I ordered a new scepter military water can in olive drab. It holds five gallons of water. I want to have five gallons of drinking water in my basement and it might not be bad for a camping trip either.

This pushed me to it: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5geDUvZfc7dzGJd8oa6hV7msLnuEwD9FEPS0O1

We had our own water supply issues in the Hartford area about a year ago. Also, this would be great to have in the event of a hurricane.

Anyone have any experience with these cans?

http://www.sceptermilitary.com/water_containers/product_table/

I didn't see any price on those water cans. I also noticed that this is a Canadian company so you have to factor in shipping to your AO and custom (duty) fees when you purchase. You can probably find the same cans from a USA company that may save you some $$.

As for water cans in general, the 5 gallon water cans found at most outdoors stores will work fine. We have a couple that see heavy use and are holding up fine after 4-5 years. If your purchase these, ensure that you get the type that has a screw on cap for the vent hole.

These are available from Brigade Quartermaster. No need to worry about customs or import duties...

I have three in the garage right now.

Scepter cans are what the US military use right now so they will certainly handle camping duties.

However, I would point out that some people, including myself, have had cap leakage issues. Although this may be a thing of the past (the post I saw was from a few years ago, I think) you should be aware that there are three (3) caps that must be firmly sealed to prevent leakage. The big filler cap, the smaller "convenience" cap, and the vent cap.

I've already ordered mine, I went with US Cav, it was literally fourteen cents cheaper than BQ.

I posted the link to the scepter site as a manufacturers reference.

I have a couple camping style five gallon cans, but they all have spigots mounted in precarious locations, I've always felt they're begging to be broken off, or left towards the bottom, thus a small leak over time would mean an empty can.

I'll let everyone know what I think of this thing once it arrives.

Glad to hear you seem to like it timo.

Re leakage, I suppose it is possible, but these have the plastic on plastic seals, like a nalgene, so unless there is visible damage, I think I just have to make sure they're tight.

R

Sounds good to me. It should serve you well in just about any situation.

Water storage isn't really a huge issue for me. Florida, once your away from the coast a bit, has loads of water. Much of it drinkable without treatment. Not that some sort of treatment isn't wise.

Around the home I store water in re-purposed bleach and vinegar jugs, mostly one gallon. For short term emergency storage I have both five gallon buckets and collapsible five and two-and-a-half gallon containers. The collapsible units are handy as they are light and store compactly unit needed. Which makes them handy if you need to carry or store them empty.

The two-and-a-half gallon models sound redundant but five gallons of water is better than forty pound and the smaller units are handier for humping out over any distance. Or where smaller or weaker individuals are required to haul them.

Given unlimited funds and a requirement for the stored water to remain safe under the harshest conditions of man-packing, hauling, tossed around during loading, and cache in hostile conditions, and that the containers handle such abuse for years the military spec containers are justified. But my use, and my pockets, don't meet military requirements.

The Scepter water cans are great. I have a couple in my Jeep and they stand up to significant abuse. I got them after every other can I had tried had failed. Even the metal "NATO" cans would leak. They would rust through at the seams -- even those that had a coating inside.

I'm pleased to hear positive reviews. Thanks all. Money is an object, but, ultimately, water is more important to me than money!

I have >25 of them.
High Quality.

http://www.buylci.com/
Click Shop now (Top right)
Search for: Water Cans

They went up in price a bit, but still better than other places.

I have a couple with Scepter on them and some that say property of US GOV (LCI ones), they are Identical. I also have some Scepter Fuel cans (which are extremely $$ now, and hard to get but high quality).

Wow! What great prices! I've considered the fuel cans, but I'm holding off for now. I need water more than I need gasoline

How do these compare to the 7 gallon aquatinaers sold at sporting stores for $8 ($11 @ Walmart's "low" prices). I have a couple of the aquatainers and they seel a little thin, got a hole in the top of one of mine and the plasitc valves broke on both. I do like though that they use a standard pipe thread in their caps so I screw in a 1/4 turn petcock designed for water heater drains so I have hose hookup.

