Pelican vs. Boyt vs Condition 1

[Blind_Io]

I know Pelican is the go-to for most people, but I'm trying to keep things on a bit of a budget and Pelican is rather spendy. I want a dustproof case for my DSLR, three lenses (one is a long telephoto), and charger - the case will do duty for camping in the mountains and southwest deserts, but most importantly it will have to keep my camera safe during a Baja trip.

Has anyone used the Boyt or Condition 1? What are your thoughts?

 

[fredgoodsell]

I've also heard good things about http://www.seahorsecases.com
Less expensive than pelican

 

[Blind_Io]

I wasn't aware of them. The lifetime guarantee is certainly something I like.

EDIT: I also found this IBEX case that is the perfect size for my needs, but I'm not familiar with them. It looks to be somewhat comparable to the competition, but it's hard to tell without having my hands on it.

 

[Happykamper]

Pelicans have lifetime warranty , they are also in my opinion the best case out there.
All my gear from photo to electronics even the stove on my Chser I trust with pelican.
I'm not advertising for them, but IMHO YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
And if your smart you can find nice lightly used ones for lots less then new.
Most folks pay good money for these and take care of them.
But the nice part is you can also bang me around and your still good to go lol
Hope this helps GL

 

[AaronK]

I have a Boyt hard case. Excellent quality. They've been around for a long time in the luggage market. Not sure about the warrantee though.

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[Victory_Overland]

I've been using Pelican for the last decade or more in the military for ALL of our gear in the most austere environments. The only two things I would change would be the weight as they are a bit heavy compared to aluminum and also the internal space round edges. Pelicans are a bit heavy for the size but the durability of these cases out-weighs (no pun) weight in my opinion. Far more durable in my opinion than aluminum as they do not dent. Nothing against aluminum because I think the weight, stacking and internal packing are better, but overall durability and performance goes to Pelican IMO. The other thing is the internal corners are round on Pelicans which IMO reduces some actual usable space. I like the fact that you can get foam and configure any way you wish and change it up anytime you want if your needs change as well.

Drop some humidity packs inside your cases and the vent will keep you dry and rust free forever as well.

I have tons of cases for various applications and absolutely love them. Again, they are not best suited for all needs, but for my overland and especially military work, nothing has met the level Pelican brings to the table IMO.

 

[P2W]

Pelican / Hardigg
- tough and abuse resistant

Been using Pelican cases for a number of years. We transport sensitive equipment and laptops in these cases and have even shipped them UPS & FedX, don't forget the lining of the case though. These cases will protect from the elements and ham-handed shippers but the inside is just as important. We had custom inserts made by a company that specializes in foam liners.

The question is what value do you place on your photographic equipment?
You don't keep your cigars in a shoebox,... do you?

 

[davkenrem]

You can find good deals on ebay for used pelicans. I have bought several.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

I have Pelican, Hardigg (milsurp), Boyt, and Ibex cases. The Pelicans are clearly the best, but not much better than the Boyt. My Hardiggs were bought used and a bit beaten up, but they were a great value. I recently bought a couple of small Ibex cases for small tools and parts in the truck and they are fine for that, but I'm not sure I would trust expensive camera equipment in them. If you are buying new, I think Boyt is the best bang for the buck. But, lots of lightly used Pelican stuff out there.

 

[JackW]

Any one of my lenses cost more than the Pelican case that I use to carry two bodies, 6 lenses, flash , spare batteries and charger, and a light meter, plus a few accessories.
I've been using Pelicans for over twenty years to protect my gear - it doesn't bother me at all to spend $200 to protect $6,000 worth of camera stuff because I know it works.

I have bought some Pelican cases used for well under half of new price - off craigslist, at yard sales and at surplus vendors. Use the padded divider inserts instead of foam - you can reconfigure the layout easier that way.

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Dear Pelican fans,

You're buying the hype and you're spending big money to do it.

There are plenty of other mfr's of HD cases that compete with Pelican and they're less expensive.

Try SKB and Seahorse for starters.

If you're dropping cases out of military aircraft and running over them with military trucks then maybe a Pelican case is what you "need."

By the way, the lifetime warranty is not all it's cracked up to be. You get to pay freight BOTH WAYS which is often as much as a new case.

Now back to your Pelican fanboy thread...

 

[Stumpalump]

Dear Pelican fans,

You're buying the hype and you're spending big money to do it.

There are plenty of other mfr's of HD cases that compete with Pelican and they're less expensive.

Try SKB and Seahorse for starters.

If you're dropping cases out of military aircraft and running over them with military trucks then maybe a Pelican case is what you "need."

By the way, the lifetime warranty is not all it's cracked up to be. You get to pay freight BOTH WAYS which is often as much as a new case.

Now back to your Pelican fanboy thread...

BS. I use pelican for work and beat the snot out of them. I go thru a set a wheels a year and they send me two sets at a time, no questions asked and no shipping. The handles don't break and the latches don't break. They are commercial, rugged, indestructible no questions asked life time warranty. 50 lbs of tools thru hundreds of air flights with never a problem. They are as good as people say and you get what you pay for.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

You're buying the hype and you're spending big money to do it.

No, actually I am not. Don't know about the other guys, but I buy what I need at prices that are usually pennies on the dollar. In addition to my Pelican, Hardigg, Boyt, and Ibex, I have SKB and Americase and several others from various manufacturers. I probably have multiple cases in various sizes from ten different manufacturers. Not a Pelican fanboy, but I think Pelican is the best I have seen. However, I have never bought one at retail, and most of my cases are other brands.

 

[Woodsman]

I've had a Boyt and a Pelican side by side on my roof rack for a few years now. In the weather 24-7-365. The Pelican seals tight and is all plastic so no rust. The Boyt latches have rusted and because there is no latch on the ends the top has warped slightly and doesn't seal as tight as the Pelican. I should add that the only reason I bought the Boyt brand was that my PETT toilet was just a tiny bit too big to fit within the Pelican case.

 

[k9lestat]

Pelican cases, to me are expensive. But they are only cases I've see survive interstate boo boo's. Being deputy I get dispatched to "debris" a lot on the interstate. Now the case I recovered off the interstate would not have won a beauty contest. It had obviously been struck numerous times that night. The handles and one locking latch were broken. The items inside were undamaged, camera equipment. It fell off a roof rack right in middle I-95. that sold my on the expense.

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