of the most recognized brands in water containers, traces its roots to 1949 when its parent company Nalge was making plastic laboratory bottles that were heavy-duty and leakproof. In the 1960s some scientists within the company realized their bottles made great hiking water containers. This gave the company president the idea that there may be space for a lightweight plastic bottle in the rising backpacking gear market. Their first recreation-focused product entered the market in the early 1970s and their reputation for leakproof lids helped convert many to plastic bottles. Nalgene has since become an unstoppable tidal wave. The company is so renowned that “nalgene” is synonymous with any water bottle regardless of brand.
Nalgene has earned its reputation over the years. They are one of the most reliable when it comes to remaining leakproof. They are the only one many trust to keep a sleeping bag warm in winter. To try this yourself boil a liter of water just before bedtime, then pour it directly into an empty Nalgene, close the lid tight and put it at the foot of your sleeping bag a few minutes before you crawl in and it will help keep you warm most of the night with no problems.
In 1988 one intrepid and parched mountain biker had a radical idea. He wanted to sip water without using his hands because they were preoccupied steering his bike and he needed all the fluid he could drink while racing the Hotter N Hell Hundred under the Texas summer sun. He MacGyvered an IV fluid bag so it was fastened to his back and the line slung over his shoulder near his mouth and was fastened with a clothespin. His idea worked so well that he designed a more durable solution and began selling it under the name Camelbak. Initially, others were skeptical of this new hydration solution. So the inventor hired an ad company that came up with the slogan “hydrate or die.” Suddenly, the damn holding-back sales burst. The Camelbak water bladder has had an influence on the outdoor gear industry unlike few other trendy water containers in history. The Camelbak was so influential that virtually every outdoor backpack has a pocket design specifically to hold a water bladder.5
SmartWater made its first splash in the late 90s as bottled water with added electrolytes. To most, it was just another bottled water in a disposable container. The Sawyer Squeeze Filter was designed with threads that could fit most standard disposable water bottle tops. Through trial and error, backpackers came to rely on the SmartWater bottle as an ultralight option that paired well with their SawyerSqueeze water filter. SmartWater bottles were cheap, easy to replace, yet incredibly durable. Bonus, they could be found with pop tops. Their durability comes from their thick sidewalls, the thickest of any disposable water bottle on the market. Thru-hikers have reported a single bottle lasting for an entire season on the Appalachian Trail.
Any disposal plastic bottle can be used as Mike Clelland explains in Ultralight Backpackin’ Tips. Some just might need to be replaced more often than a SmartWater bottle.
Concerns about pollution and threats to health have grown as plastic has coated the globe over the past 30 years. Plastic bottles are one of the major contributors to these problems. Some backpackers are loath to continue using a plastic container. Kleen Kanteen began in 2004 to provide an alternative. Their stainless steel water bottles offer a safer, more sustainable water transport solution. They are a major improvement in quality over the tin and aluminum canteens of past generations. However, they are also heavier than aluminum or plastic alternatives. Many feel the minor increase in weight is a worthy trade-off. Others continue to rely on plastic options.6
One other brand has bucked the trend toward plastic. SIGG of Switzerland has been making outdoor-focused aluminum water bottles since 1908 and has remained a popular choice.
No doubt numerous other brands could be mentioned in this anthology, but it is no encyclopedia. Whatever you use, remember to hydrate or you will certainly die.
The U.S. Government finally found a suitable plastic in 1961 and the M1961 canteen became the standard replacing the prior metal models. These OD green plastic canteens were incredibly durable and popular inside and outside the military as surplus reached the private market.4
Plastic replaced metal more slowly for the general public. One 1960s guidebook reports that plastic bottles, metal canteens, and animal skin water bladders (bota bags) were all commonly seen in use on the trail at that time. Each option had its proponents and detractors. At this time it was not clear which would win this intramural conflict.
The 1970s brought advances in plastic technology and plastic water bottles proliferated rapidly. Most took design inspiration from the new military canteen. Green and opaque white bottles with narrow mouths and ribbed walls kept many hikers hydrated. Some were made by Open Country, others by Nalgene, and still others by long-since defunct brands. Many hikers liked plastic for its durability, though these early bottles were still prone to leaking around the lid. Despite this, they had effectively won and become the dominant beverage container on the trail.
