First, let me thank you for making this video. I have been a Pelican fan boy for probably 20 plus years. I have a [lot] of Pelican cases and have never had any issues with any of them. There are three main reasons why I am a Pelican fan boy. The first reason is they are made in America. The second reason is I have found them extremely durable and the third reason [was] the warranty. I have never had to use the warranty, but I am now really skeptical about it. Your case cracked and I would really like to know more about their reasoning for not covering it. As far as I am concerned their material failed. They market the cases as protective cases, which means to me it [protects]. It can't protect if it is broken. Again, thank you for making the video and informing us. We are now at least aware that if our cases break they made not be covered.
Yeah, I really hope that my experience isn’t the norm, but I haven’t heard otherwise. I have other Pelican cases that I will continue to use, but I’ll have a hard time buying another 🤷🏻♂️
Pelican has changed. I was a major fanboy as well and I am willing to pay more for USA made gear. I have at least 16 pelican cases that I own and I have purchased a lot more for work. Last time I had a failure I was shocked at their response. I hope you never have a case break.
I was debating which box to buy, but knowing that Pelican does not property cover their warranty for basic breakage, I will just buy harbor freight and buy their warranty - which does cover breakage. Plus save a few bucks.
Thanks for making this Video. I experienced something similar. Basically, my case was dropped. “ it was dropped”. As they are made specifically for this type of unfortunate handling. They’re suppose to be durable. Pelican sent me an email claiming that the product in question was “ misused”. I now use “ MEIJIA”.
Sorry to hear that - such a weird runaround. Cases are cheap for them to make in the volume that they do, so you would think that they'd at least offer some help/compensation. I'll check those cases out!
Thanks for this info on Pelican! The warranty is why I was looking at getting one. Im glad I came across this video! Ill just go to Harbor Freight and save a boat load and just know that the warranty is junk. At least I'll know what Im buying then.
Thanks for this information, I so far have a couple of pelican cases as I was willing to pay very high premium price for what I thought was the best warrenty available. I shall not be wasting my money again, will now be buying cheaper alternatives that suit my requirements just as well.
I have like 8? pelican cases. It really sucks that they did you wrong! They deserve for this video to be made, with every detail you pointed out so well. You were not negligent!
Maybe it's Nanuk time. Never had to warranty one but I have Pelican cases and have started ordering Nanuk. I am a photographer and videographer never had a problem but have heard other stories about Pelican and their get out of warranty free warranty clause. Glad to see you make this video and tell the truth.
One way of looking at this: Pelican, like all companies, will always try to protect itself from warranty claims and will word its warranty language accordingly. Another way of looking at it: Your Pelican case did its job and now needs replacing, like when your motorcycle helmet takes a whack. It's only good for one whack. I have only one Pelican case, a 1400 that I got for free (no, I didn't steal it). All my other hard shell cases are Apache (Harbor Freight), and I'm about to place an order for one or more of the Amazon brands. Pelicans are overpriced and under-warrantied. The other brands provide essentially equivalent protection, so why pay more than double?
Maaaaaaan. What total jive. Good on your for calling these jokers out. I was looking to buy one of these for a tour in Australia back in May...glad I held off. Thanks for the info!
Looking at your picture of the damage (about 2:14), I am not totally convinced this isn't a manufacturing defect. The plastic may not have cured properly and failed under load. If this was not a manufacturing defect, I would expect impact damage on the top, or opposite corner. Or some kind of deformation on the opposite side. It does not appear to have been dropped on this corner. Based on your description and the limited information gleaned from the photo, I lean toward material failure.
If it is a compression (squeezing) failure, it would probably not show any impact damage. So, yes, it could be a material failure and probably is. But as long as Pelican has its "user's fault" disclaimer, it will almost always win such cases (pun intentional) because the burden of proof is on the claimant.
You are absolutely right. What they SHOULD say if they are honest is "we DON'T cover breakage", because clearly, they do not. I mean, it's bad enough they charge you TWO HUNDRED dollars for a plastic box, you'd think they would love to keep repeat customers. How much can a little bit of plastic material really cost them anyway? Seems like they don't care about their rep or repeat business. I was looking at getting one so this is a shame to hear. While I'll still look at getting one, it may shift me to 2nd hand. Why pay top dollar if this is how they treat their customers?
Owned Pelican for many years and use their EMS case in my patrol car for emergencies. Never had an issue. Have some Nanuk cases for home and vehicle first aid kits. Love em. Looking to buy another couple small cases for random shit but reason I’m gonna choose Pelican again is for the pick and pluck foam. That stuff is amazing for getting things just right. Just found out about an outfit here in Texas that is making cases for less but it’s hard to go with another and have to deal with cutting foam. Pelican has the lock on that it seems.
Was just about to purchase a couple of them for me and my team deploying to an African UN mission. But after this review we’re back to the drawing board. Thanks 🙏
fantastic video, thank you for making it. I'm a filmmaker and have been in the market for a pelican for a while now and this answered a lot of the questions that I've had. Thank for your digging and information!
I used pelican in the Army and unlike the ones you buy from them in the civilian market, they are WAY different. Insanely bulky and can be beat to hell and back. Not designed at all for civilian travel. Now that I am a civilian and the army no longer pays for it, I wanted to buy a pelican but instead bought their cheaper brand Vault because the only difference was the “lifetime warranty” which the same sized pelican named version was about 60% more in cost. I figured for 100$ bucks I’ll take the risk. So far so good, I just don’t slam it around like a disgruntled baggage handler or a gestapo tsa employee. I just want to say thank you for making this video cause now I know I wasn’t missing out on that “lifetime warranty” 🤣
Good point! Yeah, the Vault line seems to be the way to go if you can find a case with the same size/function. I’ll use my 1510 until it dies, but now I know not to expect that “lifetime warranty” to pan out.
Ha! Disgruntled baggage handler - I'm sure it was this type that caused Riggs all this 'pain', more like emotional discomfort! And as for the Gestapo TSA folks, the least said 'bout their prying hands the better! They ought to have frequent training on what's what for their level of inquisitiveness!!!
Thank you for the video. I was planning on buying one of these cases until I saw your video. Wish Yeti made these types of cases. They stand behind their products. I bought a 5 gallon bucket from Yeti to carrier all my paddle board equipment and fishing gear. The bottom of the bucket crack, just sitting in my garage over the winter in FIorida. I sent them pictures and they sent me a new bucket after returning the broken one. Pelican should lower their prices if they don't plan on standing behind their inferior warranty and product.
I get what you’re saying but the two companies are not comparable. Yeti is a venture capital-backed company founded in the era of Silicon Valley startups and their cash. This gives them a crazy artificial financial runway to burn through warranty refunds. Yeti also does not own their own manufacturing facilities, they contract that out to USA and Chinese factories. Pelican meanwhile was founded 50 years ago and is more traditional. They own their manufacturing facilities for their primary products. Pelican was also recently acquired by private equity but I doubt they want to become a publicly traded company. All of these factors matter when you consider their approach to warranty policy.
Everyone. Always read the warranty before you call. That way, you know the appropriate mode of failure to discuss with them and can better describe the way in which the case has failed and should be covered. I can all but guarantee you would have gotten a replacement if you had just told them the material failed and fractured during normal use. I highly doubt they would have asked any questions at all. Its just a matter of modulating your description of what happened to better fit an acceptable failure mode. If you believe the case failed in normal use. Don't try to blame yourself or give them an out. Tell them the material failed due to a manufacturing defect as it is the truth. The defect being the inability of the material to maintain its integrity during normal use.
@@RiggsTaylor It's rare to find companies that do these days. You've just got to learn to play the game now. Also you can try again with the warranty unless they took your social or something lol
While I love the Pelican case and own a couple of them. I mainly use SKB cases at my work. I fly out all the time for event production with about 20 cases. not only do they hold their structures well, but their parts support is top-notch. we had one case that had a huge dent and we requested SKB for a repair, and they sent us a brand-new one.
I used to love SKB, but I had one for my ES335 Guitar and it rusted inside the case. I contacted SKB and they didn't want to help me out at all saying it wasn't their problem.
@@RiggsTaylor a few weeks. I had another 335 in the original case and didn’t rust. I have a ton of pelicans also but they haven’t failed me yet, sorry you’re experiencing a bad batch.
My experience with SKB warranty was great. I had a bass case that sliped from my hands, hitting the ground and breaking the handler. It was my fault, so I contacted them to ask to buy a new handler to replace it (the bass and the rest of the case was fine). They told me that their warranty would cover the replacement (even when I told them it was my fault), and got one free of charge (and it was an international shipping, as I live in Brazil).
