Pelican foam gripes

Brian Drysdale · November 8th, 2010, 02:41 AM

The UK Channel 5 Gadget Show did rather extreme test on flight cases.

FiveFWD - Challenge - Transport - Part 3 video from The Gadget Show

Bill Ward · November 8th, 2010, 01:18 PM

I bypass the pick&pluck foam, and spring for the padded dividers. Holds everything in place, lasts forever...and is reconfigurable. I just hate paying so much for the convenience of not having the padding shred in a few months of use.

Allan Black · November 8th, 2010, 03:46 PM

I've got a 2yr old 1510 with pp foam and when it pulls apart at the points where the cam fits in the well I've cut, I use the recommended glue to tack it together. Works Ok but it'd be a pain with a few cases like that.

I remember reading there are different grades of pp foam and you'd expect Pelican would use a top one.

But the gripe I've got with Pelican is, the 1510 is touted as 'airline çarry on' and it's not. Soon as you put some small weight in it it's over the limit on most airlines. Emailed the plant but they still .. Grrrr.

Cheers or maybe not.

Brian Drysdale · November 8th, 2010, 04:51 PM

If they start weighing, it's usually a 10Kg limit, so you won't get much camera gear as hand baggage inside a 6kg case

Dean Sensui · November 9th, 2010, 02:35 AM

Polyurethane foam doesn't have much longevity.

I use the 3/8" "ethafoam", or similar, used by backpackers to build dividers.

Another good foam is polyethylene foam used to pack computer equipment. It can often be found for free. You can use a hot glue gun to assemble it into any desired shape.

Battle Vaughan · November 9th, 2010, 10:24 AM

Upholstery foam holds up well, at the price of being ugly --- I built a case for portable studio strobes using a footlocker and upholstery foam purchased at a fabric store about 30 years ago....just dug it out and, yep, the foam is still in great shape. The spongy grey open-cell foam that casemakers use turns to goo in a few years. My commercial cases have never held up well, no matter the manufacturer...

Peer Landa · July 7th, 2011, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Oakley

please do NOT get me started on Pelican cases and a company that does NOT stand by their product, and continues to produce a product with built in failure - the diced foam.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Sensui

Polyurethane foam doesn't have much longevity.
I use the 3/8" "ethafoam", or similar, used by backpackers to build dividers.

Also I have now had enough of Pelican's crappy foam -- I own five Pelican cases -- all, except one, have deteriorating foam, (the one that's okay has the soft dividers insert). So thanks to this thread (and especially to Dean) I've just ordered a few 1" blocks of Ethafoam so I can toss the silly pick & pluck foam and replace it with some real stuff.

-- peer

Mark Watson · July 7th, 2011, 07:54 AM

I have the Pelican 1510 and bought the 1/2" thick sheets of foam that Sears sells for tool box liner material. It comes with a razor knife and instructions on how to cut it to shape. I made several layers of it to fit my XL-H1A, it's EVF, mic and battery charger. works great.

I also tried using a higher density foam and cutting it with a hot wire knife. Didn't turn out so good.

Mark

Richard Alvarez · July 7th, 2011, 08:02 AM

I have the soft dividers in my Pelican cases - but long ago I learned to cut foam with an electric carving knife. Still serves me well. Whenever I need to cut foam for projects, I pull out the old 'sunbeam' and slice away.

Jim Andrada · July 7th, 2011, 11:20 PM

By the way, you can also get jigsaw blades designed to cut foam. Might be easier for small or detailed shapes than an electric carving knife.

Wayne Reimer · July 8th, 2011, 08:43 AM

I had all of the same problems with the pelican foam, and finally gave up on it a couple of years ago. I found a bunch of gardening kneeler pads for cheap ( really dense, closed cell foam, almost neoprene like, except it's over an inch thick), and used an electric knife to cut out the shapes.
It's worked wonderfully; the foam is quite dense, with a sealed surface so it doesn't break down through inserting and removing gear. I attached the edges to the inside of the cases with spray adhesive, and they stay put very well.
The best part of it was the pads themselves were CHEAP. If I recall correctly I paid under $6 for each, 10 in. wide by 20 in. long. I got a half dozen of them for the price of one set of pluck foam from Pelican, and still have two left

David Tamés · July 8th, 2011, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Alvarez

I have the soft dividers in my Pelican cases [...] .

