Keith Titanium GI Mess Kit VS Keith Titanium Sport Water Bottle and Cup Set

In this video I compare the Keith Titanium GI Mess Kit VS Keith Titanium Sport Water Bottle and Cup Set

[@charlesfaulkner8653]

Another great review. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Hi Chuck. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for commenting my friend

[@davef5916]

you can tell when someone doing reviews has never used the product they're talking about. All your feedback makes so much sense, I hope they take it all on board, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting

[@bangalorebobbel]

Very useful summary and comparision, thank you! Among these two kits for sure the quart and military gourd, as they call the canteen mess kit in Europe, is my preferred option. Carrying this set on the side (whether on it's loop or at your belt) is much better compared to have the bottle plus mug kit not only because it doesn't stand so much away from your body but it is also much more convenient because it doesn't swing, means the gourd snugs always at your body whiles the round bottle kinda hangs or lays on top and since it is round it has a tendency to always swinging forward and backward at each step, at least when it is filled and heavy. That's literally a no go for me. And another thing: if you keep the bottle not standing but lay it on the side, as you would e.g. do if you put it in your car on the seat, or as it sometimes happens if you rest on a trail, the round bottle rolls away. That doesn't happen with the gourd, the shape provides rolling. No need to run down the hill to follow your bottle ... And if you use the bottle for drinking, the smaller diameter is for sure better compared to the wide mouth option. That brings me to the canteen cup: the kidney shape is great since you have the smaller side as very nice drinking side. The big diameter mug of the bottle set isn't as convenient since the liquids inside tend to partially avoid your mouth and run right and left side of it down, if you are little bit too thirsty and hasty. And if you want to warm up a sausage - voila, no need to cut it, it fits in the canteen cup since you have on the longer side much more lenght for it as you can offer with the smaller diameter of the round mug. You can also keep your spaghetti, asperagus or whatever else in larger pieces than you could have them with the mug. Means also cooking is sometimes more convenient in the canteen vs. the mug. If you keep your bottle always in the rucksack and use the set only for heating up water which you then pour in your dehydrated meal or in a smaller coffee mug, these differences won't matter much - but else, yes, they matter a lot. At least for me. That said: I am not in general against round bottle kits and have in fact also a perfect round bottle set in frequent use. Consisting of a 750ml titanium bottle placed in a titanium coffee mug of 450ml which fits perfectly. Didn't find it as a kit but both products are of different brands. Unluckily, Keith doesn't offer a similarly smuggly fitting combination of bottle and mug in this smaller size as their sport bottles are 2,8 inch in diameter whiles their mugs are all over 3 inch so there is always a big gap. (Don't know why Keith misses this chance of combining its products. One could still use such a loose mix and fill the gap with anything, of course, but that's not sooo perfectionistic ...) This my set fits perfectly horizontally in one of these miraculously spacious damn cheap chinese military tactical hip bags (aka waist and chest pouch) which I use sometimes for shorter motorcycle trips, and I carry it along with any simple alcohol or Esbit stove (yeah, EDCbox!) and some instant coffee ... but never use it for cooking any meals, it's just my water plus coffee set. Concerning worth, price and quality - Keith quality is definitely above standard, at least in my experience. That's obviously also the case with the price. That difference is with all kind of products same, and I won't complain but just think that one has to set priorities and decide whether that price is really worth buying it. I have titanium pieces from many different brands and had so far never any complaints, means they all did a good job and kept over many years of use. And same happened with all of my stainless steel items, there are also some differences in qualitiy but all did it so far for me, even the cheap ones. So, in this field the difference between standard and above standard isn't something what matters concerning functionality or permanency, I guess. It is more like the difference between fine and perfect. And sometimes maybe just depending on taste, means like deciding between BMW and Mercedes ... 🤣

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Wow. It is clear you have a lot of experience with both designs, various brands, and materials. I appreciate you taking the time to share.

[@bangalorebobbel]

@@MarkYoungBushcraft no problem, that's what youtube is meant for, isn't it ;-) And as I became very lazy in uploading videos myself since covid hit I share currently more by the way of comments ... but who knows, maybe I go back into uploading mode, one day ...

