Rotopax VS Jerry Cans

[xKennyx]

I see a lot of trail/overland rigs sporting the Rotopax and it may just be me, but I honestly don't understand why. The price point is kind of extreme for something that only carries about 1 to 2 Gal of gas/water. Am I missing something about these things? Besides the fact that they look cool and are somewhat modular?

 

[timberwolf_120]

It's just the hip new thing. Kind of like light bars.
The mounting options are more abundant them the jerry cans and they stack together. Also they are made of plastic so won't get as hot as the metal jerry cans or rust either.
I don't understand the price point tho....just another big name company trying to suck America dry and they wonder why people buy Chinese shit instead.

 

[Steve]

Here's a previous discussion on Rotopax, and most of the way down the first page, you'll find my take on them vs. Waterbricks. I went with the substantially lower priced option.

http://overlandbound.com/forums/threads/rotopax-fuel-water-cans.646/

 

[OldH1]

The price for the capacity your gain just does not make it a good call for me. If your rig gets good gas mileage and you just need a few gallons to get you to the next fuel stop then I guess they would be worth it but for me I need the extra fuel just to keep the beast running! Jerry cans for the price are a winner for me.

 

[Lifestyle Overland]

It's really all about the ability to mount them various ways. You can't beat the simplicity of a jerry can, however you have to have a safe spot to mount them so they don't leak. You can mount the rotopax on a roofrack or even carry them inside (not recommended) without fear of leaks or fumes. I've thoroughly abused my four gallon versions and they are still plugging away. They are a bit on the spendy side, but there's a 10 year warranty on them as well.

Keep an eye out on their ebay store for sales and blemished factory seconds for discounts.

 

[Winterpeg]

Mounting options - I needed a better storage option than the big gerry I had on the roof.
Storing options - they take up very little space on end up on a top shelf... one day I may put a mount on my wall in my garage
Handling - they are very nice to be able to handle. With handles essentially all along the sides I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was to use.

One of the reasons (not the only reason) that I got my Expedition One rear bumper was for a mounting option for fuel storage.

(Can't have a thread with no pics!, Lol)

 

[bee_CO]

Ok, now here's a question for those of you that have rotopax/jerry can /or other fuel container... How often do you ACTUALLY use it on your rig? Beyond filling auxiliary toys( atvs /dirt bikes /generator etc,) it seems to me having to actually use it on your rig is simply poor planning.

With a 20 gallon tank, assuming offroad/idling mpg of 5mpg(guess, probably higher) , and say 20 miles at 20mpg from nearest gas station to where the pavement ends ...that should give you 90 miles of offroad fun, 45mi out 45 mi back... I find it tough to believe the need for most "overlanders" to have the extra fuel. But hey what do I know.

 

[smokey73]

I think that for most "over landers" you're right, you won't need the extra fuel. But there are some places out west that at any point in time you might be 100+ miles out of the way from a reliable fuel source and an extra 5-10 gallons are necessary and are part of a well planned trip.

 

[Winterpeg]

What I found to be the most beneficial reason of carrying fuel is the fact that I can actually use my whole tank on my FJ now. Previously I always erred on the side of caution and filled up before it was at the 1/4 tank mark. I push it to the next gas station now, knowing I can pull over whenever I want and use what I'm carrying.

Now, with extra fuel the worry is gone and I get way more miles per tank now. Simply having the spare fuel is one less worry that you really don't need... it's great. I honestly didn't think I would "like" it that much, but I do.

There's a gas station that I normally fill up at on my way into my backwoods campsite that has now burned down. It was a popular one for people travelling through that area and the first weekend that it burned down we were travelling back home and I saw many people pulled over into gas stations further along the way that were closed for the night and trying to use the pumps that were obviously shut down.... I'm sure there were many people that were very stressed driving back to the city on fumes that night.

 

[bee_CO]

I appreciate the honest responses guys. I definitely get the "just in case" factor

 

[Lifestyle Overland]

Ok, now here's a question for those of you that have rotopax/jerry can /or other fuel container... How often do you ACTUALLY use it on your rig? Beyond filling auxiliary toys( atvs /dirt bikes /generator etc,) it seems to me having to actually use it on your rig is simply poor planning.

