Food & Water
Carry water the way troops have for generations with a military canteen, then add the cup, cover, stove and rations that make it a complete field kitchen. This category covers how you carry, treat and cook with water, plus emergency food.
Canteens come in G.I. style 1-quart plastic, aluminum and stainless steel, genuine G.I. 3-piece 1-quart canteens with clip, G.I. bladder canteens, and 2-quart desert canteens in striped and woodland camo. Covers include G.I. style, enhanced nylon, heavy weight, vintage canvas and MOLLE compatible versions, along with 2-quart bladder covers. Canteen cups come in aluminum and stainless steel, with a stainless lid, a cup and cover set, and an aluminum canteen cup stove and stand. Several canteen kits pair the bottle, cover and cup, and some add a pistol belt or stove.
For hands-free drinking there are MOLLE hydration systems and packs, including a 3-liter backstrap system and the Quickstrike hydration backpack, with replacement bladders, bite valves and a cleaning kit. Water treatment includes Potable Aqua tablets, the two-step P.A. Plus kit and Chlor Floc packets. Food options include XMRE meals, Datrex emergency rations and water pouches, and the P-51 can opener. Flasks, a wine bota and a canvas water bucket complete the range.
A note for service members: canteens and hydration packs should be on your unit packing list in the color it calls for. Under DA PAM 670-1, bags and backpacks carried with the ACU, hydration packs included, must be black or match an authorized camouflage color, carried by hand or over one or both shoulders, never across the body.
How to Choose a Military Canteen
The 1-quart canteen with a nesting cup is the most versatile setup. The cup slides over the bottom of the bottle, both fit in a standard cover, and the cup goes straight onto a stove or fire. According to Vietnam-era gear references, the U.S. replaced its aluminum 1-quart canteen with a polyethylene plastic version in 1962, and that plastic design is still the pattern most G.I. style canteens follow.
Canteen Materials: Plastic, Aluminum or Stainless
- Plastic: light, quiet and inexpensive. Don't put it on a flame.
- Aluminum: light and traditional, a favorite of reenactors.
- Stainless steel: the heaviest, but the most durable, and it cleans easily.
The 2-quart bladder canteen and desert canteens carry more water for long, dry days, and the collapsible bladder style packs flat when empty.
Canteen Covers and MOLLE Pouches
Older covers use the slide-keeper or clip system that attaches to a pistol belt. MOLLE compatible covers and pouches weave into PALS webbing on vests, battle belts and packs. Pick the system that matches the rest of your gear, and check that the cover fits your bottle and cup together. Insulated covers help keep water cooler in summer heat and slow freezing in winter, and many covers have outer pockets that hold purification tablets.
Hydration Bladders vs. Canteens
A hydration bladder lets you drink on the move without stopping, which is why it has become standard on long marches. Canteens are easier to refill, measure and clean, and a canteen cup gives you a way to boil water. Many people carry both: a bladder for drinking and a canteen and cup for cooking and backup. Replace bite valves when they leak, and use a cleaning kit to dry the bladder between uses.
Military Rations and Emergency Food
The Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) replaced the canned Meal, Combat, Individual in 1981, and the flameless ration heater was introduced in 1990. Each meal provides about 1,200 kilocalories. XMRE meals are commercial civilian rations with a similar retort-pouch format; the 1300XT case includes heaters. Datrex 2400 and 3600 calorie rations and emergency water are compact supplies for a vehicle or go-bag. Keep a P-51 or P-38 can opener with your food in case you end up with canned goods.
Water Treatment in the Field
Clear-looking water can still carry germs. Potable Aqua tablets treat water chemically, the P.A. Plus kit is a two-step treatment, and Chlor Floc comes in military-style powder packets. Follow the instructions on each package for contact time and dosage, and let silty water settle or strain it through a cloth first so the treatment works on clearer water. Mark treated containers so nobody drinks from the wrong one.
Food and Water Gear for Field Training
Hydration is usually a required item on any field packing list, and many lists name the exact quantity of water you must carry. Check yours for size and color before buying a cover or hydration pack. Basic training recruits should leave food at home: Military OneSource lists gum, candy and chips among items not to bring.