If you've had them shipped direct you should have no problem. however because I ordered more than just the BD from them I had it shipped to a friend in texas who in turn sent it onto me to avoid customs etc.
attached sideways at the back of your belt is most appropriate
Check. It's the only space left after I've attached all the other gubbins 
Also I've always been a bit leery of using the water bottle to drink from (ptomaine poisoning and all that), preferring to use plastic ones hidden in a pouch. Is this being 
?
Is this being
Yes! 
But seriously quite a few of us carry modern bottles in the resi bag.
I have 4 original water bottles which are fine to drink from... but yes some are dodgy... its up to you in the end.
I found the braces quite annoying. They're not elasticated and have a tendency to slip off your shoulders after a bit. I used some tape to make them more of Y shape at the back which seems to work better.
I would advise some grey RAF braces, they are elasticated and much more comfortable than the army ones.
Cheers
Ranj
I have 4 original water bottles which are fine to drink from... but yes some are dodgy... its up to you in the end.
Raising this post from the dead.... how does one know if one has a good or a dodgy one? Would a soak with Steredent sort it out, or is there some inherant dodginess in some of them?
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
From my days in the cadets most were rust traps. The one i have from Sabre is fine - except some pillock (me) accidentally pushed the cork inside - D'OH!
I'm a hero with coward's legs.
Bleedin' 'eck! That's brill! I wonder if will actually work on the canteen?
I'm a hero with coward's legs.
Raising this post from the dead.... how does one know if one has a good or a dodgy one? Would a soak with Steredent sort it out, or is there some inherant dodginess in some of them?
It's all a case of whether the enamel/paint inside has chipped away and it's started to rust internally. If it's not gone rusty inside, you should be fine.
In fact, as long as it's been sterilised, and you don't mind the taste of rust, you'd be fine regardless of whether it's rusty or not! 
Bleedin' 'eck! That's brill! I wonder if will actually work on the canteen?
Only one way to find out - I can't think why it shouldn't.
a good trick for getting rid of rust in water bottles is, put a handfull of uncooked rice( if you dont have any, a handfull of broken up uncooked spag) fill one third with hot water and shake for a few mins.
empty out the water, and keep doing this till the water shows no signs of rust or discolouration. easy and cheap, works like magic.
Thanks all. 
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
a good trick for getting rid of rust in water bottles is, put a handfull of uncooked rice( if you dont have any, a handfull of broken up uncooked spag) fill one third with hot water and shake for a few mins.
empty out the water, and keep doing this till the water shows no signs of rust or discolouration. easy and cheap, works like magic.
Cool! will do that
You should have been on Blue Peter, or traveling with Ray Meyers, you would kick his arse at survival
"Follow me, i'm lost too!"
Bleedin' 'eck! That's brill! I wonder if will actually work on the canteen?
Only one way to find out - I can't think why it shouldn't.
I suspect it relies on the neck of the bottle being a smooth gradient... I suspect the cork will get stuck in the angles of the neck with a canteen.
But, yes... worth a try!
a good trick for getting rid of rust in water bottles is, put a handfull of uncooked rice( if you dont have any, a handfull of broken up uncooked spag) fill one third with hot water and shake for a few mins.
empty out the water, and keep doing this till the water shows no signs of rust or discolouration. easy and cheap, works like magic.
I'd try that with dry rice and not add the hot water - else it will lose the mild abrasive effect of the hard grains and end up with a risotto. 
yeah, hot water dave,,, not boiling salted water 
