this is brilliant! Thank you. I just got my Peli 1535 with Trekpak and I'm using the box it came in to create my temporary strips so I get it right for when I cut the real thing. As far as I can see, you can't buy additional internal strips, so making them s the perfect solution. Thanks for making the video!
OMG thank you so much for this video! I was going to buy TrekPaks for a couple of different cases, and it was going to set me back hundreds of dollars. Now I can do the same thing for probably under $50. Thumbs up, a nd will definitely use your affiliate links as a "thank you" for posting this video!
Thank you for posting this video, it is excellent. I recently ordered a Pelican TREKPAK system for my 1510 and also then, for a couple other cases including a Pelican 1600 I use to hold a Rycote zeppelin/shotgun and an SKB iSeries small case I use for high end condenser mics, I decided to follow your process and I built DIY TREKPAK systems with more or less the method you suggest incorporating an improvement or two suggested in the comments. In both cases, I saved a LOT of room over the previous "pick and pluck" systems inside the cases and it is remarkable how much more efficient the TREKPAK type solution can be. A couple thoughts I had after building my DIY Trekpaks, if it helps anyone - First, adhesive backed EVA foam from Amazon is excellent choice but just to note that it is slightly different build foam from what Pelican is using. The Pelican foam I believe is not as tight bubbles and a little more open cell than the EVA I found, slightly slippery/shiny, a little less likely to show dirt and I believe they use 3mm on both sides, at least for the kit I ordered for my 1510. Not that this matters at all - just an observation. Also in 2023 as costs have gone up significantly it was more like $100, maybe $110 to purchase the supplies (2 rolls of 2mm, 1 of 4mm). Though I did 2 cases and have leftover for a 3rd. The adhesive backed felt is still the cheapest part LOL and one can also pick that up at Wal Mart. If you have one of the nice little TREKPAK cutters Pelican includes with their system you can reuse them and it makes cutting the dividers quite easy, but more importantly it cuts the dividers consistently at the middle of an open cell of the coroplast and then IMHO they pin together a little nicer?? Or more consistently perhaps. Thank you again for your video and for the comments.
I just realized it was corrugated board and checked to see if anyone did a DIY before I make one... looks like you beat me to it :P Gonna follow your guide and save some time ^_^
@@GearFocus I bet! I think the real version uses open cell foam which should be cheaper IMO but the market is flooded with neoprene so I guess I'll use that. Should be more durable anyway. I just can't believe the foam replacement packs cost 2/3 the price of a new case. It's insane!
Our pleasure! It is a great affordable alternative that works just as well in our experience. In fact we have done several cases now with this DIY method. Saved us hundreds!
Thanks. Good video, great idea. I was thinking of doing something similar but trying to weigh up best materials to begin prototyping with. Thought I'd check YT first. I'm considering a fixed layout rather than held by bobby pins and had several queries regarding best suitability of materials. For base divider skeleton 'walls' is 4mm corex best or 2mm + 2mm Cross bonded for greater rigidity? How might fluted cardboard fare IYO? Especially if using hot-melt glue? Will Corey survive HMG without melting? On glue generally, hot-melt is quick/easy to use (esp. with card) but might contact adhesive (eg Evo Stick) be better? Or alternatives (clamp and dry, possible Copydex)? I also have access to double sided tape and sheet. Any advice from those with experience would be appreciated. On foam, what type is best? I started looking online at 50mm foam strip with a self adhesive backing but that sort of thing looks v.soft (prob designed for draft seals). Then I considered EVA foam (firmer, but looks designed for cos play use). Then there is a matter of thickness 6mm, 8mm, 10mm? Any insights on type/spec etc? Sorry for lots of queries, I'm OK on basic concept and theory but limited in practical experience and doing etc, so looking for best advise to help shortcut my practical experience and drive faster learning.
This is so awesome and glad I found your channel! quick question, what did you use for the bottom? is that foam insert or the rubber lining you bought?
Just made this this weekend. Thanks for the plan! Worked out great! Did you have any problems with your neoprene foam stinking? I had to let mine air out for a few days to get rid of the rubber chemical smell. Was giving me a headache and didn't want that smell trapped in the case.
