Championed as providing some of the best storage and protective cases, Pelican has long-established itself as the leader in providing cases to meet any mission need. The Protector series provides significant storage and maximum padding, while the 1560 provides an ideal size to support the end-user for a hard day on the range or in the field.

1560 Protector Case

As with all Pelican cases, the 1560 Protector Case is made from Polypropylene to deliver a watertight, crushproof, and dustproof case that provides a significant amount of external protection and stackabiliy. The 1560 Protector Case itself has four locking and four support cleats designed on the bottom to interlock onto the lid’s design and reinforce its stacking strength.

Exterior

With an overall exterior dimension of 22.07” (L) x 17.92” (H) x 10.42” (W), the 1560’s exterior is comprised of Pelican’s traditional polymer construction for maximum strength and an impact resistant shell.

The 1560 Protector Case includes two C-clamp throw latches that secure the lid. In addition, there are two double-wide, foldable handles (one on the front and one on the top) to aid in picking up and stacking. A collapsible tote handle helps aid in transport of the 1560 when fully loaded.

Several protective features built into the 1560 Protector Case are its stainless-steel padlock protectors, and its one automatic pressure equalization valve.

1560 Protector Case has two reinforced polyurethane wheels to aid in smooth rolling and easy transport of the case and its fully packed weight.

Interior

With an interior space of 19.92” (L) x 14.98” (H) x 9.00” (W), the 1560 has an overall internal storage capacity of 1.55 ft³.

A one-piece, rubberized O-ring provides a watertight seal to the interior storage space.

The 1560 Protector Case comes with two layers of open-cell pick-n-pluck foam that is customizable to meet storage needs, in addition to the convoluted lid foam and protective base layer.

Specifications

• The Protector series comes with Pelican’s Lifetime Guarantee of Excellence

The 1560 Protector Case comes in a variety of colors that include; Black (featured), Desert Tan, Orange, Grey, Yellow, and OD Green.

Product Evaluation Scores:

• Cost – Good (4/5): At $207.95, the 1560 Protector Case is among the smaller firearm and/or accessory hard cases offered by Pelican, shy of its other line of hard cases of similar size. As such, it is one of the moderate-sized Protector cases within the Pelican line. Pelican acquired its closest competitor Hardigg in 2017, and as such many of its mid/larger products don’t even have direct peers with the same attention to strength. That move reinforces Pelican as a world leader in quality hard polymer cases. The 1560’s closest peer would be the 2015-14 iSeries case ($359.99 w/foam) by SKB, or Nanuk’s 955 case ($334.95 w/foam) given the closest similarity in size and included foam. With the legacy of Pelican’s performance, its lifetime warranty, and the cost to storage volume ratio – then the 1560 is a good-sized product for its cost. The 1569 interior lid organizer ($61.95) and padded internal divider ($216.95) are sold separately, but regardless none of the other market competitors offer that type of add-on accessories.
• Comfort – Average (3/5): At just over 22.07” x 17.92” x 10.42” in a rough rectangular design, the 1560 size was comfortable when picking it up, and using both opposing side handles. There was no opposing third handle on the side with the rolling wheels, but even fully loaded the need for a third handle was unnecessary as the total weight was never that cumbersome. As is, once fully loaded with helmet and night vision gear, the 1560 was still heavier than its initial 24.62 pounds but easily managed by a single individual to lift, or utilize the tote handle to maneuver the case around. The deep locking cleats provided a secure anchoring point for stacking and gave the overall shell a good amount of added rigidity.
• Durability – Good (4/5): Made from a high-density Polyethylene, a type of high-density plastic, the principle material of the 1560 (and indeed almost all of Pelican’s hard cases) made it amazingly durable and resistant to shock. The open-cell foam inserts in the case provided added protection to the equipment contained inside (more so if the user takes the time to cut specific patterns into the one-piece foam for a specific item), but the pick-n-pluck foam (by design) tore somewhat easily. The case was dragged over rocks, thrown into a truckbed a number of times, and left out in inclement weather (heat/rain) with no detrimental effect to the foam, stored contents (although some surface marring was noted), or moisture penetration.
• Functionality – Good (4/5): From a functional aspect, the 1560 was like all Pelican hard cases – a protective box. Pelican has a large array of products for the various consumer, military/LEOs, or first responders to choose from that best fits their individual specific needs. While the 1560 was a straight-forward case (it’s a box – it opens, it closes, it has foam for added padding), it is left to the imagination of the user for use and to expand on the functionality of the case. For the purposes of this review the case was set up for transport of helmet and night vision (with all accessories) and it accomplished this with more than enough padding on all sides. Features like the rolling wheels and pressurization valves were essential as part of the design for long-term use, transport, or carrying. The stainless-steel protectors and hinge pins likewise filled an essential aspect of design in that it ensured forced entry (shy of cutting) wasn’t possible. Users could custom cut a pattern or design into the included foam for added protection of the specific contents. The downside is then it had to be specific to that item (unless you make the cut pattern very generalized). Pelican further expanded on the function of its 1560 case by incorporating a variety of accessories (sold separately) that attach directly to the lid, or to compartmentalize the interior.
• Weight – Average (3/5): For its size, and the volume of Polypropylene material, the 1560 case weighed in at just over 20 pounds with foam (or 17 pounds w/o foam) and had a storage capacity of 1.55 ft³. This made its bulk less cumbersome than larger cases like the 1650 or other large-volume equipment cases given the 1560s smaller dimensions, but the multiple handles and tote handle also facilitated maneuvering the case to a manageable degree, even when fully loaded. So bear that in mind, as the more items you add, the heavier the case will get. In comparison to the market alternatives noted above, the 2015-14 iSeries case (16.8 pounds w/foam and 2.57 ft³ of storage) by SKB, or Nanuk’s 955 case (18.4 pounds w/foam and 2.16 ft³ of storage) illustrate the 1560 has a slightly smaller internal storage space as other vendors with a slightly heavier weight ratio, but those alternative designs did not reflect the reinforcement cleats, polymer, and integral hardware attributed to Pelican’s longstanding Protector product line. For its size, the 1560 had no problem as a dedicated hard case for a helmet (size large), night vision, and spaces for accessories or support items. With the foam completely removed it could also fit larger items or equipment, but would not be able to fit a full-sized plate carrier or larger items like the 1650 can.

Overall Rating – Above Average (18/25)

Product Link: https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/cases/protector/1560

I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via High Ground Media, LLC, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.

The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author. The views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.