Imitation Lock-N-Locks

[+Knight2000]

About a year ago i saw imitation lock-n-locks at our local Dollar Tree. They had a red seal. I checked them out but was not satisfied that they would be adequate so i did not buy them.

 

About the same time i found snap-lock containers at big lots. A rather large container was $3. Half of a large lock-n-lock. I bought 3 sizes and they all seemed ok. I have to admit we never did place them but i used them in my kitchen! LoL. I think they would have worked nicely.

 

A couple of weeks ago i found another kind of imitation lock-n-lock at Dollar Tree. These withstood my [stupid] squeeze test. (Well, all but the round in which i have never liked a round, lock-n-lock or otherwise.) I purchased several of them. I found two sizes besides the round. I submerged one for maybe an hour. It stayed dry.

 

I sanded and painted a couple. They took nicely. I tried to scratch paint off with my fingernail and none came off. One is in the field already.

 

 

The only thing that i didn't like was that the lid is flimsier. I don't think i would put this in direct sunlight, but i do think it will hold up ok in the field. I figured that if they didn't work for placing our caches they would certainly work for a temporary field replacement container for that cache that really needs it.

 

I also stumbled upon some Farberware copies at Big Lots for $2. I picked out some that passed the squeeze test. I have not submerged them but they seem pretty sturdy.

 

 

Have you tried any imitations?

[+L0ne.R]

I recently found a cache hidden in a hollow log in a bog - a wet location. The container was a lock n lock. One of the tabs had broken off thus not ensuring a tight seal. The contents were wet. I have used lock n locks for years and never had a tab come off so I thought this was odd. I turned the box over to check for the manufacturer's stamp - it was a dollarama knockoff.

[+Taoiseach]

^^ That's been exactly what my experience has been... ^^

 

They work for a little while, but the tabs eventually start coming off, one by one - Even with not that many finders

[Mr.Yuck]

Yep, I was pimping Farberware in these forums a month or two ago. It's a reputable company that's been in business for 100 years. I had a Farberware lock-n-lock clone that someone replaced at a "lower elevation" than it was placed, and it became submerged in water and then encased in ice! Came out bone dry after the thaw. This was only about 6-8 weeks ago.

 

I'd never use anything from Dollar Tree as a cache container though. I've also seen some poor quality lock-n-lock clones used as cache containers in Canada.

[+Durango633]

I think it is better to start a cache with a high quality lock-n-lock container. It will save you time and money in the future.

[+Star*Hopper]

Yep, I was pimping Farberware in these forums a month or two ago. It's a reputable company that's been in business for 100 years. I had a Farberware lock-n-lock clone that someone replaced at a "lower elevation" than it was placed, and it became submerged in water and then encased in ice! Came out bone dry after the thaw. This was only about 6-8 weeks ago.

 

I'd never use anything from Dollar Tree as a cache container though. I've also seen some poor quality lock-n-lock clones used as cache containers in Canada.

Oh gosh - thanx for reminding me. I said I'd post the results (that other thread) when these came out in the spring thaw:

They're the Faberware, bought from the Family Dollar, roughly half the price of equivalent L&L's.

For test, they were left outside right under the eaves so rain would runoff directly onto them - the smaller one upside down so its lid's seal was fully exposed, in fact caught & held the runoff. Snowed on 3 times, several nights of freezing temps (& water expands while freezing, mind you), & rained on I don't know how many times. Contents were a couple sheets of toilet tissue & a Sweet-n-Low packet in each. On day of retrieval, contents were all bone-dry, including the sweetener which was opened & poured into my morning coffee in fine powdered form, without even a suggestion of a single lump! Sure passed my test! I've got a couple now all 'dressed up' & that'll be hittin' the field, soon.

 

And another reminder that I personally pimp on - made rat cheer in da good ol' US of A, not China, as those blue-sealed thingys are.

 

~*

[Clan Riffster]

On the topic of L&L clones:

Target is selling a similar container made by Sterilite.

http://www.sterilite.com/Category.html?Sec...ctCategory=163#

I bought a set as a test, and ended up giving them all to my wife for kitchen use.

They are almost as crappy as Gladware.