I came the conclusion not to purchase Pelican Cases many years ago. I had purchased several long gun cases and decided to go back to my trusted dealer to purchase two particular cases in black. I was informed by the owner (dealer) that the area representative could only get the cases in green. I was not satisfied with green and demanded black. Long story short I ended up contact (via email) the VP of Marketing and sales to voice a complaint and desired action. I was assured that I would receive the two cases in black as I have requested, which after approximately one week I did receive. I was satisfied at that point. But this is not the end of the story. One of the employees and a personal friend in formed me what the area represents said upon delivery to the dealership. And I quote, “it would have been a cold day in He- , if it was left up to me.” Of course I filed another complaint with Pelican, with NO ACTION OR RESPONSE ! Due Pelican’s attitude toward me, lack of action on a Formal complaint and excessive cost I will never purchase a Pelican product. They are much like YETI…….
Good to know, I think maybe they are referring to 'broken' as in it not functioning and not as a result of damage or mishandling. So if the latch suddenly stopped working or the hinge came apart. It is as you say very misleading.
I was about to buy a 550 case, but after hearing this, I've often out. After reading their "warranty" it seems like the only time it would be covered is if the case were to just spontaneously break while sitting on a shelf!
I have never heard of Pelican not replacing a broken case. If this is the direction the company is turning, I do not see its competitive advantage. When they first started out, they were the first to make durable plastic cases. But now, with the market saturated with copy-cat case companies that sell very similar products, also made in the US, at a fraction of the cost, why would I bother going with pelican?
Yeah, it’s unfortunate, because they had the reputation (amongst the musicians/photographers/videographers I know) of having great customer service and support. Again, even though I think the airline is at fault, I don’t see an instance where I’d rely on their warranty.
"When this is obviously not the case".... had me laughing 🤣 😂 unintended pun... sorry about your experience. I hope the airport or airline took up the responsibility for damaging your baggage!
I have had two cases so far replaced by Pelican. After emailing them and them reviewing the case they make you go through a small amount of things like drilling a hole and providing pics and writing your case number in metallic sharpie on the case. No problems at all. Customer service has been great. This has made me brand loyal. I own 15 cases from them and also use them for moving music gear. Sorry to hear you were treated like this. From my past experience Pelican have been nothing but great.
Thanks! I was looking for cases and almost went with the Pelican because I thought the warranty would make the higher price worth it. Going with Nanuk!
one of the reason of buying original pelican is warranty, when they not warrant this there is no reason to pay 4 times what other cases cost. i have considered buying pelican but after this video i will never buy pelican as long as i can get a simmilar case for 1/4 cost and problaby better waranty. i have many offbrand cases they work great and have taken a beating without breaking.
Hey bro, this is definitely influencing my choice to buy another pellican case. If the case breaks, then they should warranty it - that's what a warranty is. Companies that actually warranty their products, and stand behind them, get my business. If they say they warranty your case, then say they actually don't in the same document, then it's trash for the wastebin - basically a nothing document.
I was also about to buy a large pelican for my photography gear, and like you assumed the warranty was one of the reasons they were so expensive, which is a trade-off I will make. Since they don't seem to honor their warranty, I will just go elsewhere, thanks for letting us know your experience. How disappointing.
The problem is the Oxford comma problem; it often happens in legal documents. Most people would read the warranty as covering 1. breakage or 2. defects in workmanship, yet the warranty is intended to cover “breakage or defects” in the workmanship. I.e. damage caused during, or as a result of, manufacture. Not a lifetime free replacement for any damaged case. So the wording should be “lifetime guarantee against; breakage or defects, in the workmanship”.
i don't travel with gear like you do, but i do plan to bring a guitar back to washington when i head home to Texas later this year. i was planning on using an SKB iSeries case, and i've got several of these things so i'm pretty familiar with them in at least a storage capacity. part of me does not expect the case to survive, but if the guitar does, the case has done its job. still, i love my cases. it's weird, but you obviously know what i'm talking about. you spend money on these things that protect your investment - they become part of your investment. it sucks when this stuff happens. might be worth reading skb's warranty and see if it's the same as pelican's. they've replaced minor things for me without a problem, though i've never had your depth of experience.
Good to know! I fly with Mono Cases for guitars, and they’ve been great even when checked, which happens a lot with regional/smaller flights. It’s just crazy to me that Harbor Freights cases are 1/3 of the price, and they’ll give you a new one if it breaks, but Pelican being the “premium” option won’t even give you the time of day.
Was going for a couple of big pelican cases for my production gear.. Im pretty convinced im going for the Nanuk cases instead now. Thanks for the video.
That sucks! Yeah if they say lifetime warranty it should have covered that. It's not like you drilled in something else to compromise the case. I have a Nanuk now, but there are pros and cons to both for sure. Even while claiming the same size, I can fit more into the Pelican vs Nanuk due to more boxy profile. Nanuk has better designed accessories (lid organizer) and they are prompt to send a replacement no questions asked (zipper on my lid organizer)
Thanks good to know! Yeah, unfortunately there isn’t much competition in the industry. I’d love to see someone new enter the game. Seems like the same old tech for the most part.
That's Odd, I've filed a warranty claim for a pelican case that was damaged/broken by baggage handlers or possibly TSA, pelican support had me send pictures, then issued an RMA for a complete replacement case. I've also had various latches, handles, wheels and other parts damaged and replaced via the same process.
Interesting! I’m glad you had a good experience/experiences, but they didn’t even offer a small discount on a case for me. Not that I would’ve done it, but even a small gesture would’ve showed they wanted to help at least 🤷🏻♂️
@@RiggsTaylor I agree, they should have replaced it. I would make the same decision as you if Pelican had treated one of my claims like that. Totally Bogus!
Wow, this is really helpful thank you, unfortunately, I just bought 2 pelican air 1535 cases. I am so pissed, what a tricky warranty. I will not buy anymore! Thank you. Sorry about your case 😞
Damn was just about to buy one. Thanks for saving me. This is the problem with brands nowadays. Cheaping out on quality and/or not honouring their warranty like brands did in old times.
Yeah, very few commercially available brands that stand behind their product. Totally different ballgame if you’re going with handmade stuff, but that doesn’t really make sense in the world of plastic molded cases.
I have a ton of Pelican cases and like you, pay the premium because of the quality and warranty. Hopefully the airline paid for your bag. I will think twice before purchasing another Pelican case and will now look at other brands.
This bums me out. I was under the impression that Pelican was better than this. The warranty slogan is very misleading if this is the case. "we cover breakage unless it's damaged???" I know a lot of people in the industry who swear by Peli. Guess I'll have to re-think my stance on their product. Also, good on you for reppin' Bad Cat. I know John, but haven't talked to him since before lockdowns. A mutual friend (who wired the amps) told me he sold the company. I was surprised, to say the least. Anyway, has Pelican done anything to make things right? I have a couple larger cases, one for my mix kit and another for some video equipment. I spent the money on them because of the warranty.
Thank you for the video. I build products from similar cases ( different brand) so am fairly familiar with them in general. I have no affiliation with pelican. Let's for fun pretend instead that we are taking about a car and the warranty says that they will fix the car if the parts are defective or if it breaks. Now someone else runs into your car and dents it,. Is that part of the car warranty? Obviously no. IMHO, this is the same situation. Sorry that is how I see it. As a practical matter though, it gets very cold in an aircraft baggage area. Pelican cases are made from i think polypropylene, so not really cold resistant. What you want is a case made from ABS plastic like some of the underwater kinetics. ABS is intrinsically cold resistant and is used inside of refrigerators.
Interesting! Like I outline above, and in their responses to me via email, they didn’t even bring up a party at fault. Even if I had been the one to drop and damage it, the warranty still is worded in a misleading way. I can buy other cases so I’m not worried about them replacing it at this point, but I think many people have a misconception about what the warranty is and actually covers. I would be interested in any case alternatives you’d recommend!
@@RiggsTaylor Thanks. I attempted to make a suggestion but it got censored for some reason. Just look in my original reply for the brand and family of cases. I have the beginning of a channel but it is very simplistic.
I have bought and used Pelican Cases for 18 years now, adding up to 50 + cases in various sizes for band touring. They have been abused to the extreme traveling 22+ countries, 16 years of trucking on tours, sun, water, boats, used as seats, as leverage, as elevator suspension, as counter weights, and all the problems I had (Including non covered items such as wheels) have been replaced for free along the years (I am from Brasil and all my warranty claims are international since they don't have a official dealer here, so using the same channel as you did), and one time we did a similar damage (on purpose to test warranty) on the lid of a 1650 case, which opened like your (we used a fire axe), and we claimed warranty for fun as a airline damage, and they could replace just the lid, but they got us a brand new case. They do ask us to destroy the old backpacks and cases with photographic evidence so they can fulfill the warranty, we can't have both the new and the broken case, it must be damaged beyond repair and use. My own personal 1510 has been extremely abused for 13 years now, and never shown any signs of that kind of failure, and to be honest I never seen such damage with any of our 50 + cases on all those years on the hard road. They must see it as abnormal since for the case to break in that spot with such extent it's a pressure similar to a 18 wheeler on top, since they have videos of crash tests and a heavy van sits on top of the case and nothing happens. You have seriously misfortune on this one, but trust pelican to be the best choice available bar none (maybe Zero Halliburton ?) for durability and to withstand abuse on the road, planes and travel.
