Of all the different types of survival gear, one of the essential items
is the cup. In a search for that perfect piece of gear, the cup is probably one
of the most difficult items to find. When looking for that perfect piece of
gear, there has been a lot of time and effort expended by a lot of people in their
search for the perfect cup. It is only after many years of trying to find that
ultimate piece of gear that the simple truth has come to light. Most cups have
a number of good qualities in common and it is not the cup that is of major
importance. It’s the manner in which you take advantage of all of its features.
Basic Features
The size and shape of most cups are fairly
common and you only need one with a capacity to boil water for cooking or
making a hot cup of coffee or tea. Stainless steel cups are probably your best
bet with titanium a close second, if you can afford it. Your cup should also
have a flat bottom in order to fit comfortably on most backpacking or hiking stoves.
Your cup will also need to hold 16 to 24 ounces of liquid which will give you
adequate capacity for fixing a dehydrated meal, soup or a cup of tea or coffee.
The handle should fold out of the way when not in use and it should lock firmly in place
when deployed. The handle is important to make sure you can securely handle
your cup when it is hot. A couple of extra drinking cups that nest inside the
cup are also a definite plus.
Cup Storage
The true
secret to that perfect cup is how you utilize its storage capacity. Cups with
canteens nested in them don’t give you much of a storage option. The majority
of people carry separate water bottles and this allows you to take advantage of
the storage capacity of your cup. You can add coffee filters for water
filtration and a small bottle of bleach to purify it. You can add a lighter, a
firesteel and some tinder to help make a fire to heat the water in your cup.
You can include a small knife and a spork as well. Throw in some instant coffee
packets, drink mix and a little salt and pepper and you’re good to go.
The true worth
of any cup is not realized until you put something in it.
Got cup?
Staying above
the water line!
Riverwalker
Posts
9 comments:
That was a great description of what features you should look for in a wilderness cup. You are correct, I think many of us probably have a drawer full of potential canidates which get switched out for something 'just my size' :^)
I started out with the ubiquitous blue speckled enameled cup. Grandma had a spare that she didn't need and the bottom loop of the handle had already been cut to fit other nested cups. Small, maybe 8 oz capacity, I just set it at side of fires to warm up a cup of coffee. The handle did get hot, even screened so the search continued.
The G.I. canteen cup - that is still darn good choice. Nests under the canteen inside canteen cover so it was always carried when you had your canteen. Good liquid capacity for the single meal (many deer stand meals were made over one of these, ramen and smaller beef stew meals - YUM!). I still keep a couple of these around - tough little guys and you can use them as a soil scoop.
The downside - their depth can be challenging to clean and you REALLY want to make sure you get those inside corners clean or risk getting stomach problems from foods left behind. Boiling water after the meal really helps a lot, but uses more fuel.
The next was a CMI cup, the 1st I had seen that nested on the bottom of a 1 qt. 'Nalgene type' water bottle. Had a bail that 'clipped' onto a bracket on side, so the handle could be configured as a bail or even a cup stand over a small fuel tab - cool! The handle was only about a 1/4" wide,so it could be tipped over - search continued.
The Oli cup works well, not as versatile as the CME but is still manufactured, which helps. The Zebra pot / cup - good capacity and you can store a few items in it as well, this is a standard among some campers.
There are a few others, but those are the highlights - sorry for being so long winded . . .
I got to thinking and this is the one thing I don't have. Better find me a good one, I reckon!
Good post and reminder!
Someone told me that bleach actually has a shelf life, I thought the stuff would be good for years but if what I heard is true it won't. Of course they may just want you to buy more but if you have it in a survival kit it would have to be refreshed every so often.
To: anonymous 12:18
I too have several different cups but have found it is better for me to use one that allows me to carry a few "extras". My milsurp canteen with cup doesn't afford me this option but is still a decent combination.
The main problem I have experienced is finding a cup with a decent handle so that I don't accidentally burn myself or find myself using gloves.
This Stanley cup only weighs about a pound with the "extras" in it and is still small enough to fit in my combination hydration pack and backpack combo.
Thanks for your generous comments. It is always a pleasure to find someone willing to take the time to express their opinions.
RW
To: Hermit Jim
It's a lot easier to drink that coffee if you have a good cup. If I'm not mistaken, I think you're pretty fond of that cup of java every once in a while. lol
Thanks Jim.
RW
To: Sunnybrook Farm
You are correct. Bleach has a shelf life of about six months under ideal storage conditions. It will eventually deteriorate and become little more than salt water. It does work well for short term needs but sodium hypochlorite granules are better for long term storage.
Thanks.
RW
A common fix to the u.s. military cup storage - a 2nd canteen cover with cup and supplies stored without the canteen. This also allows you the option of TWO cups for liquid and food warming simultaneously.
I saw this post on Pintrest and couldn't help but follow the link here. I have this cup and it's by far the best $10.00 investment I've made. Please check out my video and see how I use this on my walks, camping and long rides in the car. http://youtu.be/50OcklI4Ux8
I have this same unit and carry one of the green cups inside so that I have more room for goodies inside. I had an old Nalgene bottle holster that fits it perfectly.
It fits well in my daybag or haversack. I've used in campfires, on my Emberlit and have dropped my old Trangia inside. It's a hard to beat unit.
The green cups are great because the wick just enough heat to keep your hands warm in this weird Texas weather.
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