Originally published at Notes From The Bunker. You can comment here or there.

TL;DR version: Excellent product, high price, weird ordering process.

Lotsa pics in this post, so I’m throwing in a cut for those with lesser connections.

As you know, the absurd CARB requirements for fuel cans have left us with very little in terms of ‘jerry cans’ that actually work. Blitz closed their doors because of lawsuits and the market for fuel cans has narrowed considerably. I am a fan of the “NATO/Euro” style cans. They are expensive, difficult to find, and worth the effort.

While I’m sure that plastic cans like the Scepter work just fine (although user reports vary), I prefer metal cans. They don’t swell up , degrade, or take damage like plastic. Your mileage may vary, of course….if you like plastic cans, use ‘em. This post isn’t about trying to convince you about what to use. The purpose of this post is to discuss the cans I ordered up recently.

Lately there have been some ‘bargain’ cans on the market…most notably at Cheaper Than Dirt, Sportsmans Guide and a few of the other usual vendors. These inexpensive cans are Chinese knockoffs trying to capitalize on the current demand for quality NATO cans. Here are two YouTube videos about the Chinese cans.

Note that one of the biggest giveaways that these are not the genuine article is how the seam of the two halves of the can sticks up. This ‘fin’ or ‘rib’ sticks out all the way around. The better cans have that seam flush with the exterior of the can. Here’s an example of what I mean:

In this picture, a straight edge (in this case a license plate) is held flush against the side of the can. Notice that the seam does not stick out further than the sides of the can. The seam doesnt create a ‘high spot’ like on the fake cans. Now, I’m sure there are other things to look for in regards to avoiding the cheapo Chinese cans but this seems to be one of the easiest ones to spot. “But, if the seams hold and don’t leak, who cares if they stick out a little and the fuel can leans to the side? They’re half the price of the other cans!” Here’s why – because this is just one corner-cutting step the Chinese manufacturer engaged in that you know of. What other corners were cut to meet that price point? Are the cans even lined with a gasoline-friendly inner coating? Will the welds holding the handle to the can even hold up to the weight of a full can? Is that gasket on the cap the same material they use for making Barbie dolls? Are the cans even specced to fit the military carriers?

Here’s some genuine cans I bought years back:

I bought these for about $17.50 each back in 2007. With free shipping! Sadly, I only kept a dozen for myself. It’s hard to see it in this picture, but none of those seams sits out further than the sides of the can.

So these things have been a bit tough to find. Several people I know have ordered these cans from these guys. Me and my buddy were going to order a few but I had some reservations. I didn’t want to spend the money for the cans, and the expensive shipping, just to discover I bought some Chinese stamped sheet metal. As it turns out, my brother, who has a similar view of preparing for the future as me, ordered and received a four-pack of these things and was nice enough to take the time and effort to send me detailed pictures of the cans he received so I could ‘examine’ them before committing to buying them. Here’s the pics:

Having these things shipped from Kentucky to Montana brings the cost of each can to $47.  Are they worth $47? This is a subjective question because we all value these things differently. I saw one guy post on a survival board asking if those ‘fancy’ gas cans were really better than the plastic cans. (“Fancy” is code for “costs more than I want to pay”.)

When you need to use fuel that you’ve stored away, chances are things are probably pretty dire. The tornado or hurricane has come through, the power is out, the temperature is dropping, whatever. At this moment, your stored fuel is what’s going to make all the difference…so why would you put it in a $5 plastic can that when tipped over will have gas leak past the plastic threads, or will let gasoline evaporate through the plastic, or get brittle and crack from cold and UV? If you wouldn’t jump out of a plane with a Made-in-China parachute that was on sale for 1/2 the price of a ‘fancy’ parachute, why would you take the same chances with the fuel that is going to keep you safe, mobile and electrified? Are these cans expensive? Hell yes they are. Are they worth it? Well, when we have to leave a disaster and all the gas stations are closed and the only thing between staying and suffering or leaving and living is the fuel we have stored I think the price of those cans will seem like a bargain.

Anyway, it’s looking like these cans from Lexington are the real deal, they have ‘em in stock and they get ‘em out fast. Their ordering process is a bit funky, but it’s worth playing by their rules. Instead of just calling in an order you fill out a form on their website with a list of what you want, where and how you want it shipped, and your contact info. Then, after what seems like an annoying amount of time, they get back to you with a quote and then you pay them what they quoted. Looks like its taking about a day for them to process orders and get quotes out.

Thanks to my brother for taking the time to take and send the pictures and letting me use them.