NCASE M1 Softshell Carry Bag for community

wahaha360 said:
Pelican is a rolling suitcase, not exactly a direct comparison.
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I understand if you are just not for a Pelican. However the Pelican model mentioned is actually both a carry case as well as a rolling suit case. It has a side handle and a telescoping top handle. Its a side-load hard case that uses lockable latches as opposed to a soft case that uses a zipper. Its not the same as your new proposal, and I think that is the purpose of the comparison.

More versatile compared to top loading design
- I want a bag to carry SFF cases other than the M1 by utilizing different foam cutouts. I also want a bag that can be use for general purposes. It just gives the owner more utility.
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The Pelican addresses your requirement well with the pluckable cube foam. You can also buy additional foam inserts for additional uses. They sell foam kits just for this purpose.

Lighter weight, less hassle at airports than Pelican or other "rugged" cases
- If you want to get your overweight carry-on bag (a PC + other gear) on the plane, you have to blend in at airports and not draw attention to yourself or your bag. If the gate agent has no reason to believe your bag is heavy, they are not likely to ask you to weigh it. Some photographers and VFX pros actively avoid Pelican or "rugged" cases for this reason.

I know you can check-in your bag with a Pelican case, but it doesn't mean it won't be damaged.
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The Pelican weighs 12.5 lbs empty, 14.5 with uncut foam.
The nylon top load I got from this forum weighs 4.33 lbs empty with foam and padding.

On the other hand the minimum weight for an M1 is over 15 lbs, (4.3 lbs - chassis, 3.2 lbs - SFX PSU, 3.5 lbs - GPU, 1.25 lbs CPU cooler, 3+ lbs - miscellaneous - motherboard, memory, cables, tubing, SSD, fans, filters, etc). My M1 weighs in at 19.5 lbs. So with the lighter bag, I come in with a carry-on weighing under 24 lbs, and with the Pelican case I'm at around 33 lbs.

Weight limits for most US carriers is 40 lbs (18 kg) for carry-on, and 50 lbs (23 kg) for checked luggage. So for US travel I am fine with either case and have room for either 7 or 16 lbs of additional stuff inside as a carry-on, and 17 or 26 lbs if checked. Of course if you max out the weight limit as you suggest, you sure are going to want those wheels. You can't carry a 40+ lb bag and fake that it isn't heavy, and at over 50 lbs you are also violating the checked luggage limits and most likely can't get it into the overhead bin without help.

For most non US carriers, carry-on weight limits are between 10 and 26 lbs (5 - 12 kg), with most being in the 15 - 22 lbs (7 - 10 kg) range. Based on this, the minimum weight of a typical M1 already exceeds the weight limits of about half of the international carriers. In my case, even if I took out my hard drives, drained my cooler, and carried it in a plastic bag, I would exceed the limits of many, and I don't even have a GPU. If you get weighed you will have to check your M1. In that situation you will want a hard shell case rather than a soft-side zipper bag.

You might want to reconsider the Pelican. All it takes is one trip where you have to check your bag in a soft-side to end up with an M1 that looks like UPS delivered it.

I do not support anyone breaking airline rules, but any photographer and VFX will attest, sometimes you just have a lot of equipment.
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Then you may have to check it.
 
adamantium, your points are really good.

I had to go to B&H and play with a similar size Pelican case before I can form a response.

adamantium said:
...the Pelican model mentioned is actually both a carry case as well as a rolling suit case...You can't carry a 40+ lb bag and fake that it isn't heavy...
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Regarding the handle feature on the Pelican IM2620 - I just think a bag with backpack straps is better and more comfortable. Like you said, with the Pelican case and a PC inside, at 30+ lbs, you really don't want to hold it with the handle and also hard to fake that it's not heavy at airports. However, with a backpack strap, it's much easier to carry 30+ lbs.

I do agree with you that a rolling suitcase is better for mobility, but if we are not considering a regular bag, as rolling suitcase, the Pelican IM2620 is still not the right product.

Regarding the rolling + protection in one case aspect of the Pelican IM2620, I doubt the the pelican IM2620 provides more drop protection (see reason below) over a regular water resistant suitcase like this one (Costco, $70) with some foam.