The Lifesaver Jerry Can looks like it could be useful in an emergency to produce potable water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2apzIh3NXBI

Aquatainers are a step up from most collapsible water jugs. The top-quality collapsible units are close to that quality and reliability. Then again there are some Aquatainer look alike knock-offs that won't meet that standard and you never know then a major conglomerate will buy out a reputable brand and plow the name through the dirt for fun and profit.

Aquatainer, last I handled one, was good and solid. Suitable for a moderately rough handling and the sort of scratches and abrasions they might get routinely transferring water to and from a dry camp site by truck.

We used collapsible five gallon jugs to carry water on a boat to an island. They survived filling by kids on a dock, loading onto a cart, hauling out to a shrimp boat, loading hand-to-hand onto the boat, two rough days on the boat, unloading onto a dock, man packing a couple of hundred yards to a site, Florida sun and sand spurs, camp use, and a rather rough repacking and only two out of over twenty leaked. One got a pinhole from a cactus thorn and one had a mis-formed cap. We didn't lose but a few ounces of water. All in all they did their job well and easily would last for a few weeks. Longer if you are careful or lucky.

But, as good as they were Aquatainers, at about three times the cost would have been more secure. Mil-spec water containers are about ten times as expensive and pretty much immune to anything short of fire or gunfire. I have seen a truckload of full ones unloaded by the simple expediency of the driver dropping the tailgate, backing up at a considerable rate and slamming on the brakes. Deuce-and-a-half full of them unloaded in about five seconds. And, as far as I could tell, not a drop spilled. I don't think the collapsible jugs or Aquatainers would have fared as well.

There is tough. Then there is GI-proof.

Then again neither the Mil-spec of Aquatainers are collapsible. You could fit perhaps eight or so collapsible jugs folded down into the space of one Aquatainer and for equal carrying capacity the jugs are, by WAG, maybe a quarter the weight of the Mil-spec units.

Cost-wise collapsible jugs go for $8 to $12; Aquatainers and similar $14 to $25; Mil-spec $35 to $55.

It comes down to what qualities (size, shape and collapsible or not) and how much ruggedness, you need and are willing to pay for.

Me likes the recycled larger size pop bottles, at least two liter sized and preferably a gallon or so. Super cheap and surprisingly durable. I just haven't had very good luck with the collapsible containers.

Two things: 1 - Soda Bottles. I believe those are what DR suggests, but I also believe they contain BPA. The military cans are HDPE and thus BPA free. I have tons of BPA exposure, I figure reducing it where I can is worth something? Maybe not, I don't know. Anyways, soda bottles are good too.

I'm anti lifesaver jerry can. May be perfect for some, not for me. Why wouldn't I just use my Katdyn filter to fill my water can?

+1 on the 2L soda bottles. Virtually indestructible and free.

Thats what I need, somehting in the $10-$25 range thats a little better than the 7 gallon aquatainers. They are a little heavy and don't stack well also.

I wish I'd ordered three from buylci..I would have spend maybe 20 dollars more and had two more countainers...darn. Anyways, I'll let everyone know how this thing is once I receive it.

I got it! Seems nice, no time to play now though...

The Lifesaver Jerry Can looks like a pretty handy item to have on hand. It's expensive but looks to be very capable. It would be nice for vehicular camping or a "bug out" via car scenario. It could also be pretty handy for long term camping as an item for a base camp.

The LCI/Scepter ones are not like soda bottles. They are probably 100x stronger + the sun won't hurt them compared to the soda bottles. (Sun will probably start to hurt but YEARS AND YEARS after the soda bottles are gone.)

I've chucked these things (full) out of the back of my truck, or down my driveway. (Why carry when they slide!)

IMHO for 5g water storage they can't be beaten.

Thanks for the link Todd. That price seems much more reasonable.