@@GearFocus hm, maybe i bought the wrong brand neoprene or maybe the smell will eventually go away. the link in your description isn't available anymore, so i bought a different self-adhesive brand. other than that, the system works amazingly well! thanks!! btw, here's the one i bought - amazon.com/dp/B07VZPCTLT/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_KZC629W8MMJXY1TVZ5PD
i must say i was inspired by your video very much thank you but the truth in my case is that 1 sheet 0f 12X54 is not enough for pelican air 1535 and it wasn't cheap for my ordering it and ship it from the us to israel, i really enjoyed planning, cutting but in the end i prefer to order the real thing also the Dualplex Neoprene Foam gets dirty very fast, not so strong and will not stand long use like the real trek pek... i would suggest all of you wants to try make this diy on smaller case or buy the real thing yours, Eric.
The one disappointing thing is that your amazon products cost almost $65 all together, not under $30 like you mentioned in your video title :( I do love this idea though so thank you for sharing!
You can tell when a product is ridiculously overpriced when youtube videos start popping up all over and say for a few bucks you can make this in about five minutes
I appreciate the DIY, however, there’s a little error that may confuse some folks. In the beginning, you said, “3mm Foam”, which is .12”, yet you listed it as “1/4” thick” in the item list. 1/8” is what I found most common, I’ll go with that.
Yes 1/8 works fine since it is double sided and more common and cheaper. We used thicker foam for larger cases with cinema gear just for extra protection.
I am thinking to swap the foam for 3mm felt. The reason for this is the felt is available in a lot of colours and I think it will make the camera bits stand out. I'd love to find an alternative for the bobby pins. I wonder if plastic coated wire would work?
Thank you for this video. I am thinking of doing this for my Pelican1650 case. It is much larger and has the Pelican wheel and handle system for toting the case while walking. My 1650 case will be handled by airport staff and into taxi's etc. etc. Have you compared the sturdiness of your DIY project to a Trekpak. If your DIY project is as sturdy, I am sold on it for sure. Thank you.
Our main host, Dan, has some of the DIY versions in his truck's drawer system protecting his cameras on a daily basis. Can definitely confirm the sturdiness!
I know this is a bit old now by internet standards, but does anyone have an updated link for good corrugated plastic? Amazon doesn't like that one anymore
Hey! Appreciate the vid . Can you confirm the foam is 1/4” thick ? Seems like you’re using the 1/8” one ? Or maybe it just looks slimmer on camera lol. Anyway , thank you again for posting.
I was about to order 2 kits from bh for 238.00 think i will try this for a fraction of the cost? Is the gatorboard the same rigidity as the trek panels?
@@GearFocus eva is not the same as neoprene, but i bet it perfect also- so the 1/8” not 1/4” is the way to go? Not sure what happens to the rounded corners on the outside edge?
He used 1/4 inch sheets which I think are too thick. I tried this and had a hard time making it work. I think I'm going to try again with either 1/8 or 1/16" neoprene.
Would this home made protection and shocks be durable enough for larger pro camera bodies like the Canon 1dx Mark iii or Nikon D6 cameras. Likewise larger lenses like 400mm f2.8 lenses or larger be suitable compared to trekpak inserts?.
Absolutely! We store a Canon C200 in one case and even a RED camera in another. You could buy and use thicker foam for higher end gear that you may want to protect more.
Any ideas on how to reinforce the points where the bobby pins go into the plastic? I tried this a couple of years ago but it's now looking very much worse for wear. I found the inner joints in the plastic would eventually break and it became less and less rigid. My peli case has a pretty rough life so it might just be me.
Not sure as we haven't gotten that far. A couple ideas would be to reinforce the joint areas with super glue or epoxy. Letting it drip down into the holes. The corrugated plastic we used was of higher quality, but a lot of repositioning could create wear and tear like you are experiencing. Good thing is the plastic is cheap to redo IF you can get the foam off without it tearing too much.