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adamantium said:
...You might want to reconsider the Pelican. All it takes is one trip where you have to check your bag in a soft-side to end up with an M1 that looks like UPS delivered it.
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When you place the M1 inside, the foam padding left in the Pelican IM2620 is not much more than what we use to ship just the M1 case, which is <8 lbs. If you had to check-in the bag, the Pelican IM2620 is *not adequate to protect your M1 from drops, especially considering a loaded M1 can easily weigh 20+ lbs. If your M1 is likely to get damaged in a Pelican IM2620 anyways, I'm not sure it has enough advantage over a regular water resistant suitcase.

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adamantium said:
...The Pelican addresses your requirement well with the pluckable cube foam. You can also buy additional foam inserts for additional uses. They sell foam kits just for this purpose.
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Based on a quick Google search, the price for the foam is between $80-$110 online. At that price, it makes the Pelican case less attractive. One of the things I'm betting on with the new concept is that similar or better foam can be offered for much cheaper.

To conclude what I have learned - As a bag to carry, the Pelican IM2620 is not ideal to carry since it's heavy and attracts the wrong attention at airports. As a rolling suitcase, it doesn't have adequate protection over regular water resistant bags. In terms of versatility, it's really expensive to get the foam. For all of these reasons, it's just not a great product.
 
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charww said:
Now that is a really intriguing idea. I like it.

That said, regardless of style or type, I recommend extra reinforcement/padding at corners. You probably already know this, but the corners are always the weakest part of a case, or the part that tends to take the most damage. That is true for pelican cases as well. At least, from the few drop test studies I've seen.
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Hey charww,

Meeting your tailor in 2 weeks ;) Can't wait to get into the details of the bag.

I wish I could show pictures of the new concept with CAD, but SketchUp is just not suited for bags. I can't show cool pictures like Necere does with the cases.
 
Im trying to understand the size by comparing the specifications.

I understand that the version for a reservoir is longer but how come its less in height than the Basic version (13" vs 15")?

Deluxe with res:
19.375" x 9" x 13" (46cm x 23cm x 33cm)

Basic w/o res:
17" x 9.5" x 15" (43cm x 24cm x 38cm)
 
adamantium said:
Pelican iM2620 case is...airline carry-on approved...
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It isn't small enough to carry on, as far as I can tell. FAA maximum carry on size is 45 linear inches, the case you mention is 47.8 linear inches. Furthermore, it is 16" wide, and most airlines have a 14" width limit, as well as exceeding the usual height limit of 9".

I've been looking at the Pelican 1510 for use with my M1. It's 100% within carry on size limits, and if I get creative and pack some spare lithium batteries in the excess space, I can't be forced to gate check it. (Lithium batteries must be carried in carry on baggage only, by law.) That would address wahaha360's concern about being forced to check it. Although I'm not sure the airline would bump someone else's bag off for me to put mine in an overhead bin. There would be something like .6" minimum of foam on any side, which isn't great, but I don't need massive protection since I'll be in control of the bag the whole time.

Obviously if you're flying in a puddle jumper aka Embraer 145 (I hate those planes with a passion) you're going to be forced to check it no matter what because the overheads are essentially jacket/small purse sized. Don't bring your desktop with you in that case.
 
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Reckie said:
Im trying to understand the size by comparing the specifications.

I understand that the version for a reservoir is longer but how come its less in height than the Basic version (13" vs 15")?

Deluxe with res:
19.375" x 9" x 13" (46cm x 23cm x 33cm)

Basic w/o res:
17" x 9.5" x 15" (43cm x 24cm x 38cm)
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Maybe because the Deluxe comes with feet, and for the Basic it's an optional extra?

Don't think the feet are 2"+, though.. so I'm not sure where the additional height is coming from. I'm sure if you contact Liz, she'll be able to tell you.


Mine finally shipped out this week!
 
Woot! Finally got my bag this morning :D

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Haven't taken it on a 1,000-mile journey or drop-tested it from a 10-foot fall, but in my short once-over tonight, everything seems very nice and incredibly well-made. The fabric choices feel of high-quality materials, and fitment appears just right.

I selected the basic bag with reservoir (the res version giving just enough space to insert my M1 with external antenna still attached, and enough room for my hands to reach inside). This should be perfect for the Adamantium/FrozenQ res, though I think even the non-res version still might've fit both applications due to the padding/squishiness-factor.

Custom requests on my bag were Charlotte-grey interior (which should work well to hide filter dust - hue is actually a mid-light grey, in between that of my 2nd and 4th picture); buckles on long front flap and side short flaps; and delete of top cinch elastic setup (no feet, no rear buckle, no cargo pockets, no shoulder strap).

Carried it around the house a little, and it felt very sturdy, surprisingly balanced and easy enough to walk with. Shipping was fast (once completed) and well-packaged, with a couple hand-written notes from Liz that I thought added a nice, personal touch to the finished product.

Tldr; Very happy, worth the money, worth the wait - and kudos to Char & Liz for all their time and effort. Thanks! ;)
 
Hey AFD! Great! I'm glad to hear of another bag reaching a happy customer. Maybe this means mine will be on its way to me soon as well. I'm eager to receive it. The grey interior looks fantastic. Those are really nice pictures you took.

Wahaha- I hope your meeting goes/went well and that the new bag project continues forward as desired. We like hearing the updates even without fancy cad art.

Reckie- I'm not sure about the height difference listed. I didn't realize there was any. Did you hear back from Liz on it?
 
charww said:
Hey AFD! Great! I'm glad to hear of another bag reaching a happy customer. Maybe this means mine will be on its way to me soon as well. I'm eager to receive it. The grey interior looks fantastic. Those are really nice pictures you took.
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Hey Char! Pretty sure ours were on the same cutting board, so hopefully you'll be getting yours sometime soon! :)
 
charww said:
Hey AFD! Great! I'm glad to hear of another bag reaching a happy customer. Maybe this means mine will be on its way to me soon as well. I'm eager to receive it. The grey interior looks fantastic. Those are really nice pictures you took.

Wahaha- I hope your meeting goes/went well and that the new bag project continues forward as desired. We like hearing the updates even without fancy cad art.

Reckie- I'm not sure about the height difference listed. I didn't realize there was any. Did you hear back from Liz on it?
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Met with Liz, we exchange some ideas about material, design (including solution for lateral force on the zipper) and manufacturing.

She is working on prototype that will mix material and cushion. As soon as we have a napkin / cad drawing, I will upload it.
 
Ordered the Deluxe one. Caved because my NCASE M1 just shipped today!
Now to hoping it arrives before November.
 
I ordered mine roughly 5 months ago and received it today. Normally I would never think to wait that long for a product like this but considering I didn't have a real NEED to move my case between then and now I'm very happy to say the wait was well worth it. The case is amazing! Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
 
I will probably order a deluxe soon because of the shoulder strap, has any one used the shoulder strap and how good/comfortable is it.
 
rumartinez89 said:
I will probably order a deluxe soon because of the shoulder strap, has any one used the shoulder strap and how good/comfortable is it.
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The bag with my case weighs about 9kg so it's better to replace it with a better strap like the Absolute Shoulder Strap or risk getting a sore shoulder.
 
not available anymore? going to be getting the ncase m1 v3 and was hoping to get a bag as well :/
 
No Hands 55 said:
not available anymore? going to be getting the ncase m1 v3 and was hoping to get a bag as well :/
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Just go to one of the product pages and click on "ask a question" to ask Liz about it. She still might be doing the bags as custom orders, or have extras already made.
 
AFD said:
Just go to one of the product pages and click on "ask a question" to ask Liz about it. She still might be doing the bags as custom orders, or have extras already made.
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Or long queues. Mine order was done end of june and still waiting. Nothing special, just put in cart and checkout.
 
Yeah, I also suspect a long queue. I am still waiting for mine as well. I don't think Liz has as much production capacity as she (or we) would like. I hope to get mine before the winter weather really sets in because it will be more weather proof than my current solution.
 
Sorry to pester but did a sample ever get made? :confused:

charww said:
I heard from Liz, who replies that she would be happy to stitch up a sample [H], using her machine's embroidery function. This seems possible since the [H] is standard Arial font. However, her priority is fulfilling the existing orders, so she wouldn't take time for that until June.

I also like AFD's luggage tag idea.

In any case, we need to make sure that Liz isn't seen to be "selling" [H] stuff. Permission was that we could certainly have her make these for us, so long as we aren't selling the stuff. My interpretation is that a special request is fine, but this can't and won't be added to the etsy site. Kyle also says he would enjoy seeing the end product if we do succeed in getting something made up.
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Peter_364 said:
Sorry to pester but did a sample ever get made? :confused:
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A sample of the [H] logo embroidered on the M1 bag? Not that I know of.


Took quite a while for my bag to arrive, so I completely forgot about my [H] luggage tag idea. There's many shops online that will let you order a single custom one. Since you jogged my memory, I just ordered one from Shutterfly..

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Really didn't know what to put on it, and I'm sure my [H] status will change to 2[H]4U soon enough (guess I could've just used my actual name and address on the back instead :eek:)


Here is the link to create the same, or similar [H] battle tag for your M1 carrying bag..

http://www.shutterfly.com/creationpath/from/store/236/59/149?productCode=1105878&categoryCode=1084073&skuCode=1105880

For the front image, I used this wallpaper that somebody here made (save to PC first, then upload to Shutterfly) (EDIT: This particular image was made by [H] member Mullet for his wallpaper thread here - LINK)..

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/3950/hardocp4.jpg

I selected the smaller, 2x3 luggage tag (1-photo layout), selected black for both front and rear background color, and used the "Veneer Two" font in "light-gray" on both sides (Front: #32, centered & top-justify; Rear: #22, centered & bottom-justify).


Price was ~$11 w/shipping & taxes (ETA is ~2 weeks, though). Seems they have various promotions going on, so try MORE4U, UPGRADE, SHIP39 (or look for new ones). The last 2 will only work if your order is over $39, so.. order some [H] Christmas tree ornaments? :D If anyone needs some help, just let me know.. though you might wanna wait until I get mine, and see if it's shit or not ;)
 
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There didn't seem to be overwhelming interest at the time, in the [H] logo, so it wasn't pursued. AFD, that luggage tag is a great idea! :) I recommend showing that to Kyle, as he was interested to see any results that involved the [H] logo.
 
charww said:
AFD, that luggage tag is a great idea! :) I recommend showing that to Kyle, as he was interested to see any results that involved the [H] logo.
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Thanks! I'll be sure to post up a couple pics when it arrives.

Pretty sure Kyle is ubiquitous around here, so he probably saw my post before I even submitted it :D
 
Shutterfly sent my [H] Battletag almost a week earlier than expected. Had a couple of very faint scratches on the black background (still showing black), so not really sure how well it will hold up under heavy use. The photo and text turned out awesome (the fine carbon fiber background didn't show up, but still looks nice). Was happily surprised to see the edges were also completely black (from their pictures I was expecting black front and back, with white edges).

Not too shabby for $11..

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Phuncz said:
That looks awesome :)
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Thanks! Kyle also liked it :D

Now I just need a matching [H] keychain and T-shirt. Wish they had a shop or Cafepress account, or something similar, where we could buy swag and help support the site.
 
No, definitely not the padded dividers. You want the one that comes with the "Pick N Pluck" foam.
 
I am thinking this one on amazon is the one. The description states it comes with a 2 piece customizable foam set. Does that sound right?

Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00009XVLO

Edit: Feature section says it is pick n pluck, didn't see it as easily on the mobile site. 128 bucks sounds like a hell of a deal for such a case for the M1.
 
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That's neat, just noticed there's also a DK2 in there :)

CHANG3D said:
why did you have to cut certain parts of the top foam (and not all the areas over the NCase)?
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According to the notes in the gallery he's in the process of trimming the top foam so it fits better.
 
Aibohphobia said:
According to the notes in the gallery he's in the process of trimming the top foam so it fits better.
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well, then I wonder if a 1560 with 9" depth would be better fit then the 1550 with 7.62". The answer might not be as obviously as it reads... It's better to be tight than loose... *sighs* here we go
 
Any news when this bag might be available to order again? Im v1 owner but been a bit slow with ordering and thought I would wait until the cue got shorter but it seems its not even possibly to place an order. Would really like one before summer holidays.
 
Reckie said:
Any news when this bag might be available to order again? Im v1 owner but been a bit slow with ordering and thought I would wait until the cue got shorter but it seems its not even possibly to place an order. Would really like one before summer holidays.
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I haven't heard anything. Did you try contacting Liz on her Etsy page.. maybe she's only doing them as single, custom orders now?
 
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