Pelican 1510 & Nanuk 935 Showdown Review

This channel reviews travel packs, daily carry packs, shoulder bags, and camera bags. All of the packs reviewed fit into a category called "crossover bags" in that they function well as bags for the working professional and as bags for a casual outdoor hike or city exploration on the weekends.

[@Androctonus84]

A couple of things stand out to me. First, one criterion I would have liked to see compared was weight. These are specifically for air travel, so weight really is an important factor. Also, I get that maybe these are the two that you have, but a better comparison would have been the 1535 vs. the Nanuk. As you noted, some features in the 1510 seem to be afterthoughts. That’s because that’s exactly what they are. The 1510 was the very first of this type of hard case turned into a carry-on. So Pelican basically just took one of their off-the shelf hard cases and bolted on bits to turn it into a roller bag. Later models, like the 1535 and the 935, benefitted from the experience of the 1510, and were designed from the ground up as roller carry-ons. For example, the reasons you gave the 935 the point for build-quality were really more about design than the quality of construction, and that’s because the 1510 wasn’t designed from the ground up for this purpose. The 1535, on the other hand, was, and if you look at those things you listed under “build quality” for the 935, you’ll see that the 1535 is much more like the 935.

[@matthewhartman7176]

I know this video is years past, but I just picked up the Nanuk 935 (Sept 2023) for a shoot/travel to Singapore. (From USA) I got the padded/organizer version. I was able to suprisingly fit quite a bit of gear inside despite its small footprint in appearance. I was concerned about this. I installed the TSA locks kit, which was a simple install. That being said, if you're also considering this kit, understand that "anti-theft" really equates to "anti-deterrent." If a determined thief wants inside this case, they'll find several ways to get in, which could include the low tech method of just cutting a hole in the plastic, or picking the locks with a simple paperclip. Since I'm headed to Singapore, I'm not too worried. If it were Malaysia or Indonesia, this would be a totally different story. 😂 The TSA lock kit simply keeps out the "honest" folks. People who will notice them and decide its not worth getting caught fumbling with locks. Since the kit is relatively cheap, why not? At least, it looks cool and official, and I think that's the point. They're also well constructed. It's slightly better ABS than the original latches. We love upgrades, ami'right? I haven't gone through the airline check-in/TSA screening process with it yet, but I'd imagine it's going to be pretty straightforward. One thing, the case is hefty in terms of weight, so right off the bat, you're aleeady at 11lbs just for the case. So calculate accordingly. The good thing is if by chance the airline makes you check (keep some li-ion in the case to dissaude this) your gear is well-protected in terms of handling. That being said, if a TSA agent or bag handler decides it's a good day to help themselves to some free kit, you're going to have less of a stellar day. What, you didn't know theives also wear uniforms? My bro in law was a bag handler. Oh, the stories he had. 😂 Overall, the case seems legit. Satisfied. This video helped seal the deal. As a side note, I noticed some ppl being concerned about scuffs and dings. It's a case, not the camera gear inside of it. A case is going to get beat up. If not, you're not working enough. Just embrace your inner Nanuk. I'm surprised they don't throw in a free vile of maple syrup. Okay, I'm leaving now. 😂 ***UPDATE*** 12/2/2023 I'm back in the States from Singapore. The case performed beautifully. No complaints. None. This was a worthy purchase indeed.

[@Juraj037]

Great review, pelican so well known that nanuk can come to mind as second grade product, but one has to own a pelican first to understand how beautiful nanuk is and feels. I will add another nanuk 935 when B&h has a sale going again. I love the latches because they can be super quiet unlike pelican, love the wheels, handle height adjustments. Just prefer nanuk overall.

[@pgsanta]

Have you taken your 935 as a carry on? I was told by Nanuk that their measurements don't include the gasket area, the wheels, or the housing for the extending handle, and I've been trying to get the absolute dimensions. It appears as if you were to try to take a 935 as a carry on for a strict airline they might reject it and make you check it.

[@jiroh8123]

This is so well made and in depth man, thank you for helping be the deciding factor. Subscribed!

[@xotoxpv]

Amazing comparison and review, you helped me decide which one to get. Thank you!

