Photographers/videographers: Bags and Cases can be the most important part of your kit.
Getting the gear to and from a gig, safely, is key.
And traveling by plane can be the most crazy, as you try to get the window or early boarding surcharge so you get an overhead compartment for your carry on, main gear. (We’ll get into the checked gear in a second)
The standard for many has been the Pelican 1510, which meets the airline standards. A bit heavy, honestly, but protected.
I started to use a Pelican case when flying, after having my roller bag being taken from me, and hand checked. I could have waited for 12 hours for another flight, or trust they would take care of the bag. I moved camera bodies and some glass into a backpack I stashed under seat. They did hand check it, but it was a very uncomfortable flight.

So now I use Pelican 1510, with TrekPak dividers, when flying, and transfer needed gear to a ThinkTank BackPack when I hit location, which I pack in my luggage.

OK, the folks at Pelican have now come up with a series of lighter, just as strong, cases. The carry-on is 28% lighter! Pelican Air should be shipping as of May, 1st, 2016

What would you do with this bonus? Add more gear, or just make your load lighter?
Just get ready to lose some weight, and I think a lot of us will be happy for that!

there is one last test: Can you stand on it to get a better shooting vantage point, as many photos do now? We’ll see, once they come out!

and now, the official word:

Since 1976, the Pelican™ classic Protector™ case has been the go-to protective case solution for millions of people worldwide. It has made an impact in industries ranging from military and aerospace to photography and hunting. Today, Pelican is proud to announce the outcome of a relentless quest to offer Pelican users more versatility than ever before: Introducing Pelican Air cases. These new cases have been engineered to maintain the same standard of durability, but reduce the weight of each case by up to 40 percent and offer new size selections not currently available in the Pelican classic or Pelican Storm lines.

Available in six long-form, travel-ready sizes, Pelican Air cases are constructed of lightweight HPX2 resin, the next generation of Pelican’s proprietary formula that rebounds to stress without breaking. With the busy traveler in mind, the 1535 Pelican Air case (Wheeled Carry On) complies with overhead bin standards and the 1615 Pelican Air case (Wheeled Check In) complies with current airline check-in size regulations.

Additional models are currently in development with more than 20 new sizes making their debut over the next 18 months. Each case passes the same performance tests (impact, drop, submersion, high and low temperature) that Pelican users have come to trust and is backed by the company’s legendary lifetime guarantee of excellence.

To construct a lighter case, Pelican’s engineering team faced the challenge of building lightness into every facet of the design without compromising Pelican’s renowned durability. By working with a team of materials scientists, Pelican was able to construct cases that are the lightest protective cases on the market today.

Pelican Air cases are available with several configurations:
• No Foam (empty)
• Pick N Pluck™ foam – manually customizable cubed foam
• Padded Dividers – newly redesigned with a fully-sewn tub, felt exterior and high-visibility yellow interior, making it easier to identify equipment
• TrekPak™ – a completely new divider system with rigid, customizable panels and locking pins

! will continue to blend coverage of the world of photography in the fine art and commercial realm, as well as the equipment need to make it.