Everybody shows the obvious/easy part of these tutorials... Im trying to get some tips on how to do the bottom part of the case - what foam to use, thickness, how to get around the wheels which are not flat etc...
There should have been a thin layer of foam included with your case, if you bought it with the foam. That’s what we use as the bottom. You could also cut a piece to size using the method in the video. Hope this helps!
@@GearFocus thanks, i bought just the case so it came empty. The case bottom has all kinds of grooves, ridges and indentations (wheels in corner, handlebar on top and two deeper 'slots' on each side) , so i was just looking for tips online on how other people went about it - since the bottom is anything but flat. But every tutorial conveniently omits that part heh... Anyways, ill figure it out, its not rocket science, i was just hoping to learn from what others did
I'm sorry the neoprene isn't the best solution. I had to send it back and order self adhesive EVA foam (EVA-38) in 4mm locally from TNTCosplay (tntcosplaysupply.com). The self adhesive EVA comes in 24"x24" (nominal). Once you purchase enough foam and get large enough pieces of corrugated plastic sheets you are talking about $50-$75 for a 1600 series case. Then there's the time involved. Hey savings of 50% are great but if you don't have the time. Oh yeah do yourself a favor and just buy the Pelican pins skip the bobby/hair pins. Please if someone can offer a self adhesive EVA 4mm option in a roll not a sheet it might be better (still searching)
Hi, I found coloured wire coat hangers, cut up and folded over a screwdriver shaft or small plier head, make excellent pins. They can be longer as well, which add stability. I’m also using 3mm felt instead of foam sheet.
this is brilliant! Thank you. I just got my Peli 1535 with Trekpak and I'm using the box it came in to create my temporary strips so I get it right for when I cut the real thing. As far as I can see, you can't buy additional internal strips, so making them s the perfect solution. Thanks for making the video!
OMG thank you so much for this video! I was going to buy TrekPaks for a couple of different cases, and it was going to set me back hundreds of dollars. Now I can do the same thing for probably under $50. Thumbs up, a nd will definitely use your affiliate links as a "thank you" for posting this video!
It's even cheaper if you get the coroplast locally! You can buy 4' x 8' sheets of white at Lowe's / Home Depot
Thanks. Like others, I was just getting ready to try building my own and I thought, "I ought to check UA-cam..."
You've just saved me like... $300! Thank you!
I've been thinking about doing this for years. I'm gonna 3D print some clips.
Just what I was looking for. Thank you so much!
Our pleasure! www.gearfocus.com
Thank you for posting this video, it is excellent. I recently ordered a Pelican TREKPAK system for my 1510 and also then, for a couple other cases including a Pelican 1600 I use to hold a Rycote zeppelin/shotgun and an SKB iSeries small case I use for high end condenser mics, I decided to follow your process and I built DIY TREKPAK systems with more or less the method you suggest incorporating an improvement or two suggested in the comments. In both cases, I saved a LOT of room over the previous "pick and pluck" systems inside the cases and it is remarkable how much more efficient the TREKPAK type solution can be. A couple thoughts I had after building my DIY Trekpaks, if it helps anyone - First, adhesive backed EVA foam from Amazon is excellent choice but just to note that it is slightly different build foam from what Pelican is using. The Pelican foam I believe is not as tight bubbles and a little more open cell than the EVA I found, slightly slippery/shiny, a little less likely to show dirt and I believe they use 3mm on both sides, at least for the kit I ordered for my 1510. Not that this matters at all - just an observation. Also in 2023 as costs have gone up significantly it was more like $100, maybe $110 to purchase the supplies (2 rolls of 2mm, 1 of 4mm). Though I did 2 cases and have leftover for a 3rd. The adhesive backed felt is still the cheapest part LOL and one can also pick that up at Wal Mart. If you have one of the nice little TREKPAK cutters Pelican includes with their system you can reuse them and it makes cutting the dividers quite easy, but more importantly it cuts the dividers consistently at the middle of an open cell of the coroplast and then IMHO they pin together a little nicer?? Or more consistently perhaps. Thank you again for your video and for the comments.
