Harbor Freight Pelican Case Alternative

[Colorado S14]

Gents (and ladies), was at Harbor Freight over the weekend and saw they had a variety of Pelican case clones. Quality seemed to be pretty good and for the price they are certainly worth considering. It appeared they run deals on them from time to time as well, most were 20% off at the location in Aurora, CO when I was there.

Apache Cases

 

[Kickin45]

Wish they had a smaller size than the 50”. 35-42” would be great

 

[tomcatfan]

Made proudly in the USA for sure!!

 

[clcustom1911]

I'd rather pay $50 more and get one of these

Pelican V800 53" Double Rifle Case

 

[quebow03]

I just got an ad in my email for the same case. $109 makes it at least a little tempting.

 

[sabrecross]

IMHO, there's no substitute for a Pelican

 

[tomcatfan]

I bought a Plano which goes for $123 and am really happy with it. This Apache case should be worth it and some for $109.

 

[quebow03]

I bought a Plano which goes for $123 and am really happy with it. This Apache case should be worth it and some for $109.

I have 2 of the Plano cases. Great for the money. Not a Pelican but not 50% more in price.

 

[AMGtuned]

Have a friend who buys those Apache cases. He would openly admit to the Pelican being bett, and that hes just "cheap". There is no doubt they work, but I highly doubt they will work as well, or as long, as a Pelican

 

[tomcatfan]

Have a friend who buys those Apache cases. He would openly admit to the Pelican being bett, and that hes just "cheap". There is no doubt they work, but I highly doubt they will work as well, or as long, as a Pelican

A pelican should last a lifetime. I don't see these things falling apart unless exposed to some serious wear and tear. I'd go apache if I were spending my money.

 

[RampedRaptor]

Wondering how the Apache compares
to the Plano case in quality ?

 

[j741]

I can't find it now, but I thought I saw pics in some other forum of broken wheels on that Apache case within a month or so of purchase. Agree the Pelican Vault linked above for $200 would be worth the extra cost.

 

[padom]

I havent used one but here is another option that RTIC recently released. All different sized and $115 for 53". I personally have all Pelicans but find myself using soft cases more often

https://www.rticcoolers.com/shop/hard-cases/RTIC-53--Shotgun-Rifle-Waterproof-Carrying-Case-Black

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Sam's wholesale also back in the fall had pelican knockoffs for like$75 they ended up clearancing them out for like $35. Its worth looking for them in the fall since they are a seasonal item or if your lucky in their clearance section I know I got about 3-4 of them back before Christmas.

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Another awesome find at harbor freight is the Sonic cleaner for brass... Amazing for the price.

 

[Wormydog1724]

I havent used one but here is another option that RTIC recently released. All different sized and $115 for 53". I personally have all Pelicans but find myself using soft cases more often

https://www.rticcoolers.com/shop/hard-cases/RTIC-53--Shotgun-Rifle-Waterproof-Carrying-Case-Black

Damn sold out. I was about to grab one.

 

[Heyitsclint]

I got the Peak case from MPA. It was 400, and not as good as my storm case. I love the interior, but 400???

 

[YF12A]

Considering what's inside some of my Pelicans, as well as a lot of others here I'm sure, I'm not concerned about a $100-$200 difference, to me. Just my .02$ worth, to each their own. That is why I wear Vanson leathers and only Arai helmets when I ride motorcycles. YMMV.

 

[Shawn1492]

You know all helmets must pass the same safety test and when they study moto gp riders they found no difference in concussions between helmets right. Do you replace your Aria if it gets dropped or every five years?

 

[Heyitsclint]

Really? Are you going to compare an Aria helmet to some DOT legal low cost helmet? It is your head, but mine is worth more to me than that. My rifle is amazing, but not the same as my mush. I happen to be a Shoei guy, but it wasn't based on cost.