With a 20 gallon tank, assuming offroad/idling mpg of 5mpg(guess, probably higher) , and say 20 miles at 20mpg from nearest gas station to where the pavement ends ...that should give you 90 miles of offroad fun, 45mi out 45 mi back... I find it tough to believe the need for most "overlanders" to have the extra fuel. But hey what do I know.

I can only speak to our own experience, but here in New Mexico you might go 200+ miles between gas stations depending on how remote you travel. It's really just added insurance to get you back to civilization. Out here, I start hunting for a fuel stop at half a tank because if you wait til you are down to a quarter tank you might be hoofiing it, this is especially true when towing a trailer.
If we were back east it wouldn't be such a big factor. However, imagine being stuck with your family in 100 degree heat or below freezing temps. It would be nice to be able to keep the engine running for several hours while you wait for help to arrive.

We have only had a couple of occasions where we used the reserves, mostly out of the desire to keep the fuel fresh by cycling fresh fuel into the tanks every month or two.

 

[stoney126]

I like the idea of having extra fuel in case of damage to a tank or line or a failure with your instruments(bad fuel gauge).
Cheap insurance

 

[whiskeytacos]

I did a 9700 mile trip around the country over the winter, and I ended up using my 4gal rotopax can to get me through a few situations where I believe i would have ran out of gas. One of them was entering a massive National Forest in Idaho on only 3/4 of a tank in my overloaded Tacoma, where I was getting an average of 12mpg on a road that had no services for more than 100 miles. The other two were on the Old Mojave Road in CA/NV/AZ and the White Rim Trail in Utah. Both trips I started with a nearly full tank of gas, but the work I put on the rig to get through those trails burned through a full tank in a couple of days and I needed the extra fuel to get me to the next gas station.

I like the modular aspect of the Rotopax vs a Jerry can but honestly it's a cool kid factor. It's a great can and I had a cool looking mount for it, but I eventually broke it on a trail and had to mount it to my roof rack. The fact that they can be mounted in any position is a huge plus though. All in all I'm happy with my 4gal Rotopax and I'd buy another to stack on top of it. Keep an eye out for blemished cans. Buying a clean one is dumb because it'll be blemished after a day on the trail anyway.

 

[4xFar Adventures]

Ok, now here's a question for those of you that have rotopax/jerry can /or other fuel container... How often do you ACTUALLY use it on your rig? Beyond filling auxiliary toys( atvs /dirt bikes /generator etc,) it seems to me having to actually use it on your rig is simply poor planning.

With a 20 gallon tank, assuming offroad/idling mpg of 5mpg(guess, probably higher) , and say 20 miles at 20mpg from nearest gas station to where the pavement ends ...that should give you 90 miles of offroad fun, 45mi out 45 mi back... I find it tough to believe the need for most "overlanders" to have the extra fuel. But hey what do I know.

Poor planning? Not at all. Poor planning is not taking it, even when you think you won't need it. Someone else might.

The Mojave Road, Death Valley, or any remote desert location calls for extra fuel. If you don't carry it, you're asking for trouble.

A winter day run up a mountain, I carry fuel in case I'm stuck on the trail. I would rather use extra fuel to run the engine and keep warm, than rely on the sleeping bag and blanket.

You might be close to gas on a multi day trip, but having it with you means you can stay at camp and not pack up to get it. You can also run the engine to recharge the battery if you don't have a solar panel.

Going out of state and getting different ethanol mixtures can cause engine issues. I've seen it going from CA to OR. Add some gas from home and the truck (an LR3) fired right up.

Gas can get expensive, and it doesn't have to be 100's of miles from civilization. Bringing your own can save you some money.

This picture is from Panamint Springs, Death Valley back in 2013. That's $6.289 per gallon for premium! My D2 holds 25 gallons of fuel. Thankfully I only had fill about half the tank.

