DIY COLLAPSIBLE Survival Canteens

Here's two, DIY, FREE, emergency water canteens you can collapse into a pocket or mini survival kit. UPDATE: Viewer Logic Bob correctly points out: "To reinflate the more stubborn bottles the rest of the way, get it inflated like you did, then put the cap on and squeeze it in the middle to pop the ends back into shape. Then just use your breath to easily reinflate the dented middle section"
After I made the video I also came to discover that removing the bottle's label looks classier and may even allow it to be rolled up a tad more compactly. Keep in mind these containers are not meant for repeated use and the thin plastic can fatigue, crack, and leak from the added stress and folding. Kinks and folds also can become areas where bacterial growth may occur. I consider these as emergency use items but I don't recommend them as primary methods to carry water.
Read how transparent plastic containers can disinfect clear water via sunlight here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_w...

[@LogicBob]

To reinflate the more stubborn bottles the rest of the way, get it inflated like you did, then put the cap on and squeeze it in the middle to pop the ends back into shape. Then just use your breath to easily reinflate the dented middle section.

[@MeZillch]

FANTASTIC TIP! Works well. Thanks. The air pressure created by squeezing a bottle in the middle, by hand, exceeds what my lungs are capable of. I will include this in the video notes.

[@jasholden9741]

Those cheap plastic water bottles are very tough. Lots of hikers cut the top off one to use for dipping water from shallow rills that are too shallow to dip a canteen. One will last for many months of constant use and stay flattened in the backpack for transport. Also, you can boil water in the bottle. My method is to put the filled bottle on a flat stone near a bed of coals. Radiant heat from the coals boils the water without harming the plastic bottle. The idea of rolling them up for emergency storage is smart.

[@itroom1615]

Great idea! I see something similar where a man found a bootle in the forest, filled with the water and boiled it at the top of the fire. The bottle hadn't been melted or burned

[@jaybird8748]

I love you and your videos man. Keep up the great work! Genius. Jamie

[@CleanRunShooting]

Umbrella bags work really well, pack really small, can be tied off, and they're free. I keep a couple stashed around. They also allow you to collect more water from shallow sources than bottles or canteens. They are easily protected by socks or t shirt sleeves, and you can store several wrapped around a life straw or sawyer filter.

[@MeZillch]

Good tips, thanks!

[@leilaroa3477]

I like this especially when camping or just hiking :) Thank you

[@iammoose4349]

Yet another brilliant idea.

[@ourtechwriter]

your mind is amazing! enjoy your channel very much...respect and thanks!

[@MeZillch]

Woo hoo! Thanks. Tell your friends.

[@wjf213]

Great idea. Whood a thunk it. Another great bag that you can get for free most of the time, is in the pet section of stores that sell fish. The bags that they put the live fish in for transporting them, are pretty tough and of course hold water and fold up nicely. I always ask the person in those sections if I can have a bag and they always give them to me. Keep up the great work.

[@MeZillch]

Sounds fishy to me. . . .Sorry, I couldn't resist. :) Yes those bags are tough but oven roaster bags are both tough and can take boiling water so you can even use them to sterilize your water via campfire boiling. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g57EpHqihamEeLs

[@jasholden9741]

The fish bags may be OK with boiling water. I often do "freezer bag cooking" by carrying dry food in zip lock bags and just pour in boiling water to reconstitute. I don't use freezer bags though. The cheap, thin sandwich bags with a zip lock do just as well. They are made of LDPE (low density polyetheylene)

[@LIBERTYVIEWS]

Clever mind 'friend! Love it!

[@JayHarrisonGoogle]

Great video tips -- kee[ 'em coming! Thanks!

[@rob1tnt]

keep the videos coming!!!!!

[@deeps2761]

Thanks for sharing, a bit of food for thought there. One thing to bear in mind is that puritabs are designed for 1L of water so maybe worth looking at that as your 'go to' size if you can fit it in. I'll be eyeing up a 1L fruit juice carton for potential pocket carry now. Thanks again mate.

[@MeZillch]

Yup. I agree 1L is a useful measure when working with say the Katadyn MP1 bleach tablets (and others) so it can see how that would be a good size to eye. Drink your juice!

[@budgetsurvival1981]

I will use this hack for my kits

[@ItaloLima]

Cool Video !!

[@worldtraveler6719]

Thanks for the video.. cool ideas

[@justdoiturself9416]

Great vid

[@taketwophoto2206]

Hi there! I've been following your channel for 5 years, back when you showed a micro tool kit in a Micro Maxpedition Organizer. I love when you come out with new videos. I watch them over and over. You've inspired ideas in me and I'm sure numerous others. The paracord stuff Altoids tins and flat packs are all just genius! So, with that I wanted to inspire YOU possibly with a concept I saw some time ago. I would love to see survival kit clothing where one would stash survival items inside various types of clothing. Normal clothing were stuff might be placed in hidden areas like the collar of a shirt, jacket / coat or sleeve cuffs or maybe numerous pockets hidden inside or plainly attached to the outside of any clothing. Or, this could apply to accessories like hats, gloves, shoes, eye glasses and waist belts that hold up ones pants! And this could extend to more female oriented clothing and accessories. I would love to know what you think! You are a master at discovering ways to make things fit in places that amaze me and so, maybe you could show us methods by which to actually wear everyday gear and / or survival gear. I know you have touched on something like this in previous videos. I'm wondering however, how far could you take this concept? With regards and respect, Kenny G.

