List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $54.99
Today's Bonus: 45% Off
Here's what you get in the box:
* Hardside Case w/ handle & wheels (all pre-assembled)
* Nylon Strap
* 6 Hard-board, foam covered, slotted Dividers:
> 2 long dividers
> 2 medium dividers
> 2 short dividers
* 3 layers of foam:
> 3" perforated, pre-diced foam sheet (this is the layer you make your custom cutouts in...)
> 2" solid foam sheet (this is untouched, NOT perforated)
> 1/2" solid foam sheet (this is thin and is also untouched, NOT perforated)
Fit & Finish:
* The exterior is finished in a plastic/vinyl like material. The color is more like a flat gun metal black almost gray.
* The edges & corners are reinforced with aluminum type metal. They are fashioned with typical punch rivets.
* The hinges for the lid seem to made of steel, although not the highest grade.
* The locks are the typical brief-case/luggage style locks. They do the job to keep the lid closed, but I wouldn't rely on them to keep a thief out!
* The hand is a mix of metal, plastic, & synthetic leather.
* The wheel assembly is mostly plastic and is attached to the case with screws. The only metal part is the extendable handle the actual handle assembly is plastic.
Form & Function:
I would not classify this case as "road-worthy", meaning if you are looking for a case that can take a beating and withstand very rough handling, then look elsewhere this case will not last under abusive conditions. However, if you are looking for a case to keep your gear organized and give the illusion of professionalism for a bargain, then this is the case for you.
I think the case will handle the occasional drop and mishandling, but I fear it will begin show that kind of wear-and-tear quickly. But, if cared for, you'll get some pretty good mileage out of it.
I'm not using the "dividers" so I can not comment on how well the work. I can say that they are consistent with the rest of case as far as value and construction.
Now for the important stuff customizing the foam inserts...
1) I did not expect the 3 layers of foam, of which, only 1 is perforate, pre-diced. All 3 are removable. (Be careful not to pull up the foam backing that's covering the bottom of the case it is the same foam as the 1/2" blanket/layer...)
2) The perforations run the whole depth of the 3" layer. So, when you start pulling the squares out to form your custom inserts, you can NOT customize how deep you need them. If wanted, you can try to cut them at the point where you want the depth to be, but I found it easier to just remove the entire section remember, this layer is only about 3" thick anyway...
3) The 2" solid layer is removable and is laying under the 3" perforated layer. (I actually had to cut a custom insert section in this layer as well to accommodate a bigger item...)
4) The 1/2" layer is like blanket that originally lay on top of the 3" perforated layer. I've since relocated it to the bottom under the 2" layer so that means from the bottom up, the layers are: 1/2", then 2", and 3" at the top, obviously to expose the custom inserts.
Summary:
The case is a really good value. For the size, the customizable foam layers, and numerous dividers, you really get a great value for your money. Keep in mind that the case is NOT built for a rugged/rough adventure, but rather for customized organization, protective storage, and transportation of your precious equipment. I highly recommend this for amateurs & semi-pros looking to get the most bang-for-your-buck, for this I give it 5-stars!
Remember! "Measure twice. Cut once."
