Disclosure

I have purchased this product with my own money, and have been using it for several years prior to writing this review. I got no benefits for exchange from NUPROL by writing this article, so as you can tell, this is a completely honest review. Let’s get into it.

Some words on hard cases in general

Hard cases are a unique piece of gear, meant to keep your kit protected. With that, I primarily mean the hardships during transportation and also the environmental factors. Starting from the later, you could put all your gear in dry bags and no rain, moisture, sand, dirt etc would harm any of it. But that way, your precious equipment is not protected against impacts while traveling. Of course if you drive your car 500 km on tarmac roads, this is not a big deal. But on the other hand, if you are traveling by boats upriver, with 4×4 vehicles in deserts, on foot with your gear loaded on mules etc. that’s a whole other story. So as you can tell, sometimes the conditions are far from ideal for your optics and electronics.

This is where hard cases come into play. Most of them provide an airtight, waterproof, sandproof etc environment for whatever they contain. But also a protective shell that will ensure the integrity of your kit. They can usually be purchased completely empty, with foam that can be cut on demand or with dividers that can also be modified upon the users’ needs. This way all your belongings can be organized, be easily accessible and protected from external factors that can cause harm.

Features and specs

At first, let me say that this is intended to be a short rifle case. Nuprol is focused on this market, although I would love to see its expansion in the photography market as well. With that said, the case is made of hard polymer, weighs 3,5 kg and has outer and inner dimensions of 80x39x20 cm and 74x33x9 cm respectively. Although 9 cm might sound too small of a depth for a case, as you can see there are ways to place your gear and not only fit, but also have enough foam material, from the top and bottom, to secure them in place and also absorb any vibrations. It can be carried either as a brief case or as a luggage, thanks to 2 different stowable handles and a pull out drag handle. It also sports 2 heavy duty polymer wheels, so if the terrain allows it to be dragged, all the weight is carried on wheels. If not, you can carry it like a normal suitcase. Is has 4 double locking robust clasps, in order to secure the lid tightly and also 2 padlock holes for securing your goods. Lastly it contains one egg style foam on the lid and two pick-n-pluck style foam on the bottom, so you can modify them specifically to your gear.

Selection

The reasons I preferred this particular case were mainly two. Firstly, the surface area is bigger than other cases and that allows me to spread my gear on one level, so to speak, and be able to see it all easily. With deeper cases sometimes in order to maximize the usable space, you either place your gear vertically, or you kind of make 2 or more levels of foam “shelves”. In my case, my gear is not that large, as I am a Micro Four Thirds shooter, so I preferred to have my gear laid out and easily accessible. Secondly, the existence of the wheels is very convenient, especially if you also have other cases to carry around. I find the size to be perfect for a general purpose case, as it is relatively large to fit all my gear, without being unnecessary large for my needs.

Before purchasing this case, I was mostly carrying my cameras and lenses in soft padded or semi-rigid cases. The incident that made me buy this case, was a visit to an uninhabited islet which exposed my equipment to seawater spray and vicious vibrations on boat. Although everything was placed in soft camera cases and a camera backpack, I cannot imagine how I could have protected my gear, in case of even bigger waves splashing on the boat and even more seawater soaking my bags.

In use

Since I bought this case no more seawater splashed over it. I have used it extensively though when traveling. I fits in the trunk of my car, can be placed on the bottom or on the side, according to the configuration of all other things I carry with me. It can be stacked over or under other cases, and even in the unlikely scenario of it being compressed a bit, thanks to the generous foam inside, all the equipment won’t be mechanically stressed. When arriving on location, if I am shooting indoors, I can roll the case on the specific area the shoot is going to take place and I have all my gear at my disposal.

If I am shooting outdoors and stay at a hotel, after heading to my room, I will choose whatever I need and put it on a backpack and move to the shooting location. This can also be done while on the road. If you are having multiple stops on many points of interest, I choose whatever I need for the occasion and head from one to another. For example in a spot I might be needing the drone for some aerial footage and in another I might only go handheld. In every occasion though, I can modify the included components to fit a certain shooting scenario.

Lastly, when traveling by plane, I find hard cases are a must. I cannot control the way baggage are handled by the ground personnel when loading and unloading the plane. What I can control though, is to provide my gear a chance to live another day, by placing it inside a hard case.

 

Who is this for

I find that hard cases in general can benefit anyone who owns delicate equipment and wants to protect it the best way possible. Thankfully, hard cases come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so everyone will find a suitable case for his needs. In case you are starting out and own a bit of gear for the moment, I would suggest buying a case that will fit your current kit and also be a bit larger. As your kit will evolve and probably expand, you will find yourself needing a bit of extra space. So you will not have to replace your case for adding a couple lenses, or another camera body.

If on the other hand, if you have compiled a kit which is not going to significantly change over rime, purchase a case fit for it. No one wants to carry more weight than necessary, especially if that weight does not offer any benefit to the user.

Conclusion

Hard cases are very valuable, when you want to drastically improve the way your gear is protected while transporting it. It might not be as fancy of a buy as a camera body or a lens, but it is is essential for the longevity of your cameras, lenses, lights etc. It can cost quite a bit of money, but it is more of an investment, rather than a simple purchase. Taking good care of your gear is a marathon and for that you need assets, to make it happen and cases like these, are definitely one.

To find out more about the NUPROL hard cases, you can head to nuprol.com and have a look at all of the product series.