That’s wild! Yeah, it just have been at a point of weakness because I don’t see how it would’ve suffered a major fall or crash. My case (in all regards) seems to be an anomaly, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t just replace it? Seems really suspicious. Glad you’ve had such great experience though!
Man, that’s so frustrating. I had a similar experience with Raycon earbuds. Heard great reviews from sponsored channels I watch and they specifically mention the great warranty. Headphone broke from a short fall and was no longer functional. The company said they only cover manufacturer defects and told me to just buy a new pair. I wish companies would just straight up say they won’t fix or replace broken or damaged items. That would make it more clear. I hope you find a better company in the future!
Thanks man. Yeah, that’s my problem with this whole scenario. If you won’t cover it, fine, but don’t have a warranty that fools people into thinking you will.
That's ridiculous. I have to say though...it might be worth actually getting someone on the phone, if at all possible. Emails can be ignored, a person on the phone is another matter entirely. Maybe it wouldn't help, but I've had multiple occasions (with other companies) where emails didn't help, but a phone call resolved the problem asap. It's a PITA, but actual human interaction with voices and everything is often a lot more effective. The customer service rep is recorded, and if it's a company like pelican with a reputation to protect, they're highly motivated to help you if they can. Even just a discount or gift card for a replacement case or something might be an option, and it's better than "sorry, no joy, buzz off" which appears to be the gist of your email interactions with them. • Thanks for sharing your experience, man. (Oh, and if you don't want to bother with warranties that won't be honored anyway, Harbor Freight Apache cases are hugely cheaper than Pelican, but I've had nothing but excellent experiences with them. If you want, you can even get the 2 yr extended service and replacement plan thing, and renew it, but I've never bothered. Never broken one, either.
It appears that there might be surface damage on the case, but it is not clear if it pre-existed before the fracture or is the result of the initiating event. If you believe that it occurred simultaneously with the main fracture then it is clearly the responsibility of the airline. Nothing is indestructible; and I understand Pelican's position if this is what happened. Having said that, if the case was not damaged prior to the flight, and the case exploded due to a malfunction of the depressurization valve then it is Pelican's fault. My opinion only. Good luck.
Pelican has always been good to me, but the case was clearly abused by the airline. The airline should be replacing your case. But also, think how your EQ would have faired if you didn't use the pelican case. For the cost of the case it shouldn't be ablative, but it is. It's job it to protect your stuff and that it did.
I was about to buy one earlier today, up until I saw your video. Ughh! This is indeed misleading AND dishonest from them; very dishonest. I've been wanting a Pelican so badly for so long now; but I guess I'll just go with the $100 version from their competitors at HF.
While the Pelican is the better made case, it is tough to justify knowing that they won’t stand behind it. Also worth looking into SKB, Gator Cases, and Seahorse cases as well! Not sure about the warranty with those, but they aren’t as expensive either.
Warranty issues a Pelican are not honored as the 'Lifetime Warranty' they push. Purchased the R40 Ruck and it came with the wrong Flexible Lid Organizer. Received the one for the R60. Sue at customer support emailed that I couldn't purchase the correct part. They didn't offer to replace it in any way. Pelican needs to experience the Bud Light losses for a couple of years. Contact anyone you even suspect might purchase a Pelican case. Let's set this company on the right track.
All warranty claims of any nature are barred if the product has been altered, damaged or in any way physically changed, or subjected to abuse, misuse, negligence or accident. Pelican Products, Inc. (“Pelican”) guarantees its injection molded products for a lifetime against breakage or defects in workmanship. So what is BREAKAGE? VS WHAT IS DAMAGE? breakage: the action of breaking something, or the fact of being broken. damage: physical harm caused to something in such a way as to impair its value, usefulness, or normal function. WHAT THE FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF ???????
End of the day, their product failed. And then they failed you as a customer. American made product companies should stand behind their products not cower behind a clause in their warranty, which i add is open to their own interpretation. If the airline threw the box from 20ft high they should be held responsible for the damage as its gross negligence. Pelican should tell their customers, it’s not indestructible and the product will fail eventually. Bare minimum $50 deductible one time replacement standard, with purchase of case to original owner, non-transferable with proof of purchase, bump the msrp +$15 and chalk the extra units up to project yield loss.
"breakage" means breakage without any further explanation. Seems like they fine printed their way out of their first sentence clause. I was about to "place in cart" their 1535TRVL. Not anymore.
Good to know. Any alternatives maybe ? They tend to be the goto default cases for carrying video (my field) equipment, maybe someone is interested into doing some kind of documentary ?
I know Gator and SKB make similar cases. The Apache line from Harbor Freight have been solid for me, and significantly less money. They don’t feel as sturdy, but I’ve also never had one break 🤷🏻♂️
The whole point of paying a premium is the warranty. There are cases like the Harbor Freight Apache 5800 that offer the same protection for a fraction of the price. Wont be buying Pelican again.
Then what's the point of Pelican if they sell their case at a premium..? I came across your video to look for some good cases, and I do use Pelican cases for transporting really expensive survey equipments hence understandably, Pelican is the golden standard of tough cases. But now this story is pretty concerning in regards to Pelican's "lifetime" warranty and its perceived quality of their product... why not just grab the alternative brand that worked as well for way cheaper and insure it instead? Thanks for sharing this to us.
First off, bummed to hear this. Sucks what’s happened to your case, and wonder if the airline picked up the tab? Devils advocate here: maybe look at it this way. In actual fact, the Pelican DID do its job in protecting your gear. Had the pedal board been in say, a regular soft suitcase instead, it probably would’ve got damaged beyond repair by whatever it was that that caused the crack. In a sense, the case took the hit. Now whilst I agree that the wording of the Warrantee is a bit misleading (to your point, that opening line probably makes most believe they’ll replace anything) I personally don’t think there should be a sort of ‘blank cheque’ for any damage to the cases. They’re plastic. They’re not unbreakable, nor do Pelican suggest so. Despite what people think, they’re not ‘bomb proof’; nor should they be expected to be. You can’t be sure what cased the breakage, and hence nor can Pelican. For all you know, baggage handlers might’ve dropped it off the truck, driven over it a few times, and thrown in back on the plane. They’ve become industry standard protective cases for a lot of different industries (I’m personally in the photography) because of how strong they are, particularly where yours broke. Which lends me to believe there was obviously some sort of mis-handling here, pushing the case beyond its limitations. Think of it as if they were a Helmet company. You come off your bike and crack the helmet. Your head is thankful for it, but now you have a helmet you can’t really use. Would you normally expect a helmet brand to cover that broken helmet under their warranty? Personally I’d like to see some sort of middle ground here, like… a trade in system where you ship the cracked case to them and they offer you a replacement for 50% off or something. A sort of consolation if you will. In my dealings with Pelican, they’ve been pretty good with replacing latches and parts for eg. But obviously they’re standing by the strength of their shells- in your case. Anyway, hope your situations been resolved. Hopefully I could’ve brought some ‘other side of the coin’ to this discussion. Hate to see so many other commenters being so flippant and ‘boycotting’ brands like this over these incidents. But I appreciate you opening up the discussion.
Hey man! Totally agree- I don’t think Pelican or a helmet manufacturer should be held liable for a broken case/helmet, EXCEPT that their warranty initially implied they would. That’s my issue- the misleading warranty. I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your comment and totally agree.
Daryl's take makes for a very constructive argument which I totally agree with! No boycotting of brands because of those 'misinformed/misleading guarantees' a number of manufacturers/brands do it! And what Pelican stands by, they do stand by...
That sucks man. The way you explain the story it sounds like you told them you suspect the airline misused/abused the case and therefore Pelican is telling you that you should hold the airline accountable and not them. Just saying the way you laid it out it seems that way. I had a flashlight from like 2003 that I used in the Middle East while in the service and around 2019 or so I filed a claim because the light was no longer bright as it use to be. They replaced the flashlight. I haven’t had any issues with the cases, yet, but thanks for the video, something to consider.
I actually didn’t say anything about the airline, other than it was damaged while flying. They also didn’t even mention who the responsible party was, just said they wouldn’t cover it. But yes, something to think about before you spend big money on a case!
Looks like California law is at issue. Reach out to the consumer protection division of the California Attorney General’s Office. Do the same for your own state. Explain your view of the warranty in detail and what you and they said. They love looking into this stuff. I bet you get a resolution you like.
This video has 28,131 views until now. Imagine 1% of that number is 281 people includes Pelican customers or potential customers. They stop buying Pelican cases. Let's say Pelican make profit 30% for each $300 case 281 * $90 = $25,290 So, instead of give this guy another $300 case, they lost $25,290. A very smart move 😂.
UH OH! Did a "Proud Made in USA" Solution Provider just forget what customer service is all about? Riggs, great video! I am assuming you're the original owner of all your cases. #1 YOU are their target customer for premium cases #2 THEY cannot change their written warranty because of potential abuse #3 THIS is where their CS department calls the airline, without telling you, finds out their reimbursement procedure and then makes you whole. Send all correspondence to Mr Gyori's office. 'Nuff said!
