Traveler III
A while ago, Costco had the red Scepter 20L cans 2 for 24 bucks. Incredible price, and although they might not be "milspec" they seemed pretty high quality.
Gas can question for long term users
- Thread starter Jim SoG
- Start date
Off-Road Ranger I
Those were likely the Scepter ECO, which are much thinner than the milspec version.
I am curious to see if anyone has experience with the Harbor Freight steel 5 gal jerry cans?
Traveler III
It wou
Are the ECO cans "good enough" or are they in fact deficient in some way?
I haven't seen the ones from harbor freight. I should check those as harbor freight has some awesome stuff at great prices and there's one not too far south of me in Bellingham.
I would love to see everyone post their reviews for their jerry cans in here, that way we can have a good basis of comparison.
Are the ECO cans "good enough" or are they in fact deficient in some way?
I haven't seen the ones from harbor freight. I should check those as harbor freight has some awesome stuff at great prices and there's one not too far south of me in Bellingham.
Pathfinder I
I have 4 wavian, around a decade old. I give them 5 stars they are exactly as they should be. Toss the CARB spout the new ones are forced to provide you with where they belong. (in the trash) They all seal AIRTIGHT, even if overfilled and laid out in the sun to bake.
I have 8 from deutsche optik, one of those has a small manufacturing defect keeping it from being airtight. The other 7 are GTG and the price is in line with their quality. I give them 4 stars. Downsides are only available in OD green, and the locking pins are NOT in the same realm as the wavian pins. They lock the lid shut sure, but they do not load the seal as well as lock the cap to prevent rattles. That is where the wavian's are worth their $$$ IMHO.
With the wavian if you need/want a proper spout these days- order the one below. It is what they should be equipped with if it weren't for CARB's meddling.
https://wavianusa.com/long-nose-flexible-pouring-spout-olive-drab.html
I just use a shaker siphon to fill the tank without the jerry cans ever leaving the roof rack.
I have 8 from deutsche optik, one of those has a small manufacturing defect keeping it from being airtight. The other 7 are GTG and the price is in line with their quality. I give them 4 stars. Downsides are only available in OD green, and the locking pins are NOT in the same realm as the wavian pins. They lock the lid shut sure, but they do not load the seal as well as lock the cap to prevent rattles. That is where the wavian's are worth their $$$ IMHO.
With the wavian if you need/want a proper spout these days- order the one below. It is what they should be equipped with if it weren't for CARB's meddling.
https://wavianusa.com/long-nose-flexible-pouring-spout-olive-drab.html
I just use a shaker siphon to fill the tank without the jerry cans ever leaving the roof rack.
I'll give a brief rundown of the main differences between the Scepter ECO vs the Scepter Mil-Spec. So we are clear on the difference, the mil spec ones look like this:
Scepter Eco look like this:
As you can see the biggest visible difference is the handles and the spout; the Military has one oversized opening where the Eco has a small opening. the Milspec also has 3 handles on the top where the Eco only has one. The Milspec is also much thicker; the whole product though is FAR greater than the sum of it's parts.
I have experience with both and hopefully someone will chime in with a similar review of the metal cans from various manufacturers.
Scepter Mil-Spec
Pros:
- Extremely Durable
- Leak-Proof
- Allegedly floats (never personally tested)
Cons
- Expensive
- Uses a proprietary spout that has to be purchased separately
- Usually needs to be opened/closed with a wrench that is fit to purpose.
General:
The Scepter Mil Spec are excellent 20L cans that, as the name implies, have replaced the metal jerry cans for a lot of militaries around the world. The come in various colours depending on what you are storing -- water, diesel, and gas.
They are VERy thick plastic, and the plastic has a lot of flexible resiliency to it -- in other words they can be tossed around, backed into with a truck, etc. without cracking or bursting. At the same time, they are rigid enough to be functionally crushproof (though I should really used the word 'resistant'. I've had cans swell up at least 50% bigger than their normal size in the heat without any leaking or rupturing, and have had one in a metal carrier on the back of my JK for tens of thousands of kilometres. Also, the big filler openings means you can fill them from almost any source; those who travel extensively know that while most population centres have the typical fuel pump, in smaller areas you may find yourself refilling your cans from a bucket so the wide filler opening makes pouring a lot easier.
I bought a spout and use an oil filter wrench to take the caps on and off, and while this does mean I need to carry an extra couple of things on trips, the resiliency of the cans more than makes up for it. The fact that they are leakproof means they can be stored in almost any configuration on the vehicle in standard jerry can holders without problems.
To clarify, these are not just leak proof but vapour proof as well. Though I wouldn't recommend it, they can be stored inside a car without having to worry about fumes as much as the Scepter Eco, which WILL vent and cause medical distress.