[+Knight2000]

At the least the Dollar Tree kind will work as temporary cache replacements while caching. I have one out now but it has replaced a cache placed 4 years ago. It wont be getting very many visits. We'll see. It is in a cache we adopted by our home so i dont have any problem keeping an eye on it. We hate wet caches as much as everybody else!

 

I didnt consider the ones from Target. That flap on the lid is what made that decision easy.

 

I have seen some red gasket knock offs at dollar tree. They were so crappy i didnt even try them. We have all seen crazy caches that these dollar store containers beat though. We have some caches near us that are school art boxes wrapped in half a dozen ziplocs. Its a newer cacher and i am certain they meant well. Their camo jobs are great though. My least favorite is a rusty skoal can. Yuck!

[+AstroDav]

My least favorite is a rusty skoal can. Yuck!

 

I've ran into a few caches around here that use the plastic snap-on lid Skoal cans. They seem to work about 2.5 on a scale of 5....can do WAY better, but also WAY worse. From what I've noticed, although I've never tried them & won't (I dip Copenhagen....still in the BETTER paper cans ), they are at their best when top-side up. A little flange sheds water out over the bottom part of can. Sideways is 2nd. Top-down is worst. That same little flange will HOLD a bit of water, eventually allowing it to at least form moisture inside the can, even if it doesn't actually leak.

 

On the Farberware, with the red seal, I have noticed that several of them out of a certain number (1 out of 5 seems about right) will either not lock at all, or lock so easily that the flap pops off the ear-thingy at the slightest touch. The local $$-store was having a 75% off sale on the ones out of a shipment they received which were like this. That made them about 25 cents to $1.00, depending upon size. Even with the bad locking mechanism, I thought this might be a really cheap way to waste some time.

 

I bought 2 of the very smallest & 4 of the medium size.....all they had left. The really thin & large ones, about the size of 4 sandwiches placed side-by-side, just didn't look like a good cache-size, so I left them alone.

 

I did manage to get them fixed though....just haven't tried them out in the field yet. Only did "kitchen-testing" . In that, they performed fine, but not as good as original L&L's. This ISN'T a time-efficient way of doing things, so don't think I'm trying to claim that. It may prove to not even be cost-efficient, if the tabs start snapping off as I've read they will do. But what I did was simply a fun little project to see if I could repair them & make them work. Here's what I did:

 

1. I identified 3 major problems. One was that the "ear" that the flaps latch over was slightly bent upward, towards the open top of the container. Two was that the bottom edge of the hole in the flanges was too flat, where it should have had a slight angle to it, so as to "snap" over the rounded bottom of the ear & then stay put there....requiring pressure to unsnap it over that rounded part. Three was that the flange on the bottom piece was going too far up into the slot with the rubber seal...or more corectly, the rubber seal was too short/skinny/thin.

 

Solutions. One = take wirepliers & GENTLY, CAREFULLY, & GRADUALLY bend the ear downwards, just a tiny bit at a time & at several points along the length of the ear. Applying a bit of heat to the ear might have worked well, but I didn't go to that much trouble. You don't want to over-do it & snap the ear off....but you do want to get it sticking straight out from the side of the box, not bent upwards. Two = Using a sharp knife, or maybe a file, slope the lower part of the slot in the flaps towards the outside. You want to leave the INSIDE edge of this slope the same height as original. The outside edge should be about 1/16th inch lower. Three = Pull the seal out & dab a spot of clear silicone down in that groove about every 1/2" around the perimeter. Not too much, but not too little either. Then place the seal back in & push it back down into the groove until it's just about 3/4 of the way "buried". Don't push it all the way till silicone starts squirting out from around it.

 

Now, last thing. Before the silicone dries, put the lid on, gently push the 2 parts of the container together, then lock the flaps down. Leave it like this until it dries....overnight is good. If you got the right amount of silicone in the groove, it should pretty much squish into an even layer beneath the seal & not squeeze any excess out. This "right amount" will also keep any from trying to glue the lid to the seal....none of mine had that problem.

 

Next day, you have a customized off-brand Lock-&-Lock which seals firmly, stays that way, & has a nice satisfying "pop" when the now-angled flap slides over the ears. The only problem I ran across on any of these is that I wanted to make SURE it was sealing really well. So I might have overdid it a bit & now it takes a few seconds of finessing to get the latches engaged. They don't work as smooth & quick as the actual L&L's.