[@MechanicalMasterz]

Excellent review. 👏👏👏Most detailed comparison. Funny the price has almost doubled in just two years. 😮

[@nathanielbrice8725]

You made my decision for me! Excellent review!

[@GlassAve]

Fantastic review. I just added one to my cart.

[@mrtwomore]

Thank you for this video, saved me hours of research without having both units on hand! Cheers Ese

[@vulcan1623]

Thank you for a very thorough and well thought out comparison. Really first rate stuff. I own two Pelican 1510 cases with dividers and lid organizers, and just purchased (waiting for delivery) a larger Nanuk 938 case for some flash equipment. As you point out in your feature comparison, the Nanuk has the edge in most key areas and that, coupled with their lower pricing made it an easy choice for me. While the TrekPack system for the Pelican seems like a real innovation at first glance, you do cut the individual elements to create a more or less custom interior divider system which is not as easily reconfigured as the more traditional padded velcro system. In other words, once you cut all the pieces for your current equipment, adding or taking away can be a bit more problematic than the velcro setup. Both are great cases - but it's hard to beat the feature and value proposition of the Nanuk in my view.

[@austincodemo915]

Thank you so much! This video was so helpful!

[@IannWu]

Great review!

[@antoniofigueroa9707]

Great review, Thanks, i have nanuk case for my dji drone, and now choice the nanuk 935 for my camera and lenses..!!

[@LAYDAWOOD6]

Phenomenal review!!! 👏

[@zainmstudios]

Best comparison video ever. Just ordered my Nanuk. Can’t wait 👏🏽

[@Bulldog75stp]

This was a great review. I just bought a NANUK 935 6 UP GUN CASE. Glad I made the right choice lol.

[@russellwood8750]

I’ve used pelican cases for more than 20 years and they have protected my gear immensely well. I have Tried the track pack without a doubt it is very customizable however I went back to my normal Velcro padding, because the track pack didn’t hold the gear snug enough for me and allowed a little bit too much moving around I didn’t like that. I do a lot of over-landing i’m going down rough roads and washboards the last thing I want is everything rattling around. The Nanuk lid organizer looks is made really well, However there is a little problem with it my friend has this case the lid would need to be a little deeper forward to truly work well. When you insert your laptop into the sleeve it leaves very little space for the pockets so you’re very restricted as to what you can put in them. It’s a shame really it’s a great concept but doesn’t quite work in the practicality of it. As for the little locks on the case I prefer the little padlocks and here’s why if you lose your keys it’s easier to cut those locks off and it’s not a real big deal however if you lose the keys for the catch lock well that’s a world of problems. A couple more things to note about the handles as you said the pelican case handle is flexible however this absorbs shock from steps escalators curbs so it’s not transferred as much into the case. Pelican cases are engineered a little more simplistically therefore it is less that can go wrong there are no catches latches and buttons which in harsh environments can become an issue. As you say different priorities. A couple of things I would like to add you didn’t talk about The drop or G force test. Industry standard is it dropped from 48 inches this simulates the height of a drop from a loading dock or truck bed. However pelican can cases are tested for a drop rating of 24 feet. For example they use these cases to drop emergency relief supplies. I also think the pelican case is much slicker on the outside less clunky and less dirt and crap sticking to it. Performance in the cold I live in Alberta Canada and can get quite cold here I’ve had my cases out in subzero temperatures without any issues so far Tip wood. How there’s one time me and my friend were you doing some Astro photography. It was -46 Celsius with windchill, so nice and cold my friend left his Nanuk GoPro case on the roof of his truck. Now it was sitting up there for several hours in the Extreme cold. My friend moved his truck about 4 feet to make it easier to load it back up and forgot about the case. It’s slid off the roof of the truck and hit a rock and the underside of the case cracked. However the company did replace it absolutely with no problem which was good customer service. I do not know if the same thing would’ve happened to my pelican cases. But the extreme cold did make it brittle. How the same thing might have happened to my pelican cases as it was bloody cold even the camera batteries were not lasting long to keep putting them inside our trucks to warm them back up so they had power again. Now my friend is very proud Canadian and he loves his Canadian made products. Now I borrowed some of his cases and tried them for quite a while but not for me. maybe I’m just using pelican case is too long and I’m just so used to them and it works for me. As my grandfather has given me much advice in my life time the one that stands out at this moment is, if it’s works and it’s not broke don’t fix it.