Nalgene, one of the most recognized brands in water containers, traces its roots to 1949 when its parent company Nalge was making plastic laboratory bottles that were heavy-duty and leakproof. In the 1960s some scientists within the company realized their bottles made great hiking water containers. This gave the company president the idea that there may be space for a lightweight plastic bottle in the rising backpacking gear market. Their first recreation-focused product entered the market in the early 1970s and their reputation for leakproof lids helped convert many to plastic bottles. Nalgene has since become an unstoppable tidal wave. The company is so renowned that “nalgene” is synonymous with any water bottle regardless of brand.
Nalgene has earned its reputation over the years. They are one of the most reliable when it comes to remaining leakproof. They are the only one many trust to keep a sleeping bag warm in winter. To try this yourself boil a liter of water just before bedtime, then pour it directly into an empty Nalgene, close the lid tight and put it at the foot of your sleeping bag a few minutes before you crawl in and it will help keep you warm most of the night with no problems.
In 1988 one intrepid and parched mountain biker had a radical idea. He wanted to sip water without using his hands because they were preoccupied steering his bike and he needed all the fluid he could drink while racing the Hotter N Hell Hundred under the Texas summer sun. He MacGyvered an IV fluid bag so it was fastened to his back and the line slung over his shoulder near his mouth and was fastened with a clothespin. His idea worked so well that he designed a more durable solution and began selling it under the name Camelbak. Initially, others were skeptical of this new hydration solution. So the inventor hired an ad company that came up with the slogan “hydrate or die.” Suddenly, the damn holding-back sales burst. The Camelbak water bladder has had an influence on the outdoor gear industry unlike few other trendy water containers in history. The Camelbak was so influential that virtually every outdoor backpack has a pocket design specifically to hold a water bladder.5
SmartWater made its first splash in the late 90s as bottled water with added electrolytes. To most, it was just another bottled water in a disposable container. The Sawyer Squeeze Filter was designed with threads that could fit most standard disposable water bottle tops. Through trial and error, backpackers came to rely on the SmartWater bottle as an ultralight option that paired well with their SawyerSqueeze water filter. SmartWater bottles were cheap, easy to replace, yet incredibly durable. Bonus, they could be found with pop tops. Their durability comes from their thick sidewalls, the thickest of any disposable water bottle on the market. Thru-hikers have reported a single bottle lasting for an entire season on the Appalachian Trail.
Any disposal plastic bottle can be used as Mike Clelland explains in Ultralight Backpackin’ Tips. Some just might need to be replaced more often than a SmartWater bottle.
Concerns about pollution and threats to health have grown as plastic has coated the globe over the past 30 years. Plastic bottles are one of the major contributors to these problems. Some backpackers are loath to continue using a plastic container. Kleen Kanteen began in 2004 to provide an alternative. Their stainless steel water bottles offer a safer, more sustainable water transport solution. They are a major improvement in quality over the tin and aluminum canteens of past generations. However, they are also heavier than aluminum or plastic alternatives. Many feel the minor increase in weight is a worthy trade-off. Others continue to rely on plastic options.6
One other brand has bucked the trend toward plastic. SIGG of Switzerland has been making outdoor-focused aluminum water bottles since 1908 and has remained a popular choice.
No doubt numerous other brands could be mentioned in this anthology, but it is no encyclopedia. Whatever you use, remember to hydrate or you will certainly die.
By David F. Garner
Other Articles To Explore
A History Of Camper’s Love-Hate Relationship With Electronics
Twisted Hickory: A Story of The Walking Stick
A History Of Backcountry Water Filters and Treatment
Outdoor Conservation Ethics Through Time
Life Advice From Gear Instruction Manuals
The Case For Owning A Two-Way Radio
Sources:
1. https://thermos.com/pages/history
3. https://books.google.com/books/about/Boys_Life.html?id=8_0OK7ez8B8C
4.https://www.doughboymilitary.com/product/canteen-1st-year-plastic/ 2.https://nalgene.com/brand/science.html
6.https://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/our-story