Product Test: Pelican 1560 SC Camera Case

By Billy Rainford

All photos from www.pelicancases.com

The Pelican 1560 SC Camera Case.

One of the really cool things about this job is getting the chance to try out amazing products available to us. I happen to be a photographer and, as such, things like camera cases are extremely important to me. Even if you only dabble in the photography world, you know the question of how to transport the equipment is paramount.

I’ve always been a backpack sort of guy but was secretly jealous of those I’d see at events towing really solid-looking and roomy camera cases. More often than not, the case they were pulling was either a Pelican 1560 SC specifically or it was some form of Pelican case.

I look at it like this: I used to race triathlons ‘back in the day’ and had to fly with my race bike from time to time. Getting an expensive bike to a faraway place became a bit of a chore. I would usually try to find the smallest bag or case I could to get the job done. For some unknown reason, I figured the smaller the container the better.

One year, I was off to Hawaii for a race and a friend said that I could borrow their bigger case that rolled along the ground. It sounded cumbersome but once I had packed my bike and all my gear into it, it became the airline’s problem not mine. It was easy to roll through the airport and wasn’t bouncing off my leg the whole time. Once I arrived at my destination, I simply rolled it into the van and then the hotel room where it was easily unpacked.

The point I’m making here is that the bigger bike case ended up being much simpler to use and easier to transport. The same exact thing can be said with camera cases. I don’t carry the backpack around the races with me, so getting ALL my gear there the easiest way is…well, the easiest way.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes a small backpack is all you need (and Pelican makes lots of those to choose from too!) but when you need to be sure you haven’t left anything behind, the bigger case that holds it all is definitely the way to go. I can remember many nights sitting on my living room floor going through my gear trying to sort out what I could leave behind so I could fit it all in my backpack. Yes, I’ve been to a lot of events where I’ve realized – too late – that I’d forgotten an integral part.

The Pelican 1560 SC has room for everything you’ll need.

The Pelican 1560 SC has room for just about everything you’ll need. Yes, if you have lighting equipment to bring along you’ll need that bag too, but that is rarely the case on race day. My laptop even fits in that handy section on the lid!

Here are the specs directly from the Pelican website:

Pelican 1560SC Case

Special interior includes padded divider insert and LOC lid organizer

The Pelican 1560SC is a rugged case made from ultra-high impact structural copolymer shell. It comes with a padded divider set and LOC lid organizer. The ultimate protection for your items; the Pelican 1560 case is chemical resistant, corrosion resistant, airtight, watertight, and dust proof.

PADDED DIVIDER SET & LOC LID ORGANIZER

The padded dividers are a great flexible and customizable solution. Made from foam, ballistic nylon, and Velcro edges, re-positioning these dividers into the spaces you need is easy.

Colors: Black, Desert Tan, OD Green

What’s Included?

• Pelican 1560 Case
• 1565 Padded Divider Set
• LOC Lid Organizer
• Lifetime Warranty

Being involved in a sport like motocross, the lifetime warranty is definitely an asset. You can be as careful as you want, but there will come a day when anything you bring to a dirt bike track will get bounced around harder and dirtier than intended. The wheels on this case are rugged and I really can’t see any circumstance where this bulletproof case will be pushed past its limits, but it’s nice to know they stand behind it anyway.

The Pelican 1560 SC rolls along behind you as easily as any small suitcase.

The retractable handle unhooks and slides out with ease allowing you to pull all your gear effortlessly behind you. The wheels even roll over the rough terrain of a motocross track without difficulty.

Did I mention this thing is even watertight?! No, you’ll probably never be so careless with all your camera and video equipment that you’d leave it out in the rain, but it’s nice to know that if it’s sitting behind your vehicle and a motocross mechanic happens to be washing a race bike in close proximity your stuff is safe due to the waterproof polymer O-Ring.

Waterproof is one thing, but the fact that this feature also makes it dustproof means it’s perfect for long days at the track.

And while it’s sitting out there, it’s also nice to have the security of having the case locked. This thing is so strong it would take someone a very long time to get into it if you didn’t want them to. Its 2 padlockable hasps do the trick nicely.

Conclusion:

The Pelican 1560 SC Camera Case will be with me at the races for the foreseeable future. Knowing I have room for everything will make packing for the races much less stressful. This thing is built to last and the fact that there is a lifetime warranty makes this case very attractive to anyone who spends time in the grueling conditions of motocross races.

The fully adjustable Velcro padded dividers make any arrangement of photo gear fit perfectly. Like I said, now my problem is filling the thing up! It will be fun to fix this ‘issue’ in the future.

Be sure to head over to www.pelicancases.com to find the dealer closest to you. They have a full range of products to suit every level of photographer or videographer.