We’ve all been there: you’ve just finished a once-in-a-lifetime day crossing gnarly rivers, pounding out hundreds of kays of red dirt corrugations, and camped up in some of the most pristine sand you’ve ever seen in your life. The only downside is you can feel that grainy feeling everywhere. Like, even in your jocks. The struggle is real, especially if you’re hauling your precious camping gear in a dual-cab ute that leaks dust faster than a busted vacuum cleaner, or you’re in a wagon so chock-full you need to strap half your life to the roof.
But the good folks over at Pelican reckon they’ve got this storage caper figured out, and after punting their gear across the continent (twice), we reckon they may have as well. These bad boys are built to keep the dust out—whether it’s your camera gear, your cooking kit, or even that extra pair of underwear you’d really rather keep grit-free. So, buckle in as we dive into how weather-sealed cases may just be the ultimate “one-size-suits-everyone” bit of camping storage that’ll save your gear (and your dignity) on the roughest adventures.
Dust, Dirt, and the Dual-Cab Dilemma
Let’s start with the obvious: dual-cab utes are basically magnets for dust. You can throw a canopy on there, add sealing kits, silicon every gap you find—but dust is sneaky, and it always finds a way. Wagons might fare a little better, but if you’re loading up to the roof, odds are you’ve got gear strapped to a roof rack that’s constantly bombarded by wind, rain, and grime.
This is where we found the Pelican cases really shined: they’re like an extra layer of security inside your rig, that final barrier against the elements for all the gear you absolutely don’t want red dirt in – hello tonight’s potatoes. So even when your canopy seals wave the white flag against the bull dust, everything in your case stays pristine—ready for action when you roll into camp.
The Science Behind O-Ring Seals & IP Ratings
Alright, we’ll keep this part short and sweet—nobody wants a classroom lecture when you’re halfway through your morning brew. But here’s the deal: The Pelican cases we’ve been running use O-ring seals on all the models and pressure-equalizing valves on the Starlink model above to create a virtually impenetrable fortress for your gear.
– O-ring Seal: Think of it as a rubbery superhero that sits in a groove around the case lid. When you clamp the case shut, this seal forms an airtight (and dust-tight) barrier.
– Pressure Release Valve: Changing altitudes (e.g., climbing up and down mountain tracks) causes air pressure differences inside the case vs. outside. Pelican’s automatic purge valve equalises that pressure without letting dust or water slip in.
– IP Rating: You’ll often see something like IP67 on Pelican cases. That basically means they’re dustproof and waterproof up to a certain depth (a metre for IP67). In other words, if you’re crossing a creek and things get dicey, your gear’s still at lower risk than a ’93 Defender of breaking the speed limit.
What Kind of Stuff Are We Stashing in Here?
Short answer: anything you want to keep clean, dry, and functioning.
Longer answer:
1. Camera Gear – Yes, even a simple point and shoot, once red dirt is in there you’ll see it on every photo you ever take again
2. Cooking Equipment – Keep your stove, utensils, and gourmet condiments from turning into bull-dust soup.
3. Drones – Those propellers do not love grit (and neither does your bank account if you have to replace them).
4. Electricals & Camping Gear – Protect that fancy jump-starter kit, spare chargers, and your sleeping bag.
5. Spare Clothes – Because there’s nothing better than fresh socks and jocks after a long day of wrestling the tracks.
Real Talk: Dust in Places You Didn’t Know Existed
Picture this: you’ve just pulled up at a jaw-dropping campsite. The sun’s setting, you’re ready to brew up a coffee or crack a cold one, and you pop your canopy to grab the camera for that epic shot… only to find everything inside looks like a scene from the latest Mad Max. Dust is coating your brand-new Mirrorless camera, your teabags are caked in red silt, and your once-white socks look like they belong to an Outback drover.
This is the moment you wish you had your gear neatly stashed in a Pelican case, smugly thumbing its nose at the dust swirling around it. Sure, you can try blowing the dust off, but some of it always sticks around. With a Pelican, you’ll have one less hassle on your trip—no dust infiltration, no frantic meltdown because your gear is caked in the outback’s finest.
Dual-Cabs, Wagons, and Roof-Racks
Whether you’re in a dual-cab ute that’s basically a dust express or a wagon jammed to the roof-lining, a Pelican case is a no-brainer:
– In the Tray: Strap it down, let the case take the brunt of the dust, and stop fretting about gear that doesn’t get along with sand, grit, or random moisture. Even if you’ve got a set of storage drawers, a Pelican case on top is where you stash your absolutely-can’t-get-dirty gear.
– On the Roof Rack: If you’re short on space inside your wagon, chuck a case on the roof. They’re built tough, so they’ll handle the knocks of overhanging tree branches, corrugations, and that random hailstorm you didn’t see coming.
Why Pelican?
Look, there are plenty of storage options out there, but Pelican’s track record speaks for itself. These cases have been used by the military, professional photographers, rescue teams—you name it—long before 4X4ers cottoned on to how good they are. You pay for quality, sure, but you get peace of mind that whatever you lock inside is going to come out in the same condition it went in—no dust storms allowed.
Ready to Keep Your Jocks Dust-Free?
At the end of the day (or the start of the trip), you want to focus on the adventure, not freaking out about your gear getting trashed by the Aussie outback. Pelican’s dust-proof, water-proof, drop-proof cases are like an insurance policy on all your important kit—plus you’ll save yourself the not-so-fond memory of sifting out dust from your jocks around the campfire.
1 comment
I went to Pelican’s website and tried to look at the cases, and noticed that when I click on “Shop Cases” I see the URL for Google Ads;
I understand that we can’t expect privacy in today’s world.. but seems the websites are more interested in collecting data and feeding to their “partner” companies.
All I want is to look at the cases, but doesn’t seem like it’s as simple as it sounds.