Pelican has announced the “next generation” of its Protector-series cases, which many photographers and videographers have long turned to when their gear needs to be kept safe from the worst that nature (and airlines) can throw at it. The company says its new cases are not only even more protective, but it is also making them easier to use and adding some interesting ways to keep your gear organized.

The main upgrade is to the material used to make the hard polymer shell. The company says it’s now using what it calls “HPX,” which it claims is 12% stronger when it comes to impacts, letting it handle “high-velocity drops and extreme kinetic stress” better. Pelican also says it’s more rigid under load, so it’ll seal better under the kinds of pressures you’d find in “high-altitude transport or deep-sea deployment.” Finally, the company says it should also stay strong and retain its color even with long-term UV exposure.

The company has upgraded the wheels on cases like the Protector 1510 and 1560, making them smoother, even when carrying a heavy load. It also redesigned the latch system, adding a push-button mechanism that it says will make the case easier to open.

From the outside, the cases look much the same as they have for decades. Photo: Pelican

Finally, there are some new accessories coming for the system. Perhaps the most exciting is the “Gridpoint” system that will be available for select models of cases. It replaces the traditional foam interior of the lid with a panel of hook and loop and standardized MOLLE attachment points. This lets you attach pouches or other organizational tools to it, which can be used to store accessories such as flashes, charging cables, storage media, etc. The company is also introducing what it calls the ModLight Pivot, which is essentially a rechargeable lamp designed to fold up on the inside of its cases, which you can swing out and illuminate your gear if you need to see it better.

The one thing that may be a minor disappointment is that the company hasn’t taken this opportunity to rethink its “Pick N Pluck” foam system, which you have to painstakingly and semi-permanently customize for each gear loadout. While it has its advantages, we’d be interested to see if the company could adapt the Re-Set system it recently introduced for its gun cases to work with camera gear.

Still, it’s nice to see a company making a good product even better and, if the few product pages that are up are anything to go by, doing so without substantially raising the price. The company says the full lineup will be available this summer.

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