EZPack JerryFlex and Water Bladder Reviews

Note: this began as a long term test. We have now used these containers for years, so what follows is the finished verdict rather than first impressions — and it is not the verdict we expected to be writing.

Overlanding rigs are often equipped with built-in water tanks. However, a portable water storage solution is still necessary. As you know sometimes water sources might not be accessible by vehicle. In those situations, it is not possible to fill up the built-in water tank directly. Plus, some overlanders prefer non-built-in solutions. That’s when the portable water storage products come into play. 

When it comes to portable water containers, a company named EZPack-USA stands out. This is a California-based company that develops and manufactures unique solutions for water storage and distribution.

Right now, they have 2 products that are portable water containers. They are using a patented design on these containers incorporating 2-layer technology. 

This solution makes these containers the first-ever collapsible water containers with replaceable inserts. EZPack-USA’s main aim is to offer useful water solution products for outdoor enthusiasts and for Home Emergency Preparedness.

In this post, we will review 2 of their portable water containers.

Review of the EZPack Products

Here we are going to review 2 EZPack products which are JerryFlex and the Water Storage Bladder. Both of these products have almost the same features and build quality, so we will review both of them here. First off, let’s talk about how they work. 

Simply put, these products are actually portable water containers. These can come in handy whether you are a camper, overlander, a hunter or fisherman. When traveling to remote areas, you can use these portable water containers to store water for cooking, drinking, and cleaning.

Both these containers have two layers. The external shell of these portable water containers is made of military-grade material. So they are leak-proof, puncture-resistant, and ready to withstand harsh field conditions. 

In addition, the sturdy outer shell protects the inner layer from getting damaged. In our experience, one of the weakest points of most portable water containers is the faucet — and on these, after years of use, it is the worst part of the product.

Both the JerryFlex and the water storage bladder come with faucets made out of rugged ABS plastic, and the plastic itself is not the problem. The problem is that you cannot work one with a single hand. Opening and closing it takes two: one to hold the tap still, one to turn it.

The reason is the soft tank it is mounted on. There is nothing rigid behind the faucet, so when you twist it the whole fitting twists and turns along with your hand rather than staying put and letting the water through. We have spilled water doing this more times than we can count, and spilled water matters when you are carrying what you are about to drink.

The one thing we will say for it is that you can attach a garden hose to the faucet to fill the JerryFlex quickly.

These water containers are sturdy yet flexible. For that reason, these will not break if you accidentally drop them. Also, they can withstand pressure, which means you can actually apply pressure on them if you want to shower and you need a bit of water pressure, rather than just let gravity work. Also, if not full, they use less space in the vehicle.

Both the containers come with sturdy straps. For instance, the JerryFlex is equipped with both handle and shoulder straps. So you can carry it as a backpack as well. Admittedly, the shoulder straps are a bit narrow, so they may not be comfortable to carry the water containers for a long distance.

However, EZPack advised that they’re considering adding wider straps to the products. The shoulder straps’ only purpose is to carry the water from the source to your camp or vehicle. It wasn’t made for hiking the El Camino.

In addition, you can secure it to your vehicle for safe transportation using the straps. 

It is also compatible with a NATO or standard jerry can holder. While empty, the size of the JerryFlex is reduced to 20%, which allows for easy storage. On the other hand, the water storage bladder comes with 4 durable carrying handles, no shoulder straps. These straps can also be used to secure it to your vehicle. 

Better yet, when empty, the size of the water storage bladder is reduced by 80%. This makes it highly portable and easy to store.

The whole design turns on the replaceable inserts — the inner liner that actually holds the water, made of BPA-free, food-grade material. This is also where the product falls apart, so it is worth setting out properly.

 EZPack’s own advice is to fit a fresh insert after every use. That is the system working as designed: you never clean or dry anything, you throw the liner away and zip in another one, and the water always tastes fresh.

We find that advice appalling. The insert is plastic. Selling a plastic bag as single-use, by design, to people who spend their time outdoors, is close to the worst approach a manufacturer or a brand can take in the 21st century, and it runs against everything we have written about reducing the impact of overland travel. It is the reason this review ends where it does.