 

[One1Bravo]

I use Condition 1 cases. $157 delivered for the 53" 818.

https://www.condition1.com/product/condition-1-carrying-case-818/

 

[quebow03]

Considering what's inside some of my Pelicans, as well as a lot of others here I'm sure, I'm not concerned about a $100-$200 difference, to me. Just my .02$ worth, to each their own. That is why I wear Vanson leathers and only Arai helmets when I ride motorcycles. YMMV.

Certainly if you’re carrying a $5k+ rig why skimp and try and save $100 on a case to protect the investment. Imagine getting off the plane at your hunting destination only to find a broken case and something wrong with your rifle/optic. #iwishiboughtapelican

 

[TACC]

I use Condition 1 cases. $157 delivered for the 53" 818.

https://www.condition1.com/product/condition-1-carrying-case-818/

Never heard of these, but they look like a pretty good deal.

Thanks for the information.

 

[j741]

I use Condition 1 cases. $157 delivered for the 53" 818.

https://www.condition1.com/product/condition-1-carrying-case-818/

Did you mean $257 delivered? The case seems $239.99 on that page?

 

[One1Bravo]

Did you mean $257 delivered? The case seems $239.99 on that page?

Nope. PM me if you want my source.

 

[atombomb]

Damn sold out. I was about to grab one.

I bought one here on the Hide... I have to say it's a really nice case, very solid and great quality for someting
that cost about $140 shipped

 

[quebow03]

Went to Harbor Freight today and bought one of their "4800" cases for my Labradar. $44 isn't bad. Not like it needs to be bulletproof, just robust.

 

[YF12A]

You know all helmets must pass the same safety test and when they study moto gp riders they found no difference in concussions between helmets right. Do you replace your Aria if it gets dropped or every five years?

Yes and yes. I had a relatively new Shoei helmet accidentally knocked off of my old Ducati by someone just not paying attention, on to the asphalt. Minor scratch, had to wear it home, and ordered another one that night. You also have Dot and Snell tests which have different standards, Auto and Motorcycle ratings, and different International tests as well.

I should have posted I wear an Arai because the Vector 2 fits my head better than any other, so far. Going to the Progressive bike show in DC on Sunday and am going to try on a bunch of new helmets to see if anythings' changed. As stated, I have worn Shoei, also Suomy and would wear an AGV as well. Look at what a lot of the Isle of Man TT riders wear, IMHO the most dangerous road race in the world. Those riders wear what they feel is the best for them. I see mostly Arai, Shoei and AGV. No matter what, ANY helmet is better than none. All the best to you.

 

[geoff3]

Hello I am going Harbor Freight over the weekend to check out the cases, thank you geoff3

 

[HogsLife]

Another awesome find at harbor freight is the Sonic cleaner for brass... Amazing for the price.

Agreed. Been using a Harbor Freight Sonic cleaner for years. Can’t beat them for the price.

 

[captainemil]

they do feel nice though

 

[FA Duk]

Juts got two ... I don’t fly with my guns and for the price I rather buy food for my rifles vs something which doesn’t make me shoot better.

This said, I can always use them for non match grade guns.

 

[Colorado S14]

Here is another option, met a guy at the range with one of these, unbelievable case for the price. It was a little bit softer and more flexible plastic than a Pelican but once it is locked down it is very stable.

HQ ISSUE Large Double Carry Gun Case

Sportsman's Guide carries top-quality discount Outdoor and Hunting Gear, Guns, Ammo, Fishing Supplies and more - all at great low prices!

www.sportsmansguide.com

 

[Surfingsk8r]

You know all helmets must pass the same safety test and when they study moto gp riders they found no difference in concussions between helmets right. Do you replace your Aria if it gets dropped or every five years?

Yes I do. In the case of the 5 year thing I actually don't have a choice because I am not allowed to race with an out of date helmet, but I have also thrown my Arai's out when they have been dropped or hit the ground. Not gonna risk it when it comes to the safety of my noggin.

