A long time ago I bought a black Pelican case. Hard, durable, rigid plastic, it was, and remains, the ultimate protection for camera equipment. Not only can it safely go in the hold of any aircraft, it can be slung in the back of a vibrating swinging helicopter. The cases can be dropped, even driven over, but most important of all for me: they are more than just waterproof, they are buoyant. For a photographer that spends quite a lot of time on the water, sometimes in quite challenging conditions, this is a huge advantage. I won’t forget that dreadful sight of my Peli case, filled with cameras and lenses, flying past my leg and out to sea from the deck of the Cowes Week press boat as we weaved and banged our way out to the start of the Fastnet Yacht Race. I just caught a glimpse as it went over the side, a burial at sea, when seconds later it popped up cheerfully riding a wave almost within grabbing reach of the boat. We banked hard, turned and I scooped the Peli case out of the drink. All was fine – all equipment safe – quite a testament to these remarkable cases. The Peli, as the marketing people say, is the “ultimate” in camera cases.
However black Peli cases are a mistake, especially if you look forward to a smooth and rapid transit through U.S. customs. They come in all sorts of wonderful bright colours, but I made the error of choosing black. They are, without doubt, a U.S. customs magnet. If I have one on the airport trolley, I know I will be stopped. No doubt about it. It took me a long time to find out why my beloved black Peli case is quite so attractive to the boys that protect the homeland, but eventually I discovered the secret. It was after a long queue at Los Angeles, standing behind excited Brazilians, laden with cardboard boxes held together with gaffer tape, doubtlessly containing rare monkey skins, or perhaps cocaine stuffed toy elephants, I decided to put the question. After all, the customs officer had been through all of my cameras and obtained advice on what camera he should buy his wife, even tried out all the lenses. I felt I was owed a little something in return.
“So what is it about the case?” I asked. “I have never walked through customs in the U.S. without being stopped when I have this case on my trolley. Doesn’t the X-ray machine penetrate it?”
A big broad smile broke across the officer’s face. He gestured behind his long bench. He cracked open the door and I looked behind him to catch a glimpse of five black Peli cases, not unlike mine, but a little longer. Good choice of cases, I noted. Best strong bags made. I love mine. Then he stepped inside to open one. Where I had lenses, camera bodies and lights, there were nestling in the foam, a rack of three submachine guns. The answer: for customs men the black Peli case is a gun case. Now, wouldn’t you want to just take a look inside if one came past you on duty at the airport?
The true disadvantage of this great bag is in the very nature of its construction, it’s hard, awkward to carry, needs a trolley to move it, and would be very difficult to carry around on a shoot. So Peli themselves have come up with a brand new option. They have just launched a soft sided series of bags modelled very much on the modern suitcases made for airline travel. They have a handle that extends at the top and small wheels at the bottom of a beautifully made multi-pocketed vast bag that would certainly not ever pass for hand luggage.
It’s constructed out of water resistant PVC coated Ballistic Nylon for strength and durability, and packed with high density foam for protecting all the gear. It comes with a removable tray with handles, and multiple padded dividers that could hold all sorts of equipment. Sitting on top of this huge bag is a joined flip top series of compartments with top and bottom zip for easy access, mesh pockets on the inside lid and removable and adjustable dividers. It seems the designers thought of everything.
The only problem in my mind is: who on earth is it made for? It’s too big and heavy to carry around on a shoot, and those small wheels bounce and vibrate all the equipment too much to be used anywhere other than on a smooth airport concourse. It can’t go on as hand luggage because it’s just too big. It can’t go in the hold because it has no rigid protection, and magnificently constructed as it is, unless it travelled by itself in its own purpose made hold, it would be crushed by all the other punters bags heaved upon it by unthinking and over worked airline baggage handlers.
This bag is neither light nor easy to carry, or even well protected. Just who did they have in mind to use it?
Release Date: 
