Reliance Products Fold-A-Carrier 5-Gallon Collapsible Water Jug (5000-13)

Published · Researched 2026-09-21

2026 lineup note: Current and unchanged. The Fold-A-Carrier 5-gallon (Reliance Products model 5000-13; also listed as 500003 and 5010-13 depending on retailer) remains in production and widely stocked in 2026. No redesign or successor found across 2023–2026 — this is the same product it has been for years, which is the point: it is the long-running standard collapsible camp water jug.

Version lineage (2023–2026)

• Long-running product (decades old): Reliance markets it as "the original, and still finest quality collapsible water container on the market." No model-year revisions, no "v2," no announced successor found in any 2023–2026 source.
• 2023–2026: Identical product across all current retailer listings (Bass Pro, Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, Runnings, Kenco Outfitters). Only retailer-specific model-number formatting varies (5000-13 / 500003 / 5010-13); these appear to be the same item, not distinct versions. UPCs seen: 060823501016, 801883806532, 0060823500002.
• Advice on older versions: There are no meaningful "versions" — a used Fold-A-Carrier is fine if the spigot seals and the polyethylene isn't cracked or sun-brittled. At ~$11 new, buying used rarely makes sense unless bundled with other gear.

Overview

A collapsible 5-gallon (20 L) water carrier made by Reliance Products (a Canadian company specializing in water storage). It folds flat for transport/storage, unfolds into a cube, and dispenses through a leak-proof spigot with an on/off valve. The large neck opening accepts ice cubes. Marketed for campsites, emergency preparedness, and anywhere a rigid jerry can is impractical to pack. Also sold in a 2.5-gallon size (9" cube, 0.34 lb).

Key Specs

Pricing

In the Box

• Fold-A-Carrier 5-gallon collapsible jug (ships folded/poly-bagged)
• Integrated spigot (pre-installed) and folding handle

Extra needed: Nothing. It is a container, not a filter — pair with a filter/purifier or fill from potable sources. A bottle brush helps for long-term cleaning; the large neck makes it hand-washable.

Warranty

Reported as a 5-year warranty against manufacturer's defects — but this comes from a single third-party importer listing (starshop.pk, model 5000-13) and is UNVERIFIED against Reliance's official terms. Reliance's own site (reliance-products.com) was not reachable in this research run. Do not publish the 5-year figure as confirmed without checking Reliance directly.

Support & Parts

Reliance Products is a small, long-established water-storage specialist; the product's simplicity means parts needs are minimal. No formal repair program found. Retailer return policies (Bass Pro, Sportsman's, REI-style 100-day windows vary) are the practical recourse for a leaky spigot out of the box. Spigots are the known wear point on any collapsible jug — inspect on arrival.

Community Verdict

Owner and retailer-review evidence is thin relative to the filters and packs in this set, but the signal is consistent: this is the default cheap collapsible camp jug — stocked everywhere at ~$11, light (about half a pound empty), and repeatedly described by retailers and buyers as the original of its category. eBay UK product ratings (small sample, 8 ratings) skew positive on value and quality. The honest tradeoff: it is a budget polyethylene cube, not a premium product — expect eventual spigot wear and plastic fatigue over years of UV exposure, and don't confuse it with a filtration or pressurized system. For car camping and basecamp water hauling at this price, it has no serious rival; for backpacking, it's irrelevant (too bulky filled).

Images

Image downloads were blocked for this run (runtime disabled curl/exec mid-task); the URLs below are candidates to fetch later. None are locally saved yet.

1. reliance-fold-a-carrier-5gal-1.jpg — UNVERIFIED/NOT DOWNLOADED. Candidate: Bass Pro Shops product image (open https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/reliance-fold-a-carrier-compact-water-container-5-gallon-3664017, take primary image). Primary exact-model shot candidate.
2. reliance-fold-a-carrier-5gal-2.jpg — UNVERIFIED/NOT DOWNLOADED. Candidate: Sportsman's Warehouse product image (open https://www.sportsmans.com/camping-gear-supplies/hydration/water-storage-containers/reliance-5-gallon-collapsible-water-jug/p/100979, take primary image).
3. reliance-fold-a-carrier-5gal-3.jpg — UNVERIFIED/NOT DOWNLOADED. Candidate: folded-flat lifestyle shot from any of the above pages (alternate image in gallery).

Research date: 2026-09-20. Price cluster $10.99 across four major US retailers; several listing crawls are 4–6 months old — re-verify live. MSRP and warranty terms are UNVERIFIED; the 5-year warranty claim needs confirmation from Reliance Products directly.

• [research workspace] — Fold-A-Carrier filled, red handle and spigot visible (Overtons retailer gallery).
• [research workspace] — blue Fold-A-Carrier folded flat next to its retail box — scale/packed angle (Walmart product image).