This is amazing, thank you so much!! I just built myself a case for my events network gear and it was pretty cheap and easy.
Thanks for making this video. I've always considered making my own dividers as well. Great work
I just realized it was corrugated board and checked to see if anyone did a DIY before I make one... looks like you beat me to it :P Gonna follow your guide and save some time ^_^
Awesome! Hope it helps and we are loving the ones we made so far for several cases. Works great at a fraction of the cost.
@@GearFocus I bet! I think the real version uses open cell foam which should be cheaper IMO but the market is flooded with neoprene so I guess I'll use that. Should be more durable anyway. I just can't believe the foam replacement packs cost 2/3 the price of a new case. It's insane!
Thanks so much, i was just about to click buy on amazon for a trekpack kit!
Our pleasure! It is a great affordable alternative that works just as well in our experience. In fact we have done several cases now with this DIY method. Saved us hundreds!
Awesome build! Thanks for sharing man!
Our pleasure Brian! It really was easy and extremely happy with the results for the time and cost involved.
Genius!! I saw your review on Amazon! Thanks so much!
Nice one mate! Big help! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
Looking to do this when i get my hard case. Thank you for the video.
Great Video!
Brilliant!! Thanks 😎
Great ! I was looking for this because I need to customize totally and the standard they sell are too expensive and not adapted
Awesome solution.
Thanks. Good video, great idea. I was thinking of doing something similar but trying to weigh up best materials to begin prototyping with. Thought I'd check YT first. I'm considering a fixed layout rather than held by bobby pins and had several queries regarding best suitability of materials. For base divider skeleton 'walls' is 4mm corex best or 2mm + 2mm Cross bonded for greater rigidity? How might fluted cardboard fare IYO? Especially if using hot-melt glue? Will Corey survive HMG without melting?
On glue generally, hot-melt is quick/easy to use (esp. with card) but might contact adhesive (eg Evo Stick) be better? Or alternatives (clamp and dry, possible Copydex)? I also have access to double sided tape and sheet. Any advice from those with experience would be appreciated.
On foam, what type is best? I started looking online at 50mm foam strip with a self adhesive backing but that sort of thing looks v.soft (prob designed for draft seals). Then I considered EVA foam (firmer, but looks designed for cos play use). Then there is a matter of thickness 6mm, 8mm, 10mm? Any insights on type/spec etc? Sorry for lots of queries, I'm OK on basic concept and theory but limited in practical experience and doing etc, so looking for best advise to help shortcut my practical experience and drive faster learning.
damnn, it also looks legit. Awesome share mate
Thanks Tekky! It is definitely worth the effort and so much more affordable.
This so enlighting in remote area thank you so much
You just saved me 100 €. Finished my project and still have enough material for another case.
Glad to hear it! Tag @gearfocusmarketplace on IG if you post a finished picture! Cheers
I guess it all depends on how much you value your time, but good for those those need to watch every dollar.
I value my time, but I also don't like getting ripped off out of principal. The markup on Trekpak is atronomical and quite shameful to be honest.
Love this! Thank you! :)
Great video! How do you pad the bottom of your case?
great tutorial!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
This is so awesome and glad I found your channel! quick question, what did you use for the bottom? is that foam insert or the rubber lining you bought?
Thanks., That is just the foam that came with the case.
Just made this this weekend. Thanks for the plan! Worked out great! Did you have any problems with your neoprene foam stinking? I had to let mine air out for a few days to get rid of the rubber chemical smell. Was giving me a headache and didn't want that smell trapped in the case.
Nope, had no problem with any smell. We didn’t use any adhesive and the rubber had no smell either. Glad it worked out for you!