This stinks! I've never owned a branded Pelican but I've owned many of the Chinese clones and none have given any trouble and I have carefully checked the materials and engineering of every case I own. Pelican cases cost around double what I have paid, but if one had failed catastrophically like yours I would absolutely expect better treatment under a warranty. This bad PR will cost them far more than a replacement case.
Sorry to hear this man! Gotta get the word out on these salty companies! I’ve never bought any of their cases. I don’t travel so don’t need them. But still I would be stressed out.
@@RiggsTaylor I was very rude so they did! Was in australia. The laptop case before from pelican bought in Madrid it was not sealing at all, so they send another to replace-same. Junk!!! Now just looking for nanuk case for to mount on my motorcycle!
Man I’m sorry this happened! Thank you for making this video and sharing it! I’m more aware of Pelican’s warranty now. Do you insure your gear & instruments? I wonder if you can put these cases on your insurance for instances like this.
Another case of we dont give a shit anymore about you once we have your money .Thank for making the video because i just like a whole bunch of other ppl have bought their cases on the premise that these thing are virtually unbreakable and if that was to ever happen, they would honour their warranty apparently thats not the case .Completely dick move on Pelicans part .
@@RiggsTaylor just say it! it was horrible! its more like a build up to the moment you need the brands reputation and they let you down that's an ultimate betrayal! otherwise what's the difference between premium brands and Chinese products?
"All warranty claims of any nature are barred if the product has been...subjected to abuse, misuse, negligence or accident." According to you in this video, you told them the airline manhandled it. Typically the exception for damage is interpreted as intentional damage. If the product was damaged in normal use, it would be expected, given this warranty (including the exceptions), that they would accept the claim. This is a normal exception clause for a product like this. What matters with a warranty is whether or not the company does what is right in a given situation and I think most people would agree airlines damaging your stuff isn't Pelican's fault. Challenge for anyone reading this comment who disagrees with me: find an established competitor that has significantly different warranty.
Yes, but the problem is they list all possible scenarios where a case COULD be broken. So before they even knew the causation, they denied the claim. The problem is, as I stated, the warranty is misleading at best, and to me quite dishonest. Whether or not another company in the industry has a similar warranty is inconsequential. I’m sure they don’t, but the ones I’ve seen also aren’t trying to hoodwinking you into thinking they do either 🤷🏻♂️
@@RiggsTaylor Their warranty covers scenarios where a case SHOULDN'T break. That's what warranties are for. If it breaks when it shouldn't (in normal use), that's on Pelican. Your argument is based entirely in semantics. A case's latch snapping off would likely be a result of a manufacturing defect. It's also pretty inarguably 'damage'. A case sitting in your closet cracking - also probably a manufacturing defect but, again, still fair to call that damage. Almost all warranties have exclusions. You didn't even read the warranty before submitting a claim and then you didn't read the warranty again before bothering them again with an appeal. All while you know the party at fault is the airline and that there was nothing wrong with the case. Sure it'd be cool if they'd comp your uninsured luggage but thinking it unreasonable that they didn't is ridiculous.
@@UranTCG If you watched the whole video, you know I do think the airline is responsible, but that it led me to find the aforementioned misleading wording in their warranty. If pelican isn’t going to cover their cases in said scenarios listed later in the warranty, that’s fine, but they need to reword the first part of the warranty to not be misleading 🤷🏻♂️
@@RiggsTaylor I've got a better takeaway: Don't stop reading after the first sentence of a warranty. Lots of documents are misleading if you only read a dozen words from them and draw conclusions solely from those words.
@@UranTCG That’s cool, I just don’t think a warranty should contradict itself. Totally cool if we don’t see eye to eye, it’s the internet and my experience so I made a video.
@@RiggsTaylor Gator Cases: Lifetime, only defects in material and craftsmanship. "This warranty...excludes loss of personal property, loss of use, accidental damage, misuse, or normal wear and tear." Seahorse: Lifetime, only defects in material and craftsmanship. "This guarantee is void if the Seahorse Case has seen excessive abuse or blatant neglect beyond normal and sensible wear and tear." SKB: The Lifetime Warranty strongly implies it covers damage unrelated to defects in materials/workmanship but doesn't explicitly say it. Only explicitly covers defects in material and craftsmanship but also says if it breaks to try to make a claim and they'll either provide replacement parts, repair it (shipping at your expense), replace it, or deny it at their discretion. This is the only warranty with no explicit exceptions which is probably foolish on their part. I don't think it could be repaired and it's hard to argue that the issue was with material/craftsmanship so I suspect you'd have gotten nothing for filing a claim with any of these companies under the same circumstances.
@@RiggsTaylor After further evaluation the Nanuk warranty is nearly identical to the Pelican warranty in its coverage against defects and breakage. I did find a company by the name of condition 1 that's very reputable and has a very solid warranty guideline as well.
Would have been cheaper to just give this guy a new case... instead of having people see this video. 🤷♂
For real!
Yep
Totally
Yes
yep. this vid just cost Pelican a sale.
First, let me thank you for making this video. I have been a Pelican fan boy for probably 20 plus years. I have a [lot] of Pelican cases and have never had any issues with any of them. There are three main reasons why I am a Pelican fan boy. The first reason is they are made in America. The second reason is I have found them extremely durable and the third reason [was] the warranty. I have never had to use the warranty, but I am now really skeptical about it. Your case cracked and I would really like to know more about their reasoning for not covering it. As far as I am concerned their material failed. They market the cases as protective cases, which means to me it [protects]. It can't protect if it is broken. Again, thank you for making the video and informing us. We are now at least aware that if our cases break they made not be covered.
Yeah, I really hope that my experience isn’t the norm, but I haven’t heard otherwise. I have other Pelican cases that I will continue to use, but I’ll have a hard time buying another 🤷🏻♂️
Pelican has changed. I was a major fanboy as well and I am willing to pay more for USA made gear. I have at least 16 pelican cases that I own and I have purchased a lot more for work. Last time I had a failure I was shocked at their response. I hope you never have a case break.
I was debating which box to buy, but knowing that Pelican does not property cover their warranty for basic breakage, I will just buy harbor freight and buy their warranty - which does cover breakage. Plus save a few bucks.
Thanks for making this Video. I experienced something similar. Basically, my case was dropped. “ it was dropped”. As they are made specifically for this type of unfortunate handling. They’re suppose to be durable.
Pelican sent me an email claiming that the product in question was “ misused”.
I now use “ MEIJIA”.
Sorry to hear that - such a weird runaround. Cases are cheap for them to make in the volume that they do, so you would think that they'd at least offer some help/compensation. I'll check those cases out!
Skb is american made and lifetime warranty.
Im trying out a few of their large cases
Thanks for this info on Pelican! The warranty is why I was looking at getting one. Im glad I came across this video! Ill just go to Harbor Freight and save a boat load and just know that the warranty is junk. At least I'll know what Im buying then.
Thanks for this information, I so far have a couple of pelican cases as I was willing to pay very high premium price for what I thought was the best warrenty available. I shall not be wasting my money again, will now be buying cheaper alternatives that suit my requirements just as well.
Happy to help inform!
I have like 8? pelican cases. It really sucks that they did you wrong! They deserve for this video to be made, with every detail you pointed out so well. You were not negligent!
Thank you!
Maybe it's Nanuk time. Never had to warranty one but I have Pelican cases and have started ordering Nanuk. I am a photographer and videographer never had a problem but have heard other stories about Pelican and their get out of warranty free warranty clause. Glad to see you make this video and tell the truth.
Good for you! Need to look at Nanuk.
One way of looking at this: Pelican, like all companies, will always try to protect itself from warranty claims and will word its warranty language accordingly. Another way of looking at it: Your Pelican case did its job and now needs replacing, like when your motorcycle helmet takes a whack. It's only good for one whack.
I have only one Pelican case, a 1400 that I got for free (no, I didn't steal it). All my other hard shell cases are Apache (Harbor Freight), and I'm about to place an order for one or more of the Amazon brands. Pelicans are overpriced and under-warrantied. The other brands provide essentially equivalent protection, so why pay more than double?
Maaaaaaan. What total jive. Good on your for calling these jokers out. I was looking to buy one of these for a tour in Australia back in May...glad I held off. Thanks for the info!
Happy to help! I have yet to see if the alternatives (Gator Cases, SKB, etc.) have a better warranty, but I can’t imagine they are any worse.
Looking at your picture of the damage (about 2:14), I am not totally convinced this isn't a manufacturing defect. The plastic may not have cured properly and failed under load. If this was not a manufacturing defect, I would expect impact damage on the top, or opposite corner. Or some kind of deformation on the opposite side. It does not appear to have been dropped on this corner. Based on your description and the limited information gleaned from the photo, I lean toward material failure.
If it is a compression (squeezing) failure, it would probably not show any impact damage. So, yes, it could be a material failure and probably is. But as long as Pelican has its "user's fault" disclaimer, it will almost always win such cases (pun intentional) because the burden of proof is on the claimant.
