- Pelican cases are kept watertight through the use of a tongue and groove fit and a polymer o-ring.
- Pelican cases come standard with an Automatic Pressure Equalization Valve which releases built up air pressure while keeping water out.
- Pelican’s Pick N’Pluck foam lets you customize the interior.
- Stainless steel reinforced padlock protectors
- Single folding front handle
Product Description
Pelican Protector Cases are made with Copolymer Polypropylene, using an open cell core and solid wall construction, which is stronger and lighter that the competion. You can tell its a Pelican case by the distinctive “twin-ribbed” top surface. Stainless steel pins are used for hinges and handles. The new Double-Throw latches are much easier to open.
V. Parsons @ 4:10 pm
I wanted to take my camera equipment with me on an Ozark canoe float weekend, but needed a sturdy waterproof case to protect it against bumps and (especially) water. I ordered this case, and have been completely satisfied. I had no trouble customizing the foam padding to accommodate my Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi, a 100mm macro lens, a 18-55mm zoom lens, a 75-300mm zoom lens, a couple of spare batteries, two watches, and my car keys for this trip! The fully loaded case floated high in the water when I tested it. The latches took a fair amount of effort to open and close, but this was actually pretty reassuring when risking expensive equipment on the water. It opened and closed easily enough for me to manage while sitting in a canoe on a moving river without losing my paddle or my fishing rod. All of my camera equipment stayed dry and undamaged after spending two full days on the river. Had my canoe overturned, I have no doubt that my equipment would have been fine. That said, I should have bought the orange or yellow version rather than the black one as it would have been easier to find had I had such an accident.
Jason Heiss @ 4:10 pm
Like other Pelican cases I’ve owned this thing is built like a tank. The new latches are nice, it’s still a very solid operation to latch and unlatch the lid, but a bit easier now. The pluck-apart foam is great, makes for a very clean looking cavity to place your equipment.
I got this case for my Nikon D60 based on a review of a 1200 in a different color that said it fit the D40 (which is the same size as the D60). It’s a perfect fit in the horizontal directions, but I do wish it was a half inch taller, as the D60 pretty much compresses the foam all the way when closing the lid. Nikon lists the height of the D60 as 3.7″ and Pelican lists the interior height of the 1200 as 4.12″
Of course that’s not a defect with the case, I could have gone for the 1300 which is almost the same size in the horizontal directions but 2″ taller. Or the 1400 which is 1.5 – 2.5″ larger in the horizontal dimensions and 1″ taller. But my mom has the 1300 for her Canon XTi and it seems quite bulky, so I think the 1200 was the right choice. Pelican’s are rock solid so I don’t worry about the case getting crushed and squishing the camera.
Engineering Geek @ 4:57 pm
This case was ordered to hold some medical equipment that must travel with me on my about two-weeks-per-month business travel. The good part is that this case will probably survive falling into a black hole. The bad part is that it takes up half my carry-on suitcase. But that’s what you pay to have protection for expensive equipment.
Paul S Boyer @ 6:38 pm
I have owned a Pelican case for years. I cannot figure out why the O-ring is in the lid, and so flops loose when one tries to close the case. We replace the ring every year with an official Pelican O-ring, and it is always the same. Gravity just drops the ring out. It usually takes several tries to get the thing closed.
Second flaw is that the two snap closers are extremely tight in closing and in opening. I bang them with my fist to close them, and yank with all four fingers to get each one open. The sudden snap sends one’s hand into sharp parts of the case, causing minor injuries (cuts).
I really think that simple engineering could make a better design. There is no reason that the O-ring should not fit in place by its own friction.
The boxes are mostly waterproof, but we tested ours several times, and found that some water did get in if the case was dropped into the water.
The O-ring must be new every year, and must be well greased with silicon grease. Warning: silicon grease is not generally available in back areas. Look in professional plumbing stores in urban regions. Be sure to test your case with weights equivalent to the items you wish to carry in it, to make sure that it will float if it goes overboard. For marine purposes, you need a brightly-colored case. A modest green or black one will likely be lost as soon as it goes into the water.
In spite of these defects, I have used my Pelican case to protect camera equipment when going by boat to remote islands. When you are on a small boat, you should pretty much assume that things will be receiving spray.
primitive white elephant @ 8:46 pm
After dropping my 2-day old camera in a live well, my son felt I needed a little more than a cheap cloth case. This case is heavy-duty and I don’t think a truck running over it could crush it. Love the pull out foam so you can customize the case to your camera, batteries, extra cards, and other things you want to keep safe & watertight. Only thing that keeps it from getting a 5 with me is that it’s a little heavy and won’t fit in my purse. But other than that. It’s a great case.