Let’s face it people, sometimes a bag isn’t enough protection for your precious gear. Sometimes you need something watertight, dust-proof and shock resistant. If you are a ‘throw your gear in the back of the truck’ or a ‘gear on a sailboat’ kind of photographer, this is the list for you.
These are the top 5 hard cases for under $100, in no particular order, in varying sizes and colors. If you are a nut about keeping your gear protected, there is no better option out in the field than these cases.
Top 5 Hard Cases For Under $100
Nanuck Protective 910 Case
This case is perfect for mirrorless shooters. It is designed to be small, lightweight and the perfect home for your mirrorless kit. It is padlock-able, waterproof, and dustproof, as well as crushproof.
Best of all, it’s not even that expensive, coming in at only $49.99. This is almost a no-brainer for those looking to better protect their mirrorless kit. You can find the Nanuck Protective 910 Case over on B&H here.
Barska HD-400 Loaded Gear Hard Case
If you have a larger kit, this is a great option for you. Not only is it Crush, Water, and Dustproof, but it has a pressure valve to regulate the pressure inside the case. This is a serious case for people wanting to protect serious gear.
Best of all, as the name of this post implies, it comes in under $100, at $93.99. If you are interested, you can find the Barska HD-400 over on B&H here.
Explorer Cases Small Hard Case 2717
Maybe you don’t need to protect your whole kit, or maybe you prefer to package lenses or cameras individually, this would be a great option for you. The Explorer Cases Small Hard Case 2717 is the perfect way to protect your smaller items and know it will be safe and secure.
At $62 though, you may be better off getting one of the larger cases if you have many items to protect. But if you just have one or two things, these are still a great option. If you are interested, you can find the Explorer Cases Small Hard Case 2717 at B&H here.
Pelican 1400 Case
What would a list of top hard cases be without at least one Pelican case on it? When people think about hard cases, they think Pelican. This Pelican 1400 case is a great case for one or two small items (maybe a mirrorless camera and small lens).
It is, of course, waterproof, dustproof, crushproof, etc. It comes in at just under $75, so you are paying for the brand name, but it’s a Pelican – so you know it’s solid. If you are interested, you can find them over on B&H here.
Pelican 1085 Hardback
Chances are, if you are traveling with a lot of gear, you are also probably going to have a laptop that needs protecting as well. This is the case you want (if the laptop is under 14″). It will protect your computer from just about anything short of the world ending (and in that case, who cares).
Coming in at $60, it’s a small price to pay to make sure that your work is safe on your laptop. If you are interested, you can find the Pelican 1085 Harback case over on B&H here.
In Conclusion
Hopefully, this helps you find some good budget options if you are looking into hard cases for your gear. If you missed it, make sure to check out our list of the top 5 sling bags for under $100 here, and check back again in the future for more top 5 bag posts.
What do you think of the hard cases that we found? Do you own a hard case that you recommend? Leave a comment below and let us know!