You are absolutely right. What they SHOULD say if they are honest is "we DON'T cover breakage", because clearly, they do not. I mean, it's bad enough they charge you TWO HUNDRED dollars for a plastic box, you'd think they would love to keep repeat customers. How much can a little bit of plastic material really cost them anyway? Seems like they don't care about their rep or repeat business. I was looking at getting one so this is a shame to hear. While I'll still look at getting one, it may shift me to 2nd hand. Why pay top dollar if this is how they treat their customers?
Totally agree. Buy secondhand or another brand.
Owned Pelican for many years and use their EMS case in my patrol car for emergencies. Never had an issue. Have some Nanuk cases for home and vehicle first aid kits. Love em. Looking to buy another couple small cases for random shit but reason I’m gonna choose Pelican again is for the pick and pluck foam. That stuff is amazing for getting things just right. Just found out about an outfit here in Texas that is making cases for less but it’s hard to go with another and have to deal with cutting foam. Pelican has the lock on that it seems.
Yeah Pelican has great foam - the Apache cases from Harbor Freight have good pick and pluck too, but the Pelican foam is a little better.
Was just about to purchase a couple of them for me and my team deploying to an African UN mission. But after this review we’re back to the drawing board. Thanks 🙏
Sorry to hear that! Check out SKB, Gator, Seahorse, and other similar cases.
Oh buoy! @carw76 can tell you're stressed already!
You still bought it. Stop lying 😂
fantastic video, thank you for making it. I'm a filmmaker and have been in the market for a pelican for a while now and this answered a lot of the questions that I've had. Thank for your digging and information!
Happy to help! Feel free to share- not a lot of people know about this unfortunately.
I used pelican in the Army and unlike the ones you buy from them in the civilian market, they are WAY different. Insanely bulky and can be beat to hell and back. Not designed at all for civilian travel. Now that I am a civilian and the army no longer pays for it, I wanted to buy a pelican but instead bought their cheaper brand Vault because the only difference was the “lifetime warranty” which the same sized pelican named version was about 60% more in cost. I figured for 100$ bucks I’ll take the risk. So far so good, I just don’t slam it around like a disgruntled baggage handler or a gestapo tsa employee. I just want to say thank you for making this video cause now I know I wasn’t missing out on that “lifetime warranty” 🤣
Good point! Yeah, the Vault line seems to be the way to go if you can find a case with the same size/function. I’ll use my 1510 until it dies, but now I know not to expect that “lifetime warranty” to pan out.
Ha! Disgruntled baggage handler - I'm sure it was this type that caused Riggs all this 'pain', more like emotional discomfort! And as for the Gestapo TSA folks, the least said 'bout their prying hands the better! They ought to have frequent training on what's what for their level of inquisitiveness!!!
Thank you for the video. I was planning on buying one of these cases until I saw your video. Wish Yeti made these types of cases. They stand behind their products. I bought a 5 gallon bucket from Yeti to carrier all my paddle board equipment and fishing gear. The bottom of the bucket crack, just sitting in my garage over the winter in FIorida. I sent them pictures and they sent me a new bucket after returning the broken one. Pelican should lower their prices if they don't plan on standing behind their inferior warranty and product.
Glad to help! I have another pelican case that I’ll use until it fails, but definitely disheartening.
I get what you’re saying but the two companies are not comparable. Yeti is a venture capital-backed company founded in the era of Silicon Valley startups and their cash. This gives them a crazy artificial financial runway to burn through warranty refunds. Yeti also does not own their own manufacturing facilities, they contract that out to USA and Chinese factories. Pelican meanwhile was founded 50 years ago and is more traditional. They own their manufacturing facilities for their primary products. Pelican was also recently acquired by private equity but I doubt they want to become a publicly traded company. All of these factors matter when you consider their approach to warranty policy.
Everyone.
Always read the warranty before you call. That way, you know the appropriate mode of failure to discuss with them and can better describe the way in which the case has failed and should be covered.
I can all but guarantee you would have gotten a replacement if you had just told them the material failed and fractured during normal use. I highly doubt they would have asked any questions at all. Its just a matter of modulating your description of what happened to better fit an acceptable failure mode.
If you believe the case failed in normal use. Don't try to blame yourself or give them an out. Tell them the material failed due to a manufacturing defect as it is the truth. The defect being the inability of the material to maintain its integrity during normal use.
That’s a good point! I had hoped they would’ve operated with more integrity, but here we are
@@RiggsTaylor It's rare to find companies that do these days. You've just got to learn to play the game now.
Also you can try again with the warranty unless they took your social or something lol
While I love the Pelican case and own a couple of them. I mainly use SKB cases at my work. I fly out all the time for event production with about 20 cases. not only do they hold their structures well, but their parts support is top-notch. we had one case that had a huge dent and we requested SKB for a repair, and they sent us a brand-new one.
That’s awesome! They’ve definitely been on my list to check out
I used to love SKB, but I had one for my ES335 Guitar and it rusted inside the case. I contacted SKB and they didn't want to help me out at all saying it wasn't their problem.
@@yourbuddykevin that’s weird. How long was it in the case?
@@RiggsTaylor a few weeks. I had another 335 in the original case and didn’t rust. I have a ton of pelicans also but they haven’t failed me yet, sorry you’re experiencing a bad batch.
My experience with SKB warranty was great. I had a bass case that sliped from my hands, hitting the ground and breaking the handler. It was my fault, so I contacted them to ask to buy a new handler to replace it (the bass and the rest of the case was fine). They told me that their warranty would cover the replacement (even when I told them it was my fault), and got one free of charge (and it was an international shipping, as I live in Brazil).
If I can’t get them cheap 2nd hand, then I will no longer buy them new. Glad to have come across this video. Thank you.
Second hand is a great option!
Thanks for the video, this has convinced me to buy a different brand case for less money.
I came the conclusion not to purchase Pelican Cases many years ago. I had purchased several long gun cases and decided to go back to my trusted dealer to purchase two particular cases in black. I was informed by the owner (dealer) that the area representative could only get the cases in green. I was not satisfied with green and demanded black. Long story short I ended up contact (via email) the VP of Marketing and sales to voice a complaint and desired action. I was assured that I would receive the two cases in black as I have requested, which after approximately one week I did receive. I was satisfied at that point. But this is not the end of the story. One of the employees and a personal friend in formed me what the area represents said upon delivery to the dealership. And I quote, “it would have been a cold day in He- , if it was left up to me.” Of course I filed another complaint with Pelican, with NO ACTION OR RESPONSE !
Due Pelican’s attitude toward me, lack of action on a Formal complaint and excessive cost I will never purchase a Pelican product. They are much like YETI…….
Dang! That’s crazy.
Good to know, I think maybe they are referring to 'broken' as in it not functioning and not as a result of damage or mishandling. So if the latch suddenly stopped working or the hinge came apart. It is as you say very misleading.
I was about to buy a 550 case, but after hearing this, I've often out. After reading their "warranty" it seems like the only time it would be covered is if the case were to just spontaneously break while sitting on a shelf!
Yeah, I can buy another case no problem - I’m just unsure what would be covered at this point 🤷🏻♂️
I have never heard of Pelican not replacing a broken case. If this is the direction the company is turning, I do not see its competitive advantage. When they first started out, they were the first to make durable plastic cases. But now, with the market saturated with copy-cat case companies that sell very similar products, also made in the US, at a fraction of the cost, why would I bother going with pelican?
Yeah, it’s unfortunate, because they had the reputation (amongst the musicians/photographers/videographers I know) of having great customer service and support. Again, even though I think the airline is at fault, I don’t see an instance where I’d rely on their warranty.
@@RiggsTaylormo
"When this is obviously not the case".... had me laughing 🤣 😂 unintended pun... sorry about your experience. I hope the airport or airline took up the responsibility for damaging your baggage!
Thankfully yes! Sorry for the pun 😅
I have had two cases so far replaced by Pelican. After emailing them and them reviewing the case they make you go through a small amount of things like drilling a hole and providing pics and writing your case number in metallic sharpie on the case. No problems at all. Customer service has been great. This has made me brand loyal. I own 15 cases from them and also use them for moving music gear.
Sorry to hear you were treated like this. From my past experience Pelican have been nothing but great.
I love hearing that! I’m glad you were treated well - I’m hoping my case is an anomaly and not the norm.
Guys, seriously the used pelican market is something special. Over 80% off most any case if you look hard enough for it.
I’ve bought some that way, and that’s probably the only way I’ll buy them from now on.
It’s very simple. They aren’t the company we thought they were. Too much competition to spend that much on Pelican to not have a warranty.
Unfortunately, I think you’re right.
Thanks! I was looking for cases and almost went with the Pelican because I thought the warranty would make the higher price worth it. Going with Nanuk!
