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Pick n’ Pluck, TrekPak, foam hybrids—Pelican has given us plenty of ways to organize our gear, each with its own quirks and trade-offs. But once you commit, you’re stuck—cut the foam wrong or rearrange the dividers, and there’s no undo button. What if there were a system that let you change your mind, again and again, without regret?
Over the years, I have tried every brand of protective cases to protect my gear. There was always one problem: the insert. I hated Pick ‘n’ Pluck foam inserts; they were not sturdy. Pelican introduced the TrekPak system, which was great, but once you cut them, there was no resetting if you bought new gear and needed to rearrange. The same applied to the Pick ‘n’ Pluck foam inserts. Eventually, I started using cases that had inserts with removable dividers, like my camera bags. I always thought there had to be a better way; I’m sure Pelican finally did it with the Re-Set system.
Who Is Pelican?
I’m surprised if you’ve never heard of them! Pelican has been the leading manufacturer of protective cases for nearly everyone over the years, from military, fire, and police departments to photographers and other professionals.
It began in 1976, when a scuba enthusiast, Dave Parker, in his garage in Torrance, California, created the Pelican Float—an innovative safety tool to bob on the water’s surface to mark the locations of divers. Fast forward, Dave was working on expanding the line and started a first aid kit for divers. The product was a hit with divers; they threw out the first aid supplies and used the case to protect their valuables. Over the years, Pelican has been the global leader in the design and manufacture of protective cases. Numerous Pelican case survival stories demonstrate their durability in the most extreme conditions.
Still located in Torrance, California, Pelican’s 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility has grown to become a global enterprise with six manufacturing facilities and 23 international sales offices. They continue to bring the most innovative and high-quality protective cases to the market.
What Is the Re-Set Kit?
In the words of Pelican, it is an infinitely configurable interior system that adapts to your gear. Re-Set pegs, made from high-density foam, provide secure transport for equipment, accessories, and essentials. Effortlessly and quickly reconfigure the system to suit your needs, ensuring a perfect fit for your gear every time.
For me, it’s the moment where I can finally say, “There is a reconfigurable system, where I don’t have to buy a new insert when I screw it up, buy a new piece of gear, or then decide I want to reconfigure my case for better organization.” The system is designed to facilitate easy reconfiguration of your case, especially for users with changing load-out requirements (such as firearms, tools, and AV equipment). It is intended to replace or upgrade your standard Pick ‘n’ Pluck system.
Overview
I mentioned before that it is an infinitely configurable interior system that adapts to your gear. Re-Set pegs, made from high-density foam, provide secure transport for equipment, accessories, and essentials.
- Resettable and Adaptable: With an endless number of configurations, you’ll never run out of options for setting up your gear. This will ensure your gear is secure and will fit perfectly.
- Secure: Designed to deliver a precise fit, this prevents gear shifting and damage during transport, even in extreme conditions.
- Quick and Easy: We all want this! You will be able to effortlessly push and pull pegs to change the configuration, even on the move, quickly.
- Durable: Made of high-density foam, it withstands repeated adjustments and heavy use, maintaining its integrity over time.
- Availability: The product is currently available for select Protector Long Cases, specifically models 1700, 1720, and 1750. Hoping they release more options in the future.
- Included in the Kit: Two base foam plates with pre-cut grid holes and pegs for height adjustments.
Design and Build Quality
Overall, as you would expect, this is a product from Pelican. There are no shortcuts in design or build quality. Made of high-density foam, the pegs will withstand heavy usage over time. When it comes down to the design, it’s remarkable in my book. As small a product as this is, it represents a significant leap in the world of inserts for protective cases, and one cannot dispute that it’s a unique design that solves a long-standing problem, one that many have overlooked.
- Ergonomics: Pelican has made the insertion and reconfiguration of the foam pegs simple. This is vital when making last-minute adjustments, as it saves a lot of frustration. Why do companies have to make things complicated? Not Pelican!
- Fit and Finish: How many times have you bought a product that claims to be versatile with all case brands and even their own, only to find out that it fits but doesn’t fit right? The Re-Set fits as you would expect—perfectly.
Performance in the Field
Overall, it takes minutes to set up the system for the case; instead of outlining items with a marker to cut out the foam insert, only to be left with one layout. This is a huge plus when it comes to making last-minute changes to a load-out for a shoot. It is also a very valuable and versatile tool to have. Being modular, it is a case that can have multiple uses. It is an adaptable platform that can be used for various platforms, from camera gear, firearms, tools, or AV equipment. It is a highly durable product that will withstand the test of time due to the high-quality materials used. I worry very little about the product’s longevity and its potential for heavy use.
Pros and Cons
Pros
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No foam cutting, yay!
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Reusable, adaptable across multiple uses
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Easy to use
Cons
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Higher cost than standard foam insert
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Not available for all their cases. Fingers crossed, in the future it will be available for more popular cases. Currently, the long protective cases would be more challenging for us photographers to use.
The Final Verdict
The Re-Set is a highly reliable and durable system; most importantly, it’s innovative. It addresses a long-standing issue with protective cases: their incompatibility across multiple setups. Finally, this product tackles this issue! I hope Pelican can incorporate it into their existing line of protective cases, not just the 1700 series case. This series of cases is somewhat challenging for photographers to use daily, as they are long and not typically an everyday case due to their size. I see potential for photographers to use these cases; however, their applications are limited. Overall, this is a great idea to introduce to the market, and I hope they continue to expand this across other series of cases!