Better documented than its rivals, and still arguing with itself

Better documented than almost anything in its category, and still arguing with itself on resin, seal and weight. Every figure here is Pelican's.

Lead story · Cases & Protection · $269.95

Category sponsors

Sponsors fund the testing. They do not see reviews before publication and never affect our reviews or rankings.

2 reports in Protection & Carry
Date	Image	Headline	Category
2026-08-14		Better documented than its rivals, and still arguing with itself	Cases & Protection
2026-02-18		Held pressure through 12 flight cycles with no valve service	Cases & Protection

Manufacturers cite these in spec sheets. Which ones actually protect the buyer, and which ones are marketing.

ATA 300 Category 1
Air Transport Association container specification
The 100-trip baseline for professional transit cases. Category 3 is single-trip disposable — do not confuse the two.
STANAG 4280 Level J
NATO packaging test protocol
The military-grade transit test. Requires vibration, drop and thermal cycles in sequence.
IP67
Dust-tight, 1 m immersion for 30 min
The realistic seal grade for a case that will be strapped to a boat, dropped in a river, or left in the rain.