 

But I bet they don't leak & that's the important part. Whether the flaps survive very long is yet to be seen. But regardless, they were dirt-cheap & was actually a fun little late-night project to pass the time.

[+swizzle]

I fell victim to a 3 pack of big lots lock n locks. I thought it was a great deal. 3 containers for $5. When I got home I started to set one up as a cache and 2 of the flaps wouldn't stay down. I flipped the lid around and it locked. The hinge is really poor and thin. None of them would last a NY winter. I did find a home for the largest one though. I found a cache that needed some maintance. I found the cache, removed all the contents, dried it out ect.. Then I put the lock n lock contents and all inside the ammo can. Great for a little extra protection but not good at all on its own. I had to draw a set of arrows on 2 sides to make sure people put the lid back on right or its useless. On that container I took a good look at the gasket and it was twisted. I had to take it out and put it back in right before I could get it to lock down in the first place. I saw the ones at the dollar store too. Had 2 of them in my cart when I was testing a third. I was just trying to get the ear to lock on and it busted right off. I wasn't even being mean to it yet. The first lock n locks I bought were from wally world. I've only had problems with one and that was a busted ear. I have one thats been out in the woods for 3 years now and its still going strong as far as I know. I'll be checking on that one this weekend. Swizzle

[+briansnat]

On the topic of L&L clones:

Target is selling a similar container made by Sterilite.

http://www.sterilite.com/Category.html?Sec...ctCategory=163#

I bought a set as a test, and ended up giving them all to my wife for kitchen use.

They are almost as crappy as Gladware.

 

I was checking these and the Rubbermaid version out in the store. They appear to be nearly identical.

I wasn't impressed. The locking mechanism didn't seem to hold real well in the store so I can't see them

holding well in the wild.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Today's society has somehow come to the conclusion that cheaper is better. With EVERYTHING!

 

Found some time ago this is not usually the case (even tho my parents, bless them) tried to teach me well, so I guess I really knew better anyway.

 

For quite a while now, I have been boycotting junk junk junk junk, manufactured somewhere I won't name. I mean come on....... if the food or medicine components aren't outright poison, it is contaminated (intentionally or otherwise), the batteries explode, or perhaps the kiddie toys are lead-base painted. I won't even touch on the copyright invasion/theft matter (guess I just did, what?). Yes I will! I saw billions of copies of copyright theft during the '70's when I was in that area the world. Since then, I have tooted the horn to all I know, and as many as I can reach -- buy quality, you'll be happier in the long run!

[+fegan]

On the topic of L&L clones:

Target is selling a similar container made by Sterilite.

I bought a set as a test, and ended up giving them all to my wife for kitchen use.

They are almost as crappy as Gladware.

 

My local supplier (KMart) is going out of business and all the L&L were gone from the shelves before I had a chance to grab some.

 

So, where are you finding L&L these days?

[+DragonsWest]

Good that this thread was started and contains so much information on these pretenders.

 

I recently bought some Lock & Locks for food and to examine toward caching ends. A co-worker indicated I could buy some at the 'dollar store' and save $$. Looks like I'll save $$ by leaving them at the 'dollar store'

[+Teddy2k]

So, where are you finding L&L these days?

 

Up here in Canada, I always buy mine from Walmart. They sell an 18pc set (9 bottoms, 9 lids), which periodically goes on sale for $9.99. Can't beat that price for the real deal!

Edited August 7, 2009 by Teddy2k

[+AstroDav]

Many places sell them on-line also. If you search up about 6-8 "geocache supply" locations & do some comparison, you'll find a couple that are VERY reasonably priced.

[+Mosaic55]

On the topic of L&L clones:

Target is selling a similar container made by Sterilite.

http://www.sterilite.com/Category.html?Sec...ctCategory=163#

I bought a set as a test, and ended up giving them all to my wife for kitchen use.

They are almost as crappy as Gladware.