Also, you do know that there are different kinds of helmet certifications and standards and not all helmets are put through the same tests. To name a few there is DOT, Snell, and ECE, and withing those certifications there are different levels. I would love to see the study you are referencing if it exists. Seriously, I would find it interesting.

 

[atomic41]

You know all helmets must pass the same safety test and when they study moto gp riders they found no difference in concussions between helmets right. Do you replace your Aria if it gets dropped or every five years?

Not sure exactly how this is a helmet talk but your statement is not true. DOT does not require testing of all helmet models. It's a certification on the manufacturer and they trust that the manufacturer is doing good product development and testing. DOT does do random sampling testing so there is a chance that a DOT helmet was actually tested but not guaranteed.

Also, Arai will test your crashed or dropped helmet if you just pay shipping. They inspect it and put it through an x-ray to see if the foam has been compromised. This is what I did in my racing days, not sure if they still do this or not. If you drop a helmet it might be junk. You can do a quick visual by removing the liner and inspecting the foam for cracks or discoloration that indicates a crack under the surface. The foam is coated with something that is intended to do this. If you can't tell then don't trust it until you have it scanned. I learned this from an Arai inspector.

 

[Colorado S14]

Yes I do. In the case of the 5 year thing I actually don't have a choice because I am not allowed to race with an out of date helmet, but I have also thrown my Arai's out when they have been dropped or hit the ground. Not gonna risk it when it comes to the safety of my noggin.

Also, you do know that there are different kinds of helmet certifications and standards and not all helmets are put through the same tests. To name a few there is DOT, Snell, and ECE, and withing those certifications there are different levels. I would love to see the study you are referencing if it exists. Seriously, I would find it interesting.

I remember reading a study years back that found that on average ECE rated helmets were better at reducing internal brain trauma. I believe that the SNELL standards at the time led to a higher force transfer but resulted in a stiffer helmet that may withstand trauma better. The updated 2015 Snell standards are closer to ECE 22.05 I believe.

Revzilla has a good breakdown:

Helmet Safety Ratings 101 - RevZilla

What's with all the stickers on my helmet? What do DOT, ECE, SNELL mean? Which one's best? Get educated in Helmet Safety Ratings 101.

www.revzilla.com

Sharp does actual testing, but don't forget that they test European helmets which often differ from the US version:

Helmets Archive - SHARP

sharp.dft.gov.uk

 

[atomic41]

I have also thrown my Arai's out when they have been dropped or hit the ground. Not gonna risk it when it comes to the safety of my noggin.

See my post above. If they still do this, you can have Arai inspect it for free. It's been a while but it's worth checking into.

 

[Surfingsk8r]

See my post above. If they still do this, you can have Arai inspect it for free. It's been a while but it's worth checking into.

I will ask the guys at the service pavilion about this thank you. I had heard of this being done but honestly unless I just knocked it off a table or something I think I would probably just retire the helmet if it touches the ground in a crash rather than bother with sending it in just for peace of mind. Still though good to keep in mind.


Colorado S14 thanks for the article links always like to read up on this stuff.

 

[Datsrboi]

Just a heads up if you land on a new employee this DOES work. If the case is ever on sale without a coupon you can add a 20% coupon on top of it and it WILL work. I purchase a regular case that was on sale without a coupon. Employee will always saw sicne its on sale the coupon on top of it will not work. But I asked one guy to try the 20% on top and it does take it on top of it. Just a heads up.

Two coupons stacked does not work but a sale item and coupon on top does!

 

[deanq]

I use an "Apache" 5800 case with the roller wheels for electronic equipment. Pretty robust for the price, and it does what I need.

 

[davidwiz]

Only has a 90 day warranty. Pelican is lifetime for most of their cases.

 

[Danattherock]

Call Brack at Patriot Cases in NC. He can custom make you a high quality case at a very reasonable price. I had two made last year for travel to PRS/NRL matches. Top shelf experience in every way.

Dan
NC

 

[TxWelder35]

Had mine for around a year now. Really like it. No problems, very durable, waterproof.