I'm pretty stoked to announce the latest addition to our stable of advertising partners: Pelican, makers of tough polymer cases for protective storage and travel.

I'm not sure if anyone here has noticed, but not just anyone advertises here. A few years ago I ripped out Google ads, the ridiculous tracking ads that show you stuff you've already bought on Amazon. I'm sensitive to the fact that we're all inundated with advertising everywhere, everyday, so to support the site while still maintaining our dignity, I have hand-picked the brands that I feel are relevant and useful to us, and ideally will participate with us. Pelican is definitely one of those.



Shortly before I left for Alaska last spring, their VP of marketing reached out to me to say he was a fan of the BCP videos, and offered to supply me with some gear. I really felt like I'd hit the big time. Somebody in another industry knew who I was! The same week someone else offered me a free hat, which was cool too. But Pelican really stepped up, supplying me with several Pelican Air cases for my photo gear and camera stabilizer, a smaller one for flying commercial with my pistol, one for my GoPros, and a photography backpack.

In 2018 they've stepped up even more to support our latest short film (almost done!), and have become an advertising partner, which keeps us afloat and pushing forward to upgrades and better technology.

This partnership was spurred when I saw this photo, posted by one of our users:



Nice! A Pelican Air like mine being put to good use as a survival kit... wait a minute.

Shooting footage on the Knik river last spring:


Prior to ever doing anything noteworthy on the Internet, I bought my own Pelican rifle case for flying commercially. It's got wheels and several handles and is just plain beefy and indestructible.

I never thought I'd be in a position to promote someone's products for money, but I am proud to promote Pelican. So much so that I'll share this ridiculous selfie I took last year posing with my gear and my buddy Tim's Cub. Shameless. Let's keep this in the circle of trust.

Awesome! Great gear, we have several pieces.

That's awesome! Thanks for stepping up Pelican!

Congrats and thanks to Pelican!

That's awesome! What a great product. We have multiple cases we use for the rafting co. I have a couple that are 20+ years old we use for our med kits and are still going strong. They go out four days/week from April through October. Anyone that has worked with raft guides knows that just lasting through a weekend trip let alone 20 years is a feat in itself.

Pete

Well played Pelican. I'm in the market...

Thanks Pelican! This is just to push I needed.

Hey this is Kevin from Pelican just saying thanks for welcoming us to your community! I haven't even solo'd yet but I identify as a tail dragging bush plane

This is great. Like others I've got multiple cases for personal and work-related things.

Something I've always wanted but haven't quite managed is the custom-cut foam inserts. I wonder if this partnership might be a way to share a library for shape files for common backcountry aviation items, such as Spots, In-Reaches, Iridium phones, bear spray canisters, etc.

I once attempted to make an outline of a spotting scope, for an order of 8ea custom-cut foam inserts. Ultimately, I just couldn't make a good enough tracing or photograph to make it worthwhile. This was the next-best solution I came up with.

It would be neat to be able to order custom cut foam using a pattern library.

I am ok with pick-and-pluck, but sometimes it would be nice to have something more precise/ polished.

Anyway, thanks for the site-sponsorship.

-DP

If I remember correctly, one of Pelican's first warranties was "Guaranteed against everything except shark bite, bear attack, or children under two."

I probably don't have the wording exact, but that's what I recall. I tried to remember how many Pelican cases I've had, and lost track somewhere around twelve. Good stuff.

We have several Pelican cases for work - they are pretty awesome. Also, I have it on good authority that a Pelican case on it's tall edge can double as a tail lift for changing a tailwheel in the bush on a tail-heavy Cessna. So they have lots of good uses.

PiuteMurph wrote:Hey this is Kevin from Pelican just saying thanks for welcoming us to your community! I haven't even solo'd yet but I identify as a tail dragging bush plane

Kevin! That's awesome you're on here. Maybe we can somehow pressure you into furthering your training

denalipilot wrote: I wonder if this partnership might be a way to share a library for shape files for common backcountry aviation items, such as Spots, In-Reaches, Iridium phones, bear spray canisters, etc
....
It would be neat to be able to order custom cut foam using a pattern library.

Good idea. That is one of the more challenging aspects to using any case to accomodate non-standard shaped stuff. For photo gear it's a little easier because they have organizers like Trekpak that's just cut and assemble. But for foam cutouts, there's no way around getting creative.

I made a layout for my DJI Ronin camera stabilizer last year and it was one part Tetris, one part draftsman, one part turkey carver. Kevin actually sent me a stiffer, tougher version of the foam for the purpose.

I think pick-and-pluck works really well for most stuff. It has like 1cm resolution, and if you loosen and compress it but don't totally rip the column out, it can provide a nice pocket.

Here's my lens and GoPro cases. Trekpak on the big one, pick and pluck on the GoPro:

Hell yeah! Pelican makes some bad ass shit!

Pelican makes awesome stuff, I'm a huge fan! I also applaud the choice as an advertiser on BCP, I am very interested in what they have to offer and actually look forward to their ads or sales. I'm building a Sprinter utility RV conversion and am planning my storage cubbies around the exact sizing of available Pelican boxes.
I would be very interested in seeing how others have managed to shape their foam inserts. The best method I've come up with is an electric carving knife and the results are okay but aren't as finished as I'd like. Anybody have better luck?
Chris

They make very nice stuff. I have seen some nice vids on folks using a hot knife to cut out foam for things such as rifles with scopes and whatnot but have never tried it myself. Lots of vids on it out there though.


Nice job on all involved.

Congrats Mr Zzzz

I have used Pelican cases for about as long as they have been in business.
Got my first ones from West Marine Aircraft Supply and 4x4 parts.
Used my first one to hold first aid materials with 2 sealed surgery kits.
Only problem- way back when- was if you had used it say- at over nine thousand feet on something like the Dusy-Ershim trail- and then tried to open it to refill it at sea level- Well I ended up drilling a small 1/32” hole in the lid and covered it with a band aid. Cut the tape of one end- re-seal the hole with the other tape end and leave the pad as a pull tab. Then they added a decompression valve- last I heard they were auto magic.

CUTTING
When I worked at the North Face we had a HOT wire to cut nylon and plastics.
I know use a WELLER 260/200 watt pistol type soldering iron- It comes with a small FLAT blade that can easily be used to trim plastics and foam.

CDC

I have several Pelican cases. The best one is a laptop case, that I took my old laptop in when I did The Ultimate Small Boat Adventure (shameless plug: book still available, $15.95 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble) back in 2001. In spite of getting soaked a couple of times in rough water going across Georgia Strait and in a driving rain at Powell River, BC, that case never got the slightest dampness inside. I never could have written my book if it hadn't been so water tight, as I wrote pages of the book at the end of each day, much like a log narrative, on my laptop.

So I'm a real fan, and I appreciate their support of BCP, too.

Cary

This certainly is big time news. Congratulations Z and a warm welcome to Pelican. I’ve relied on a vast collection of Pelican cases at work and home. They have all served me well without fail. I would definitely recommend them and will do so more adamantly with this sponsorship.

I’m gonna place my laptop back in my work Pelican case now and load up for another mission.

Brett

Nice!
Welcome, Kevin. Plenty of folks from BCP over on your coast to help you with becoming a pilot.
I guess I'll have to pony up for an addition to my 28 year old Pelican case. It was just getting broken in...
J

moppready wrote:I’m gonna place my laptop back in my work Pelican case now and load up for another mission.

That's a pretty cool endorsement from the UH-60 pilot.