 

Walmart is now selling some Sterilite containers that look similar but they do not have the silly vent hole, so maybe they are better? I bought 2, filled them with water, closed up and then shook them. No leakage. They looked a little better than the Rubbermaid locking containers also on display at the store.

Worth trying maybe?

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Of course you can use it. But the locking tabs will not last too long if it is a busy cache.

 

Keep a close eye on them as routine maintenance.

 

I checked them, and even emailed to company to see if perhaps they would make some "just a little better".

 

Their response was (paraphrased):

 

We are happy you like our product........

 

GMAB.

[+Mini-Geek]

I have tested, and now have out in the field, a "Tesco Klipfresh Food-saver 1.1L"

 

Click Here for the product page.

 

I tested it by submersing it in a bucket full of water held down by a brick, I had it under water for 2 hours, and it was bone dry. I have had it out in the field for a couple of weeks now, with no complaints in the online logs about a wet cache.

Edited February 21, 2010 by Mini-Geek

[+atmospherium]

I placed a small Rubbermaid Lock-It container out in the field in October. It's been rained and snowed upon several times since then. I checked it a week ago and it's still perfectly dry.

 

Now that I've found a place to get LocknLocks locally I'll probably replace it, but so far so good after 25 finds.

[+hofy67]

All the L&L at retailers around here have been replaced by the cheap stuff.

Not only was I using the L&L for caches but in the kitchen too.

 

My findings on the clones are pretty much the same as everyone elses, they just will not hold up.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Ya know -- there is a reason they are cheaper.

 

Just about the case with any "copy".

[+GMartinTX]

I just don't have faith in ANY of the L & L type containers. The weakest point in the system is the small area of plastic which make up the hinges. In the cold, they will be brittle and prone to breakage. In the Texas heat, they will lose their tension due to stretching. Either scenario will compromise the seal. I have one in the field, but it was just to see what all the fuss was about.

[+goosefraba1]

There is normally a good supply of L&L's at JCPenny's ... I saw a 20 piece set there about 2 months ago for $25 I think... and they were the L&&L brand.

[+carolnbarney]

Looking at/thinking about some Rubbermaid style locking containers to use since they have them on the shelf at the local grocery store near my house. I've seen them mentioned twice here with one person actually using that brand. That one person seemed to have no problems with them. Are there "any more" users of Rubbermaid lock/lock containers that would like to weigh in one way or the other about them before I buy some??

[+frinklabs]

I have been using something available up here (but from down there) called Snapware. No problems so far (*knocks on wood*).

 

They have their own website

 

http://www.snapware.com/

 

EDIT: they also hold the camo paint very well, after a wash/abrading with an SOS pad:

 

Edited February 21, 2010 by frinklabs

[GOF and Bacall]

I just don't have faith in ANY of the L & L type containers. The weakest point in the system is the small area of plastic which make up the hinges. In the cold, they will be brittle and prone to breakage. In the Texas heat, they will lose their tension due to stretching. Either scenario will compromise the seal. I have one in the field, but it was just to see what all the fuss was about.

 

Say what you will the genuine LnLs work well. I have had exactly the same number of them fail as I have ammo cans. One of each.

[+secretagentbill]

I recently found a cache hidden in a hollow log in a bog - a wet location. The container was a lock n lock. One of the tabs had broken off thus not ensuring a tight seal. The contents were wet. I have used lock n locks for years and never had a tab come off so I thought this was odd. I turned the box over to check for the manufacturer's stamp - it was a dollarama knockoff.

fwiw, one of the last brand name Lock-n-lock I found was also missing a tab or two.

[Mr.Yuck]

Thus far, best I can tell, this particular thread has not had any of the "genuine Lock-n-Lock only" posters. My guess is The Lock-n-Lock company's patent has run out on snap-lock gasketed plastic containers. Not unlike when the Pringles patent ran out, and everyone started making Potato Chips in a tube. I'm no lawyer, but I absolutely do play one on the internet.

 

I can only speak for Farberware, a 100 year old company. This stuff is good. I had one that was submerged under ice for a week after a thawing/re-freezing cycle, and it came out of it just fine. I'm quite certain other well known companies like Sterlite and Rubbermaid have engineers competent enough to design gasketed snap lock containers.

 

Now something you never heard of in the dollar store, no, I wouldn't go for that.

