I returned from an 8 day trip and before I returned home, I had a chance get some pics of the Zebra 12 cm Billy Can. These cans were made very popular via Ray Mears and his various TV series over the years. I previously had one of these cans, however last year my SO's niece took a shine to it and so I gifted it to her. Recently I picked up a another 12 cm can and made good use of it over the last week.

These cans are stainless steel materials and are well constructed. They also can take a beating (fire wise, see below)
The specs on the 12 cm Billy Can:

Liquid capacity without dish: 1.4L
Height: 14 cm (excluding handle)
weight 550 grams.

The basic can. The plastic tabs on the can serve to lock the handle and lid together. These tabs are also easily removed when you need to put the can directly over or on a fire. The included dish could be a useful for some, however it can be removed to make more storage room for other items.


A MSR fuel cannister and MSR Pocket Rocket stove and Mini BIC fit with room for a few other smaller items in the can itself or in the lid.




As seen in the above picture, the dish protudes slightly, however once the lid is locked into place, there is enough pressure to slightly push the dish down and allow the lid to completely close.



At 12 cm, the can fits perfectly on the MSR Stove and is just as stable, if not more so then my Primus Litech pot.



The night before, I tested the stove in a hot fire.(Notice that the plastic tabs are removed). After about 45 minutes of direct fire immersion, the can was none the worse for wear which is to be expected of the thick SS construction.



At 550 grams, the Zebra Billy Can is a bit heavy as compared to other similar sized products, however the SS material and design of the can makes it almost bomb proof regardless if one chooses to backpack or take it on a canoe trip. What I do like about this can is the flexibility of the handle which also allows the can to be hung over a fire if needed. This feature is something I sorely miss with the Primus Litech pot. I have another week long solo trip coming up next month so time will tell if this can is to be my new main method of food/water heating duties.

Nice features, but awfully heavy...What is the typical cost?

I paid $29.00 for mine. However I have seen this size can at $25.00 to 35.00 depending on where you shop online etc.

Yes the can is heavy but for my requirements, the features outweigh (no pun intended) the extra weight involved. Not that I am a weight weenie by any means, however I don't think that I will have much use for the dish so that will save a few ounces.