Starting from prehistoric times, people tried to figure out a way to take food and water with them. And if it was easy to do without food for a couple of days, or even a week, it is impossible to live more than 3-5 days without drinking water.
The history of the flask
The oldest water bottle was found by archaeologists, and is over 60,000 years old. The traveling flask of that time was made from any suitable items. The very first flask was made from the so-called bottle pumpkins. In cold climates, leather skins or flasks from the stomach of animals were popular. With the development of mankind, more convenient wooden flasks began to appear.
At the time of antiquity, the first metallic flask appeared in developed nations of Greece. For rich people they were made of silver, for ordinary people - from copper. In the Roman army, the army flask was already used everywhere. Due to the high price of metal, the soldier's flask of an ordinary legionnaire was wooden or ceramic, only more prosperous people could afford a flask of copper or bronze.
In Europe, the first flasks were leather and wooden. With the advent of regular armies, they gradually withdrew from the world arena, giving way to glass vessels and then aluminum flasks.
The word "flask" came to us from German. The word "flasche" was transformed into a more "flask" more consonant with the Russian person.
By the time of the outbreak of World War I, the army flask was included in the standard set of every soldier in the regular army. In the armies of each country a standard was developed under which all the flasks in the armies were fitted.
Flasks of the Russian Tsarist Army
Military flasks of the Russian army went through several stages of development:
- The flask of the 1797 type aquifer was made of double tin. It underwent modernization in 1817, after which white sheet metal was used instead of tin. The volume of this flask was 1.22 liters, and for attaching to the knapsack, four soldered ears were used from different sides of the flask;
- The army flask of the sample of 1851 was similar to the previous model, only the mounting system was changed. There was a brace and a wire handle;
- Wooden eggplate sample 1882 served in the army for long. Its supply to the army stopped already in 1897;
- The aluminum flask of the sample of 1897 was already very reminiscent of modern designs;
- The flask of the sample of 1909 differed in convex forms.
In 1862, the royal command conducted an interesting experiment. An experimental batch of glass flasks of 5,000 pieces was produced. Most of these flasks entered the Caucasian troops. Unfortunately, the new jars turned out to be too fragile and unsuitable for the army.
Flags of the Soviet Army
The first Soviet stainless flask was developed in 1923 and made of aluminum. The lid of the flask was made of cork, which caused certain inconveniences during operation. The volume of this model was 0.75 liters.
1932 brought a new screw cap and Soviet approval of the new increased volume to a liter to the Soviet flasks.
In Soviet times, glass flasks were also produced, the shape of which replicated aluminum samples. To protect them from impact, special covers with pockets for cotton wool were used.
In 1960, a new flask was developed. Flasks of this type were produced until 1990 and are now the most common in the expanses of our homeland. If desired, they are easy to find in stores that sell property from military warehouses.
Modern models of flasks, their advantages and disadvantages
Now there are many different flasks available to tourists. You can choose domestic or NATO flask. Some might like German, from the time of the Second World War. In order to make a choice, you need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each model.
The 0.8-liter flask of the USSR is the most popular. Its advantages include:
- Minimum price;
- Little weight;
- Reliability;
- The ability to boil water.
The main disadvantage of this flask is its advanced years. The rubber valve on the lid often cracks with time, and the flask begins to pass water. In order to avoid this problem, you need to carefully check the flask before buying. This flask is also crumpled at impact (without losing its functions) and the water in it cools down quickly and heats up. However, thanks to the brutal appearance, this flask still enjoys well-deserved popularity.
Plastic American flask G.I. CAMO differs in volume in 1 liter (there is another option from this company with a volume of 2 liters). This flask is very light, has an airtight plug and thermal case. Its disadvantages include the fact that it is intended only for water and it is not worth trying to boil water or melt the snow on the fire. Well, its price is not comparable with the price of the USSR-classic ovskoy.
Another famous flask model, this time the British one, is the M58 model. It was developed back in 1958, but to this day remains the most popular flask among tourists and travelers around the world. The reason for this popularity lies in the fact that this flask is part of a set for cooking, which is very compact and includes, in addition to the flask, a kettle, stove and glass. All these items are invested one to one and take up very little space.
What to take on a hike: a flask or a plastic bottle?
With the advent of a large number of plastic bottles, the question arises: is it worth buying an expensive flask if you can use a regular plastic bottle from a drink for water? It would seem that the choice is obvious. The flask was invented specifically for water, so you need to take it, but not everything is so simple. Consider the pros and cons:
- The bottle can pick up any volume you need. The standard flask is usually 0.7 -1 liter;
- Bottles can be taken as needed, it will be cheap;
- In the event of a bottle failure, it is not a pity to throw it out;
- In the bottle it is easier to control the amount of water you drink.
The main advantage of the flask is its strength, although if it falls on sharp stones from a height, the damage may be irreversible. A plastic bottle is also not so easy to damage, if you do not intend to. It turns out that the main advantage of using a flask is its prestige and brutality. With this you can not argue, a tourist or a hunter with a bottle looks ridiculous.
The military flask is a stylish accessory that looks particularly advantageous in metal. Although modern samples of flasks are made of plastic and are more hermetic, they do not carry any military energy, which the old aluminum flask possesses in abundance.
