Protec Carry On iPAC Camera/Laptop Case with Wheels – Black
Build Quality
As someone in the music business, the name Protec is very familiar. They have been making band and orchestra instrument cases for a long time, and have a great reputation. Their instrument cases are high quality, durable, and affordable. My interest was immediately piqued when I saw they announced their new Protec Carry-On iPAC Camera Case
The timing was perfect, as I had just recently purchased a Canon 5D Mark III to use a primary camera, and would continue to carry the Canon 5D Mark II as a secondary camera, so I was actively in the marketing seeking a good bag or case that would comfortably accommodate two camera bodies. If interested, here is a post for some reasons I upgraded to the Canon 5D Mark III.
I’ve now been using the case for a few weeks and would like to share my initial thoughts. The first thing I noticed upon opening the case was that it had a solid build.
The edges and surrounding of the case is thickly padded and heavily reinforced made with wood construction.
There is virtually no flex to the outer shell. The inside is simply rectangle loaded with dividers and spaces to arrange the case to any custom solution you prefer.
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The first thing I noticed upon opening the case was that it had a solid build.[/pullquote]
I had come from the Canon 200EG backpack case , of which a review of that case is available here. I loved the backpack case, as it was light and I could fit my flash, 5D mark II, 24-105 lens, 70-200mm lens, a 50mm Pentax lens, charger, batteries, intervalometer, memory cards, an iPad air 2, and still had plenty of pocket storage for miscellaneous stuff like body and lens caps, filters, flashlight, small tripod mounts and plates, etc.
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The Protec iPac Carry-On case is first and foremost designed as a case for traveling photographers.[/pullquote]
This new case was quite a bit heavier, however the backpack case suffered from very little protection other than padding. There was no reinforced edges or sides, so a slight drop on pavement could trash something inside the case if it landed the right way.
Features
The Protec iPac Carry-On case is first and foremost designed as a case for traveling photographers. The extent of my travels are shooting events and landscapes throughout the Hudson Valley region in New York. I get on a plane maybe once every two years at that, so the fact it has a TSA approved lock and form factor fit for carry-on luggage can be very alluring to the photographer who travels often, but not so much for me. With that said, it certainly does nothing to reduce the usability for photographers who just travel local.
The telescoping handle on the case is a must have for a case of this form factor. It’s not the quality I’d like to see, but it’s certainly on par with any “premium” luggage brands. I’d suggest being careful on the handle and going easy, a bumpy trip down a flight of stairs will surely mangle it to pieces, as has happened on so many of my traditional luggage bags over the years.
The outer pocket has a weatherproof rubberized zipper and the case is described as being water resistant. With that said, they do sell a separate rain jacket but I don’t typically feel compelled to carry a lot of gear during heavy rain. The inside of the main pocket offers several layers, one which is thickly padded and designed for a laptop. You could also easily fit an iPad along with the laptop in the case. There is a standard panel you’d expect in a briefcase for business cards, pens, paper clips, etc.
One thing I loved on my Canon backpack, that this case fails to provide are dedicated compact flash pockets. It made organizing and finding my memory cards incredibly easy. With many pockets and flaps I’m finding myself fiddling about trying to remember which pouch has all my cards. I’m sure this problem will fade the more I use the case.
Storage Space
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Each baffle pad is thick and well built.[/pullquote]
The case has a lot of space, but shockingly despite the huge weight increase, and seemingly size increase over the backpack case, there isn’t all that much more room than in my Canon backpack. I fit everything I fit in the backpack, but I can also fit an additional flash. I currently carry a Canon 420EX Flash, as well as a Canon 600EX flash. In addition to the flash, I’ve managed to fit the Gary Fong collapsible flash diffuser in a pocket as well and I still have plenty of storage and pockets for the small stuff.
I’m still sorting out and constantly shifting around the baffles to create a design that best accommodates the equipment that I carry. Each baffle pad is thick and well built. There are also blocks that can be used to support the underside of lenses while attached to body, in essence keeping the lens suspended within the compartment. The baffles stick with Velcro and it is strong! I find it quite difficult to move the baffles about, as they cling to anything they touch. Removing them requires an uncomfortable amount of force, but I’m nitpicking here. Once it’s setup for your configuration, you’ll likely appreciate they don’t shift around over time.
If you use a tripod, it has a great strap system to clip on a tripod to the outside of the case. The Canon bag also has some straps, but because the bag was squishy, slung over a shoulder, and bouncing about I never felt confident having the tripod mounted to the bag. With the Protec case, the mount is solid. This is a big thumbs up not having to lug around a tripod separately!
One huge benefit of the Protec case over the Canon backpack is access to equipment. It sounds silly on the surface, but with all the zippers and compartments on the Canon backpack, I always found myself opening the wrong zipper for the wrong item. I like the more ridged design of the Protec case, as you open it like a briefcase and everything is in front of you, so I find myself digging a lot less, with the exception of the memory cards I mentioned earlier.
Quality is a big deal to me, and I don’t mind paying a premium price for a quality product. The initial quality looks excellent, however I’ve never been a fan of anything with a zipper. They always tend to get stuck at some point and break, and this case is no exception. The large main zipper is beefed up, however I find it does catch on the small strap the prevents the top of the case from flapping all the way back. In other words, when the case is open, it’s hinged at a 90 degree angle. That hinge is simply a small nylon strap that prevents the top from opening any further. When closing the case, the nylon strap will randomly fold in or out. If it folds out it sticks through the zipper and you have to push it back in. Regardless of where it falls, the zipper needs an extra tug to get over that point, something I view as a potential point of failure in the future.
The last thing I’d ever want to do is check $10,000 of photo equipment on a plane! I’ve taken by backpack on several plane trips, and always start to get uncomfortable when the flight attendant starts shifting around baggage and jamming down the overhead doors onto my soft Canon backpack. Using this carry-on case would completely eliminate any apprehension I ever feel. If I traveled by plane often, I’d say this case is a must have.
It’s a crowded field, and there are hundreds of cases out there for DSLR’s. With a single camera with two lenses, I’d stick with the Canon backpack, but as your arsenal starts to expand, especially into scenarios where you are carrying two DSLR bodies together, the Protec Carry-On iPAC Camera Case becomes a very alluring option. There are Pelican cases or SKB cases, but those are seriously rugged cases I wouldn’t even consider unless I was checking equipment at the airport. They are all more than double the price of the Protec case. Protec has seemed to find a happy medium between offering a good value, good storage option, TSA lock and carry-on approved, and safety and quality.
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