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Pelican cases are considered by many to be the best when it comes to protecting equipment and transportation, but they’re also often expensive. Thankfully, some alternative options compete with Pelican cases in terms of quality but are more affordable.
Drummers, and all musicians for that matter, need to transport various items and pieces of equipment when playing live, rehearsing, or recording in the studio. Therefore, it’s essential to have a case that can prevent your gear from being damaged in transit.
This guide will provide a detailed analysis of the best pelican case alternatives on the market. I’ve compared the essential qualities and attributes so that you can make the right decision.
Contents
- What are the Best Pelican Case Alternatives?
- How I Tested and Selected the Best Pelican Case Alternatives
- In-Depth Pelican Case Alternative Reviews
- Pelican Case Alternatives Buying Guide
- Why Buy a Pelican Case Alternative?
- Things to Consider When Buying Pelican Case Alternatives
- What Features to Look for in Pelican Case Alternatives
- Pelican Case Alternatives FAQs
What are the Best Pelican Case Alternatives?
| Image | Recommended ProductsProduct | Features | Price |
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Best All-Rounder
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Most Cushioned Design
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Best for Transportation
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Most Water Resistant
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Most Secure Design
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Best Shockproof Design
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How I Tested and Selected the Best Pelican Case Alternatives
I went through quite a vigorous testing process when I looked at all these cases. Pelican cases are the gold standard, so I wanted to make sure that my alternate suggestions lived up to the quality.
I first looked at durability, as that’s the most important factor in protecting your gear. I inspected the design of each case to see how solid it felt and how protective the design was.
I then looked at security, assessing how the case opened and closed and how it stayed locked when being transported.
I followed that by checking out mobility, looking at how the handles were designed, and carrying the case around to see how comfortable it felt in my hands.
Finally, I compared how much space each case had inside, giving me an idea of how much gear could be stored.
In-Depth Pelican Case Alternative Reviews
Nanuk 935 Waterproof Hard Case With Wheels
Nanuk 935 Waterproof Hard Case With Wheels Review
The winner of the best pelican case alternative goes to the Nanuk 935 Hard Case. It’s a much more affordable alternative to the legendary pelican case that features secure triple action latches and strong wheels for smooth transportation.
This was the best all-rounder case that I checked out. It just offered everything you need and it has a great price tag.
The Nanuk 935 is perfect for flying because it is FAA approved as the maximum carry-on size. This is the ultimate airline carry-on hard case, allowing you to keep your gear secure and close whilst you are traveling.
This pelican-like case is ideal for traveling musicians, photographers and audio engineers wanting to transport valuable equipment without sacrificing protection.
It’s incredibly strong and completely waterproof, and I found that its impact resistant and designed to survive serious abuse.
The Nanuk 935 takes advantage of patented triple action latches that keep the cased securely closed using compressive force.
If you want to transport recording equipment, electronics or cameras in a protective pelican case alternative, this is a great value and high quality hard case that comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Pros
- Automatic purge valve equalizes pressure on the inside of the case when travelling
- 2-stage retractable pull handle with quick release button
- Excellent value for money pelican case alternative
Cons
- Small Size
- Internal foam section costs extra
Seahorse 920 Waterproof Hard Case With Wheels
Seahorse 920 Waterproof Hard Case With Wheels Review
The Seahorse 920 Hard Case is a dustproof, airtight and waterproof pelican case alternative that features a classy design. It offers reliable protection at an affordable price.
The design is extremely high quality and the case comes with pre-scored accuform foam that will allow you to customize your internal space to perfectly fit your gear.
The foam interior made this one of the most cushioned and protective cases out of all the options I checked out.
The Seahorse 920 has smooth wide track wheels, a large retractable handle, heavy-duty latches and a large carry handle.
It’s incredibly rugged and has plenty of space inside for an electronic drum pad, a camera, a laptop or any other valuable piece of equipment you want to transport.
Overall the Seahorse 920 is just as protective and practical as any type of peli case. This pelican case alternative really is an excellent choice and it has plenty of space to store your belongings.
Pros
- Wide track wheels and built-in telescoping tote handle
- Automatic Pressure Purge System
- Accuform Foam protective interior
Cons
- Hard plastic wheels are noisy on rough surfaces
Nanuk 960 Weatherproof Hard Case With Wheels
Nanuk 960 Weatherproof Hard Case With Wheels Review
The Nanuk 960 is the bigger brother of the Nanuk 935, and this case features the same robust design, but within a much larger size.
I immediately thought that this large case would be perfect for traveling when checking it out. It’s the type of case that I’d want for a long flight to keep my gear safe.
Four powerclaw triple action latches keep the case securely closed whilst the smooth rolling polyurethane wheels allow the case to roll smoothly across any surface.
This pelican case alternative actually features better quality latches than on a typical peli case. The Nanuk 960 case closes with a loud and clear snap so you know that it’s securely shut.
Nanuk use some of the best quality wheels for their cases and the case rolls just as well if not better when compared to pelican cases
Impact resilient, waterproof and completely secure; these cases are the best pelican case competitors on the market. If you are looking for a cheap pelican case alternative then look no further!
Pros
- Lots of internal space for storing musical equipment or drumming accessories
- High impact absorption for maximum protection
- Powerclaw latching system
Cons
- Almost as expensive as a pelican case
Monoprice Weatherproof Hard Case With Wheels
Monoprice Weatherproof Hard Case With Wheels Review
Up next for review, we have another high quality alternative to the pelican case, and this is an inexpensive hard case that is highly impact resistant and waterproof.
I found the waterproof design of this case to be perfect for people who live in rainy climates. You can be sure that your gear won’t be touched by water.
