the Kleen Kanteen:
i had wanted one of these stainless bottles since i saw them a while ago...the idea of having a water container that you can also use to boil water in really appeals to me for some reason. when i saw Kevin E using his 27 oz one at WAR in the fall i wanted one even more...
on the 20th i finally ordered one for myself, but i was told that they were out, so i had to reorder a couple of days later from a different store. i got it on the day after christmas, and was impressed. mine is the 40 oz (1182 ml) version. i wanted the larger capacity, because i feel like less than 1 litre isn't quite enough for me in a single bottle.
i filled it up and took a drink out of it, and i liked it.
the major things that seperate this from other bottles i've seen:
-the mouth is narrower than a nalgene, but bigger than a standard disposable bottle. this makes it easier to drink out of in a car (or at all!) but still allows easy access for icecubes or pouring drink mixes into it.
-the cap goes inside the neck of the bottle, instead of outside. this means that you won't get a dribble from the threads like a nalgene or other similar bottles.
-it is stainless steel! you can stick it in the fire and boil water in it, then dust it off and toss it in the pack.
i took it out back for a little fire the other day, to boil some water in it and make some cocoa the hard way. how would i handle it without burning myself though?
this had me confused for a minute, but i figured out a pretty good solution...
i used some 20 guage steel wire and made a slipknot out of it with a loop in the end, that i slip over the neck of the bottle. it hangs onto the rolled lip of the opening, allowing me to manuever it nicely in and out of the fire with the help of a stick.
i also took it on an overnighter with me last night, and it was nice to just stick the bottle in the fire to boil it, then cap it and take it into my blanket with me to keep my feet cozy. the pine pitch got stuck to the side, but i scraped most of it off with a stick and put up with the rest.
this morning when it was time for cocoa, i just put the bottle back on the fire, and then directed the stream of boiling water into my cup to mix with some chocolately goodness :thumbup:
overall i'm pleased with this bottle, i think it will work well for my various adventures. i really like the slightly narrow neck and the way the cap works, both make this bottle easier to drink out of and open (a stick can be put through the loop cap to apply enough leverage to break apart any ice that forms in cold weather). the narrowed neck also makes it more efficient for boiling water, by trapping more heat inside the bottle than a guyot style bottle.
i'm glad i bought this bottle, and i'm glad i went for the larger size. i also like that it is the same diameter as a standard nalgene, because it allows me to use regular water bottle pouches and carriers, as well as various nesting cups if i feel the need.
some pics:
cocoa!!!
the Cold Steel shovel:
like the KK, this has also appealed to me for some reason since i first saw them a few years ago. there was always other gear that i wanted more though, or i convinced myself that i really have no use for one...
well, i finally decided to go ahead and buy one, and it came a couple days ago.
first impressions were that it is a little smaller than i expected, and the "utility edge" that it comes with is laughable as far as cutting anything goes. the handle is large, good for a strong grip. the varnish is a bit slick in the cold and wet.
i took it out back with me to make cocoa. i split some wood with it, but it doesn't really work that great. the curve of the blade that makes it a good shovel makes it akward to use as a splitting or chopping tool.
it came in handy for moving coals around, and for supporting the base of my KK while i poured my water into the bowl.
i also dug a small hole, perfect for a cat hole :barf: through the frozen top layer of soil and into the softer but gravel mixed soil. it worked pretty well, especially for the size. it digs far better than a trowel, but at a weight penalty when it comes time to pack them.
it also fans the fire pretty well, which was neat.
i took it on the overnighter with me, along with my 19" wetterlings. i actually used the shovel more than the wetterlings!
i used the shovel to smash the lower limbs off of pine trees, which it worked well for. i also used it to create weak spots on the green branches to snap them off more easily. it also pounded stakes nicely, including the longer support pole for Andrew's tarp.
overall, a pretty cool tool that i think would be most at home in a longer term camp where you might need to dig out a latrine pit or small runoff ditches around a shelter or tent. it could also be handy for stealth camping, to dig deeper fire pits or other construction projects.
i had wanted one of these stainless bottles since i saw them a while ago...the idea of having a water container that you can also use to boil water in really appeals to me for some reason. when i saw Kevin E using his 27 oz one at WAR in the fall i wanted one even more...