I’ve heard great things about Nanuk!
one of the reason of buying original pelican is warranty, when they not warrant this there is no reason to pay 4 times what other cases cost. i have considered buying pelican but after this video i will never buy pelican as long as i can get a simmilar case for 1/4 cost and problaby better waranty. i have many offbrand cases they work great and have taken a beating without breaking.
Yeah, they aren’t the only option anymore. Wish they’d have tried to help somehow.
Hey bro, this is definitely influencing my choice to buy another pellican case. If the case breaks, then they should warranty it - that's what a warranty is.
Companies that actually warranty their products, and stand behind them, get my business.
If they say they warranty your case, then say they actually don't in the same document, then it's trash for the wastebin - basically a nothing document.
You’re exactly right. Just dishonest really.
I was also about to buy a large pelican for my photography gear, and like you assumed the warranty was one of the reasons they were so expensive, which is a trade-off I will make. Since they don't seem to honor their warranty, I will just go elsewhere, thanks for letting us know your experience. How disappointing.
Yeah, they’re great cases but a bummer the warranty doesn’t seem to hold up.
The problem is the Oxford comma problem; it often happens in legal documents. Most people would read the warranty as covering 1. breakage or 2. defects in workmanship, yet the warranty is intended to cover “breakage or defects” in the workmanship. I.e. damage caused during, or as a result of, manufacture. Not a lifetime free replacement for any damaged case. So the wording should be “lifetime guarantee against; breakage or defects, in the workmanship”.
You’d think the lawyers would’ve been better about the grammar…
@@RiggsTaylor A shipping company in Maine had to pay out $5 million in overtime payments due to an errant comma.
There is no misuse for Pelican since they are designed as any use, they of all should know this!
Good to know; I just purchased one of their cases, my second Pelican case in fact and my last-going back to Nanuk cases. Thanks for the heads up.
i don't travel with gear like you do, but i do plan to bring a guitar back to washington when i head home to Texas later this year. i was planning on using an SKB iSeries case, and i've got several of these things so i'm pretty familiar with them in at least a storage capacity.
part of me does not expect the case to survive, but if the guitar does, the case has done its job.
still, i love my cases. it's weird, but you obviously know what i'm talking about. you spend money on these things that protect your investment - they become part of your investment. it sucks when this stuff happens.
might be worth reading skb's warranty and see if it's the same as pelican's. they've replaced minor things for me without a problem, though i've never had your depth of experience.
Good to know! I fly with Mono Cases for guitars, and they’ve been great even when checked, which happens a lot with regional/smaller flights. It’s just crazy to me that Harbor Freights cases are 1/3 of the price, and they’ll give you a new one if it breaks, but Pelican being the “premium” option won’t even give you the time of day.
Was going for a couple of big pelican cases for my production gear.. Im pretty convinced im going for the Nanuk cases instead now.
Thanks for the video.
Happy to inform! I hear great things about Nanuk!
@@RiggsTaylor It was a choice between pelicase or Nanuk for me.
This video helps me deside 👌🔥
That sucks! Yeah if they say lifetime warranty it should have covered that. It's not like you drilled in something else to compromise the case. I have a Nanuk now, but there are pros and cons to both for sure. Even while claiming the same size, I can fit more into the Pelican vs Nanuk due to more boxy profile. Nanuk has better designed accessories (lid organizer) and they are prompt to send a replacement no questions asked (zipper on my lid organizer)
Thanks good to know! Yeah, unfortunately there isn’t much competition in the industry. I’d love to see someone new enter the game. Seems like the same old tech for the most part.
That's Odd, I've filed a warranty claim for a pelican case that was damaged/broken by baggage handlers or possibly TSA, pelican support had me send pictures, then issued an RMA for a complete replacement case. I've also had various latches, handles, wheels and other parts damaged and replaced via the same process.
Interesting! I’m glad you had a good experience/experiences, but they didn’t even offer a small discount on a case for me. Not that I would’ve done it, but even a small gesture would’ve showed they wanted to help at least 🤷🏻♂️
@@RiggsTaylor I agree, they should have replaced it. I would make the same decision as you if Pelican had treated one of my claims like that. Totally Bogus!
I just went through this a week ago and again a couple years ago. Denied both times. I'm curious what conditions are actually supported
I’ve had friends have latches replaced, but that’s all I can speak to.
Wow, this is really helpful thank you, unfortunately, I just bought 2 pelican air 1535 cases. I am so pissed, what a tricky warranty. I will not buy anymore! Thank you. Sorry about your case 😞
Glad to help inform! They’re great cases, so hopefully you won’t have any issues. A shame about their warranty though.
Damn was just about to buy one. Thanks for saving me.
This is the problem with brands nowadays. Cheaping out on quality and/or not honouring their warranty like brands did in old times.
Yeah, very few commercially available brands that stand behind their product. Totally different ballgame if you’re going with handmade stuff, but that doesn’t really make sense in the world of plastic molded cases.
@@RiggsTaylor yeah. It’s like with Doc Martens. Absolutely trash shoe now. Sad to see companies abandoning their legacy to make a cheap buck.
Thanks for the video. This is upsetting information, since I was about to buy Pelican solely because of the warranty.
Glad to help man- sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Still solid cases, just not a solid warranty.
I have a ton of Pelican cases and like you, pay the premium because of the quality and warranty. Hopefully the airline paid for your bag. I will think twice before purchasing another Pelican case and will now look at other brands.
Yeah, you’d think they’d at least offer to help somehow as a show of good faith 🤷🏻♂️
This bums me out. I was under the impression that Pelican was better than this. The warranty slogan is very misleading if this is the case. "we cover breakage unless it's damaged???" I know a lot of people in the industry who swear by Peli. Guess I'll have to re-think my stance on their product.
Also, good on you for reppin' Bad Cat. I know John, but haven't talked to him since before lockdowns. A mutual friend (who wired the amps) told me he sold the company. I was surprised, to say the least.
Anyway, has Pelican done anything to make things right? I have a couple larger cases, one for my mix kit and another for some video equipment. I spent the money on them because of the warranty.
Nope- radio silence. And yeah, love BadCat! Good to see John is still there even if he did sell.
Thank you for the video. I build products from similar cases ( different brand) so am fairly familiar with them in general.
I have no affiliation with pelican.
Let's for fun pretend instead that we are taking about a car and the warranty says that they will fix the car if the parts are defective or if it breaks.
Now someone else runs into your car and dents it,. Is that part of the car warranty? Obviously no. IMHO, this is the same situation.
Sorry that is how I see it.
As a practical matter though, it gets very cold in an aircraft baggage area. Pelican cases are made from i think polypropylene, so not really cold resistant.
What you want is a case made from ABS plastic like some of the underwater kinetics. ABS is intrinsically cold resistant and is used inside of refrigerators.
Interesting! Like I outline above, and in their responses to me via email, they didn’t even bring up a party at fault. Even if I had been the one to drop and damage it, the warranty still is worded in a misleading way.
I can buy other cases so I’m not worried about them replacing it at this point, but I think many people have a misconception about what the warranty is and actually covers.
I would be interested in any case alternatives you’d recommend!
@@RiggsTaylor Thanks. I attempted to make a suggestion but it got censored for some reason. Just look in my original reply for the brand and family of cases. I have the beginning of a channel but it is very simplistic.
Thanks! About to purchase some cases and found your video. No Pelican for me now.
The warranty is a bummer for sure.
I have bought and used Pelican Cases for 18 years now, adding up to 50 + cases in various sizes for band touring. They have been abused to the extreme traveling 22+ countries, 16 years of trucking on tours, sun, water, boats, used as seats, as leverage, as elevator suspension, as counter weights, and all the problems I had (Including non covered items such as wheels) have been replaced for free along the years (I am from Brasil and all my warranty claims are international since they don't have a official dealer here, so using the same channel as you did), and one time we did a similar damage (on purpose to test warranty) on the lid of a 1650 case, which opened like your (we used a fire axe), and we claimed warranty for fun as a airline damage, and they could replace just the lid, but they got us a brand new case. They do ask us to destroy the old backpacks and cases with photographic evidence so they can fulfill the warranty, we can't have both the new and the broken case, it must be damaged beyond repair and use. My own personal 1510 has been extremely abused for 13 years now, and never shown any signs of that kind of failure, and to be honest I never seen such damage with any of our 50 + cases on all those years on the hard road. They must see it as abnormal since for the case to break in that spot with such extent it's a pressure similar to a 18 wheeler on top, since they have videos of crash tests and a heavy van sits on top of the case and nothing happens. You have seriously misfortune on this one, but trust pelican to be the best choice available bar none (maybe Zero Halliburton ?) for durability and to withstand abuse on the road, planes and travel.
That’s wild! Yeah, it just have been at a point of weakness because I don’t see how it would’ve suffered a major fall or crash. My case (in all regards) seems to be an anomaly, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t just replace it? Seems really suspicious. Glad you’ve had such great experience though!
@@RiggsTaylorit's probably because you're not a high profile customer like the person above..