 

[escadventure]

Ok, now here's a question for those of you that have rotopax/jerry can /or other fuel container... How often do you ACTUALLY use it on your rig? Beyond filling auxiliary toys( atvs /dirt bikes /generator etc,) it seems to me having to actually use it on your rig is simply poor planning.

With a 20 gallon tank, assuming offroad/idling mpg of 5mpg(guess, probably higher) , and say 20 miles at 20mpg from nearest gas station to where the pavement ends ...that should give you 90 miles of offroad fun, 45mi out 45 mi back... I find it tough to believe the need for most "overlanders" to have the extra fuel. But hey what do I know.

Let's raise another question and be a bit more specific. Is the activity you describe - recreational offroading, or overland travel? I would call it recreational offroading. Yes, I've always thought it a bit funny that those folks load their rigs up with so much superfluous gear to have an afternoon of fun.
But as whiskeytaco has eluded to, for extended offroad travel extra fuel should part of basic preparation - for several reasons. Including the possibility of making a wrong turn, emergency fire starting and in my case - my Webasto heater runs on gasoline.

 

[1Louder]

I like the Waterbricks. I used to have 4 but sold 2 of them when I built my trailer which can hold up to 32 gallons. I have two 5 gallon Jerry cans for longer trips and 3 plastic smaller plastic red cans if need be or if I am not hauling my trailer.

As someone else mentioned it really has nothing to do with poor planning. I have had to use them in Baja, DV to save money, the ID BDR, and a few other places. The tank on the FJ is just too small. It's also why I don't care if I have 3/4 of a tank. If there is not overly priced fuel prior to hitting dirt I will fill up. You never know what might happen on the your planned route. They can easily turn into unplanned routes. Extra fuel and water are always good.

 

[Adventureswithlaylay]

Ok, now here's a question for those of you that have rotopax/jerry can /or other fuel container... How often do you ACTUALLY use it on your rig? Beyond filling auxiliary toys( atvs /dirt bikes /generator etc,) it seems to me having to actually use it on your rig is simply poor planning.

With a 20 gallon tank, assuming offroad/idling mpg of 5mpg(guess, probably higher) , and say 20 miles at 20mpg from nearest gas station to where the pavement ends ...that should give you 90 miles of offroad fun, 45mi out 45 mi back... I find it tough to believe the need for most "overlanders" to have the extra fuel. But hey what do I know.

I've had to use my jerry cans twice. my father in law carrys 4 20l jerry cans on his m1009 k5 and I carry 2 20l jerry cans. we usually drive out to mojave or death valley and you can easily go 100+ miles with no gas stations. a wrong turn and a stranded explorer where the two times we had to use our jerry cans. it's also a good feeling to know you have extra fuel incase of a emergency. it's better to have and not need, than need and not have.

 

[trikebubble]

I have two Scepter MFC's and one MWC. I just like the idea of the added security of having the extra fuel ( and water) at hand. We just returned from a two and a half week road trip- adventure from BC down to Colorado and back. I did not have to rely on my spare fuel but it certainly allowed the the opportunity to extend my driving range between regular fuel stops. The MWC water container was used on almost a daily basis. I went with the Scepter MFC's because of their durability, reputation, and most of all that they are made here in Canada.

 

[RiverCityDave]

I have a bunch of both. Here's my BLUF - Jerry cans for fuel are a PITA. The neck always leaks, and the weight of 5 gallons at a time makes it hard to manage. So I prefer rotopax for fuel. I use sceptre 5 gallons for water most of the time.

As far as when? Well anyone who has driven the length of SPI knows that you can burn a full fuel tank and only just get to the end, where you are now about 20 miles from fuel. The rotopax are exactly what you need to get you there.

I have both, and use both. They each have their place. And seriously, unless you've got a show jeep, just buy the blems from the website.

 

[O.Dfj]

I carry two jerry cans in the back of my fj when out its cheap insurance. You never know when you're going to need extra fuel. The nato jerry cans are awesome i have never had a problem with mine even when the fell out of my cousin pickup on the mojave trail, his tailgate might have fallen off dont ask lol. The cans now have a well used look but still work great. I dont bother with the pour spout on them i use a shaker siphon so much easier and no spills.