Perfect For: Long range travel where you need to cart your own fuel in rough terrain, and you need your cans to last.
Scepter Eco
Pros:
- Cheap
- Ubiquitous - every hardware store in N.A. sell them.
- All-in-one solution, with spout, vent, and everything sold with each can and stored inside the can itself.
Cons:
- Thinner plastic
- Leak resistant, but may spill if stored on side and absolutely will vent vapour so no good in enclosed spaces.
General:
These red cans are handy for around the house and I have several. They are cheap, light, and easy to toss in the truck to go to the local gas station for lawnmower gas. For 99% of the population, they are good enough.
I wouldn't use them for Overlanding though because they are not very durable. The typical conditions of an overland rig include a lot of bumps and bounces, and the plastic is softer on these cans which will rub through relatively quickly if there is any movement. Plus, the movement of gas tends to off-gas the fuel into vapour which will push its way out of the can; this can also happen with heat. Basically, any kind of internal pressure will blow past the seal and you will lose fuel over time. This is compounded if the can is stored on it's back or side, which is not recommended for these cans (As the vapour pushes past the seal, any fuel against the seal will also leak out). The vapour alone is enough to cause severe medical distress in enclosed spaces, so these should not be kept inside. Keep in mind this also applies to things like having your RTT hanging over the back of your truck with Cans mounted on the back -- if they get warm and vent, guess what your tent smells like forever?! Not to mention the physical sickness.
The other part that annoys me with these cans is the quality of the caps, spouts, and vents. They ALWAYS develop leaks and are rigid, so there's a good chance of spilling or damaging the nozzle when hefting it up to pour it into a lifted rig. Plus, because there are some small parts (the internal cap cover and the vent cover) it's easy to drop and lose those items in tall grass or offload and not be able to seal your cans.
I also don't think these are designed to float, which may be necessary in some water crossings.
Perfect For: Around the house, medium-term fuel storage.
I've got opinions on the metal cans (propensity for denting, rust) but since I have no first hand experience I'll wait for someone else to chime in.
Scepter Eco look like this:
As you can see the biggest visible difference is the handles and the spout; the Military has one oversized opening where the Eco has a small opening. the Milspec also has 3 handles on the top where the Eco only has one. The Milspec is also much thicker; the whole product though is FAR greater than the sum of it's parts.
I have experience with both and hopefully someone will chime in with a similar review of the metal cans from various manufacturers.
Scepter Mil-Spec
Pros:
- Extremely Durable
- Leak-Proof
- Allegedly floats (never personally tested)
Cons
- Expensive
- Uses a proprietary spout that has to be purchased separately
- Usually needs to be opened/closed with a wrench that is fit to purpose.
General:
The Scepter Mil Spec are excellent 20L cans that, as the name implies, have replaced the metal jerry cans for a lot of militaries around the world. The come in various colours depending on what you are storing -- water, diesel, and gas.
They are VERy thick plastic, and the plastic has a lot of flexible resiliency to it -- in other words they can be tossed around, backed into with a truck, etc. without cracking or bursting. At the same time, they are rigid enough to be functionally crushproof (though I should really used the word 'resistant'. I've had cans swell up at least 50% bigger than their normal size in the heat without any leaking or rupturing, and have had one in a metal carrier on the back of my JK for tens of thousands of kilometres. Also, the big filler openings means you can fill them from almost any source; those who travel extensively know that while most population centres have the typical fuel pump, in smaller areas you may find yourself refilling your cans from a bucket so the wide filler opening makes pouring a lot easier.
I bought a spout and use an oil filter wrench to take the caps on and off, and while this does mean I need to carry an extra couple of things on trips, the resiliency of the cans more than makes up for it. The fact that they are leakproof means they can be stored in almost any configuration on the vehicle in standard jerry can holders without problems.
To clarify, these are not just leak proof but vapour proof as well. Though I wouldn't recommend it, they can be stored inside a car without having to worry about fumes as much as the Scepter Eco, which WILL vent and cause medical distress.
Perfect For: Long range travel where you need to cart your own fuel in rough terrain, and you need your cans to last.
Scepter Eco
Pros:
- Cheap
- Ubiquitous - every hardware store in N.A. sell them.
- All-in-one solution, with spout, vent, and everything sold with each can and stored inside the can itself.
Cons:
- Thinner plastic
- Leak resistant, but may spill if stored on side and absolutely will vent vapour so no good in enclosed spaces.
General:
These red cans are handy for around the house and I have several. They are cheap, light, and easy to toss in the truck to go to the local gas station for lawnmower gas. For 99% of the population, they are good enough.