[@cedric_ly]

Thanks a lot for this very detailed explanation, Russell! It's very helpful!

[@russellwood8750]

@@cedric_ly yep no worries at all you're very welcome. Tomorrow information people have the more informed their choices and decisions tend to be I do enjoy lots of information lol

[@ubacow7109]

Hardshells are so underrated, im glad more ppl are reviewing them. Honestly i would do a hardshell over the typical luggage case for any travel.

[@tylermark4725]

thanks for all this work - this is what the internet was made for!

[@NikCan66]

This is excellent video

[@-nepherim]

Since they are waterproof you could fill the halves with water and weigh them to get the actual internal volume. As you say though, it'll be pretty close.

[@bujin5455]

Ok, I picked up both of these cases (Pelican 1510 & Nanuk 935), and I'd like to weigh in on what I think of both of these, and why I'm keeping the Pelican and sending back the Nunuk. First off, the Pelican is "meaningfully" bigger both in width and depth. What do I meaning by meaningfully? I have a Nikon D850 and a Canon R5C. I like to pack the cameras on their sides, with their handles facing up. This makes it easier to grab them, and it also makes it so they use up less space in the case, as the cameras are shorter than they are wide. So I want the wide side up. Well the Nanuk is not deep enough to support this packing style. I have to lay the camera down flat, which means it used more space in the case, and is harder to grab. Also, I like to leave my Canon 70-200 F2.8 on the camera, and in the Pelican, I can have the camera running front to back no problem. In the Nanuk the rubber on the view finder is pressed into the case, putting wear on the view finder. Additionally, I can store my other Canon glass (the 15-35 F2.8, and 24-70 F2.8) standing up in the Pelican, but absolutely cannot in the Nanuk, so they have to be laying down, using even more space. All of this translates into the Nanuk having **VASTLY** less space in "practice," as I have to store things in orientations that waste a lot of space. The next observation I would make about the Nanuk is that the padded organizer off gasses something fierce. When I removed it from its back it instantly giving me a sore throat and a headache. I'm sure you can eventually let this air out enough that it'll be fine, but keep this in mind. The Pelican does not have this problem. Another thing I don't like about the Nanuk is the fact it's not as well balanced as the Pelican. When I open the pelican up empty, it sits open without rolling back, whereas the Nanuk does roll back when empty. This is not a "huge" deal, but it is annoying. Things I like about the Nanuk... I do like the trick latches. The extendable wheel-around handle is nicer. But neither of these things amount to a life-altering win in my opinion. Though they do make the case "feel" more polished. But I suspect Pelican's approach is probably more robust, as Pelican is using simpler mechanisms, though who knows how this actually works out in practice. All of that said, the Nanuk's internal dimensions are simply a deal breaker for me. Which honestly I'm thankful for, as I don't want to deal with the off gassing issue for who knows how long.

[@lynnmcmorris3828]

An excellent detailed review. I own the Nanuk 950 which I use for a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone and it's a beast. Looking to add a smaller case for my Canon photo gear and came here trying to get a sense of dimension. Thanks.

[@princeshovon2074]

Ordered nanuk after watchimg this.. thnx

[@Bookerdevin101]

Great revjew. Only Pelican for me

[@ChristopherChin141]

The Nanuk is 22.0" whereas the Pelican is 21.5". This means that the Nanuk will not fit front loaded into an AirCanada CJ 900 :( ... I fly every day and will keep using my 1510 ...+120 flights per year, ... but the Nanuk looks very nice. Yes, .. the 0,5 inches will make a difference. On the Pelican, you'll want to swap out the wheels for something less hard so it makes less noise on tile and concrete floors.

[@barbaraglanville4852]

Great review. I have the Pelican 1510 and two Nanuk (Kayak case and the new lens case). The latches on the Pelican I find are stiff (broke a nail which is not great for a guitarist). The Nanuk has a nice sleek look and feel, latches I can trust, sturdy internal system (lens case) and made in Canada :).