[+Mosaic55]

Ya know -- there is a reason they are cheaper.

 

Just about the case with any "copy".

 

The Sterilite containers really aren't cheaper, they seem to be about the same as L'n'L

20 pieces, 20 bucks http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-20-Pie...ge-Set/11018654

16 to 20 pieces, 20 bucks http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/X5.aspx?DeptI...tId=57089|57351

 

I'm more interested in Sterilite because they are a bit easier to find in local stores and they are (mostly) made in USA, "made in U.S.A. with imported gasket" according to the label.

[+mikemtn]

Snapware made in the USA if anybody but me cares.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Yep, I was pimping Farberware in these forums a month or two ago. It's a reputable company that's been in business for 100 years. I had a Farberware lock-n-lock clone that someone replaced at a "lower elevation" than it was placed, and it became submerged in water and then encased in ice! Came out bone dry after the thaw. This was only about 6-8 weeks ago.

 

I'd never use anything from Dollar Tree as a cache container though. I've also seen some poor quality lock-n-lock clones used as cache containers in Canada.

I had the same thoughts on the Farberware. Picked up a few for my brother to try. If they hold up, they are a good deal for the size. I once found real Lock-n-Locks at Dollar tree but that was a ling time ago.

[+Vater_Araignee]

OK, I found some knock offs at the $ store called Maxi Lock.

Put sand in it, placed it in, a bowel, filled it with water and and left it for a day.

FAIL

Replaced seal with less than 25¢ of silicone and repeated.

PASS

Stuck everything in the freezer till I had a solid block and let it thaw.

PASS, but I also killed a lock-n-lock like this.

Refroze it then dropped it.

FAIL, but I haven't had a single plastic container survive.

Filled completely full of water and froze.

FAIL, I expected the lid to come off, it didn't, it cracked the container but stayed locked

Locked and unlocked a tab 50 times as fast as possible.

PASS, I couldn't even see stress. Keep in mind that 50 times in 90 seconds is more stressful than 10 times a day for five days.

50 more times.

PASS

100

PASS, I gave up. If something survives 100 openings in the wild I'm happy and 200 I'm twice as happy.

Freeze tab stress test.

PASS.

 

In my opinon, if Lock-n-Lock is an 8 out of 10 container then Maxi Lock is 7 because I dont like the locking design as much as LnL.

Factor in price and Maxi is an 8.

[+dfx]

mixed experiences here, most of the time the seal itself is fine, but either the flaps don't close properly and will open up by themselves because they're too loose, or the flaps will eventually break off the lid, or the plastic is too thin and will break. YMMV though.

[+dfx]

double post due to timeout. fscking forum.

Edited March 14, 2010 by dfx

[+DarkZen]

I've ran into some fake L&Ls around here with broken parts or wet logs. I even used one myself once. Never again!

 

Here's the thing for me, the cost for the real deal is more than off-set for me by saving me maintenance runs and gas getting there. If you place backcountry caches as I do, maintenance is a nightmare.

[+Wooden Cyclist]

I hid GC2105W This Is Only A Test to test a cheap Lock & Lock knockoff. Its been out since November 13 so I can't say the results are in, but it spent at least 2 months covered with snow.. The latest log states that the contents are dry. So far so good.

[+Vater_Araignee]

I hid GC2105W This Is Only A Test to test a cheap Lock & Lock knockoff. Its been out since November 13 so I can't say the results are in, but it spent at least 2 months covered with snow.. The latest log states that the contents are dry. So far so good.

whats its brand name?

[+GeoGeeBee]

OK, I found some knock offs at the $ store called Maxi Lock.

Put sand in it, placed it in, a bowel, filled it with water and and left it for a day.

 

 

That must have hurt!

[+Vater_Araignee]

OK, I found some knock offs at the $ store called Maxi Lock.

Put sand in it, placed it in, a bowel, filled it with water and and left it for a day.

 

 

That must have hurt!

didn't say it was mine or even living.

[+bittsen]

What really sucks is when you actually dream about testing different brands of lockable containers.