@@GearFocus hm, maybe i bought the wrong brand neoprene or maybe the smell will eventually go away. the link in your description isn't available anymore, so i bought a different self-adhesive brand. other than that, the system works amazingly well! thanks!! btw, here's the one i bought - amazon.com/dp/B07VZPCTLT/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_KZC629W8MMJXY1TVZ5PD
Brilliant video
i must say i was inspired by your video very much thank you
but the truth in my case is that 1 sheet 0f 12X54 is not enough for pelican air 1535 and it wasn't cheap for my ordering it and ship it from the us to israel, i really enjoyed planning, cutting but in the end i prefer to order the real thing also the Dualplex Neoprene Foam gets dirty very fast, not so strong and will not stand long use like the real trek pek...
i would suggest all of you wants to try make this diy on smaller case or buy the real thing
yours, Eric.
this is mad thank you
Our pleasure!
The one disappointing thing is that your amazon products cost almost $65 all together, not under $30 like you mentioned in your video title :( I do love this idea though so thank you for sharing!
You can make more than one case with the materials. :)
You can tell when a product is ridiculously overpriced when youtube videos start popping up all over and say for a few bucks you can make this in about five minutes
I appreciate the DIY, however, there’s a little error that may confuse some folks. In the beginning, you said, “3mm Foam”, which is .12”, yet you listed it as “1/4” thick” in the item list. 1/8” is what I found most common, I’ll go with that.
Yes 1/8 works fine since it is double sided and more common and cheaper. We used thicker foam for larger cases with cinema gear just for extra protection.
Wow how the prices have changed since you posted adding this up from your links it now will cost around $80 not including the foam for top and bottom.
this is awesome
How do these compare to the actual trekpaks?
I am thinking to swap the foam for 3mm felt.
The reason for this is the felt is available in a lot of colours and I think it will make the camera bits stand out.
I'd love to find an alternative for the bobby pins. I wonder if plastic coated wire would work?
Let us know if you try it!
@@GearFocus will do!
Excellent video! I might just make and sell my own kits for half the trekpack price!
If you do, sell em' on Gear Focus! www.gearfocus.com/
Thank you for this video. I am thinking of doing this for my Pelican1650 case. It is much larger and has the Pelican wheel and handle system for toting the case while walking. My 1650 case will be handled by airport staff and into taxi's etc. etc. Have you compared the sturdiness of your DIY project to a Trekpak. If your DIY project is as sturdy, I am sold on it for sure. Thank you.
Our main host, Dan, has some of the DIY versions in his truck's drawer system protecting his cameras on a daily basis. Can definitely confirm the sturdiness!
I know this is a bit old now by internet standards, but does anyone have an updated link for good corrugated plastic? Amazon doesn't like that one anymore
thanks for making this video, where do u get the top and bottom foam from?
Looks good.
Thanks!
I don't get how the bobby pins to
hold them in place?Are they at an angle? Slow bus rider sorry!
Hey! Appreciate the vid . Can you confirm the foam is 1/4” thick ? Seems like you’re using the 1/8” one ? Or maybe it just looks slimmer on camera lol. Anyway , thank you again for posting.
It's 1/8...
I was about to order 2 kits from bh for 238.00 think i will try this for a fraction of the cost? Is the gatorboard the same rigidity as the trek panels?
Yes it is! Very sturdy.
@@GearFocus eva is not the same as neoprene, but i bet it perfect also- so the 1/8” not 1/4” is the way to go? Not sure what happens to the rounded corners on the outside edge?
@@360icon I’ve found that cutting open a couple or more flutes on outside allows for corners.
Prices have certainly doubled subtotal for all 4 links provided is $75 USD
how has the foam held up for people over time?
Very well!
where to get the top lid "eggshell" foam?
Has anyone tried this with cotter pins? I'm looking for an alternative to the bobby pins.
Super!
The Corrugated sheets link is no longer working. Do you use 1/16" thick sheets? Thank you!
He used 1/4 inch sheets which I think are too thick. I tried this and had a hard time making it work. I think I'm going to try again with either 1/8 or 1/16" neoprene.
It's worth the price, in my opinion...
Great idea, but where do you get top and bottom foam?
Most cases come with foam already for top and bottom. But can also be bought online
Any tips or tricks on cutting the outer edge piece? I've butchered a few pieces trying to get the corners right.
We just bend the corners and do not cut.
How exactly do you connect the dividers with the pins?
The pins slide in the holes of the corrugated plastic.
Awesome.