I wouldn't use them for Overlanding though because they are not very durable. The typical conditions of an overland rig include a lot of bumps and bounces, and the plastic is softer on these cans which will rub through relatively quickly if there is any movement. Plus, the movement of gas tends to off-gas the fuel into vapour which will push its way out of the can; this can also happen with heat. Basically, any kind of internal pressure will blow past the seal and you will lose fuel over time. This is compounded if the can is stored on it's back or side, which is not recommended for these cans (As the vapour pushes past the seal, any fuel against the seal will also leak out). The vapour alone is enough to cause severe medical distress in enclosed spaces, so these should not be kept inside. Keep in mind this also applies to things like having your RTT hanging over the back of your truck with Cans mounted on the back -- if they get warm and vent, guess what your tent smells like forever?! Not to mention the physical sickness.
The other part that annoys me with these cans is the quality of the caps, spouts, and vents. They ALWAYS develop leaks and are rigid, so there's a good chance of spilling or damaging the nozzle when hefting it up to pour it into a lifted rig. Plus, because there are some small parts (the internal cap cover and the vent cover) it's easy to drop and lose those items in tall grass or offload and not be able to seal your cans.
I also don't think these are designed to float, which may be necessary in some water crossings.
Perfect For: Around the house, medium-term fuel storage.
I've got opinions on the metal cans (propensity for denting, rust) but since I have no first hand experience I'll wait for someone else to chime in.
I like the look of those Wavian cans. Those are the ones Costco sells for $99/piece; for the value-for-money though I think I'll stick with the Scepter Milspecs (though I may need to pick up a metal one just to compare 'em!)
Pathfinder I
The Wavian are $79.99 shipped on Amazon in the US, when I bought them they were around $45-49 each but that was before the .gov forced them to include the CARB approved spouts with EACH can sold.
The scepter MFC are not legal for sale to the public in the US since they are not CARB approved. You guys & gals in Canada actually have them realatively affordably as a great option, since they are made there and not restricted to military use.
Here it's not uncommon to find new scepter cans for around double their cost in Canada.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scepter-Military-Fuel-Can-MFC-5-Gallon-20-L-Gas-Red-w-Red-strap-New-/232914328833
Also while the Scepters carry NATO approval and work in SOME existing jerry can holders they don't work in all of them so YMMV.
If you do find surplus MFCs in the wild here they often have cracked cap flanges from over-tightening or rough handling.(Hard to imagine our .mil being hard on equipment! :shocked:)
If you find your's to be broken replacements, and upgrades are available. . .
replacements-
http://www.jagmte.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=70
upgrades-
http://www.jagmte.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=125
Keep in mind that "surplus" MFC you thought you found a deal on at $50 can quickly not look so good if the cap flange is cracked!
One really handy thing about ALL NATO approved fuel cans, they have to stack. MFC, NATO(Wavian style), or US style vintage. They will all stack reasonably well with like cans. This will save you a ton of space if you want to store more than 2.
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EXCELLENT info in that whole post, I learned some stuff I did not know about those Scepter cans!
But WOW! $150 USD for a gas can? With the dollar the way it is, it doesn't take much to make it worth your while to nip north to buy a couple of cans at that rate of going if you are in the northern part of the lower 48 (or at the very least plan your next trip to be here and pass by a Princess Auto on your way!)
Pathfinder I
Yeah, I'm totally stopping by princess auto on my way up to the Bruce Peninsula next weekend. Similar to your interest in the metal jerry cans I want to get a few NEW MFCs to see how they hold up when not used my the military first. :)
Educator I
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Yes it is. They will probably not be Wavian though. I bought a non compliant spout through rover parts and got it fast.
Pathfinder I
The first link look to be genuine euro Wavians(Valpro owns Wavian), right around the price they should be without the CARB approved spouts($60 each after shipping). How are they selling "fuel" cans without the required CARB spouts? Because obviously those are for water! don't you see the little sticker. . . lol Nice trick, seems they figured out how Deutche Optik is getting theirs imported. The wal-mart link is a cheap knock off. see where the weld is, it shouldn't sit proud of the side of the can. In the NATO spec the welds holding the two halves together are recessed into the body of the can, this protects the critical weld from wear and tear.
The Scepter MFC's also vent internally back through the handle. The benefit is you can turn them almost completely upside down and they will empty very quickly into your tank. The long clear nozzle is also great as you can stuff it into the gas filler then have enough spout to still flip the MFC upside down.
Traveler III
Thanks for the detailed run down! This is an excellent write up. I'd say you've made up my mind - going to shell out the extra bucks and get a milspec one from princess auto.I'll give a brief rundown of the main differences between the Scepter ECO vs the Scepter Mil-Spec. So we are clear on the difference, the mil spec ones look like this:
Scepter Eco look like this:
As you can see the biggest visible difference is the handles and the spout; the Military has one oversized opening where the Eco has a small opening. the Milspec also has 3 handles on the top where the Eco only has one. The Milspec is also much thicker; the whole product though is FAR greater than the sum of it's parts.