 

For what it's worth, the Gladware lockable containers didn't pass my tests in my dream. They had some pretty unique containers but none of them held the seal tight enough to the rim of the container. Someone (again, in the dream) was supplying gasket upgrades for them though so they were usable. The locks were real hinges, not just softer plastic.

 

At least that dream was followed by a really cool and enjoyable one that had nothing to do with containers.

[+Vater_Araignee]

What really sucks is when you actually dream about testing different brands of lockable containers.

 

For what it's worth, the Gladware lockable containers didn't pass my tests in my dream. They had some pretty unique containers but none of them held the seal tight enough to the rim of the container. Someone (again, in the dream) was supplying gasket upgrades for them though so they were usable. The locks were real hinges, not just softer plastic.

 

At least that dream was followed by a really cool and enjoyable one that had nothing to do with containers.

Great! Now you have me 'wanting to' buy some of those tiny jewelry case hinges and see what I can do with them on a LnL.

 

~~~edit That was the most word skipping I have done in ages~~~

~~~and it still wont teach me not to talk to the kids when writing~~~

Edited March 15, 2010 by Vater_Araignee

[+BCSasquatch]

Lock & Lock for the win... only because I have not found anything better yet.

 

I have been trying a several different containers for future hides and the only ones I have found so far that inspire confidence are the actual Lock & Locks. The rest seem flimsy for any of the reasons already stated above.

 

In my caching pack, I have other small items organized in a couple of L&L containers. Works great. They stack in nicely side by side and keep my stuff very well organized and dry, and keeps my pack fairly squared so other items pack more easily.

 

The caches I can think of that I have found that were damp and in need of attention were all non-L&L containers. Either L&L knock-offs, or screw-on lids with no O-ring of any kind.

 

I also use these things for a number of purposes besides Geocaching.

 

First aid kit - even if I fall in the river, my first aid supplies are dry and usable.

Emergency fire starter kit (holds tinder, kindling, and flame / spark generators)

Spare socks, wool gloves, and a touque - again, if I fall in the river, this stuff is dry and usable and may well stave off hypothermia.

My carving knives and loose Dremmel bits (not carried usually)

Basically anything that I want to stay dry and organized.

 

I won't compromise on quality when I'm relying on a device to do its job to possibly save my bacon. In the very least I don't want to have to replace a cache container repeatedly because I'm too cheap to spend the extra $3 on a proper container.

 

lol ... i can't believe I'm even having a part in a plastic container discussion, but more alarming is that I know where to get the good ones, how much they cost, and why the others are inferior. There was a time when my buddies would have me in a headlock for this, now they tell me when they see them on sale

 

For the record, Walmart up here in Canuckia has the best price around on authentic L&L.

[+chachi44089]

I recently bought 4 of these stainless steel water bottles.They are all over ebay for various prices.For the price i think they are great.Screw on cap with o-ring seal.Water-tight.Cant fit big stuff in them tho. http://cgi.ebay.com/NIB-12-oz-Wide-Mouth-S...=item20affcf8d8

[+bittsen]

I recently bought 4 of these stainless steel water bottles.They are all over ebay for various prices.For the price i think they are great.Screw on cap with o-ring seal.Water-tight.Cant fit big stuff in them tho. http://cgi.ebay.com/NIB-12-oz-Wide-Mouth-S...=item20affcf8d8

That would be good for the water cache I want to place this summer. It would be insane to try to place it now. The water is a nice warm 36°F.

[+Pax42]

I'll give another vote to Snapware Mods containers. I've purchased several multi piece sets on Ebay. I paint them with fusion camo and haven't had one fail yet.

[+chachi44089]

I recently bought 4 of these stainless steel water bottles.They are all over ebay for various prices.For the price i think they are great.Screw on cap with o-ring seal.Water-tight.Cant fit big stuff in them tho. http://cgi.ebay.com/NIB-12-oz-Wide-Mouth-S...=item20affcf8d8

That would be good for the water cache I want to place this summer. It would be insane to try to place it now. The water is a nice warm 36°F.

Go for it..lol..name it "Polar Bear Plunge"..brrrrrrr

[+popokiiti]

Tried the Rubbermaid imitation in a store....don't seem quite so sturdy to me. We'll use our supply of L&Ls we got on sale (50% off) from W-M last year.