East German Camo Canteen Set

NVA Strichtarn Canteen

This is the complete water set issued to soldiers of the East German National People's Army (NVA), the armed forces of the former GDR. It has three parts: a plastic canteen, an aluminum cup that nests over its neck, and a padded cover in the NVA's Strichtarn camouflage. A black strap and buckle hold everything together. It is a practical canteen for camping and hiking, and a correct piece of field kit for Cold War collectors and reenactors.

Features

• Three-Piece Set — You get the plastic canteen, the aluminum cup and the padded camouflage cover.
• About 1 Quart Capacity — The canteen holds roughly 1 quart (about 0.95 liters) of water.
• Translucent Plastic Body — The milky white bottle lets you check the water level against the light before you head out.
• Tethered Screw Cap — A gray ribbed cap screws onto the neck and stays attached by a plastic loop, so it can't fall away and get lost.
• Aluminum Cup With Wire Handles — The cup slides over the top of the canteen, and its wire handles fold flat against the side when stowed.
• Strichtarn Pattern Cover — Strichtarn, German for "line camouflage" and often called rain pattern, prints short brown vertical dashes over a tan-brown base.
• Padded Cover With Snaps — The fitted cover wraps the bottle and closes along one side with two press studs.
• Strap and Buckle Closure — A black strap runs over the cup through a metal loop and buckles at the front to keep the cup in place.
• Rear Strap Attachment — A riveted strap on the back of the cover carries the set on your gear.

East German Army Issue

The NVA used this canteen pattern from the 1960s until German reunification in the early 1990s. Many examples date from the last years of that period, roughly 1985 to 1990. The canteen measures about 9 x 5 x 2.4 in (23 x 13 x 6 cm), and the cup is about 3.1 in tall and 3.9 in wide (8 x 10 cm). It is original government-issue equipment in the Strichtarn pattern used across NVA uniforms and webbing, which makes it a natural match for an East German field impression.