Pelican or Starlight

[caz41]

Not looking for someone to tell me what the "best" is or anything like that. I have never laid eyes on a starlight case. We have several pelican 1750's at work so I know what they are all about. Looking for someone who either owns both or has fondled both to let me know if one is more rigid than the other. Or any other pro's/con's (ie latches, wheels, etc...) on which would be a better buy.

[double_r76]

I own both, and prefer the Starlight. I like the latches and handles on the Starlight cases more and they are lighter. The Starlight handles are spring loaded to rest againt the case, keeping them at a lower profile when not being used. I like the wheels on the Pelican cases better, but they just seem chunkier and clunkier than they need to be. The airlines have not been able to destroy either up to this point... knock on wood.

-Randy

[smokshwn]

If you enjoy beating on the latches and trying to find some kind of improvised pry tool to reopen them after your fingers are bleeding, get a Starlight. I may not be able to emphasize it enough, but their latches suck worse than wearing 80 grit underwear on a forced march through the salt flats in western Utah.

I will gladly pay the price increase to stick with the Pelican or Storm cases. IMO they are of a superior build quality and well worth the convenience of being able to easily operate the latches when I want to get into the case.

[outerlimits]

Storm im3300-a beauty.

[Bryan 45]

I have a Starlight. I agree w/ Shawn's assessment of the latches. They are very secure, and I get a busted knuckle about every time I use the case. I used my weak hand to open the case so the busted knuckle wouldn't slow me down-- until I started weak hand loading a shotgun. Now I try to get a buddy to open it!

[double_r76]

I'm trying to visualize how knuckles are busted when pulling open a Starlight latch? If the latch is closed, you should be pulling it away from the side of the case. If your hand slips, then it flies in that direction (away from the case).

Some of the most expensive equipment we ever used in the Army was packaged in Starlight cases. Some of the Privates would complain about how hard they were to open, then I would show them that you pull the latch away from the side of case. They were pulling them straight up, and could literally pick up the case in that manner.

The Pelican re-designed "double-throw" latches are designed to be pulled up, but their original design latches are just like Starlight... pull up and you end up picking up the case. I guess people were busting knuckles with the old Pelican latches?

YMMV.

-Randy

[latewatch]

I won a Starlight case a few years and I can also attest to the difficulty in opening the latches on the Starlight cases. More then once I've skinned knuckles and or bled when I didn't use some type of prying device when opening the latches. While it is very secure and sturdy, I would never spend money for another Starlight case for that reason.

[GentlemanJim]

I have a starlight...its a very secure case...but the latches are a pain, not so much to open...but to close

If the case is on uneven ground, it twists a bit and is difficult to align ..I have cussed it severly, with no responce

Jim

[Charles Bond]

Someone else posted about Starlight latches but what he stated is the problem I have with pelican. The Storm case has all the advantages of the other two (and all 3 are good cases) but what sets the Storm apart is that you can open and close the thing with ease. For my money Storm comes in first with Starlight second and Pelican third.

You should also know that the perfect lock for a Storm or Pelican case is a hitch lock like you use to lock the latch down on a boat trailer. The shank is a perfect fit (if you use a padloc you need to drill out the case to a larger diameter hole) and the lock does not flop around like a padlock and hense less likely to get caught on a conveyor the airlines use.

[caz41]

I may not be able to emphasize it enough, but their latches suck worse than wearing 80 grit underwear on a forced march through the salt flats in western Utah.

Yeah that really doesn't sound like too much fun at all.

Thanks for replies gents!

[racine]

I think the Starlights are tougher and definitely waterproof over the Pelicans. I've seen broken Pelican cases and I know the airlines drop my starlights. I've had mine for 11 years and traveled with these( with 3 guns) and never had an issue even in pouring rain. The latches are tight but isn't that what you want? Learn to open them and it ain't bad. They do ease up after a while but still stay secure. With the case flat pull the latch straight away from it with 3-4 fingers. If you can't then you're gonna have to live with that girlie-man nametag for a little longer. I'm 155lbs/ 5'6" and can't bench 300lbs but I can do it. Better yet buy American.

[SMSI]

Well, I've learned something. I thought it was just me and MY starlight that had latch issues.

[Jadeslade]

Storm (Pelican) 3100 case is the best one for 3 Gun traveling. It fits under the airlines weight and total length restrictions. This has been discussed before on this forum. If you are over length, it is only a matter of time before you get gigged. Some good friends of mine got nailed going and coming from Phoenix this year on Delta. It gets real expensive-can add 400 to your flight. The 3100 has wheels and is the right weight. Break the guns down. I have all kinds of cases-I prefer long cases, but when you fly-gotta break them down. Good luck.

[02Fatboy]

Pelican is the best case going.

[smokshwn]

With the case flat pull the latch straight away from it with 3-4 fingers.

To note there is no procedure for opening or closing the Pelican or Storm latches. Simply open the latch or close the latch as needed with the case in any convenient position.

If you can't then you're gonna have to live with that girlie-man nametag for a little longer.

I have many difficult accomplishments to reflect upon which reinforce my masculinity. I am happy that it is not necessary to number opening a rifle case among them. YMMV

I'm 155lbs/ 5'6" and can't bench 300lbs but I can do it.

If you're gonna be dumb, ya gotta be tough

Didn't really think of this before as I had rifle cases on my brain but for the last 8-9 years we have been using Pelican cases exclusively to carry our gear in the fire department. A rough guess would be that we have well over 300 cases in service at any one time. To say that the level of abuse they receive in day to day operations is excessive would be an understatement. Very rarely do we take one out of service for a structural/integrity failure. Generally if there is a failure the circumstances are horrendous enough that there is always a " no shit there I was " story to go with them. Personally we actually lost two boxes out of a compartment when a door opened on the freeway and other than some road rash both boxes were fine and there contents were unharmed.

[racine]

per SMOKSHWN;

"If you're gonna be dumb, ya gotta be tough

Didn't really think of this before as I had rifle cases on my brain but for the last 8-9 years we have been using Pelican cases exclusively to carry our gear in the fire department. A rough guess would be that we have well over 300 cases in service at any one time. To say that the level of abuse they receive in day to day operations is excessive would be an understatement. Very rarely do we take one out of service for a structural/integrity failure. Generally if there is a failure the circumstances are horrendous enough that there is always a " no shit there I was " story to go with them. Personally we actually lost two boxes out of a compartment when a door opened on the freeway and other than some road rash both boxes were fine and there contents were unharmed."

Are you referring to firemen? I'm glad those Pelicans are holding up for you guys. My reason for the Starlights was based on an independent abuse testing regimen on gun cases done over 16 years ago by GunTests, a consumer reports type of publication for guns back then( and they support USPSA). They had tested over 10 different hard cases on the market and the Pelicans showed cracking and fluid leakage to the inside. The only case to come out on top were the Starlights. Nothing against Pelican but since they all cost so much I opted to try the Starlights and have been very satisfied.

BTW, Delta is notorious for charging travelers for everything even going over by 1-2 lbs. FWIW, it's a good idea to read their travel regs to get weight and dimensional restrictions. Print those and carry them with you. I find other air carriers give you some lee way but I've never been charged extra for my golf bags, skis or Starlights-try Southwest.