[@VarRedo]

Hello Mark. I have the “Keith GI canteen set” myself and I have used it for a couple of years. I like the size of the opening on the canteen. It is possible to drink from it while walking without spilling water. When I’m trying to drink from a wider mouth while walking I tend to spill water. It took me a year before I noticed that the butterfly handle could be clamped together. 😂 I also have the small wood stove (Bushcraft Essentials Bushbox Ultralight Outdoor Pocket Stove) that fits nicely in the pouch with a spoon.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I had not though of carrying the BE Ultralight inside this pouch. Great suggestion. Thanks for commenting

[@terryw.milburn8565]

Great Side By Side Comparison, Love Your New Carrier ! Keep Them Coming Mark ! ATB T God Bless

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Glad you liked the video. Thanks for commenting Terry

[@Productum]

Nice review, thanks for sharing! I recently bought a Keith Titanium Mug with a folding handle and lid, and I'm pleased with it! :)

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I am fortunate that Keith has sent me a number of items for testing. I have a preview video and four review videos coming. Thanks for commenting

[@MichaelR58]

Mark , good comparison video , thanks for sharing , God bless !

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting

[@viewsandreviews180]

A good comparison. Thank you for posting this. I would prefer the larger mouth of the cylindrical bottle because it would be easier to clean but I’m still using stainless steel due to the price difference and that I’ve usually been canoe camping lately; where weight isn’t as much of a consideration.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Yes good point about price VS weight. It really depends on your activity. Long distance hiking VS a canoe, horse, etc. Thanks for commenting

[@baze3SC]

I have both titanium and stainless steel bottles of the same size. Titanium has a very high strength to weight ratio but it's not _that_ light. Certainly not lighter than aluminum (which is soft and not ideal for cooking). But here's an interesting observation. My stainless steel bottle with a plastic lid only weighs 30 grams (1 oz) more than my titanium bottle which has a large mouth and consequently a large titanium lid. The lid can be surprisingly heavy (in relative terms) so I wouldn't disregard your steel bottle just yet :) Steel is a stronger material and the heaviest thing is going to be the water anyway. People like thru-hikers who really need to count every ounce usually just pick plastic bottles. But then they have to carry something else for cooking. Different use cases call for different trade-offs.

[@eyeofthetiger4184]

G'day Mark, nice summary of the two side by side and a worthy trilogy mate, after all water and cooking are quite important, ....to put it mildly, lol. I appreciate that you highlight what may be a con for some, is a pro for others and vise versa. Personally, I'm a cylinder guy and previously I did neglect the fact that the bottle and cup were not originally designed as a nesting set, however they really should be and with a pouch to suit IMO. As it stands I do need another bandana and good to know it can be put to yet another good use, of course assuming you have an appropriate pouch to go with it. Good point on drain holes in the lid too, I like that feature, but will obviously let much more steam out, again maybe a pro or a con depending on what you're up to. Btw; I believe you are in Nova Scotia, do you ever frequent the coast ? Cheers Duke.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Hi Duke. I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We are a coastal city and I grew up spending my summers on the coast. I don't get to spend as much time relaxing there as I would like but hope to do more of it, maybe make a few videos. Thanks for commenting

[@AdrianSalomo]

One suggestion: Put the sport bottle in its pouch and put the 650ml mug top down right on the lid. Press it a bit in until the mug's top rim lays around the top rim of the pouch. It will sit snug. Thanks for the review!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

That's a great idea!

[@patriciaribaric3409]

I most likely would not use the bottle bag. I have some hand issues and struggling to get a bottle out of its sack isn't something I would put myself through. That said it wouldn't be too hard to add a grommet. Personally I prefer the canteen with its cooking cup/pot. Maybe when Keith designed the bottle sack they were thinking as a minimalist. Some folks do like simplicity. I lean more towards versatility. Amazon has a Jolmo Lander SS canteen stove $20 usd that just might fit your canteen - not that you need another stove - lol.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Yes, I agree, the carry sack is not well designed. The good news is Keith let me know they are passing my comments onto their engineers. I will take a look at the Jolmo...not that I need it😅. Thanks for commenting

[@SoCalPatriot81]

good stuff

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Thanks for commenting

[@jimf1964]

