Hey everyone, thanks for the excellent feedback! I'll consider getting a replacement/upgrade for the GI canteen. I'm not 100% sure if the one I got is the genuine thing, it does look like it but these days you never now with so much "mil-spec" made in China crap floating around.

I don't like Nalgene that much, not only does it absorb smells like Izzy noted but I've had some other issues (including a less than perfect seal) as well. Also, I've never found any belt holster/carrier system that really works for me. I might look into getting some other Lexan water bottles though, I've seen a few in an outdoor store nearby that might be better.

I use water bottles almost all the time so they need to be rugged. The aluminum Sigg seems nice. A buddy of mine has had it for a while and it can take a lot of punishment. I'd love to have an aluminum water bottle that can be heated over a fire but the Sigg apparently cannot handle an open flame.

Camelbak is another option but I think I'll pass for now. The bite valve is cool. However, I don't see any real need for it myself. I see how it could interfere with some of my other gear and it might be a pain to clean. Besides, I'm a bit wary of adding any more "gadgets" to my setup because they only tend to make life more complicated on the trail in my experience.