Wavian 20L NATO Steel Jerry Can — EPA/CARB Certified, Made in Europe

This is the fuel can I'd hand you if you asked me which one to buy and didn't want to buy it twice. The Wavian 20L is the real NATO-pattern jerry can, still built in the same Latvian factory that has supplied NATO forces for over 75 years. It holds 5.3 gallons, and it is built to be dropped, strapped down, and left in the back of a truck for years.

Why steel over plastic

I've watched plastic cans swell in summer heat, crack in the cold, and weep fuel through a spout that never quite sealed. Steel doesn't do that. The Wavian body is 0.9mm cold-rolled steel with welded, recessed seams instead of crimped ones. The inside is lined with Rezol, a coating made for petroleum fuel that keeps the can from rusting from the inside out. The bayonet closure locks down with a lever and a tethered pin, and the gasket actually seals, so you don't smell gas in the garage or the truck bed. Three handles on top let two people carry it full or one person swing it up to a filler neck. There is an internal breather pipe in the neck so it pours steady instead of belching.

Why certified matters

A lot of cheap "NATO style" cans online are not legal to sell or use for gasoline in the US. The Wavian is EPA certified and CARB compliant, and carries a UN specification marking stamped into the can. That means you can store and transport gasoline in it legally, your insurance adjuster won't have a reason to raise an eyebrow, and the safety spout has an automatic shut-off so you aren't dumping fuel down the side of a generator in the dark. If you're in California or buying for a job site, rules vary with how much fuel you carry and whether you move it commercially, so check what applies to you.

Why this one is $120 and the one in your Facebook feed is $40

You've seen the ads. Same shape, same color, a third of the price. Here is the difference, and it is not cosmetic.

• Certified vs. not legal. The Wavian is EPA certified and CARB compliant and carries a UN specification mark stamped into the steel. The cheap "NATO style" cans carry none of that, which means they are not legal to sell or use for gasoline in most of the US. If you store gasoline in an uncertified can and something goes wrong, that is the first thing an insurance adjuster asks about.
• 0.9mm steel vs. whatever was cheapest that week. Knockoffs run thin-gauge steel with spot-welded or crimped seams. Wavian uses 0.9mm cold-rolled steel with fully welded, recessed seams. One dents and splits; the other gets dropped off a tailgate for twenty years.
• Lined vs. bare. The Wavian interior is coated with Rezol, a fuel-grade lining that stops the can from rusting from the inside. Bare steel knockoffs rust from day one, and that rust ends up in your carburetor.
• A gasket that seals. The bayonet closure locks with a lever and a tethered pin against a real fuel-rated gasket. The $40 cans are the ones in the "my truck smells like gas" posts.
• Safety spout included. The Wavian spout with automatic shut-off is in the box. It is a $30 part on its own, and the cheap cans either ship without one or ship with a spout that doesn't fit.
• Same factory since the 1940s. The Latvian plant that builds these has supplied NATO forces for 75 years. That is who you are buying from, through the authorized US importer, not a storefront that will be gone by spring.

Buy the cheap one twice, or buy this one once. I only stock the second kind.

What's in the box

• One Wavian 20L (5.3 gallon) steel jerry can with bayonet closure and tethered locking pin
• One Wavian safety spout with quarter-turn locking collar, which clips into the bracket on top of the can for storage

Specs

• Capacity: 20 liters / 5.3 US gallons
• Dimensions: 13.5 in W x 18.5 in H x 6.5 in D (34.5 x 47 x 16.5 cm)
• Empty weight: 10.3 lb (4.7 kg)
• Material: 0.9mm cold-rolled steel (DC04 EN 10130), welded seams, Rezol fuel-grade interior lining
• Colors: Red (gasoline), Yellow (diesel), Blue (kerosene), Olive Drab, Black
• Certifications: EPA certified, CARB compliant, UN specification marked, DOT
• Made in Latvia

Honest note on weight

A full 20L can of gasoline weighs right around 40 pounds (about 42 lb if you do the math). That is a real lift, especially pouring one-handed into a generator at night. If you'll be carrying fuel more than you store it, or you want something easier to manage, look at the 10L version.

Straight talk on fuel storage

Don't store gasoline inside your house, and keep it out of any space with a water heater, furnace, or pilot light. A detached shed or a vented outbuilding is the right answer. Rotate your fuel every 6 to 12 months; run it through a vehicle or mower and refill fresh. Add a fuel stabilizer to anything you intend to sit on for more than a couple of months, and label the can with the fill date. Fuel only in this can. The Rezol lining reacts with water, so don't use it for drinking water or anything else.

Shipping

This can ships direct from the authorized US distributor's warehouse in California, blind (no third-party branding), with tracking. It is heavy, so ground freight is calculated at checkout ($19.99 for one can, less per can when you order more). Allow about a week to your door.

Stand Ready. Stay Unbreakable.
— Reuben