No idea why anyone would spend that much on a bottle and cup. I ordered the membrane filter. Hard to beat the price (assuming it works well), and especially the replacement filters! My only worry is with quality control on these Chinese products. At least if it’s an American company using Chinese manufacturing, they generally have more oversight, but that doesn’t mean every company is bad…..I hope. 🙂

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I originally had concerns with the product as well. I had quite a bit of conversation with them before I agreed to review it. I wanted verification of their claims, which they did send. So much is made in China it is all about quality control. As you say, this is a large, well respected company so I would like to think they have a good QC program. Thanks for commenting Jim

[@ERICWAGNERSLUCID]

You rock!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

😊 Thanks for commenting

[@swaspc7618]

Great review! I prefer lids without holes!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I can see that. Thanks for commenting

[@LabiaLicker]

Wondering if you could partially place your GI bottle in the GI cup and use it as a strainer?

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Possibly, depending on what you are straining. Of course you would want your bottle to be clean. Thanks for commenting

[@jongjoorhee931]

Great comparison and review as always, Mark. I have one question this time though which might be a little bit outside of focus of this presentation. Can you season a titanium frying pan? Castiron and stainless could be seasoned. How about titanium? Thanks, Mark.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Yes, but...seems there is always a but. I have been able to season cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, hard anodized aluminum, uncoated aluminum and to some degree, titanium. My experience is that seasoning work best on the materials I listed in that order. I find it does not last as long on the lighter metals as it does on the iron and steel. When it comes to titanium, it will take a seasoning, although a short lived one, but it does not solve the issue of spot heating. Titanium is not a good conductor of heat despite what people often hear. As a result, if the heat is not evenly distributed across the bottom of a pan, it will develop hot spots. Kind of negates the benefits of seasoning. I am hoping to obtain a titanium frypan so I can make a video on this topic. Thanks for commenting my friend

[@johnmoore5293]

@@MarkYoungBushcraft sometimes I add a small amount of water to the container after the food starts to get a crust. It evens the cooking and steam cookies all surfaces of the food. If the water is a small enough amount the the food will continue to brown when the water is evaporated and then you can flip it and repeat with or without the small amount of water. At home I use a glass lid to see what is going on.

[@sirdee9607]

Thx

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Most welcome

[@keithsmith5998]

You can't go wrong with the name "Keith".

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

LOL...right on. Thanks for commenting

[@Admiral_Pumpout]

concerning the sooted up bottom of the gi bottle, can you instead put the cup on top of the canteen? no mess in your cup that way.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

For sure. Reason I prefer this way is that it easier to drink from bottle not having to remove the cup. Thanks for commenting

[@royphelps8084]

Self reliance outfitters, pathfinder kits last I seen are cheaper. Same kits

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Thanks for commenting

[@davef5916]

they no longer make them.

[@royphelps8084]

They're more square, now

[@margueritemitchell1829]

Hello from British Columbia Canada 🇨🇦👋👍♥️🌲🌲🌲🧘‍♀️🌲🌲🌲🚵‍♀️🎨🖌☕📚

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Thanks

[@user27108]

the bottle Ti3036 Titanium Sport Bottle weight 8.5 oz | 240 g, more then Ti3060 Titanium Canteen Mess Kit 5.6 + 4.5 oz │ 160 + 128 gr, bottle itself 5.6oz|160gr. Ti3060 Titanium Canteen Mess Kit It is on official website Keith what you call Ti3060 Titanium Canteen GU Mess Kit. what a point in titanium if it weight like steel? watch vargo steel para bottle steel weigh like a titanium what a absurd.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Thanks for commenting

[@user27108]

@@MarkYoungBushcraft nalgine bottle weights less. vargo steel para ottle weight same like keith sport bottle. nalgine 32oz. - weight 6.25 oz (177.25g).

[@marcomaiano]

I've noticed it also with other brands, where titanium bottle is only marginally lighter than stainless bottle but don't know why

[@papetua]

Keith made in China:/

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

yes it is

[@papetua]

@@MarkYoungBushcraft sad

[@LabiaLicker]

@@papetua China has the largest titanium mines in the world by far. Back in the 60s when CIA wanted their spy planes built. All of their titanium came (smuggled) from the soviets/china.