M-1961 Canteen 1 Qt – USGI Original w/ Straw Valve
Store rating 4.3 · 149 Google reviews of our Pottstown shop
M-1961 Canteen – 1 Quart
Choose between USGI Originals or more affordable reproductions.
History
The M-1961 canteen became the official U.S. Army standard in September 1962, replacing the aluminum and stainless steel canteens that had been in service since World War I and WWII. After considerable experimentation, the one-quart canteen made of olive drab polyethylene earned that standard designation, and with the endorsement of field troops it rapidly took over from the older metal canteens — though metal canteens stayed in secondary use into the early 1970s before units were finally required to turn theirs in. The M-1961 went on to serve through Vietnam and remained in U.S. military inventories for decades after.
Design & Construction
The plastic canteen is made of olive drab polyethylene, holds 1 quart, and fits into the standard canteen cup. It has a plastic screw cap attached by a strap, and is designed to carry in the standard canteen cover. Its shape and size closely match the metal canteens it replaced, so it remains compatible with vintage canteen cups and covers from earlier eras.
Whether you're building an accurate Vietnam-era display, filling out a reenactment loadout, or just want dependable, no-frills field gear, the M-1961 remains a favorite for its rugged simplicity — a single-piece plastic bottle with no moving parts to fail, exactly as it was designed for combat use.
Canteen Type: Heavy-duty BPA-free olive drab polymer body
Cap Style: M1 NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) Gas Mask Straw Valve Cap
Cover Material: Water-repellent heavy-duty Alice-weave nylon outer shell
Cover Lining: Synthetic insulating fleece inner lining for temperature regulation
Cover Hardware: Dual heavy-duty black oxide metal snap domes
Attachment System: 2x Steel ALICE sliding keepers on the back panel
Utility Feature: Integrated small front Velcro flap pouch for water purification tablets