This Week: How to choose the right survival canteen… The canteens you want to avoid… Good practice guns for a prospective gun owner… A unique poison ivy cure… And, choosing shotgun ammo and a shotgun safe.
You know that I believe in having a 30-day supply of water in case of an emergency (1 gallon per person per day.) For my water storage I happen to use the 7-gallon Aquatainers and I have them stacked in a storage room.
But let’s say you’re not at home and you’re out camping or hiking in the woods when a disaster occurs. Or maybe you’re just going for a road trip and want to carry some extra water in the car in the event of a crisis.
How do you choose a good method to carry this water?
Well, consider a survival canteen. Canteens have been used for centuries by shepherds, cowboys, and soldiers. Over the years, canteens have been made from all kinds of materials such as leather, glass, plastic, and aluminum.
One of the most important things to consider when getting a canteen is the material it is made of. I recommend only using stainless steel or titanium canteens. One of the main reasons is because they are durable and won’t leak or crack like some plastic canteens will.
But perhaps the biggest reason you should buy a stainless steel or titanium canteen is that it gives you the option to boil water using the canteen itself. In other words, if you’re stranded and find a water source but don’t have a filter to purify it, you still have the ability to get drinkable water.
You see, if you buy a bottle that has been painted or is lined with plastic then when you boil it you will have chemicals in your water. I know some people argue that you can boil water in strong plastic bottles if you are careful, but I personally wouldn’t risk it because of the chemicals getting into my water. For these reasons, I would recommend purchasing stainless steel or titanium canteens.
Since a stainless steel or titanium canteen is ideal, let’s take a look at a few of the top canteens to check out.
1) Klean Kanteen Classic– Sells for $21 for a 27 ounce canteen on Amazon. The Klean Kanteen is made of 18/8 food grade stainless steel and doesn’t have a plastic liner. This means there is no plastic taste in the bottle and that it can be boiled. There are no harmful chemicals in the bottle and you can purchase it in different sizes. Make sure you purchase the single-walled version that has not been painted.
2) Nalgene Stainless Steel– Sells for $28 for a 32 ounce canteen on Amazon. Nalgene is generally known for making quality plastic water bottles. However, their Nalgene Stainless is a great option. These bottles are made of 18/10 surgical grade stainless steel and can be used to boil water. This bottle also has a wide mouth, which makes it compatible with many water filtration devices.
3) Vargo Titanium Water Bottle– Sells for around $60 for a 22-ounce canteen on Amazon. This bottle is made of full titanium, including the lid. It is extremely lightweight and durable, making it great for hiking. And, like the others, it can be used to boil water as well.
All three of these are high quality and will allow you to boil water in an emergency. One thing to remember with any of these is that you need to make sure and purchase one that has not been painted and has no insulation, meaning it’s single-walled. Any of the three canteens discussed above would make a great survival canteen.
The Mailbag
From Mark M: I do not have a gun of any type. I am interested but it may be awhile before I get one. Would it be recommended to get a pistol bb gun from amazon to practice close range with? Just for the feel, draw, stance, and accuracy training of it? Obviously not serious hunting or self-defense.
A: You can certainly practice the fundamentals such as stance, grip, and draw with a pistol BB gun. Another option is buying an inexpensive .22 (such as the Ruger Mark III) and practicing with that gun until you’re ready to buy a defensive handgun.
From Frank S: Mr. Hanson, my father, myself and my children grew up in the woods in PA. All 4 of our children, although not all in PA, still live in the woods. Some one would always come in contact with poison ivy. Nothing worked as well as jewel weed.
A: Thank you for passing this along. I will definitely give this a try if I ever get poison ivy again, which I certainly hope I don’t.
From Karl B: I recently bought my first gun. A Mossberg 590 12 gauge shot gun. What is your recommendation for the best type of ammunition for home defense for this weapon? Also, how should I store a shotgun so it is quickly accessible for intruders at night?
A: I use 00 buck (double-ought buckshot) for home defense. Federal and Winchester make solid shells. To store the shotgun use a rapid access gun safe such as the ones made by V-Line, Shotlock, and GunVault.
From Robin O: My wife and I attended the “Build Your Own AR” course in Cedar City. It was a great experience. I now have several friends that are curious and wonder when the next class will be held. Can you help?
A: The next Underground AR-15 Rifle Building course is in April of 2016. You can click on this link here, which gives full details about this unique course.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson