Pelican coolers keep food and drinks cold on the job or at camp, and Pelican cases protect equipment during transport. They’re for contractors and outdoor professionals hauling lunch, tools or sensitive gear. Start with what you’re carrying and how far you’ll carry it.
Pelican Products, Inc. is based in Torrance, California. David Parker and Arline Parker founded it in 1976. It’s known for protective cases, portable lighting and coolers. Platinum Equity acquired the company in 2021.
Choose a cooler around the carry
Pelican offers hard-sided and soft-sided coolers, including soft coolers with padded straps, backpack styles and large wheeled models. A backpack style suits a walk when you need your hands free. Wheels are worth having when the route lets you roll the load. Plan around the lift into the vehicle, too, with food, drinks and ice aboard.
Pelican advertises up to 10 days of cooling for its hard coolers. Packing matters. Warm drinks and a warm cooler use up ice before the trip gets going. Prechill both and keep the lid closed between uses.
Leave room for cooling and dry food
Pelican offers dry rack baskets for organizing the cooler. A basket is useful for sandwiches and other food you want above the meltwater. Match the basket to the cooler before planning your load around it.
Pelican’s reusable ice packs come in several weights. Lay out the food and drinks first, then leave room for the packs around them. Filling the cooler with food leaves the cooling until last, so allow that space while you’re packing.
For drinks carried separately, Pelican also has travel mugs and stainless steel mugs.
Cases for working equipment
Pelican Cargo provides lockable storage for tools and equipment during transport, a practical use when you’re moving working gear between jobs. Protector cases are designed to be watertight, crushproof and dustproof; fit the interior around the equipment so individual pieces stay separated during transport.
Vault includes a double-rifle case and carries a three-year limited warranty, while Pelican’s other injection-molded cases carry a limited lifetime warranty; Pelican’s stated case liability excludes contents and foam.
Ice pack specifications
| Product | Model | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Pelican ice pack | PI-1LB | 1 pound |
| Pelican ice pack | PI-2LB | 2 pounds |
| Pelican ice pack | PI-5LB | 5 pounds |
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of Pelican coolers are there?
Pelican makes hard-sided and soft-sided coolers, including backpack styles and large wheeled models. A backpack leaves your hands free when you’re walking. Think about stairs and rough ground as well as distance: a wheeled cooler still needs lifting wherever it can’t roll.
What is a Pelican case used for?
A Pelican case protects equipment during transport, with options for tools, drones and firearms. The interior matters as much as the shell: equipment needs support so it doesn’t shift around inside. If your gear changes regularly, TrekPak dividers let you rearrange the layout repeatedly.
Can you use a Pelican case as a gun case?
Yes, Pelican makes a compact pistol case in the Protector line and a double-rifle case in the Vault line. Fit the interior around the firearm so it stays supported during transport; spare room helps only when the equipment is still held securely.
How do you open a Pelican case?
On Pelican Storm and Air cases, press the latch release, then pull the latch open. Release every latch before lifting the lid. That press-and-pull action matters if you’re used to a latch that simply flips open.
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