Pelican Brief

At the time I wrote last year’s blog titled “Organized Hoarding” I thought I had found the perfect backpack to carry my camera, my video equipment and all of their accessories. I still love that backpack when I need to carry gear a long distance, but I’m always looking for new storage solutions.

Pete’s Grandfather was always tasked holding his Grandmother’s purse. Well it turns out that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. When I’m on a photo mission I always hand my assistant Pete the extra large lens (Sigma 150-600mm) in its case as his personal item when we board the airplane. I’m not shy with instructions, either.

“Make sure you stand it upright!”

“Make sure you don’t forget it if you set it down!”

“Make sure you find a dry spot in the boat!”

Clearly, there had to be a bag, a case, a contraption that would house EVERYTHING so I wouldn’t have to rely upon him or boss him around so much.

After many Google searches and coming to terms with the price, I decided to purchase the Pelican Black 1510 case with TrekPak dividers and a mesh lid organizer. It seemed perfect, but I still took a while to convince myself. Did I need something so expensive and “professional”? After pulling the trigger, setting it up and traveling to Panama the answer was clear: “Why didn’t I purchase this sooner?”

I can confidently tell you that it is a far superior choice to my backpack for much of the travel we do (boat rides, bumpy jungle excursions, unpredictable weather conditions, etc).  With the TrekPak, I was able to organize all of my gear to my liking into one carry-on size case. I designed the layout with the easy-to-cut TrekPak dividers and if I need to change the design for added equipment or boredom there is ample amount of product to do so.

The Pelican 1510 case provides the following benefits:

• FAA maximum carry on size

• Retractable extension handle

• Strong polyurethane wheels with stainless steel bearings

• Easy open Double Throw latches

• Open cell core with solid wall design - strong, lightweight

• O-ring seal

• Automatic Pressure Equalization Valve

• Comfortable rubber over-molded top and side handles

• Stainless steel hardware and padlock protectors

• Pick N Pluck™ with convoluted lid foam [I chose to replace the foam with mesh lid organizer]

• Lifetime Guarantee of Excellence from Pelican Inc.

• Watertight, crush-proof, and dust-proof

I managed to fit the following into the case:

• Nikon D3500 with 18-55mm lens

• 70-300mm lens

• Sigma 150-600mm lens

• Large strap for camera

• Filters

• Battery charger for camera batteries

• Screwdriver kit

• Fishing license

• Memory cards in holder

• Business cards

• 2 external chargers

• USB sticks

• Solid 2 microphone for GoPro set

• Measuring tapes

• GoPro Hero 3

• GoPro Hero 6 Black

• GoPro Handler Floating Hand Grip x 2

• GoPro chest and hat harness

• GoPro Jaws Flex Clamp Mount x 2

• GoPro batteries x 6 and chargers

• Mini tripods x 2

• Yolotek power light

• Every adapter known to man

The case is a bit heavier than my backpack but that’s the price I paid for the additional protection. The fact that it’s watertight, crush-proof and dust-proof are the best features of all! Those characteristics were put to the test on our trip to Panama in April. It poured on our boat ride to the island lodge and then the luggage was loaded into dinghies and set on the sand and then stacked into wheelbarrows and brought to our rooms. All of my equipment was dry, undamaged and sand-free. With thousands of dollars worth of camera, video and accessories it’s nice to have the peace of mind that my gear is protected!

It’s carry-on sized but if you're forced to check it in (due to weight or puddle jumper sized airplanes), it’s nice to know it will be protected even if the baggage handlers are brutes.

Due to Pelican's sturdy construction and materials, you can expect it to be heavier than comparable soft-shelled carry-ons but that's the price for additional protection. It fits under most medium to large airline seats and into overhead bins.

I'm also short, so standing on (crush proof) it to capture better footage is a huge help. I know that I will be as safe as my equipment. There is a price tag for peace of mind and now Pete can bring on a personal item of his own as I have found my new assistant.