At a Glance

Expert's Rating

Pros

Sturdy reliable protection, good range of models, sizes and colours including clear lids to see contents, rubberised interior offers additional protection, purge valve allows air to pass through.

Cons

Small sizes have limited use, larger models heavier, watertight doesn’t mean waterproof.

Our Verdict

The Pelican Micro series offers an impressive amount of protection for iPods, iPhones, games consoles, cameras and just about everything else you hold precious that you carry about with you. Rugged, well made and sensibly priced, they should last a lifetime or two.

Pelican promotes a range of protective rugged cases with an ad showing Ziggy the Hamster apparently surviving being run over by the wheel of an over-sized car. However, a second view reveals Ziggy is removed at the last moment, safe and sound as the case takes the weight of the car alone. While the promotion may be a little dubious the principle of a case so strong it can protect life is a sound one. Thankfully, no hamsters or cases were harmed during the making of the ad.

The additional good news is that the promotional hype is more fact than fiction. The Pelican Micro series offers an impressive amount of protection for your iPhone, iPod and valuables. Manufactured from tough polycarbonate, which should withstand up to 5,000lbs, the cases are also capable of dealing with temperatures ranging from 23°C to 93°C, promises Pelican.

An array of colours and sizes suggests there’s a case for every need and occasion from pocket sized to something more suited to a backpack or roomy laptop case. The larger sizes are actually ideal if you want to store all your valuables in one place, especially on the move. Some models also include a rubber liner for extra protection.

While we left the car in the showroom for the test drive, the Pelican Micro cases proved capable of withstanding some heavy-duty wear and tear. Each case under review survived being stood on at length and with some force, and being thrown out a top window produced only grass stains. What little superficial damage there was after a series of unfortunate mishaps actually scrubbed up well under the tap.

The cases also claim to be ‘watertight’, but we don’t suggest taking your iPod for a swim. If you are near the sea you’re still best leaving your valuables on dry land as watertight does not mean submersible. Prices are very reasonable, starting at around $10 (£7), the supplier CableOrganizer.com delivers to the UK, while stockists can be found online.