Monster 24 oz aluminum screw top can for thawing frozen water over flame

[Monte Masterson]

I was out walking today and came across this (below). I wasn’t even aware that any aluminum cans had screw on tops, but this Monster can does, and it’s pretty leak proof too. Weighs 1.1 oz, so yes it’s light, however it’s the fact that I could possibly put a flame to the can and melt frozen water which has sparked my interest. I’m going to put it in the freezer tonight about 85% full and then tomorrow place it over a canister flame to see how it holds up. Of course it would be for when I filled the can (bottle) up with water and then it subsequently freezing throughout the night, or a frigid day for that matter.

[Todd T]

Is it lined with plastic or anything similar that might do undesirable things if heated by a flame?

1.1 oz ain’t bad.

[Monte Masterson]

I don’t think the Monster bottle has a liner to alleviate an after taste such as the EcoCare liners in Sigg aluminum bottles and some others for example. I’d probably do one 5 minute boil and then pour it out the first time just to be sure though because If I can remember there is a very thin film on the inside of soda cans for taste which is much less substantial than the liner in Sigg bottles.

Yes, for those who have an aversion to plastic the Monster can might be a cheap alternative. I say cheap, but the price of energy drinks is astronomical.

[John S.]

They used to even make a 32 oz can.

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/56249/

[BlackHatGuy]

There are a couple of bottled water companies who use aluminum bottles with screw caps as well.

[jscott]

What are the advantages of this over a regular ol’ cook pot filled with snow/ice? Faster boil time?

[Monte Masterson]

@jscott, of course you could melt snow, but that requires a lot of snow and fuel to get just a liter of water, and that’s IF there is snow around. You could melt ice but how easily do you acquire it? Is it nearby, and if so do you chop out big chunks from a frozen creek with a pocket knife? At least with a frozen aluminum container of water I know for sure I have liquid water when I heat it up. And when I roll out of my sleeping bag on a cold morning I don’t want to go snow/ice hunting, and again that’s IF it’s nearby. But yes, if snow and ice are relatively easy to obtain I’ll melt some in my cook pot.

[dirtbag]

Make sure the top does not freeze on!

[jscott]

Monte, then what are the advantages of the bottle over a cookpot for heating water?

[dirtbag]

I think he is saying when he wakes up in morning and his water bottle has frozen or iced up, he can just heat it up directly… Instead of getting his cook pot out?  Or instead of even bringing the cook pot if he only boils water.

[Monte Masterson]

The advantage of the bottle (or can) is that I can collect and then pack water, whereas I can’t with a cook pot, unless it’s a Vargo Bot and they’re heavy. If the water freezes inside of the can I’m able to simply apply a heat source to melt it into liquid form. Of course I couldn’t put a flame to a plastic bottle to thaw its frozen contents and there’s no way to get the frozen water out until it thaws slowly at above freezing temps. When it comes to heating up liquid water there would be no advantage to the aluminum can.

Philip Werner at Sectionhiker just did a good article on winter water strategies and he has far more experience winter backpacking than I do. https://sectionhiker.com/winter-water-bottle-insulation-hydration/

I’m just going by my limited times out cold weather backpacking around Flagstaff when I’d wake up with frozen water in my plastic bottles and say to myself “dang, now I have to collect a bunch of snow and melt it”. And I’ve been in the Appalachians during winter when temps have gotten down into the teens and there’s no snow around to melt. That’s when I really wish I had a metallic bottle I could heat up to melt the frozen water inside and turn it into liquid form. I’ve looked at titanium bottles and the Bot before, but the weight and price scared me off.

[DWR D]

Never had this problem when climbing Denali… one of the coldest mountains in the world… just put a couple of water bottles in your sleeping bag at night… end of story…

[Monte Masterson]

Thanks DWR D, it’s good to have an experienced mountaineer chime in. I’ve done what you’re describing with smaller amounts, can’t say I like crawling up to very cold (and possibly already frozen) bottles though. I assume the water you put in your bag with you has been heated up to a relatively warm liquid form. But what do you do for the rest of the day when you’re exerting yourself and the water needs become substantial? Do you melt snow? The places I winter hike I usually find running water and collect it or bust through ice with a large fixed blade knife or some other object. I realize you can’t do that on a mountain face though.

