PRODUCT REVIEW PAGE

The GI Canteen cup and grill

The 1909 Infantry Equipment Board introduced a completely new set of field equipment. The
board had 300 sheet tinned steel canteens and cups manufactured by Rock Island Arsenal,
and 500 aluminium canteens and cups manufactured by The Aluminium Goods
Manufacturing Company (A.G.M. Co.), sent out for trial in 1909.

A.G.M held a patent for the process of manufacturing one-piece (seamless) aluminium products. In 1910 the board decided to adopt the aluminium canteen and the first production canteens were made by A.G.M. Co. in sets with the cups.

A few years later, a fella trying to lose a few pounds would find this canteen cup set invaluable.

The cup holds about a litre and has fold out “butterfly handles”, that if wander into the flame can get rather warm!.

The lid that fits the cup is usually sold separately and my lid while fitting, doesn’t fit perfectly.

The Grill which fits underneath the cup, is half a cup with a cut out on the face and holes in the bottom and is made if the same material.

This “set” , I would have to say is bomb proof and will last a lifetime.

The most go to kit that I tend towards is the canteen and cup.

There are a few situations that tend to occur when I'm on the bicycle.

On a beach with no one around, up a side road with a chance of someone appearing, or in a park with a considerable chance of meeting people .

Now I don't mind chatting with people but the stunned rabbit look and the chance of " you can't camp here " ..can become stressful.

Returning to the cups canteen ...a bit of kit that lends itself well to all the above  situations.

On the beach the grill can be used to dig a hole , then with a few sticks , a small fire can be had.

Used in conjunction with an alcohol burner a quiet fire can be had;

Used in conjunction with a gas burner pyrotechnics can be had.

The cup that fits into the grill can be used to boil , drink from , bake , even fry, though is not perfect .

A few stones in the bottom of the cup , bread mixture in a heat proof container and on the the lid ...muffins and bread for breakfast.

Flour mix with baking soda , oil creamer and a bit of salt , grilled , biscuits and gravy for tea.

If rice is washed and put in a zip lock bag with the correct amount of water ..you can boil the rice , remove the bag from the water and heat up boil in the bag curry ...curry rice all from the same cup and same water ...

Wine however, should be drunk from a glass 

My cups canteen was a generic cheap copy. It originally came with a plastic bottle and an aluminium grill , which proved to as robust as the current set up.

I then added a Stanley canteen , which doesn't really fit into the cup. Maybe 3/4 of the way down inside the cup. It's not perfect but it is what it is .

The Stanley canteen was is almost as strong as the cup and grill however the lid attachment and position causes a problem , as the o-ring crushes the plastic link between the top and bottom cap moves further around the 360 path of leak free security.

This make it more difficult to place into a Pouch. I will cut mine off.

than that the canteen is bomb proof .. 

As bomb proof as the Swedish cookset ?  We , I haven't killed it yet 

It's not titanium.

Now, I have a titanium cup. Very light 

Burnt me  lips many a time . Then spent the rest of the trip wanting a waambulabce 

So yes it's heavy 

But not that heavy ..only heavy if you are cutting the handle of toothbrushes to save a gram or two ...but succumb to a big Mac and cheese the cups canteen and Stanley canteen isn't terminal. 

There must be some downside ..yes,the grilling surface is as large as a large biscuit.

You can't grill a 72 ounce steak whilst warming ya sausage .

Would I recommend you buy one ? Yes and no

If you are of the single variable  and need the coffee in the morning and a hamburger in the evening .. definitely. 

If you are two , and the " where is my coffee, look" is of concern . There are other options 

Me I use both.