I have experience with both and hopefully someone will chime in with a similar review of the metal cans from various manufacturers.
Scepter Mil-Spec
Pros:
- Extremely Durable
- Leak-Proof
- Allegedly floats (never personally tested)
Cons
- Expensive
- Uses a proprietary spout that has to be purchased separately
- Usually needs to be opened/closed with a wrench that is fit to purpose.
General:
The Scepter Mil Spec are excellent 20L cans that, as the name implies, have replaced the metal jerry cans for a lot of militaries around the world. The come in various colours depending on what you are storing -- water, diesel, and gas.
They are VERy thick plastic, and the plastic has a lot of flexible resiliency to it -- in other words they can be tossed around, backed into with a truck, etc. without cracking or bursting. At the same time, they are rigid enough to be functionally crushproof (though I should really used the word 'resistant'. I've had cans swell up at least 50% bigger than their normal size in the heat without any leaking or rupturing, and have had one in a metal carrier on the back of my JK for tens of thousands of kilometres. Also, the big filler openings means you can fill them from almost any source; those who travel extensively know that while most population centres have the typical fuel pump, in smaller areas you may find yourself refilling your cans from a bucket so the wide filler opening makes pouring a lot easier.
I bought a spout and use an oil filter wrench to take the caps on and off, and while this does mean I need to carry an extra couple of things on trips, the resiliency of the cans more than makes up for it. The fact that they are leakproof means they can be stored in almost any configuration on the vehicle in standard jerry can holders without problems.
To clarify, these are not just leak proof but vapour proof as well. Though I wouldn't recommend it, they can be stored inside a car without having to worry about fumes as much as the Scepter Eco, which WILL vent and cause medical distress.
Perfect For: Long range travel where you need to cart your own fuel in rough terrain, and you need your cans to last.
Scepter Eco
Pros:
- Cheap
- Ubiquitous - every hardware store in N.A. sell them.
- All-in-one solution, with spout, vent, and everything sold with each can and stored inside the can itself.
Cons:
- Thinner plastic
- Leak resistant, but may spill if stored on side and absolutely will vent vapour so no good in enclosed spaces.
General:
These red cans are handy for around the house and I have several. They are cheap, light, and easy to toss in the truck to go to the local gas station for lawnmower gas. For 99% of the population, they are good enough.
I wouldn't use them for Overlanding though because they are not very durable. The typical conditions of an overland rig include a lot of bumps and bounces, and the plastic is softer on these cans which will rub through relatively quickly if there is any movement. Plus, the movement of gas tends to off-gas the fuel into vapour which will push its way out of the can; this can also happen with heat. Basically, any kind of internal pressure will blow past the seal and you will lose fuel over time. This is compounded if the can is stored on it's back or side, which is not recommended for these cans (As the vapour pushes past the seal, any fuel against the seal will also leak out). The vapour alone is enough to cause severe medical distress in enclosed spaces, so these should not be kept inside. Keep in mind this also applies to things like having your RTT hanging over the back of your truck with Cans mounted on the back -- if they get warm and vent, guess what your tent smells like forever?! Not to mention the physical sickness.
The other part that annoys me with these cans is the quality of the caps, spouts, and vents. They ALWAYS develop leaks and are rigid, so there's a good chance of spilling or damaging the nozzle when hefting it up to pour it into a lifted rig. Plus, because there are some small parts (the internal cap cover and the vent cover) it's easy to drop and lose those items in tall grass or offload and not be able to seal your cans.
I also don't think these are designed to float, which may be necessary in some water crossings.
Perfect For: Around the house, medium-term fuel storage.
I've got opinions on the metal cans (propensity for denting, rust) but since I have no first hand experience I'll wait for someone else to chime in.
You are very welcome!
Make sure you order a nozzle too -- they don't often have them in-store in my experience:
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/fuel-nozzle-for-military-style-containers/A-p8451437e
I'd also recommend a wrench of some kind. You can buy one that is purpose built. For a while, I used a strap wrench but found it frustrating to mess with, so I've now got one of these -- they are cheap and though they make opening/closing the cans easy, they do not have enough leverage to easily allow for over tightening. I got mine at Walmart but they are basically the same as these:
Educator I
- 10,890
- First Name
- Jim
- Last Name
- Bro
- Member #
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12989
- Service Branch
- USAF DAV
Pathfinder I
Ok so USD cost on the MFC from princess auto(not on sale) after tax came to $70 each. Also grabbed one of the Water Cans from specter while I was there.
Heading to Costco to fill them up, will report back on expansion vs the metal nato cans.
Heading to Costco to fill them up, will report back on expansion vs the metal nato cans.
Pathfinder I
World Traveler III
World Traveler III
