Long story short... I bought two of these in June 1996 and am still using one today (I carelessly destroyed the other one during a move.) I just bought three more and am delighted that I was able to find the same model after all these years. I bought them for $15/ea, which is a reasonable price for the quality and functionality.
Now the long story... I started out on a three-month camping trip across the Western US & Canada in June ''96. On the second day I stopped at a hardware store in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan looking for sturdy water containers. I wanted something I could use in the deserts and mountains for anything from drinking and bathing to filling my car radiator if necessary. I happened to find this exact green, six-gallon, Jerry-can-style Reliance model and bought a couple of them. I used them every day for three months (and over 10,000 miles of back roads) and was thrilled with them. They were packed in my hatchback with my camping gear and mountain bike. Despite all that jostling, compression, daily use, and extreme heat in the deserts these never leaked nor did the plastic body or spout deteriorate over the years.
As for the ability of the can to preserve the flavor of water without giving it a plastic taste... it''s excellent. I filled both cans with water from a North Dakota well the day after I bought them in June ''96 (best water I have ever tasted.) By the end of three months I still had some North Dakota water in one can. It tasted as good as when it came out of the well.
These are simplyand well-designed. The reversible spout nests inside the container when not in use and is sturdy plastic. This is important because otherwise the spout is prone to snap off or bend when the container is being stored in a car/truck but isn''t in use. The other thing I liked was that the plastic is thick-gauge but is a food-quality polymer so can store drinking water. The air-outlet valve that enables the water to pour smoothly is located on the opposite side of the container top from the spout and works fine. I''ve never had a problem with it.
Please note that the pouring spout won''t work well if you want to lay the can on its side and use it as a drink dispenser. It''s not a picnic thermos; the flow is much too rapid for that. Also, you should to store cans such as these in the upright position. Mine fell over in the car a couple times during that summer trip and never leaked; however, I wouldn''t count on that for long periods. Finally, if you have to carry this container a long distance from a water source you need to be strong. Six gallons of water weighs 50 lbs (23 kg) and this model doesn''t have wheels. Having said that, however, it has fit my needs for a long, long time.
After my trip in ''96 I used both containers for another eight years for emergency water storage wherever I lived. Then I accidentally destroyed one in 2004 when it got crushed in a moving van.
I got lax over the years about keeping extra water on hand for emergencies. We moved in ''08 to a place prone to the remnants of hurricanes. I finally got around to looking for water containers recently as part of assembling an emergency preparedness kit for the house. I was thrilled to find the identical Reliance container that I bought 14 years ago for sale on Amazon. Three new ones arrived late last week. I cleaned them out today and filled them for storage. Same old excellent design. I recommend it highly.
I bought one to try. I used it for a long weekend of camping and there was no funny taste to the water from being in the container. The cap/nozzle assembly fits well and I haven''t noticed any leakage around it. There''s also a little indent for your hand on the bottom to assist with tipping the container, which is a nice little detail.
Since it''s designed to be stood up, I didn''t try laying it on its side to check for leaking that way.
I''ll be getting a couple more of these for emergency purposes. It never hurts to have some potable water stored before a hurricane or other big weather hits.
Buy Reliance Products Desert Patrol 6 Gallon Traditional Jeep Style Rigid Water Container Now
When we camp in our trailer at a State Park, we usually deplete our on board water supply by the end of the 3rd day. Rather than hook up and haul the trailer to the dump/water supply station, I carry water to the trailer. Every other container I''ve in the past either a) didn''t hold enough water, b) was difficult to fill, c) difficult to carry, and/or d) difficult to pour into the water port on the trailer. This product solved all 4 problems for me. I love it.
Read Best Reviews of Reliance Products Desert Patrol 6 Gallon Traditional Jeep Style Rigid Water Container Here
Nice size can. At 6 gallons its not to much to carry but enough to be useful. The spout fits RV fresh tank fill hole perfectly. Recommend for anyone needing a nice water carry can when boon dock camping. Shipped SUPER fast too.
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We had borrowed a neighboring camper''s water containers to fill our camper''s fresh water tank. These worked perfectly for what we needed. There was no water hook-up at our camp site and these containers saved us from having to pull the camper to the water source. I immediately got on line and ordered our own. They are light weight and the handle and grip make them easy to use when they''re full.
This is probably one of the better picnic sets i''ve seen. All the pieces are sturdy and not flimsy cheap stuff like in other sets.