The Monoprice Hard Case offers complete protection. It features a shockproof design with a fully customizable foam interior to fit your valuable equipment snug inside.
The case also features a strong pair of wheels and an extendable, locking handle for easy transportation.
This is a rugged, well-made, and dependable hard case that’s another excellent alternative to the expensive Pelican cases. This is affordable and offers the same reliable protection for your equipment.
Pros
- Ultraviolet and impact resistant material
- Great value for money
- Automatic Pressure Purge System
Cons
- Foam is not as high quality as Seahorse
- Telescoping handle requires 2 hands to raise
Miejia Waterproof Small Hard Case
Miejia Waterproof Small Hard Case Review
The Miejia Waterproof Hard Case is a small and very affordable option for anyone looking for a case to transport microphones, accessories, camera equipment or any other small piece of gear.
The case has a simple design and a small internal space, but you can create your own custom molding with the included foam insert to keep your equipment secure.
I love how simplistic the build is, and this was one of the top options I considered when thinking of a case for my microphones.
The latches are not as strong as the other pelican case alternatives featured in this guide, but this is a far more affordable case.
Overall the build quality is good for the money, and it does offer reliable protection whilst transporting smaller pieces of gear.
Pros
- Very affordable pelican case alternative
- Reliable protection for small pieces of kit
- Foam insert comes included as standard
Cons
- Build quality is not as good as competitors
Monoprice Weatherproof Hard Case 111 Litres
Monoprice Weatherproof Hard Case 111 Litres Review
This Monoprice Weatherproof Hard Case is a tank. It is enormous – with 111 liters of internal space. That’s more than enough room to store drum modules, electronic drums and other types of drumming equipment for transporting between shows.
This inexpensive hard case is designed to withstand serious amounts of abuse whilst on the road. It’s designed with impact resistant materials and robust latches to keep your equipment secure and safe.
This was another solid case that I checked out, offering all the protective features that anyone could possibly need.
It is fully waterproof up to 1 meter depth for half an hour which offers a great level of protection.
This pelican alternative case features a pair of 2.3” wheels and a strong folding handle to help transport it.
Whilst it may come in at an expensive price, it is far more affordable than its pelican case counterpart. So overall this is still a good value for money investment.
Pros
- Large internal capacity of 111 litres
- Superior shock protection
- Built like a tank
Cons
- Expensive pelican case alternative
Pelican Case Alternatives Buying Guide
Pelican cases are used for a variety of purposes. They’re designed to protect items when traveling and are very useful for musicians, particularly drummers.
The only issue with Pelican cases is that they tend to be very expensive. While there’s no denying their quality, several alternative cases are less costly but provide the same level of protection and convenience as a Pelican case.
You can use these cases to store and transport your drum hardware, sticks, electronic devices, and other accessories you use when performing or recording.
Let’s examine the key things to consider when choosing a Pelican case alternative.
Why Buy a Pelican Case Alternative?
Pelican cases are some of the best, most protective cases available. They are the industry standard for protecting valuable musical equipment and audio gear.
They are extremely tough and robust, prized by touring musicians, photographers, audio engineers and anyone else who needs to transport expensive equipment.
Pelican cases are well-known for being literally indestructible. So if you don’t want your valuable equipment to break, you’re going to want to put it inside one of those to keep it safe.
Pelican cases are airtight, watertight and have air pressure valves to prevent your equipment from ever being damaged. Good thing that all the best pelican case alternatives have the same features and offer just as much reliable protection!
Things to Consider When Buying Pelican Case Alternatives
Size
The first thing you need to figure out is the ideal size that the case needs to be. Think about all of the equipment and gear you will likely want to put in the case, then measure it to ensure that you choose one with enough space inside.
Materials
The materials that are used to construct a Pelican case alternative directly affect its ability to protect your equipment. This is particularly important if you’re transporting electronic gear, such as recording devices. Fully water-resistant and highly robust materials will provide good protection.
Wheels
These cases can hold a lot of equipment; when full, they’re bound to be pretty heavy. Heavy-duty wheels and handles ease the burden, making it easier to transport the cases from one location to another.
What Features to Look for in Pelican Case Alternatives
Impact & Water Resistance
Protecting your gear is incredibly important, particularly if you take it out on the road. Loose drum hardware, recording gear, or other items will likely get damaged when tossed into the tour van after a show.
The exterior material of the case protects the equipment from damage on impact, which could occur when wheeling the case or transporting it in a vehicle.
It should also be resistant to water, particularly if you’re using it to transport recording devices or other electronic equipment.
Interior Space
Before deciding on a Pelican-style case, it’s important to determine how much space you need. Checking the dimensions of the equipment you need to transport is advised.
The case’s interior needs to be forgiving and cushioned so that the items inside won’t be damaged when they inevitably move around.
Foam is the most effective material for the inner layer of a Pelican case, as it holds the items in place without putting them under too much tension.
Pelican Case Alternatives FAQs
What Materials are Pelican Case Alternatives Made From?
Durable cases, whether they are manufactured by Pelican or another brand, must be made from a robust material. HPX polymer is a common choice, as it is very lightweight, considering its strength.
Polymer is also renowned for its water resistance, making it a great choice for cases that will be used to transport electronic devices.
Why Do Some Cases Have Valves Built-In?
It’s common to find Pelican-style cases with onboard valves. This mechanism is designed to equalize the pressure within the case. When the valve is opened, the air leaves the case until there is optimal pressure inside.
This can help to protect delicate items like cameras, laptops, or watches. The valves are also designed to not allow dust or water in when the air pressure is being equalized.