Would this home made protection and shocks be durable enough for larger pro camera bodies like the Canon 1dx Mark iii or Nikon D6 cameras. Likewise larger lenses like 400mm f2.8 lenses or larger be suitable compared to trekpak inserts?.
Absolutely! We store a Canon C200 in one case and even a RED camera in another. You could buy and use thicker foam for higher end gear that you may want to protect more.
@@GearFocus thats brilliant news and thanks for being in touch
Hey a year later how did this hold up? Did the foam adhesive and Bobbi pens do the job as good as trekpak?
Yes still holds up great!
Any ideas on how to reinforce the points where the bobby pins go into the plastic? I tried this a couple of years ago but it's now looking very much worse for wear. I found the inner joints in the plastic would eventually break and it became less and less rigid. My peli case has a pretty rough life so it might just be me.
Not sure as we haven't gotten that far. A couple ideas would be to reinforce the joint areas with super glue or epoxy. Letting it drip down into the holes. The corrugated plastic we used was of higher quality, but a lot of repositioning could create wear and tear like you are experiencing. Good thing is the plastic is cheap to redo IF you can get the foam off without it tearing too much.
have you any advice if you want to do this to a pelican 1620 case?
Same as any case. Just measure interior height, sides and cut to size.
cool
Everybody shows the obvious/easy part of these tutorials... Im trying to get some tips on how to do the bottom part of the case - what foam to use, thickness, how to get around the wheels which are not flat etc...
There should have been a thin layer of foam included with your case, if you bought it with the foam. That’s what we use as the bottom. You could also cut a piece to size using the method in the video. Hope this helps!
@@GearFocus thanks, i bought just the case so it came empty. The case bottom has all kinds of grooves, ridges and indentations (wheels in corner, handlebar on top and two deeper 'slots' on each side) , so i was just looking for tips online on how other people went about it - since the bottom is anything but flat. But every tutorial conveniently omits that part heh... Anyways, ill figure it out, its not rocket science, i was just hoping to learn from what others did
@@GearFocus If you wouldn't mind sharing - how thick is the bottom layer of your case actually?
@@EtheriumSky Approx. 1" foam
I am looking for 3.7 cm Polyurethane Pad base foam for my HPRC camera case. I can’t find the right one. Could anyone help me with this please?
This is amazing, was just about to waste 400 dollars :D
What about the foam on the cover and the bed of the case?
The foam that came with the case stays in the case.
@@GearFocus I mean how do I replace the foam ?
@@quevedz7619 you could custom cut a piece with the method in the video or you can purchase new ones. I believe Amazon sells them.
Where'd you find the plastics for $6 each? They're all minimum $10 each and you have to buy at least 2
We used these. $22.00 for 6 of them. Allows you to do multiple cases. Corrugated Plastic Sheets - amzn.to/3dwrMP4
@@GearFocus Ahh that makes sense, unfortunately I don't have that many cases haha
Just a FYI, I found a local print shop that uses correx for sign boards. They sold me off cuts for $5. Not black though….
genius shit
Dang I wish I found this video before I bought he Trekpak lol
I'm sorry the neoprene isn't the best solution. I had to send it back and order self adhesive EVA foam (EVA-38) in 4mm locally from TNTCosplay (tntcosplaysupply.com). The self adhesive EVA comes in 24"x24" (nominal). Once you purchase enough foam and get large enough pieces of corrugated plastic sheets you are talking about $50-$75 for a 1600 series case. Then there's the time involved. Hey savings of 50% are great but if you don't have the time. Oh yeah do yourself a favor and just buy the Pelican pins skip the bobby/hair pins. Please if someone can offer a self adhesive EVA 4mm option in a roll not a sheet it might be better (still searching)
Hi, I found coloured wire coat hangers, cut up and folded over a screwdriver shaft or small plier head, make excellent pins. They can be longer as well, which add stability. I’m also using 3mm felt instead of foam sheet.
Video not playing!
Hmm. Not sure. Plays fine for us and others.
Hey TrekPak you have a problem!
how has the foam held up for people over time?