US canteen cup vs Crusader Cup

[FarPoint]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the US canteen cup/canteen/cooker vs the NATO water bottle/crusader cup/cooker? The US version is slightly smaller at 500ml instead of the 750 or so for the Crusader. Both are stainless steel but the US version is so much cheaper.
Anyone have any preference or experience?
Many thanks
FarPoint

-Not all those who wander are lost-JRR Tolkien

 

[Pict]

As an American I have no experience with the Crusader but I have been using the US canteen, cup, stove sleeve for eons with no complaints. It is a great piece of kit IMO. Personally I think the Crusader makes more sense, liter bottle, wide mouth, larger cup. That said, I have kept hydrated and fed with my US Army kit for a very long time and see no reason to spend money on something else. Aside from that my cup was made in 1965 like me. Mac

 

[johnboy]

I've used both and an older 44 pattern and the teflon coated 85 pattern mugs.

The US mug is good I have the later version with the wire handles

it's fine over a fire or on a stove of some discription. The SS is easy to scrub up clean.

Hope this helps

 

[FGYT]

having uses a US one (from Canada ) for avery long time but rcently converted a couple of yrs ago to a crusader

i say they are both good and on a par

IF used with the bottle and rations its designed to

the US one is a pain with the Brit 58 bottle as its not big enough to fit all the way in and UK boil in the bags are really a bit to big to cook in the US mug tho you can do it if your careful


I should get a US canteen to fit it and a pouch etc as a second brew only car kit or something

ATB

Duncan

 

[launditch1]

Useless fact:The folding handle on the older style us mugs have a cutout slot.This is the correct size to put the the issue fork inside to lift it off the cooker.

 

[Nigel]

I have had the us stainless mug with butterfly handles and canteen for years, smaller than the crusader but just as good. Dont see any reason to get a crusader mug.

 

[BOD]

I'd get the crusader bottle tomorrow if it were not for the fact that I love the old mug so much

I'd never trade it for a crusader mug.

Pict is right - the wide mouth makes the crusader a winner. The small mouth is dangerous to your health if you ever go on active duty in the jungle.

 

[MartinK9]

Battered and re-revited handles:

But two coats of paint later:

 

[John Fenna]

I use and like both...but the Crusader holds a bigger brew for that "First mug of coffee of the day" and also makes a better cooking container for "boil in the bag" meals or noodles....

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Battered and re-revited handles:

That's not a Crusader cup,
That's an 85 pattern mug you have there mate!
made a decade before the crusader cup canteen!

Nice one!
(the give away sign is the ribbing or folds in the metal down the sides, something to do with the manufacturing process)

Survival Aids used to sell them back in the late 80's.
designed to fit on top of your 58" bottle upside down (instead of the 58" plastic cup)
I don't think they were an issued item, i think the army went straight from 44" cups to crusader cups.
My local surplus shop still sells them for £20+, Why are they more expensive?
I never figured out why.

Do you have the plastic rim that came with it? in the bad old days of soldiering, squaddies would place a piece of electric tape on the rim to stop lips getting scolded on the hot metal, the 85 pattern mug had a removable black plastic rim, apparently the seal when in use wasn't great and hot tea would dribble through the gap.
the lip of course easy to loose and break or melt too!

plastic lip sort of fantastic idea on paper, but not so in practice.

 

[Nat]

Never used a US cup but the webtex warrior set is a similar size and shape.

 

[Riven]

I have got both and prefer the US mug and bottle. Sold a crusader cup and stove at the Wilderness Gathering (actually belonged to my wife.)
US bottle is a better shape to hold for smaller hands and the cup does a good job too.
As was said earlier the 44 pattern was good, no idea why they changed to the rubbish plastic cups?
Still got my 58 w/bottle after 30 years but threw the cup away long ago.

 

[MartinK9]

That's not a Crusader cup,
That's an 85 pattern mug you have there mate!
made a decade before the crusader cup canteen!

Nice one!
(the give away sign is the ribbing or folds in the metal down the sides, something to do with the manufacturing process)

Survival Aids used to sell them back in the late 80's.
designed to fit on top of your 58" bottle upside down (instead of the 58" plastic cup)
I don't think they were an issued item, i think the army went straight from 44" cups to crusader cups.
My local surplus shop still sells them for £20+, Why are they more expensive?
I never figured out why.

Do you have the plastic rim that came with it? in the bad old days of soldiering, squaddies would place a piece of electric tape on the rim to stop lips getting scolded on the hot metal, the 85 pattern mug had a removable black plastic rim, apparently the seal when in use wasn't great and hot tea would dribble through the gap.
the lip of course easy to loose and break or melt too!

plastic lip sort of fantastic idea on paper, but not so in practice.

I know, I bought it when I joined up in '86. First bit that went/burnt/melted was the plastic rim

And yes I did have the mould collector on mine ( Black and nasty tape) to stop arc-welding my lips to the mug

 

[johnboy]

More 85 Pattern 'Mug shots'

Arrh they dont makem like they used to thankfully.....

 

[Nat]

TAKE IT AWAY IT HURTS MY EYES :yikes:

Horrible bloody things

 

[johnboy]

TAKE IT AWAY IT HURTS MY EYES :yikes:

Horrible bloody things

They were nasty but consider this there was a time before the crusader mug and boil in the bag.. That time involved a plastic 58 pattern mug, rations in tins ( mmmm bacon burgers and baby's head) and the use of 2 mess tins.... if you were an uber ally 'old sweat' you probably had a 44 pattern mug with a rim of black nasty.

 

[Nat]

Now i'm having nightmares

 

[Rabbitsmacker]

i have crusader and like the design but not so keen on the weight. Don't have a US one but have got a stainless Dutch (virtually the same) one and that fits the older us style type canteen and the newer avon black type i think. have the british 44 pattern canteen in both types and mugs a plenty, but they are not good on the open fire in the long run. the dutch one is a very nice design, good size, good weight, kinda swaying me towards the dutch cup instead of crusader.

 

[FarPoint]

Thanks Gang-some good insights. I think I may go with the US version-lighter and smaller is always a good thing when you have to lug it around.
FarPoint

 

[FarPoint]

One quick note-a company in the US makes a good looking lid for the US canteen cup. You can find it on Evil-Bay but here is their company website.
http://www.heavycoverinc.com/products.html

FarPoint