Long-term durability & warranty-claim reality

The Fold-A-Carrier is a study in honest tradeoffs: it's a $10.99 polyethylene box that does a $10.99 job. The owner record is split exactly along the fault line between marketing copy and physics.

• Leaking is the recurring complaint. Sportsman's own reviews include owners reporting leaks despite the "leakproof spigot" claim; the spigot is the failure point, not the body. HDPE bodies are tough — spigot seals and the plastic spigot itself are not.
• Sturdiness: it's a blow-molded box with a handle. It survives being a water box. It does not survive being treated like a YETI — don't stack heavy gear on it, don't drop it full onto rock, and don't expect the handle to love 42 lbs of water carried far.
• Long-term: HDPE doesn't rust or delaminate; UV exposure makes it brittle over years. Stored indoors, the body lasts a decade; the spigot will likely need replacing first (standard garden-hose-thread spigots can sometimes be swapped — UNVERIFIED for this model's thread).
• Warranty-claim reality: a 5-year warranty appears on third-party listings (gosupps.com: "Five-year warranty against manufacturer's defects"); UNVERIFIED against Reliance itself — relianceproducts.com was unreachable during research. If the spigot leaks in year one, pursue the retailer (Sportsman's) rather than counting on a manufacturer claim process.

Version history — year by year

• The Fold-A-Carrier is a legacy-format product with minimal documented revision history. The 5-gallon HDPE carrier with spigot has been sold for decades under this name; no generational changes are documented in the sources reviewed.
• 2026: Sportsman's Warehouse listing (2026-09-20): $10.99, 0.65 lb empty, 11.3 × 11.3 × 11.3 in expanded, BPA-free high-grade polyethylene, "leakproof spigot" claim. No Reliance first-party listing reachable.

Head-to-head vs closest rivals

• vs Reliance 7-gal Rigid / Aqua-Tainer: the 7-gal rigid jugs carry more and have sturdier spigots; the Fold-A-Carrier's edge is collapsibility for storage. Base-camp car camping: the rigid jugs usually win.
• vs MSR Dromedary / CNOC Vecto: soft reservoirs are lighter, pack smaller, and survive drops better — but you can't set them on a table and pour. The Fold-A-Carrier is a camp dispenser; the soft bags are transport.
• vs just buying gallons: for a single weekend, store-bought gallon jugs are cheaper and zero-maintenance. The Fold-A-Carrier earns its keep on repeat trips and group base camps.

Care & maintenance

• Sanitize before first use and seasonally: baking-soda solution or dilute bleach, rinse thoroughly. HDPE holds onto plastic taste for the first few fills — lemon/baking soda helps.
• Dry before storage — sealed damp = mildew. Store with the cap loose.
• Don't leave full in a hot car — heat + pressure stresses the spigot seal, the documented leak point.
• Inspect the spigot O-ring before each trip; it's the part that fails.

Buying traps

• "Fold-A-Carrier" ≠ collapsible when full: it folds flat for storage/transport empty. Filled, it's an 11-inch rigid cube weighing 42 lbs.
• "Leakproof spigot" is marketing, not a guarantee: owner reports of leaking are real and recurring. Test it full at home before trusting it in a car trunk.
• 5-gallon = 41.7 lbs of water: the handle is rated for the weight, your hands may not be. Fill it where you'll use it.
• No first-party warranty confirmation: the 5-year warranty exists only on third-party listings. Buy from a retailer with a real return policy (Sportsman's) rather than a no-name marketplace seller.

Community Verdict (continued)

• Sportsman's reviewers: price-to-function is the praise — ten dollars for 5 gallons of camp water. Leaking and "not sturdy" are the counter-reviews, both landing on the spigot and the thin-wall feel.
• The base-camp consensus: for car-camping groups it's a fixture — cheap enough to own two, simple enough that everyone can use it. Nobody backpacks with it; nobody should.
• Long-term owners: the body outlasts the spigot. Treat it as a $10 consumable-with-a-long-tail and you'll never be disappointed.

Key Specs — gap fill

• Capacity: 5 gal (18.9 L); filled weight ≈ 42.4 lbs.
• Empty weight: 0.65 lb (Sportsman's, 2026-09-20).
• Expanded dimensions: 11.3 × 11.3 × 11.3 in; folds flat for storage.
• Material: high-grade BPA-free polyethylene (HDPE).
• Price: $10.99 (Sportsman's Warehouse, 2026-09-20).
• Warranty: 5-year — UNVERIFIED (third-party listings only; no Reliance confirmation reachable).

Sources

• www.basspro.com — retrieval date not recorded
• www.sportsmans.com — retrieval date not recorded