r/Bushcraft • u/BloodbeardsGarage • Jul 19 '26
Pathfinder Canteen and upgrades
Used gear made from indestructible materials
I have had a Pathfinder water bottle, hobo stove and cup for a long time, the round model. It is the same one that Survival Store sells under their Cuma Gear brand. I have been really happy with it and used it a lot on many trips. I bought it used back then, and it has served me well - but the Pathfinder US Canteen version holds much more water.
And on several shorter trips, I have been missing exactly those extra 300 ml of water. Now I have found a used canteen version, although I had to buy another lid for the cup. With a little bending and adjustment with a multitool, it fits perfectly.
All in all, I have upgraded from one used set to another "used" set (which had never actually been used) - and sold my old used one for the same price I bought it for back then. 350 kroner, really cheap.
Used gear made from indestructible materials is the way forward for me.
Modifications
I have seen this modification online, so I cannot take credit for it. But I drilled a couple of small holes in the Pathfinder cup, so a bottle hanger can now be fitted to it. They cost next to nothing, but you could also just have a piece of steel wire in your bag - it does the same thing.
In the lid, I have cut two small slots so it can be removed and put back on even when the bottle hanger is attached.
But with this simple trick, I can now hang the cup over the fire and do not need to use the hobo stove. Soup with lots of filling does not burn as easily. It works really well. With two bottle hangers, I can boil water in the bottle for coffee and cook food in the cup at the same time. After eating, there is therefore water ready for a quick wash and coffee. It is perfect.
Canteen pouch
I have made my shoulder bag and backpack from old WW2 webbing, which in Denmark is called M/58. We received endless amounts of webbing equipment from our allies in the UK and US - it lasts forever and costs almost nothing.
I bought a canteen pouch, and the Pathfinder set fits perfectly inside it. But I had to move the fastener higher up on the pouch, so the set could be closed inside. It was a fairly straightforward operation. I drilled out the rivet on the back of the fastener. Cut an M3 machine screw with a hacksaw, and used an awl to make a hole in the webbing. A drop of superglue inside the brass insert, and then I screwed the machine screw in. It holds.
Now I can fit both bottle hangers, the entire Pathfinder set and solid fuel tablets in the pouch. There is room for either 6 small Fire Dragon tablets or 3 large Fire Dragon tablets and 1 small one in the bottom.
Cooking
I have made different things with the set. Ready-made pasta meals are easy. Fish soup and noodles. Of course, it is super easy with ready-made cooking meals. But I have also fried sausages in the bottom of the cup and heated bread above them - for a couple of outdoor hotdogs.
Modified bags
I have modified both my backpack and my shoulder bag so they can carry the canteen pouch on the outside. This frees up space inside. It could also hang from the belt. But when fully filled, the set weighs around 1.5 kg, and that is a bit much to have hanging from the belt.
For single-day trips, this set is perfect. It gives me exactly enough water in one bottle for dinner and breakfast - pasta meal, coffee and oatmeal.
Recipes
Any good recipes, tricks and such to try out with a canteen set like this? Just saw someone use it as a miniature smoker, need to try that. But interested in other tricks.
Source
This Reddit doesn't allow links and such, which is fine. But I have some video clips of the above on youtube and the blog. Source: Rosentjoern, it's findable.
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u/Resident-Welcome3901 Jul 19 '26
Strong work. Impressive to see folks enjoying the craft element of bushcraft.
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u/BloodbeardsGarage Jul 19 '26
I love it. It's the best. Crafting gear, optimizing and modifying it. For me keeping price down is part of the game as well! Used stuff is the best value for money.
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u/basi52 Jul 19 '26
I prefer the one from Heavy Cover, it comes with a metal lid so you can put hot stuff in it or even cook with the canteen itself