[@caseyonlocation8257]

Thanks for the detailed review, I gave you a thumbs up! I'm thinking of buying the Nanuk case as it's currently on sale for $127 at B&H without any dividers.

[@gosman949]

What? I must have missed it. As of 4-8-2021 it is $152.93.

[@caseyonlocation8257]

@@gosman949 The sale price at B&H was good through yesterday, then it expired and is back to full price at B&H. However, if you do a search for a Nanuk 935 on Amazon it's still on sale for $126.72 for the black empty version with no dividers. I noticed yesterday that both B&H and Amazon had nearly identical sale prices on many different versions of the Nanuk 935 case. Amazon still is offering the same sale price as of today 4/9/2021 at 1:00pm PST.

[@dannythemedic]

good point

[@2WheelsAs1]

I've been buying Pelicans for a long time now, and used a 1610 as a suitcase. It's tough and keeps my stuff protected, but I didn't like how the latches weren't lockable. You could pop the latches open on a Pelican, and even with padlocks, you would have an open gap where someone would have access into your case. I found the Nanuk and it seems as well made as the Pelican, but I could change the latches to TSA lockable ones (plus padlocks). Pelican has those types of latches too, but it was only available for certain models, there are lock latches for my 1610 but I can't even find them on the Pelican website or anywhere. I choose the Nanuk for better product support. Plus the 950 I bought is lighter (15lbs) versus the 1610 (19.5lbs).

[@kofferfunshop]

Actually you should take for this contest the model Pelican Air Case 1535, because the 1510 is from the protector series, means very solid and more weight. And: The Pelican 1510 comes with 5 colors: black, yellow, orange, desert tan and olive tan. The Pelican Air Cases come with four colors: black, orange, yellow and grey (silver). In Europe we still Miss the olive tan but fortunately there is the Peli Storm Case iM2500 with this color.

[@zackallen8759]

The top handle will actually be the most used handle of all 3 (even the extendable). This also becomes a big load bearing joint too and it's important to note that Pelican's more robust handle will prevail vs the others, also because they use metal pins at the joint instead of plastic like some other companies.

[@emiliopelaez607]

I was leaning towards the Nanuk before I saw your video so now I’m pretty sure I’m getting the Nanuk. I will be using it for international travel so I have to check it as a checked bag, so although I was thinking of getting the divider system, I’m thinking the foam insert might provide better protection for a checked bag. Thoughts?

[@aaronreyperey5587]

Question! Which cube did u use? Essential. Essential+. Essential deep. Thank you for all of this information in a single video. i appreciate your help sir 🙏

[@ziplague]

Would be nice to see a crush test, like a hard corner hitting the middle of the top part of both cases and how it affects the material. I find the extended handle of the pelican a deal breaker, feels like they tried to reinvent the wheel and stuck to it, too much flex and the ears are annoying. Also the removable metal hinge on the Nanuk is genius actually, not for everyone of course, but i like it a lot. Best side by side comparison i've seen, thanks.

[@travelbygungahlia]

the nanuk has a lid organiser as well (pretty pricey though)

[@gilguajardo7808]

Any chance you can measure something on the 935 for me? What is the interior height of the case ABOVE the wheel wells and extendable handle protrusion? I’m trying to see if my 20 x 11 x 6 7/8” item will fit. Idk why they only give the 7.5” height, when that’s surely not the height throughout the entire case.

[@pgsanta]

Any way you could post the external measurements of the two using the absolute dimensions? Apparently the Nanuk measurements do not include the area that contains the gasket and locks around the "main" container, nor does it include the wheels, or area that houses the extendable handle. It's not really the external dimensions they claim.

[@donnlowel4097]

Nice reviews of both cases, i’ve been with pelican 1510 tan colour since 2011 and to be honest compare with nanuk 935 they are both excellent. But if your with any of this brand stick with it, 😢here is no significant difference to justify changing brands with this two cases. In real world use they perform the same, same durability and same volume to accomodate your camera gears. Now with the design, like i said if your just buying a case all i can say is go with the brand that can save you a lot of money, and Pelican is way cheaper than the Nanuk. And if you want to save more, you can buy the Pelican 1510 in used market. It’s not the same with the Nanuk, it’s hard to find used Nanuk case.