Man, that’s so frustrating. I had a similar experience with Raycon earbuds. Heard great reviews from sponsored channels I watch and they specifically mention the great warranty. Headphone broke from a short fall and was no longer functional. The company said they only cover manufacturer defects and told me to just buy a new pair. I wish companies would just straight up say they won’t fix or replace broken or damaged items. That would make it more clear. I hope you find a better company in the future!
Thanks man. Yeah, that’s my problem with this whole scenario. If you won’t cover it, fine, but don’t have a warranty that fools people into thinking you will.
Awesome Video was about to buy a Pelican Case... Banning that brand from my shopping List thanks so Much! They can keep there Dishonesty .
Pelican needs to do better. I almost bought 3 Pelican cases tonight until I saw this. I would pay premium prices for subpar customer service.
Kind of a bummer for sure!
That's ridiculous. I have to say though...it might be worth actually getting someone on the phone, if at all possible. Emails can be ignored, a person on the phone is another matter entirely. Maybe it wouldn't help, but I've had multiple occasions (with other companies) where emails didn't help, but a phone call resolved the problem asap. It's a PITA, but actual human interaction with voices and everything is often a lot more effective. The customer service rep is recorded, and if it's a company like pelican with a reputation to protect, they're highly motivated to help you if they can. Even just a discount or gift card for a replacement case or something might be an option, and it's better than "sorry, no joy, buzz off" which appears to be the gist of your email interactions with them.
•
Thanks for sharing your experience, man. (Oh, and if you don't want to bother with warranties that won't be honored anyway, Harbor Freight Apache cases are hugely cheaper than Pelican, but I've had nothing but excellent experiences with them. If you want, you can even get the 2 yr extended service and replacement plan thing, and renew it, but I've never bothered. Never broken one, either.
Good thought! Yeah, I’ve got a couple of Apache cases for lighter duty stuff, but I’ve definitely considered them over pelican now.
Wish I had seen this before as I just bought one for my photography gear based on its reputation and and warranty this is now very concerning
They’re usually really tough, so it’s sad to see the warranty is sketchy.
wow was about to get 6 cubes. The search resumes. damn
Still solid cases, but maybe better warranty service elsewhere 🤷🏻♂️
It appears that there might be surface damage on the case, but it is not clear if it pre-existed before the fracture or is the result of the initiating event. If you believe that it occurred simultaneously with the main fracture then it is clearly the responsibility of the airline. Nothing is indestructible; and I understand Pelican's position if this is what happened. Having said that, if the case was not damaged prior to the flight, and the case exploded due to a malfunction of the depressurization valve then it is Pelican's fault. My opinion only. Good luck.
Valid points! All damage was sustained because of this event.
Thank you for the video. I will go fine a company that stands behind there word and work!
Happy to help!
Pelican has always been good to me, but the case was clearly abused by the airline. The airline should be replacing your case. But also, think how your EQ would have faired if you didn't use the pelican case. For the cost of the case it shouldn't be ablative, but it is. It's job it to protect your stuff and that it did.
I was about to buy one earlier today, up until I saw your video. Ughh! This is indeed misleading AND dishonest from them; very dishonest.
I've been wanting a Pelican so badly for so long now; but I guess I'll just go with the $100 version from their competitors at HF.
While the Pelican is the better made case, it is tough to justify knowing that they won’t stand behind it.
Also worth looking into SKB, Gator Cases, and Seahorse cases as well! Not sure about the warranty with those, but they aren’t as expensive either.
When I bought mine the warranty said: «The guarantee does not cover shark bite, bear attack and children under five.»
😂😂
Warranty issues a Pelican are not honored as the 'Lifetime Warranty' they push.
Purchased the R40 Ruck and it came with the wrong Flexible Lid Organizer. Received the one for the R60. Sue at customer support emailed that I couldn't purchase the correct part. They didn't offer to replace it in any way.
Pelican needs to experience the Bud Light losses for a couple of years.
Contact anyone you even suspect might purchase a Pelican case. Let's set this company on the right track.
Man, that’s crazy. Sorry that happened!
Damn I feel even better about going with harbor freight apache. I hope the airline covers for the damage.
Thanks! Those Apache are solid - I keep mics in one and tubes in another. Granted, I don’t fly those.
All warranty claims of any nature are barred if the product has been altered, damaged or in any way physically changed, or subjected to abuse, misuse, negligence or accident.
Pelican Products, Inc. (“Pelican”) guarantees its injection molded products for a lifetime against breakage or defects in workmanship.
So what is BREAKAGE? VS WHAT IS DAMAGE?
breakage: the action of breaking something, or the fact of being broken.
damage: physical harm caused to something in such a way as to impair its value, usefulness, or normal function.
WHAT THE FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF ???????
Wild huh 😂
End of the day, their product failed. And then they failed you as a customer. American made product companies should stand behind their products not cower behind a clause in their warranty, which i add is open to their own interpretation. If the airline threw the box from 20ft high they should be held responsible for the damage as its gross negligence. Pelican should tell their customers, it’s not indestructible and the product will fail eventually. Bare minimum $50 deductible one time replacement standard, with purchase of case to original owner, non-transferable with proof of purchase, bump the msrp +$15 and chalk the extra units up to project yield loss.
Yeah, it’s wild that they didn’t try to help at all. That was my biggest red flag.
"breakage" means breakage without any further explanation. Seems like they fine printed their way out of their first sentence clause. I was about to "place in cart" their 1535TRVL. Not anymore.
It sucks for sure. I get they need to make money and can’t fix everything, but still.
Good to know. Any alternatives maybe ?
They tend to be the goto default cases for carrying video (my field) equipment, maybe someone is interested into doing some kind of documentary ?
I know Gator and SKB make similar cases. The Apache line from Harbor Freight have been solid for me, and significantly less money. They don’t feel as sturdy, but I’ve also never had one break 🤷🏻♂️
The whole point of paying a premium is the warranty. There are cases like the Harbor Freight Apache 5800 that offer the same protection for a fraction of the price.
Wont be buying Pelican again.
Agreed. Have a couple of the Apache cases and they’re solid for the money!
Then what's the point of Pelican if they sell their case at a premium..? I came across your video to look for some good cases, and I do use Pelican cases for transporting really expensive survey equipments hence understandably, Pelican is the golden standard of tough cases.
But now this story is pretty concerning in regards to Pelican's "lifetime" warranty and its perceived quality of their product... why not just grab the alternative brand that worked as well for way cheaper and insure it instead?
Thanks for sharing this to us.
Happy to help inform!
First off, bummed to hear this. Sucks what’s happened to your case, and wonder if the airline picked up the tab?
Devils advocate here: maybe look at it this way. In actual fact, the Pelican DID do its job in protecting your gear. Had the pedal board been in say, a regular soft suitcase instead, it probably would’ve got damaged beyond repair by whatever it was that that caused the crack. In a sense, the case took the hit.
Now whilst I agree that the wording of the Warrantee is a bit misleading (to your point, that opening line probably makes most believe they’ll replace anything) I personally don’t think there should be a sort of ‘blank cheque’ for any damage to the cases. They’re plastic. They’re not unbreakable, nor do Pelican suggest so. Despite what people think, they’re not ‘bomb proof’; nor should they be expected to be.
You can’t be sure what cased the breakage, and hence nor can Pelican. For all you know, baggage handlers might’ve dropped it off the truck, driven over it a few times, and thrown in back on the plane. They’ve become industry standard protective cases for a lot of different industries (I’m personally in the photography) because of how strong they are, particularly where yours broke. Which lends me to believe there was obviously some sort of mis-handling here, pushing the case beyond its limitations.
Think of it as if they were a Helmet company. You come off your bike and crack the helmet. Your head is thankful for it, but now you have a helmet you can’t really use. Would you normally expect a helmet brand to cover that broken helmet under their warranty?
Personally I’d like to see some sort of middle ground here, like… a trade in system where you ship the cracked case to them and they offer you a replacement for 50% off or something. A sort of consolation if you will. In my dealings with Pelican, they’ve been pretty good with replacing latches and parts for eg. But obviously they’re standing by the strength of their shells- in your case.
Anyway, hope your situations been resolved.
Hopefully I could’ve brought some ‘other side of the coin’ to this discussion. Hate to see so many other commenters being so flippant and ‘boycotting’ brands like this over these incidents. But I appreciate you opening up the discussion.
Hey man! Totally agree- I don’t think Pelican or a helmet manufacturer should be held liable for a broken case/helmet, EXCEPT that their warranty initially implied they would. That’s my issue- the misleading warranty. I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your comment and totally agree.
Daryl's take makes for a very constructive argument which I totally agree with! No boycotting of brands because of those 'misinformed/misleading guarantees' a number of manufacturers/brands do it! And what Pelican stands by, they do stand by...
That sucks man. The way you explain the story it sounds like you told them you suspect the airline misused/abused the case and therefore Pelican is telling you that you should hold the airline accountable and not them. Just saying the way you laid it out it seems that way. I had a flashlight from like 2003 that I used in the Middle East while in the service and around 2019 or so I filed a claim because the light was no longer bright as it use to be. They replaced the flashlight. I haven’t had any issues with the cases, yet, but thanks for the video, something to consider.
