Pelican Air 1535 Review: The Most Durable Hard Carry On?

The Pelican Air 1535 leads its class in terms of weight, organization and versatility.
My Full Written Review w/Tons of Pics: www.wellrigged...
GEAR LIST:
Pelican Air 1535 TRVL: bit.ly/2tiWUQr
Pelican TrekPak Divider Set: bit.ly/30otQ67
BEST ALTERNATIVES:
Pelican 1510: bit.ly/2FLj9kq
Nanuk 935: amzn.to/35NYTJO
SKB 2011-7: amzn.to/35QI1Cf
Disclosure:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I am also an affiliate of Pelican. I bought the case myself for my own needs, but I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you decide to purchase this case through Pelican.com

[@ppiriou]

I got the Pelican Air 1635 for my scuba diving gear and I just love it because everything fits inside with two shorty wet suits. Never had any trouble with airlines as well.

[@apennameandthata2017]

If you use pick pack foam with spray-on rubber, it fits just as much.

[@stevewood1838]

Outstanding review both content and presentation. I found this very useful in my decision making process, and thank you for taking the time to put the vid together...

[@MarkN67]

This is a great review. I have the normal 1510 case for my tech’ bag and I really enjoy it. The 1535 looks a great case if you fly on a regular basis to keep weight down. Well done on a great presentation!

[@WellRigged]

No the back is not padded, although you could do that. I had an extra length of trekpak divider left over and I have it there to help protect whatever I put back there. I'm also planning on putting my laptop behind the organizer, but haven't done a full field test with it yet. I'm planning on using a padded laptop sleeve. If you do this, don't overfill the front pockets of the lid organizer with bulky items because when you close the lid they may contact the contents of the case and press backward into the laptop behind them.

[@AR-vf7vg]

"Thank You Pelican for thinking of that" - Oh soo cute

[@jamesleahy3048]

The problem with this case is that it is already 5.5kg!!! Most international airlines have a weight limit for carry-on of 7kg. So you can only pack in 1.5kg of gear! Totally useless. Yes, it will fit in the carry-on size but because if will be over 7kg fully packed they will get you to check it anyway.

[@OfficialCarlosLorenzo]

it's like 4kg without the foam. Not that heavy tbh. I use a 1615 for my checked luggage and a 1535 for my carry on and have never had an issue

[@user-ju9ds6fm3b]

I went with a pelican 1615 for my work travels because I want my stuff protected when checking my luggage. My carry on is a cheap carry on case from sam's because I am not so worried about the durability of it because I am in control of it. My checked luggage gets tossed around by someone else.

[@carlovecchio4604]

Hi, the lid bag could fit a laptop ? Is it a original pelican add on ? Thanks.

[@kadarlevente2799]

9:53 SQUIRREL!

[@BTown1979]

Is the lid organizer removeable? Great Review!

[@anecdotephotography]

Nice review man!

[@LUVDOGS1954]

Request: Feature video with Oliver and no products. What a cool dog!

[@WellRigged]

LOL...sure...Oliver is a great man-tracker...oh and he's good at finding my wallet when I lose it. Maybe I'll film him trailing a buddy of mine through the woods some day.

[@madisonkosma1682]

Can you remove the lid organizer if you want and use foam or is it built in?

[@DiegoRamirez-qy3xu]

Yes you can

[@davidfish591]

Great review! I like the orange one but do you think it would attract the bad guys? Stay warm, stay safe.

[@WellRigged]

I liked the orange one too, but I had the same thoughts. I'd reserve the orange for emergency-related equipment..

[@franciscolozano2901]

I was also wondering over color. You want your workbox to be easy to spot in crowd of black roadcases, but not TOO noticeable. But Ive come to the conclusion any pelican is a target, so im putting in an airtag to keep track. (looking at blue or red)

[@jimmie999999999]

aside from the cheapo wheels the case is solid. i know wheels. these are crap. loose bearings, no preload adjustment, doomed to fail. should be sealed bearings. even high end bearings are a couple bucks to them. Let's get real.
Also, seperate wheel construction would be better for replacement/servicing.
lastly, a steel insert on the axle holes ( like for the locks ) would make the case last longer.

[@RoloSolis81]

How is the lid organizer mounted to the lid?

[@gilguajardo7808]

Hi. Pelican site gives totalinterior depth as 7.21”, with bottom being 5.21” of that. Can you tell me how the wheel wells and the retractable extension handle’s enclosure affect that depth? E.G., is the 5.21” depth decreased by them?

[@v5iov280]

Can the lid organizer be removed if need be? Perhaps be replaced by the pelican Molle panel? Thanks in advance

[@mikemo7849]

Thanks for this review.

[@WellRigged]

My pleasure!

[@jknapp527]

Is the lid compartment padded on the inside? Thinking about putting my laptop in there.

[@jlo5470]

Where did you find it in that color?

[@WellRigged]

bit.ly/32qtddv

[@dyong888]

nad. Nanuk beats pelican.

[@asthevinylturns08999]

How is the lid organizer attached? Is it possible to remove them when not needed and put them back when needed?

[@WellRigged]

Just had a look and Yes, the lid organizer can be removed. It is fixed in place via 4 phillips screws hidden under removable black plastic covers. I will say its a bit hard to get your finger nail under the covers to flip them open so if you plan on removing the organizer frequently, I would probably just remove the plastic covers for easier access to the screws.