In looking over the HPG products website (I'd been looking at the Kit Bags for a while now, and am looking for a gear/battle belt) I noticed that y'all have a pouch specifically designed for the 1 quart GI style canteen.
I also noticed, both in pictures and in the forum search I did, that y'all seem to prefer the plastic (polyester, whatever you want to call it) versions.
As has been expressed in other threads, I have a bias against water bladders--they leak. Although in the worst case it was probably my fault. I filled the water bladder in San Francisco and then drove up to the Tahoe/Donner cross country ski area without relieving the pressure. It was only a *little* bit of air in the top of the bladder :) but it soaked the bottom of my day pack and my spare clothes.
I also don't care much for the traditional polyester/nalagene bottles as the flavor imparted is not to my taste. Aluminum bottles tend to have a thin coating of plastic on the inside, and get the same taste, so I've gone to carrying 2 of the Klean Kanteen 27 ounce stainless bottles with the loop caps. If I'm going to need more than that I have a Wiggies 32 ounce bottle I throw in.
However I don't do much "backpacking" right now, which is to say "none". (I am also signing up for the HPG backpacking course 'cause I live in Denver and it looks like good training).
Which brings me to my questions:
1) Why the USG style canteen v.s. the round bottle style? (other than you can set the canteen style down and it doesn't roll off the table).
2) Why plastic/copolymer v.s. steel? Weight?
3) Does anyone know where I can get decent quality stainless steel canteens? Most of the ones I see are of dubious origin and sold too cheaply to be well made. Or at least seem that way.
Thanks.