[@datfly3034]

Maybe the removable hinge on the Nanuk is so you can easily replace the lid or base, in the unlikely case that it is damaged.

[@vinhbui5440]

It’s so you can install TSA approve built in locks. My 935 has guns inside with foam precut for them. The removable hinge lock is nice and easy to install

[@alejandrocuellar15]

I love my nanuk 930 laptop case, its worth the price on my opinion.

[@utcnc7mm]

I have multiple cases from both & as far as the latches go the Pelican’s are built like a tank & will last a lifetime, the Nanuk seem more like plastic and I worry over time they will break. Which brings me to the next point warranty, if you have to send in your case for repair work and you live in the USA sending to Canada would probably be a little bit more expensive I would imagine. The wheels on the Nanuk are slightly softer material, using them in gravels I would think those are going to be a little bit more difficult to pull than the pelican, but that’s just my opinion. I think both cases are good cases though.

[@BryanMiraflor]

the nanuk on sale for $200 right now on BH photo for padded dividers and lid case. sounds like a good deal to me

[@utcnc7mm]

@@BryanMiraflor I got an email from nanuk offering 30% for Black Friday

[@VictorGaleskas]

only thing I understood from this is : I'm American and I buy American products

[@DJWoody714]

Great review. I just wish you would've compared the weight. Some airlines only allow for 22 lbs carry on, and some of these cases can be very heavy. I saw an awesome case today, but it was 16 lbs. That's a deal breaker for me, since I would only be left with 6 lbs for my camera gear.

[@irrinfo2011]

Why will someone stop you to bring the case to the plan? As long as it fit the dimension requirement?

[@marcducati]

The only time I chose a Pelican is when Nanuk doesn’t make the size I need.

[@StephenGu-vz1bk]

Hope you guys would also consider Jueshimei JMS-L212#X

[@capwkidd]

You should try the SKB 3i-2011-7!!

[@merkin22]

Comprehensive review; thanks. Nicely done. I gave up my Pelican cases, replaced em all with Nanuk after my first Nanuk; have three different sizes. The Pelican latches alone I always cursed before I knew Nanuk existed. Opening them especially after a flight or even just closing them especially when new could be fa inger damaging exercise! :) The one thing I disagree on is build quality -- there's some subtle engineering advantages in the build quality that favour the Nanuk in my opinion -- one is the build quality of the wheels; yes the Nanuk are quieter but they are also far better wheels /tires both in terms of materials used but also their design; easily replaced too if needed, btw. Two, the Nanuk's extendable handle housing that you noted in fact provides considerable structural integrity to the entire cases but also a first and extra 'layer' of protection from hard bumps or even drops. Just my thoughts. Again, thanks much for a great review!

[@qudjy1]

Putting laptop in a sleeve is no big deal either... i think also having a fun color makes a slight difference for visibility, theft deterence.

[@dayjeremy]

The Pelican 1510 has the IP67 / STANAG 4280 / Def Stan 81-41 certifications.

[@Gael_AG]

The nanuk side handle is annoying when you roll the case it jiggles and makes a lot of noise I always have to use a cloth to prevent from the clanky noise otherwise I love the nanuk very much

[@Gael_AG]

29:00 I put my slim 13”laptop in a sleeve and the old MacBook Pro 17 just fits snuggly

[@mycatsaliberal3848]

The bottom line is the pelican is a tank has been serving the military for literally decades. If you had seen what abuse pelican cases have been put through in the military it would be very hard to question its ruggedness. I’m stunned anyone would come to the conclusion that the nanuk is built better after handling both

[@npet6842]

The Nanuk has very little distribution outside of North America .

[@ubacow7109]

They are a relatively smaller company, even in NA they dont have as big of a reputation as Pelican yet, but they quality and design seems to be very competitive w/ the pricing so im sure over time their market will expand

[@datfly3034]

You can get the Nanuk in Australia.

[@smichaelpridgen]

Can't the Pelican sleeve be used in the Nanuk? (do they measure the same?!)

[@CrossoverDayPackReviews]

I don't think so as the screws that you use to fix the lid organizers to the lid are in different places. That said, you could "customize" the lid organizer to fit as the size is virtually identical.

