Great case much better than Pelican and SKB
This is an excellent hard shell case. I use mine as a suitcase for overnight business trips and as a rugged case for tools. I often travel with a lot of books and this case excels with heavy loads. I can sit or stand on it if necessary and generally don't have to worry about damaging it or getting it wet or dirty. It rolls beautifully and the wheels are large enough so small rocks and sidewalk cracks are generally not a problem.
I researched thoroughly and considered the choices very carefully when I selected this case. The competition from Pelican and SKB fell short in three key areas.
1. This Storm Case has superior latches. The secondary release mechanism is better--it requires simultaneous pushing on the inner button while pulling out on the latch such that pressure from an object or tension from a snag will not open the latch. The Pelican and SKB models have a secondary latch that pulls in the same direction as the main latch such that a snag on the lever will open it (quite easily in the case of the SKB). There are padlock holes on all three but the plastic on this one is so soft that I'm pretty sure you could just twist the lock off or cut away the material quite easily. Plus the lock holes are placed such that the locks will be jutting out and quite likely to catch on things. The pelican case lines their lock holes with metal so perhaps they're more secure.
2. This Storm case has a superior handle for two reasons:
a. The handle of this Storm case when retracted can still be grasped such that it provides a convenient carrying handle on the end of the case rather than the side. This is very nice when maneuvering it into the overhead bin and carrying by hand without having to rotate the case from rolling to carrying position.
b. The end of the handle is smooth such that sliding another bag over it is smooth and easy (I'm talking about handbags and computer briefcases that have a hollow sleeve meant to slide over the suitcase handle for easy piggy-backing). The Pelican case has a wide flat handle with a T at the end that acts like a fish hook barb making it very difficult to remove the piggy-backed bag from the handle--it gets caught and it's a real hassle. This is quite important for air travel when you're constantly re-configuring your load at the ticket counter security on the plane etc.
3. The internal-space -to- external-volume ratio for this case is higher than for the others. This means that less volume is wasted on case parts handle enclosure wheel moldings and external reinforcements. In other words for the same external dimensions you get more packing space. This case is pretty much at the maximum carry-on dimensions and unlike a cloth suitcase much of that volume is lost to the case itself due to the thick walls and rugged construction. This is par for the course for a case like this but the Storm Case gets you more packing space than the SKB or Pelican.
A few drawbacks worth considering:
1. If you use it for clothing or other soft items it's difficult to pack all the contents inside without anything getting caught in the seam. There's no inner molding or flap to help with this as there typically is on a zipper suitcase. Plus with a soft bag you can just poke your finger in to get clothing out of the way. With this case since it's rigid there's not much you can do except open the case re-tuck everything in around the edges and try again.
2. The handle can not be extended or retracted with a single hand. It does not slide freely such that the release catch must be actuated with one hand while pushing down (or pulling up) on the handle with the other hand which is sometimes rather clumsy if you're carrying other items. It is a very sturdy handle however--much stronger than I expected from molded plastic.
A couple of other specific notes...
If you use this as a tool case it gets heavy very fast. I also own the next larger size but I can't use that one for tools because it goes overweight before it's even half full. This i2500 is just the right size for 50 pounds of hand tools and hardware.
If you're tempted to get one of the lid organizers be advised that it will not stay attached very long. It uses sticky-backed velcro to attach to the inside of the lid and the stick is nowhere near permanent. Mine detaches constantly now and has done so since my second or third trip.
In summary I am quite pleased with my Hardig Storm Case it outranks the competition in a few key areas but still has room for improvement--especially in the handle lock mechanism. More detail ...
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