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
If the dimensions really matter to you be aware that the description is wrong. Outside dimension are 13X10-1/4x5-1/8 and inside dimension are 12-3/8x9-5/8x4-1/2.Best Deals for Zeikos ZE-HC52 Large Rolling Hard Case
I was a little reluctant at first to buy this, because most of these type of cases are cheap and flimsy, but I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. I shopped around online for a few days looking for something reasonably priced that looked good, and I'm glad I chose to look here. Most cases of this quality are at least twice the price elsewhere, so it's a good find.This case has nice corners and strong side panels. Many reviews claim that the sides are made from plastic, but I have purchased 4 of these and all are made from thin aluminum...perhaps I am just lucky. Yes, the aluminum is thin, but it's adequate protection for those planning to take care of their cases. However, If you are planning on standing on it or taking it on your next excursion up Everest, then look elsewhere. The corners are chrome plated stamped steel secured by rivets, and the grey rails which cover the panel seams are sturdy aluminum. The latches hold strong, and the handle, although chrome plated plastic, fits well into the hand. The lid stays upright when open, which most cases do not. The locks on the latches are cool to look at, but they do not off any real protection...a nail file from a set of nail clippers can be used to open them. Many gave bad reviews because of this, but who cares anyway? Are we actually expecting Fort Knox security for $30? Even if the locks could withstand a hammer and chisel , the rest of the case wouldn't, so why expect expensive locks? The colors used in this case are very pleasing to the eye and at first glance. Fresh out of the box, it looks like something you paid $200 for, which put a smile on my face immediately. The combination of chrome, dark grey, and light grey really make it look like a high end equipment case. The carry strap is very functional and the rivets which hold it onto each side of the case are very strong. I have carried nearly 60 pounds in these cases with no problem. The lid's hinge seems to work pretty good as well...hardly any play in them.
As for the interior, it is also well done. The pick and pluck foam insert is easy to work with, and easily customizes to any size or shape. Although the foam inside is diced and can be plucked, you will still need to use a sharp X-acto knife to make things easier. Also, keep in mind that it comes apart in tiny squares, so any pocket you make will have a blocky type shape to it. If you want round edges and smooth shapes, you're going to have some serious trimming to do. I made a mistake when doing mine, by making one space a little too big. Be sure to save all your plucked foam until you're happy with the final placement of all your equipment! I was easily able to make it the right size by taking some of the picked off smaller pieces and gluing them back together with standard rubber cement. Don't use super glue or it will melt the foam and turn it white...super glue can leave a white residue after it dries. The case also comes with a set of dividers for more customization, and they too can be trimmed, but you're going to need a saw for a clean cut as they are made from wood covered in a thin rubbery material.
Overall, this is a great case for the money, and shipping was very fast! I highly suggest getting one of these if you're on a budget. I'm a paranormal investigator, and this holds all my delicate electronic equipment very well. I have over $1,000 of equipment in one of them, and I do not worry about it being protected. I get many compliments from my clients, who tell me that these are very professional looking. I have suggested all my team members use these cases, and I will be buying more of them!
Honest reviews on Zeikos ZE-HC52 Large Rolling Hard Case
Even with shipping included this Zeikos ZE-HC36 Medium Hard Case came out to $36.44 which is much less than the comparable size of the major name brand. My thinking was that this would appear cheap & probably show signs of use after the slightest bumps & bruises but "who cares". I wasn't buying it to show it off. I was buying it to protect a camcorder, shotgun microphone, lens & various other items anyone of which cost considerably more than the case.It wasn't made to survive a combat zone but I was a little surprised to find the build quality is better than I expected. This thing costs marginally more than a decent softbag. The difference being that if either were to fall off of a table or bang against a door jam you might seriously damage anything in a softbag. On the other hand the Zeikos may get marred or scuffed up but what's in it will be protected & that's all that really counts for me. The upside is that if I make even the slightest effort to take care of this case, what's in it will never suffer any damage.
The size is big enough to hold everything I needed except the tripod & I already have a bag for that. I have not cut the foam insert yet as I'm still waiting for the 4x ZOOM lens. Once I have everything I want to store in the case I will lay it out & it will be a breeze to set up form fitting spaces for each item as the foam is pre-cut.
I bought this case from an Amazon affiliate, "Electronics Club" & they sent me an E-mail saying it would be shipped on September 11th. They must have used a time warp to ship it because I received on September 9th. Over-all I'm real happy I could spend less than $50 for the piece of mind that I could protect over a $1,500 worth of sensitive & fragile camcorder & accessories.
If you're looking for a hard case that won't cost an arm & a leg, this is it.
No comments:
Post a Comment