So we ignored that advice and tried to keep one insert in service, cleaning it between trips instead of binning it. That was our stated plan when this review first went up, and we gave it a long run.

It does not work, and the reason is the material rather than the cleaning. A soft plastic bladder creases. Once it has creased, the folds hold pockets of water and trapped air that you cannot drain, cannot reach and cannot dry out. Dirt gathers in them and mould follows. At that point the insert is unusable, and no amount of rinsing brings it back — which pushes you straight back to buying replacements, the behaviour the product was built around in the first place.

If you do replace one, recycle it; that is possible through most local plastic recycling programs.

It is very easy to replace the inner bladder. You will find zippers on the side of the outer shell, through which you can easily access the insert. The inserts in both these portable containers have large openings. 

As a result, it is very easy to fill them. Also, the large opening will allow you to put ice cubes in the container. On top of that, you can easily attach a garden hose to the faucet directly to fill the container fast. The large opening also helps to empty and clean the container quickly.

Available Sizes and Colors

When it comes to size and color, EZPack is offering various options. For instance, the JerryFlex is available in 3 colors - desert, blue, and green. The water storage bladder is available in blue color only.

Available Sizes and Weights of the JerryFlex

Dimensions When Full

• 2.5 gallon: 12 x 12 x 5.5 inches
• 5 gallon: 13 x 17 x 5.5 inches

Weight When Full / Empty

• 2.5 gallon: 23 / 1.3 lbs.
• 5 gallon: 44 / 1.7 lbs.

Available Sizes and Weights of the Water Storage Bladder

Dimensions When Full

• 5 gallon: 23.5x20x8 inches
• 10 gallon: 27.5x23.5x8 inches
• 25 gallon: 33.5x37.5x8 inches
• 50 gallon: 37.5x43x8 inches

Weight When Full / Empty

• 5 gallon: 45 / 1.7 lbs.
• 10 gallon: 90 / 2.5 lbs.
• 25 gallon: 225 / 4 lbs.
• 50 gallon: 450 / 5 lbs.

Price

EZPack has priced these products in the middle of the market — not expensive, not cheap. The sticker price is not the real cost, though. The inserts are consumable by design, so the spending carries on for as long as you own the container. A rigid plastic jerry can has no running cost at all, which is most of the argument against this one.

Also, you will get a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty with both these containers. The replacement inserts are sold in convenient 3-pack separately.

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Is the EZPack JerryFlex Any Good?

No. We have used these containers for years, and we would not recommend them - not with a caveat, not “right for some people”. The soft inner bladder creases into pockets where dirt gathers and mould follows, and the faucet, after years of use, is the worst part of the product.

Closing Thoughts

We have used these containers for years, and we would not recommend them — not with a caveat, not “right for some people”. The flaw sits at the centre of the design and you cannot work around it. We tried to, deliberately, for a long time.

The outer shells have genuinely lasted. The tough outer material, the straps, the way they pack down to a fifth of their size when empty, the 2-year warranty: all of that is as described. None of it rescues the product, because the part that actually holds your water is a soft bladder that creases and turns mouldy unless you keep buying new ones, and the tap in front of it needs two hands and spills every time. That is a flawed product, and it keeps charging you.

Buy a rigid water container of a similar size instead. A hard shell cannot crease, so there are no folds for dirt and mould to settle into, you can scrub the inside and actually get it dry, and the tap is mounted on something solid — so it turns when you turn it, with one hand, without a spill. It will also cost you less, considerably less once the inserts are counted in.

The one we would point you at is the Reliance Aqua-Tainer, a rigid 7-gallon container that holds 4.7 out of 5 stars across more than 13,500 ratings on Amazon, checked on 21 October 2026, and costs a fraction of what the EZPack does. The spigot recesses and screws away for transport, a screw-on vent lets it pour without glugging, and it carries a five-year warranty. Reliance’s own caution is worth passing on: keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight, which makes the plastic brittle in time. Stored in the shade it will outlast a great many bladders.