on the 20th i finally ordered one for myself, but i was told that they were out, so i had to reorder a couple of days later from a different store. i got it on the day after christmas, and was impressed. mine is the 40 oz (1182 ml) version. i wanted the larger capacity, because i feel like less than 1 litre isn't quite enough for me in a single bottle.
i filled it up and took a drink out of it, and i liked it.
the major things that seperate this from other bottles i've seen:
-the mouth is narrower than a nalgene, but bigger than a standard disposable bottle. this makes it easier to drink out of in a car (or at all!) but still allows easy access for icecubes or pouring drink mixes into it.
-the cap goes inside the neck of the bottle, instead of outside. this means that you won't get a dribble from the threads like a nalgene or other similar bottles.
-it is stainless steel! you can stick it in the fire and boil water in it, then dust it off and toss it in the pack.
i took it out back for a little fire the other day, to boil some water in it and make some cocoa the hard way. how would i handle it without burning myself though?
this had me confused for a minute, but i figured out a pretty good solution...i used some 20 guage steel wire and made a slipknot out of it with a loop in the end, that i slip over the neck of the bottle. it hangs onto the rolled lip of the opening, allowing me to manuever it nicely in and out of the fire with the help of a stick.
i also took it on an overnighter with me last night, and it was nice to just stick the bottle in the fire to boil it, then cap it and take it into my blanket with me to keep my feet cozy. the pine pitch got stuck to the side, but i scraped most of it off with a stick and put up with the rest.
this morning when it was time for cocoa, i just put the bottle back on the fire, and then directed the stream of boiling water into my cup to mix with some chocolately goodness :thumbup:
overall i'm pleased with this bottle, i think it will work well for my various adventures. i really like the slightly narrow neck and the way the cap works, both make this bottle easier to drink out of and open (a stick can be put through the loop cap to apply enough leverage to break apart any ice that forms in cold weather). the narrowed neck also makes it more efficient for boiling water, by trapping more heat inside the bottle than a guyot style bottle.
i'm glad i bought this bottle, and i'm glad i went for the larger size. i also like that it is the same diameter as a standard nalgene, because it allows me to use regular water bottle pouches and carriers, as well as various nesting cups if i feel the need.
some pics:
cocoa!!!
the Cold Steel shovel:
like the KK, this has also appealed to me for some reason since i first saw them a few years ago. there was always other gear that i wanted more though, or i convinced myself that i really have no use for one...
well, i finally decided to go ahead and buy one, and it came a couple days ago.
first impressions were that it is a little smaller than i expected, and the "utility edge" that it comes with is laughable as far as cutting anything goes. the handle is large, good for a strong grip. the varnish is a bit slick in the cold and wet.
i took it out back with me to make cocoa. i split some wood with it, but it doesn't really work that great. the curve of the blade that makes it a good shovel makes it akward to use as a splitting or chopping tool.
it came in handy for moving coals around, and for supporting the base of my KK while i poured my water into the bowl.
i also dug a small hole, perfect for a cat hole :barf: through the frozen top layer of soil and into the softer but gravel mixed soil. it worked pretty well, especially for the size. it digs far better than a trowel, but at a weight penalty when it comes time to pack them.
it also fans the fire pretty well, which was neat.
i took it on the overnighter with me, along with my 19" wetterlings. i actually used the shovel more than the wetterlings!
i used the shovel to smash the lower limbs off of pine trees, which it worked well for. i also used it to create weak spots on the green branches to snap them off more easily. it also pounded stakes nicely, including the longer support pole for Andrew's tarp.overall, a pretty cool tool that i think would be most at home in a longer term camp where you might need to dig out a latrine pit or small runoff ditches around a shelter or tent. it could also be handy for stealth camping, to dig deeper fire pits or other construction projects.
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I've tried using an Oilcamp cup on my KK, it's so snug that it is a SOB to get off. Same cup fits perfect on the Guyot or standard Nalgene. Do the GSIs have a slightly larger inside diameter? Estela had a post somewhere on making paracord carriers for water bottles, I made one that works perfect with the KK.
