Danish M48 Canteen, Aluminum, Surplus

A large canteen from the days when aluminum was used for water bottles and canteens but not for the recyclable cans we know today. Most canteens in modern days are made of plastic but that's not to say they are the better choice.

Aluminimium has been used to make high-quality drink bottles for over a hundred years: it started before the plastic revolution and still goes strong under the SIGG brand. Most army canteens in the first half of the 20th century were made of aluminum: the US, British, French, and Danish to mention a few. This Danish model resembles the British Pattern 44 water canteen quite a bit.

The bottle is quite large holding 1,2 liters (40 fl oz) of water and has a shape that allows easy carrying in a pouch or side pocket of a backpack. The cap screws on and the bottle has an extra seal at the neck, which is not likely to do anything at this point, but the inside of the cap fits the mouth quite tightly to reduce spills. The large mouth means easy filling and even more importantly, easy cleaning.

If you need a bottle you can use for carbonated drinks and carry upside down next to your laptop, get a SIGG instead.

Danish surplus

These are very old and used, yet still functional. The manufacturing stamps are mostly dated around the mid-'50s. The caps are most usually plastic but the occasional metal one may be in the mix. Wash and rinse thoroughly before use! And as usual with aluminimimum: no machine-washing or acidic drinks.