I actually didn’t say anything about the airline, other than it was damaged while flying. They also didn’t even mention who the responsible party was, just said they wouldn’t cover it. But yes, something to think about before you spend big money on a case!
Looks like California law is at issue. Reach out to the consumer protection division of the California Attorney General’s Office. Do the same for your own state. Explain your view of the warranty in detail and what you and they said. They love looking into this stuff. I bet you get a resolution you like.
Noted!
Loop hole, claim warranty on a brand new case to get a new case because it meets criteria 😂
That checks out I guess 😂
You…the…man. Such a clear, helpful walkthrough the fine print I don’t have patience to bother with (and should anyway).
Glad to help 🤙🏻
I was about to drop 300+ on a Pelican case. Your video stopped that.
Happy to help - I wish there were better alternatives. Pelican still dominates the space.
Top 3 Pelican Alternatives = Nanuk, Evergreen & Apache (by Harbor Freight)
Need to check out Evergreen!
You can get a harborfreight case with a warranty for less than the price of a pelican.
Way less!
ruclips.net/video/o6166W9Yxt0/видео.html There is a reason why they are cheaper.
The “except VAULT by pelican” made me sad af lmao
Yep, which makes sense why the have that line of less expensive cases. But not everyone needs as much protection I guess.
Thanks for the info
Happy to help!
polypropylene becomes brittle below 0°C. Perhaps they dropped it when it was frozen
Maybe so - that’s about the coldest it would’ve been in April.
This video has 28,131 views until now. Imagine 1% of that number is 281 people includes Pelican customers or potential customers. They stop buying Pelican cases.
Let's say Pelican make profit 30% for each $300 case
281 * $90 = $25,290
So, instead of give this guy another $300 case, they lost $25,290.
A very smart move 😂.
I mean, I’m saying 😂
I made it clear I can easily buy another case. They just didn’t even try to make it right.
Nanuk has now entered chat...
😂😂
UH OH! Did a "Proud Made in USA" Solution Provider just forget what customer service is all about? Riggs, great video! I am assuming you're the original owner of all your cases. #1 YOU are their target customer for premium cases #2 THEY cannot change their written warranty because of potential abuse #3 THIS is where their CS department calls the airline, without telling you, finds out their reimbursement procedure and then makes you whole. Send all correspondence to Mr Gyori's office. 'Nuff said!
This stinks! I've never owned a branded Pelican but I've owned many of the Chinese clones and none have given any trouble and I have carefully checked the materials and engineering of every case I own. Pelican cases cost around double what I have paid, but if one had failed catastrophically like yours I would absolutely expect better treatment under a warranty. This bad PR will cost them far more than a replacement case.
I was going to buy one but not anymore thanks 👌🏻
Happy to help!
Sorry to hear this man! Gotta get the word out on these salty companies! I’ve never bought any of their cases. I don’t travel so don’t need them. But still I would be stressed out.
Yeah, people should know that they don’t stand behind their product, even if the perception is that they do.
weird i literally got a response in like 20 minutes and they sent me a new one no questions asked
Dang! That’s amazing - good for you!
by the way after I had im2300 storm case which was sturdy, but cracked the edge of latch..nothing big, they replaced it!
Really! That’s surprising, but glad they took care of it for you!
@@RiggsTaylor I was very rude so they did! Was in australia. The laptop case before from pelican bought in Madrid it was not sealing at all, so they send another to replace-same. Junk!!!
Now just looking for nanuk case for to mount on my motorcycle!
I used to think they were a GREAT company. Just going to buy Harbor Freight from now.
Been impressed by them for the money!
Man I’m sorry this happened! Thank you for making this video and sharing it! I’m more aware of Pelican’s warranty now.
Do you insure your gear & instruments? I wonder if you can put these cases on your insurance for instances like this.
In the process of doing that now! Not sure if cases separately would be covered, but that’s a good thought!
Pelican sucks. Just give you the runner round!
That sucks. Try Evergreen cases. I have a Seahorse 920 for my fractal rig and it's built very tough. Also USA made with lifetime warranty.
Checked out seahorse before - they look solid! I’ll look into evergreen - haven’t heard of them before.
i'll never buy a Pelican again. Scumbags. They should at least give you a tube of KY Jelly
8:56 still concerning
Another case of we dont give a shit anymore about you once we have your money .Thank for making the video because i just like a whole bunch of other ppl have bought their cases on the premise that these thing are virtually unbreakable and if that was to ever happen, they would honour their warranty apparently thats not the case .Completely dick move on Pelicans part .
i was actually looking to buy a new pelican case for the rave... but after this i have nothing to say about it other than bad.
Yeah, my experience definitely wasn’t great.
@@RiggsTaylor just say it! it was horrible! its more like a build up to the moment you need the brands reputation and they let you down that's an ultimate betrayal! otherwise what's the difference between premium brands and Chinese products?
@@Work_Data_PV totally valid - I was very disappointed, and you’re right.
Buy pelican vault line instead. Less expensive less warranty.
Good option!
"All warranty claims of any nature are barred if the product has been...subjected to abuse, misuse, negligence or accident." According to you in this video, you told them the airline manhandled it. Typically the exception for damage is interpreted as intentional damage. If the product was damaged in normal use, it would be expected, given this warranty (including the exceptions), that they would accept the claim. This is a normal exception clause for a product like this. What matters with a warranty is whether or not the company does what is right in a given situation and I think most people would agree airlines damaging your stuff isn't Pelican's fault.
Challenge for anyone reading this comment who disagrees with me: find an established competitor that has significantly different warranty.
Yes, but the problem is they list all possible scenarios where a case COULD be broken. So before they even knew the causation, they denied the claim.
The problem is, as I stated, the warranty is misleading at best, and to me quite dishonest.
Whether or not another company in the industry has a similar warranty is inconsequential. I’m sure they don’t, but the ones I’ve seen also aren’t trying to hoodwinking you into thinking they do either 🤷🏻♂️
@@RiggsTaylor Their warranty covers scenarios where a case SHOULDN'T break. That's what warranties are for. If it breaks when it shouldn't (in normal use), that's on Pelican. Your argument is based entirely in semantics. A case's latch snapping off would likely be a result of a manufacturing defect. It's also pretty inarguably 'damage'. A case sitting in your closet cracking - also probably a manufacturing defect but, again, still fair to call that damage. Almost all warranties have exclusions. You didn't even read the warranty before submitting a claim and then you didn't read the warranty again before bothering them again with an appeal. All while you know the party at fault is the airline and that there was nothing wrong with the case. Sure it'd be cool if they'd comp your uninsured luggage but thinking it unreasonable that they didn't is ridiculous.
@@UranTCG If you watched the whole video, you know I do think the airline is responsible, but that it led me to find the aforementioned misleading wording in their warranty.
If pelican isn’t going to cover their cases in said scenarios listed later in the warranty, that’s fine, but they need to reword the first part of the warranty to not be misleading 🤷🏻♂️
@@RiggsTaylor I've got a better takeaway: Don't stop reading after the first sentence of a warranty. Lots of documents are misleading if you only read a dozen words from them and draw conclusions solely from those words.
@@UranTCG That’s cool, I just don’t think a warranty should contradict itself. Totally cool if we don’t see eye to eye, it’s the internet and my experience so I made a video.
Is there an alternative brand I should buy with a lifetime warranty that covers breakage?
I haven’t taken the time to see what other companies warranties look like, but some to look into are SKB, Gator Cases, and Seahorse.
@@RiggsTaylor Gator Cases: Lifetime, only defects in material and craftsmanship. "This warranty...excludes loss of personal property, loss of use, accidental damage, misuse, or normal wear and tear."
Seahorse: Lifetime, only defects in material and craftsmanship. "This guarantee is void if the Seahorse Case has seen excessive abuse or blatant neglect beyond normal and sensible wear and tear."
SKB: The Lifetime Warranty strongly implies it covers damage unrelated to defects in materials/workmanship but doesn't explicitly say it. Only explicitly covers defects in material and craftsmanship but also says if it breaks to try to make a claim and they'll either provide replacement parts, repair it (shipping at your expense), replace it, or deny it at their discretion. This is the only warranty with no explicit exceptions which is probably foolish on their part.
I don't think it could be repaired and it's hard to argue that the issue was with material/craftsmanship so I suspect you'd have gotten nothing for filing a claim with any of these companies under the same circumstances.
Condition 1
Seems like Pelican sucks when it comes to warranty.
Seems like it
best part of this video is that hm30 behind you :)
It’s a sweet amp! Did a minor repair for a friend and he’s left it here for a bit.
Well then... Guess I'm going with a Nanuk case afterall.
I wonder if their warranty is better?
@@RiggsTaylor After further evaluation the Nanuk warranty is nearly identical to the Pelican warranty in its coverage against defects and breakage. I did find a company by the name of condition 1 that's very reputable and has a very solid warranty guideline as well.