[DWR D]

Monte…

You can insulate your water bottles… either buy pre-made or take some closed cell foam sleeping pad and cut it up to wrap around the bottles.. you can even make a foam cap to cover the tops of the bottles… foam and duct tape. Keeps melted or found water liquid longer, and keeps cold water away from your skin in your sleeping bag. Of course, if there is not liquid water available during your hike, you will need to melt snow or ice… a large pot helps with this… and some ‘seed’ water in the pot to start helps. Depending on sun, temperatures, etc… you might be able to melt snow in a black plastic bag just by exposing it to the sun… laying it on a rock in the sun would be best… or, potentially even strapped to the top or back of your backpack. When packing, water bottles should be arranged in your pack close to your back in order to absorb as much body heat as possible. I’m sure there are many other ideas that you can think of that I just have not considered…

 

[John Vance]

The Monster can is coated internally and I don’t know how it is impacted by heating over a flame.  I’d imagine it’s not much different than a beer can pot.

[dirtbag]

In the past, below freezing temps here in NY, I have used Z Packs  Possum socks over my 1 liter smart water bottles to prevent them from freezing. They never really worked well on my feet though.. hiking or sleeping.. so I figured use them to keep my water bottle from freezing.. and if some weird reason i needed them for my feet they may help.  My water bottles never froze.. even while hiking all day in single digit temps.

[DWR D]

Personally, I would not heat the Monster can… or a beer can due to the internal plastic coating. It has been shown that even leaving plastic bottles in a hot car in the summer releases toxic chemicals into your water… putting a stove flame to a very thin aluminum can would, I think, be worse….

[David Thomas]

While looking for something else, I just found out that
1) there are 80-ml aluminum screw-top bottles – who knew?
2) they’re only $0.83 each, cap sold separately.

3) the lining is a “epoxy-phenolic gold lining”.  Some phenolic resins are quite chemically resistant, good up to 375F (e.g .RevereWare and Le Creuset pots), for use in ovens.

Grrr!  Why is BPL not letting me post a link?  Anyway, google “2.7 oz Aluminum Bottle Berlin Packaging”.

[Jerry Adams]

https://www.berlinpackaging.com/2-7-oz-80-ml-brushed-aluminum-bottle-cap-not-included-yal80-yal80/

[Jerry Adams]

I just copied the link, then pasted into the reply

 

[Jerry Adams]

Couldn’t get that link ikon or ctrl K to work though

 

[Kevin Babione]

One thing of which you need to beware…If the top of the water freezes (say the top inch) then the water underneath it has no place to go when it expands when freezing.  This is the standard “burst copper pipe” I grew up with.  When the water froze by the taps, then the pipe that feeds it bursts.

I’ve also recently experienced this freezing a plastic pint container of water for my girls water coolers.  I would fill it about 85% full and put it in the freezer (without a lid on it) to become a large ice cube that fit perfectly in their gallon water jugs for band camp.  The ice cube was always bowed out on the bottom of the container and after a couple of cycles I noticed that the bottom of the plastic pint container cracked and water leaked out.

If this is your only water storage system on a multi-day hike this could become an issue…

[Jerry Adams]

I fill a container with ice cubes, then fill the spaces with water and put that in the freezer.  Less expansion from ice freezing and breaking container

 

[DWR D]

“the lining is a “epoxy-phenolic gold lining”. Some phenolic resins are quite chemically resistant, good up to 375F (e.g .RevereWare and Le Creuset pots), for use in ovens.”

Personally, I avoid heating any of my food or water in any plastic… regardless of how ‘safe’ the marketing claims

[Gary Dunckel]

Brita has an aluminum water bottle with a screw top, which is a full 34 fl. oz. capacity. At my local Sprouts store I found some aluminum bottles with screw tops that contain 32 Fl. oz. They contain a sort of fizzy water. Neither of these bottles seem to have a coating inside, and they are claimed to be “infinitely reusable”.

I am using these bottles as Christmas gifts for friends. I labor with removing all of the paint on the outside of the bottles, then I make a cuben sleeve with a belt loop, and finally add insulation of 1/8″ closed cell foam. I keep one in my refrigerator for use when I hit my nearby open space for a 2-hour walk to pester the wildlife at the ponds. The water remains cool the entire time. I prefer to forgo the screw top and go with a cork stopper instead. It’s easier to remove with one hand.

[Author]

Posts