[@dwightdenzer2871]

@@CrossoverDayPackReviews The Nanuk lid organizer can be secured to the case with two large Velcro straps, either by themselves or in conjunction with the screws. Also the Nanuk has three adjustable Velcro straps to hold a laptop securely in the pocket. The backing of the Nanuk organizer is somewhat padded, and fits the flange of the lid, not so on the Pelican. Advantage Nanuk! Thanks for such an in-depth review of both cases!

[@phillip2446]

i interchanged my pelican with my nanuk lid organizer and visa versa. i have both cases and lid organziers. it works.

[@delodelo1]

What about weight, did I miss that? Otherwise, thx for the info ;)

[@gosman949]

Weight is critical. Looks like the empty weight is 11.6 lbs. So this is much heavier than the lighter cloth type roll on camera bags. Some of those from Think Tank or 5 lbs!

[@Bulldog75stp]

I like that Pelican is American made, but that's about it. Given the fact that Nanuk now offers a lid organizer, Nanuk is far superior.

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

Its $175 empty now!

[@nicolasmeunier3126]

Well in fact I choosed the one you did not consider : the Pelican 1535 Air

[@jeffrandall4046]

Can you share the reasons why you chose the 1535 over other considerations? Curious, what your deciding factor was.

[@nicolasmeunier3126]

@@jeffrandall4046 The 1535 is ver light, that allow me to carry it full of gear in most plane as a carry on and the space inside is well optimized. In addition it come with the Trekpak divider, which is VERY helpfull to make a perfect fit for all the gear without losing space.

[@chrisw443]

If it cant be thrown down a flight of stairs, its not pro gear.

[@capwkidd]

“Thai ball game”?! What does that mean? That’s what the closed captioning says you are saying…

[@mycatsaliberal3848]

The nanuk just “feels” like a cheap pelican knockoff.

[@ToddEPatterson-TLP]

I have been trekking gear all over the world for 25 years. I have had them, no questions asked, replace small interior items but I have NEVER had one fail. It's also what our Military and NASA have used for this same period of time. Your comparing a toy to a piece of industrial equipment!

[@justallmedia]

what one are you talking about?

[@justallmedia]

Are you talking about pelican or nanuk?

[@jonathanstrawn583]

I assume you’re referring to pelican which is fine but what makes the nanuk a toy? Just because it’s newer and more innovative??

[@justallmedia]

@@jonathanstrawn583 agree i ended up with a nanuk and i love it.

[@ToddEPatterson-TLP]

@@justallmedia Pelican, I have 15 -20 of their cases from 6" X 9" to 36" X 24" and carry everything from advance video camera equipment to computer servers. I do have 2 Nanuk cases. I have one for my DJI Mini Drone and one for my first generation DJI OSMO Pro. They are satisfactory for field work individually, if going on a large job they go into one of the large Pelican Cases for safe travel.

[@DAVE_WHITE]

I fell asleep twice

[@eatermckinnon4644]

Lol. 40 minutes!!!!when 10-15 minutes would have worked

[@wendylaw3971]

The fish is way too big for the fish tank. Seriously. Leaving the review.

[@ronniesuperx]

Little constructive feedback here. Your sound is Crap. What is that humming noise throughout the entire video. Extremely irritating. Also, dude, I tuned in to watch a comparison and Most of the video has YOU front and center on the couch talking to me. I Don't want to see you that much, I want to see the cases from ALL angels. Besides those 2 points, good content covered.

[@thanasisgeorgantas499]

That humming noise is the aquarium in the background

[@rivvanredorb]

This is "his" video review. He can make it how he wishes to. If you don't like it, instead of criticising, you can always click and move on elsewhere. He's not making this video to appease you or any "internet experts". He's giving his review on his channel. Show some respect man.

[@Robert-ug5hx]

Pelicans are made in America, that should be the first option

[@kennyredjo505]

Lol?

[@thadlm2698]

Agree 100%🇺🇸

[@benmuller1785]

The nanuks flexibility and handle design likely had at least a little bit of though for the way plastic acts in the cold. With it being slightly more flexible, it should be less likely to Crack or shatter in the cold. Thoughts?