Digital Camera World - UK (2019-08)

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com AUGUST 2019 DIGITAL CAMERA^127

Mini Test

Vanguard Supreme 53D

£217/$300

http://www.vanguardworld.co.uk

W

e’ve mainly

chosen hard

cases that

can be carried as hand

luggage for maximum

versatility – but hard

cases are designed

to be almost

indestructible, giving

them a fighting chance

against your average

airport baggage

handler. Vanguard’s

Supreme 53D will have

to go in the hold as it’s

63 x 52 x 24cm, but that gives you a capacious

56 x 45 x 20cm interior – large enough to carry

a serious amount of gear. You also get wheels

• which are a real necessity rather than a
  luxury, as the case weighs over 10kg empty.
  The D in 53D signifies this case carries a
  removable padded divider insert, rather than the
  53F, which contains cubed foam. The 53D is only
  £38 more than the 53F, which is very reasonable.
  The divider insert is highly customisable to suit
  all your kit, although annoyingly it doesn’t
  quite fill the whole case.
  Despite its large size, the 53D feels every bit
  as invincible as the smaller cases here, with its
  lid held shut by no fewer than six latches. It’s
  also rated to withstand 120kg of crushing
  and is waterproof to a five-metre depth.

PROS Huge capacity; top-notch toughness;

well-priced divider insert option

CONS Very heavy – smaller Supreme cases

are available, but only the 53 has wheels

Verdict

Peli Protector 1510

£227/$190

http://www.peliproducts.co.uk

P

eli cases

are the

industry

standard for camera

hard cases, which

is why we’ve

included two of the

company’s offerings

here. The Protector

1510 is one of the

most popular cases

in Peli’s huge range,

and at 56 x 35 x 23cm, it’s almost exactly

the same external size as the Air 1510 and

should comply with the cabin baggage

size requirements of most airlines.

The 51 x 29 x 19cm bare interior is also within

millimetres of the Air 1535 – and indeed all the

other cases on test except the Vanguard. The

Protector is however significantly heavier

than the Air at 5.7kg bare, and 6.3kg with

full foam, although it can also be specced

with a Divider or TrekPak insert (for an

additional cost) to shave off some grammes.

Perhaps the best bit about Peli’s Protector

range is you don’t have to settle for boring black

plastic. The Protector 1510 can also be had in

silver, tan, orange, pink or the gorgeous bright

yellow version we opted for. As well as brightening

up your day, it means you’ll have no trouble

spotting your gear on the airport baggage

carousel if it ever has to travel in hold luggage!

PROS Top toughness; various colour and insert

options; practical size

CONS A little heavy; gets pricey when equipped

with a non-foam interior

Verdict

Peli Air Case 1535
£278/$230
http://www.peliproducts.co.uk

P

eli’s Air
range
has been
designed to be 40%
lighter than a regular
Peli hard case of
the same size. As a
result, the Air 1535
weighs just 3.95kg,
though that’s just
for the plastic shell.
Load it with foam or
a divider insert and it’ll be no lighter than the
similarly sized Manfrotto case. It feels marginally
more solid, but seems ever so slightly less
robust than the Peli Protector 1510.
The default interior option is cubed foam.
You can also spec a Velcro divider insert like the
Manfrotto case, but we went for the third interior
option: Peli’s innovative TrekPak system. This
uses sheets of corrugated plastic sandwiched
between layers of dense, closed-cell foam.
There’s a bespoke cutter included so you
can slice each sheet into strips to fit around
the gear you want to carry, and the joins
are secured by special hooped pins.
It’s a very nicely engineered padding system
that’s more elegant than Velcro dividers. However,
a TrekPak insert for the Air 1535 adds an extra
£100/$98 to the cost we’ve quoted, which is
for the case specced with a cubed foam interior.
That’s a 35 per cent premium.

PROS Very light for its size and toughness;
TrekPak insert works really well

CONS Hefty premium for Divider or TrekPak
inserts; pricey next to HPRC case

Verdict

Five things to

look out for

1

Most hard cases weigh

upwards of 4kg, even

without gear. Go for a

rolling hard case: your

back will thank you.

2

Water-tight cases are

also air-tight, so they

should always have a

pressure equalisation

valve fitted.

3

The padding of choice

for most hard cases is

a simple block of foam,

perforated into small

cubes you can remove.

4

Hollowed-out foam is

almost impossible to

reconfigure. Before you

buy, lay out the exact

kit you’ll be carrying.

5

To keep your kit secure,

padlock points are a

must. Two-stage lid

latches guard against

accidental opening.