To me, there were no alternatives. No other case system that I know of can match Pelican's build, durability, and ruggedness. DIY solutions were out of the question. Yes, I've tried sandwiching my gear between clean T shirts in a hard case. It's easy to pull stuff out, but tedious to put them back, as you would have to readjust your DIY dividers.
I don't have that problem now that I picked up a Pelican. Gear is easily accessible - going out, and back in.
This system does everything you would ever want from a hard case. It stores your gear, transports your gear, all while keeping everything well protected. As a plus, I can use this for extra height during shoots, since I can stand on it no problem. I do have a couple of things that stand out to me though.
-It's HEAVY! I know, it can't be helped. If you lighten it, you take away from its sturdiness. I was surprised how heavy it was when it arrived at my door. I try to work around this by storing this on ground level - under my bed frame. I only complain about its weight when on stairs or other times when I can't roll it on its wheels.
-Padded dividers are difficult to adjust. My advice is that you take your time when you customize the compartments. All padding is attached from three sides, which means that you have three parts which can stick on by accident and cause frustration. And in case you have to detach and reattach because the measurements don't work, well.. that takes a while. It took me a good 40-60 minutes to get everything in the way I wanted it to.
-Not enough to store everything I want! I'm not talking about volume. I'm sure I can stuff everything in the case, but if I want everything organized and protected, there aren't really enough dividers. The limit here is the number of compartments. This makes it a challenge to fit everything you'd want to go in. Maybe I just have a lot.. You may have to get pretty creative about what goes where. I have to put my extra camera batteries in the same compartment as the nifty-fifty. I suppose this is where the lid organizer would help. The organizer adds extra compartments to your case. You can put your accessories in the organizer and use the precious padded space for more important gear. My gripe with the lid organizer though is that it takes the place of your egg crate foam. It worries me to think that my camera body or lenses might knock against my battery chargers.
All in all, the design is very good. It comes with some "problems," but I understand that working around those "problems" would cause compromises in the design.
There is a newer model of this item:
PELICAN 1514HKBK Medium Waterproof Hard Case, Divider Type, Black, 5.8 gal (22.3 L)
$1,059.02
(2)
Usually ships within 5 to 6 days
$1,059.02
(2)
Usually ships within 5 to 6 days
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Reviews with images
Deceivingly spacious - perfect for camera gear
First off, I should mention that I bought this case specifically for photography gear. I'm a wedding/event photographer and need to transport my gear to/from locations and wanted something a bit more durable and easier to work out of. My goal was to be able to put my more expensive primary items in this case, while still using my backpack for outdoor (mobile) shooting.When I first unboxed the case, I thought I was going to have to buy a larger one. I was pleasantly surprised with how much gear I was able to fit after spending a morning carefully breaking away the pre-cut cube foam. Keep this in mind. You will need to sit yourself down for several hours carefully shaping the foam. I found it quite enjoyable despite the fact that I watched Manchester United lose (again) while doing this. Just take your time and try to leave about 2 layers of foam between the heavier items.FYI: Inspect the foam grid before you start breaking out the pieces you don't need! There is a seam that runs along the middle in the horizontal and vertical directions that is slightly wider than the pre-cut squares. It's hard to explain, but you'll notice it if you just take one close look. I would suggest you try to leave these 2 seams untouched as they will give the foam a tiny bit more rigidity.For reference, here's the gear that I'm storing in this case:- Canon 1D-series body (w/ eyepiece extender and an Arca Swiss plate plus CustomSLR C-loop on bottom)- Canon 6D body (w/ eyepiece extender and CustomSLR C-loop on bottom)- 24-70mm 2.8L lens w/ hood attached- 135mm 2.0L lens w/ hood attached- 16-35mm f/2.8L *without the hood* or 35mm f/1.4L lens- 3 Canon Speedlites (more on this below)***- Some slots plucked out for smaller items (16 AA batteries, extra 1D battery, extra 6D battery, 6D charger, 3 Speedlite shoes, 8 card SD card holder.I work out of this case when I'm on location. If I'm going to go mobile, I'll pick out what I need and throw it in my backpack.***Note retarding Speedlites: I have 600EX's. This case is about 1/4" too shallow to place them vertically. If you could, there would be even more space for gear. I have 2 of the flashes laying on top of each other and the 3rd is placed in a slot where the head is tilted in the 90-degree position. If you have 580EX (or something other) check the length. If they are at least 1/4 inch shorter when the head is pointed directly up, this case will hold a bit more gear.After thinking about the purchase of this specific case a bit more, I will likely buy a second identical one so I have a place for the rest of my photography related gear (brackets, extra card holders, 70-200 f2.8L IS lens, 1D series body charger (which is big), AA chargers, etc.)I'm not going to question the durability of any Pelican case. I have 2 others that I've been using for many years and they are as close to indestructible as you can get. It's a very safe purchase that will last a very long time. Keep in mind that these cases hold their value should you decide to sell it a year or 3 down the road.I'll snap a photo of my layout and upload it here ASAP.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2012
Color: BlackStyle: With Padded DividersVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2013
Color: BlackStyle: With Padded DividersVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Patricia
No dividers
Reviewed in Canada on November 10, 2021Color: BlackStyle: With Trekpack and FoamVerified Purchase
Eddy Rojas
Unmatched PELICAN quality!!!
Reviewed in the United Arab Emirates on July 10, 2024Color: Desert TanStyle: With FoamVerified Purchase
Anonymous User
Built like a tank
Reviewed in Canada on May 30, 2020Color: BlackStyle: With FoamVerified Purchase
R. Ocampo
Another Pelican Case for my Headphone collection
Reviewed in Canada on April 20, 2020Color: BlackStyle: With Padded DividersVerified Purchase
Thomas H
Great Solid Built Case
Reviewed in Canada on August 15, 2019Color: Desert TanStyle: With FoamVerified Purchase
Thomas H
Reviewed in Canada on August 15, 2019
I am flying with it for the first time this weekend - and in the event, I am asked to check it at the gate, I would have no worries about the safety of my gear. Part of me wishes I had purchased a slightly larger one, just to fit a bit more gear - but the ability to use it as a carry-on is certainly preferred.
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