Spare Fuel Bags: A Dirty Little Secret

Why no gas can sticker?

We get it – sometimes you’d really feel better on a long ride, especially one on unfamiliar terrain, if you could slip a little spare fuel behind the seat. Gas cans take up unwieldy amounts of space, can be cumbersome and typically require their own separate tie downs to keep secure.

Enter the fuel bag or as it is sometimes known, a jerry can. When it comes to the security of stowing a spare gallon to 5 gallons of gasoline in the cab of the UTV with you, these things are priceless. We’re big fans of the Armadillo Bag from Giant Loop but often get queries about the strange wording on the product page (This isn’t unique to Giant Loop, either. Most contain a similar disclaimer): Armadillo Bag is not a portable fuel container as described by ASTM, EPA, ARB or other state and federal agencies. Armadillo Bag is NOT intended for fuel storage, transport or use as a gas bag in the USA.

So then what they’re telling you is it’s a bag for storing your Gatorade, right? Well, no because there is another disclaimer that follows: Armadillo Bag liquid power reservoir utility bladder is not a food-grade product, so we do not recommend its use for potable drinking water without filtration.

So what gives?

The answer is groups like the EPA have ridiculously strict (and ever increasingly so) guidelines as to what can be classified as a fuel container these days. The actual list is pages long but some of the key standouts include:
A single, self-venting opening for filling and pouring with no separate vents or openings.
A treated can body for minimal permeation of fuels.
Automatic closure, meaning a nozzle which automatically springs to the closed position when not pouring.

And keep in mind that this is one such governing body. ARB, ASTM, OSHA and so on all have requirements of their own that need to be met for certification as well.

Clearly bags, regardless of how well they do their job, can’t clear all the criteria for certification so to circumvent this reality, the manufacturers are forced to label them for the generic: Flexible, collapsible, lightweight, expedition-ready utility bladders for the safe transport and storage of liquid hydrocarbon products and other powersports and automotive fluids.

In conclusion, we’re big fan of these products and have found them to be a lifesaver on many occasions.