[@MeZillch]

Wow, thanks. There's a lot to unpack but at the moment I can't think of anything, but I'll keep it in the back of my mind.Is this related? I'm working on a trivial mod to a cargo pants pocket, turning it into a one section, but shock-absorbing neoprene lined camera bag. . . Psst . . . all it is is another pocket you insert into your cargo pants pocket. It has a stiff shell outer layer to survive knock but not the side next to your knee which is just thin neoprene.

[@taketwophoto2206]

MeZillch - Oh yes, definitely related! Would love to see it! 👍🏻

[@danielm9062]

That is an awesome idea brother I don't think I've ever seen that done.really cool idea. Dan in ohio

[@docink6175]

cool Idea, I'll be sure to tag you if I use it in a video (likely) I recently did a video of your safety razor knife with full disclosure where I got the idea and links to your video. I have been placing them in small kits and giving them as gifts, people absolutely love them

[@MeZillch]

Thanks, Doc.

[@sosteve9113]

Doc Ink nice

[@JT-fo1uw]

Love your kits. I've replicated 3 of your mini tool kits + - depending the application they make the best gifts and I use mine constantly . Thanks for the ideas

[@MeZillch]

Thanks Jonny

[@jeannoeloger4423]

HI !!! thanks for yours great ideas. Do you have a video for your paracord bracelet?

[@MeZillch]

I have several, starting with the original in 2012 when I invented it (with the most views, +300K), however the best to learn how to make the 1-minute version is the newer one called "NEW 1-MINUTE Paracord Survival Bracelet HOWTO" : kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4W5emN8jsmGrLM Also check out the "Tips and Tricks" I link to there in the notes, to get a few pointers and learn how its length can be adjusted even after you make it. Search for my "Mega paracord bracelet" which is a bit trickier to make but lets you carry an unlimited amount of cordage (assuming you don't mind the bulk), if that's your thing. Thanks.

[@eachday9538]

Another option I've tried are those mylar pouches with screw top lids that they sell baby food and kids yoghurts in.

[@MeZillch]

Another advantage to clear bags and PET bottles is you can sterilize water with a day's exposure to strong solar UV rays called SODIS: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection

[@eachday9538]

It was the tetra pack that reminded me of the mylar pouches, but yes, great point, and I'm surprised how compact you were able to get it when you put your mind to it. I never would have thought of that type of bottle in the realm of altoids kits. On a related note, those thin walled bottles are also great to have in a wildland firefighting pack when working away from hose lines. Punch a little slit in the lid with your knife and twist and squeeze the bottle to spray a fine mist of water up into burning trees after the coals have been scraped out. It's amazing how much cooling can be achieved in this way with a small quantity of water, it has saved me having to cut down many trees, a bigger, more destructive and hazardous job. Not sure if it has many survival applications? Perhaps it could be used to cool and hydrate a burn to the skin in a situation with minimal water and no opportunity to place the injury under running water for a prolonged period, or helping to cool a person suffering from heat stroke when water is limited.

[@Mandalore06]

In order of durability: Produce bags, condoms, roaster bags, dry bags. For me, I really, really like the Platypus style collapsible bottles.

[@magojasper]

clever!

[@taketwophoto2206]

Hi again. I was wondering if it were possible to wrap one of your para-fobs around a small led flashlight? Sort of a para-fob flashlight holder that could be used as a zipper pull. I’ve seen knife handles wrapped with paracord but not easily dispensed like your awesome design. Would love to see if you could come up with something like this or if you already have.

[@MeZillch]

I've applied the parafob wrap to flashlights and have found that it works best if the flashlight is a perfect cylinder, i.e. lights that have contours and bumps, instead of being flat, don't work well. I show a smooth barreled flashlight's handle wrapped at 9m46s into this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3umc4qkpcuoqLMm46s

[@MeZillch]

Also, I now lean towards wearing my 1-minute bracelet or the high capacity version I call a Mega bracelet, however if you are going to wrap a tin or flashlight with cord and expect easy deployment it is important that the outer coil of cord is wrapped in a spiral that deploys initially from the rip cord knot end and then proceeds to unravel bit by bit towards the attachment loop end. Only one layer may be used on the product, not multiple layers. The multi layer option is only if you don't need fast deployment.

[@lappeldelanature5634]

Hahaha, God I love this channel

[@mexicansnorlax909]

Is it possible to get a bigger bottle in the tin like 24 oz bottle

[@MeZillch]

Don't know. Try it.

[@iamaboy286]

He should do collab with crazy russian hacker

[@regularfather4708]

WAAAAAYYY too much effort to make a device that is supposed to be expanded in order to fulfill it's purpose. I can think of no circumstances in which I would be starting from zero without access to a container built to hold water. In a wilderness survival situation I will have a canteen or a cook pot or at the very least a camping cup. In an apocalypse there will be literally tens of millions of perfectly adequate soda bottles lying everywhere. Any container for holding water will need to be chunky and hollow and best be holding water at the outset. Why have a collapsed, empty, structurally compromised water bottle that will need to be filled from questionable sources, when you can start your adventure with a strong, durable bottle of Dasani?