I have found that dividers made of a robust material connected with Velcro will last longer, thus saving aggravation and creating less material waste. It's good for you sanity and the environment! This what I've made the move to in all of my new cases and when it has come time to replace foam. For example, I've used the modular divider system from Kata: Kata MODI-VERS KIT-S10. Accessories (Kata Bags)

Gerry Gallegos · July 13th, 2011, 07:35 AM

to cut foam , the best solution i have found is a electric carving knife.
It leaves a very clean edge and doesn't pinch the foam while cutting.

November 8th, 2010, 03:46 PM	#18
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,927	The Pelican brief. I've got a 2yr old 1510 with pp foam and when it pulls apart at the points where the cam fits in the well I've cut, I use the recommended glue to tack it together. Works Ok but it'd be a pain with a few cases like that. I remember reading there are different grades of pp foam and you'd expect Pelican would use a top one. But the gripe I've got with Pelican is, the 1510 is touted as 'airline çarry on' and it's not. Soon as you put some small weight in it it's over the limit on most airlines. Emailed the plant but they still .. Grrrr. Cheers or maybe not. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

November 9th, 2010, 02:35 AM	#20
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Polyurethane foam doesn't have much longevity. I use the 3/8" "ethafoam", or similar, used by backpackers to build dividers. Another good foam is polyethylene foam used to pack computer equipment. It can often be found for free. You can use a hot glue gun to assemble it into any desired shape. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

July 7th, 2011, 07:54 AM	#23
Mark Watson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 873	Re: Pelican foam gripes I have the Pelican 1510 and bought the 1/2" thick sheets of foam that Sears sells for tool box liner material. It comes with a razor knife and instructions on how to cut it to shape. I made several layers of it to fit my XL-H1A, it's EVF, mic and battery charger. works great. I also tried using a higher density foam and cutting it with a hot wire knife. Didn't turn out so good. Mark

July 7th, 2011, 08:02 AM	#24
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Re: Pelican foam gripes I have the soft dividers in my Pelican cases - but long ago I learned to cut foam with an electric carving knife. Still serves me well. Whenever I need to cut foam for projects, I pull out the old 'sunbeam' and slice away.

July 7th, 2011, 11:20 PM	#25
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Re: Pelican foam gripes By the way, you can also get jigsaw blades designed to cut foam. Might be easier for small or detailed shapes than an electric carving knife.

November 8th, 2010, 02:41 AM	#16
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	The UK Channel 5 Gadget Show did rather extreme test on flight cases. FiveFWD - Challenge - Transport - Part 3 video from The Gadget Show

November 8th, 2010, 01:18 PM	#17
Bill Ward Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 580	I bypass the pick&pluck foam, and spring for the padded dividers. Holds everything in place, lasts forever...and is reconfigurable. I just hate paying so much for the convenience of not having the padding shred in a few months of use.

November 8th, 2010, 04:51 PM	#19
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	If they start weighing, it's usually a 10Kg limit, so you won't get much camera gear as hand baggage inside a 6kg case

November 9th, 2010, 10:24 AM	#21
Battle Vaughan Trustee Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Miami, FL USA Posts: 1,505	Upholstery foam holds up well, at the price of being ugly --- I built a case for portable studio strobes using a footlocker and upholstery foam purchased at a fabric store about 30 years ago....just dug it out and, yep, the foam is still in great shape. The spongy grey open-cell foam that casemakers use turns to goo in a few years. My commercial cases have never held up well, no matter the manufacturer...

July 8th, 2011, 08:43 AM	#26
Wayne Reimer Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Regina, Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 255	Re: Pelican foam gripes I had all of the same problems with the pelican foam, and finally gave up on it a couple of years ago. I found a bunch of gardening kneeler pads for cheap ( really dense, closed cell foam, almost neoprene like, except it's over an inch thick), and used an electric knife to cut out the shapes. It's worked wonderfully; the foam is quite dense, with a sealed surface so it doesn't break down through inserting and removing gear. I attached the edges to the inside of the cases with spray adhesive, and they stay put very well. The best part of it was the pads themselves were CHEAP. If I recall correctly I paid under $6 for each, 10 in. wide by 20 in. long. I got a half dozen of them for the price of one set of pluck foam from Pelican, and still have two left

July 13th, 2011, 07:35 AM	#28
Gerry Gallegos Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 262	Re: Pelican foam gripes to cut foam , the best solution i have found is a electric carving knife. It leaves a very clean edge and doesn't pinch the foam while cutting.