EVA vs Pelican-Style Hard Cases: Which Equipment Case Is Better for Your Project?

When choosing an equipment case, most companies compare two main options:

EVA custom cases (lightweight, molded, customizable)
Hard plastic Pelican-style cases (rigid, injection-molded, heavy-duty)

Both have strengths. But depending on your application, one option may offer better protection, lower cost, and better user experience.

Let’s compare both to help you choose the right solution.

1. Weight & Portability

EVA Equipment Cases (GAODA)

Extremely lightweight
Easy to carry
Great for sales kits & travel equipment
Lower shipping cost
Comfortable for daily use

Hard Plastic Cases

Heavy — sometimes unnecessarily so
Higher shipping cost
Fatiguing to carry frequently

Winner: EVA (for most portable use cases)

👉 Explore lightweight EVA cases: https://gaodaeva.com

2. Protection Level

EVA Equipment Cases

Excellent shock absorption
Can be molded tightly around the device
Ideal for electronics, medical devices, and demo kits

Hard Plastic Cases

Maximum external crush resistance
Ideal for extreme environments
Often overkill for office, showroom, and normal field use

Winner: Depends on environment

Extreme field conditions → Hard case
Normal commercial use → EVA case

3. Customization & Branding

EVA (GAODA)

Full shape customization
Any color
Multiple fabrics available
Logo embossing/debossing
Printed branding
Custom zipper pulls
Custom foam layouts

Hard Plastic Cases

Limited to the mold shapes available
Branding usually requires stickers or labels
Colors often limited

Winner: EVA — dramatically more customizable

4. Cost & Production Efficiency

EVA

Lower cost per unit
Lower tooling cost
Economies of scale favorable
Great for 100–50,000 units

Hard Plastic

Higher cost
Mold creation is very expensive
Best only for very large-scale production

Winner: EVA for most commercial applications

5. Aesthetic Appeal

EVA Cases

Look modern, clean, and premium
Perfect for customer-facing products

Hard Plastic Cases

Look rugged but not elegant
Often associated with utility rather than branding

Winner: EVA

Final Recommendation

If your equipment requires:

Lightweight portability
Custom branding
Protection from daily use
Lower cost
Flexible design

Then GAODA EVA custom equipment cases are the better choice.

If your gear faces:

Military-level conditions
Extreme impact risk
Harsh outdoor environments

Then a hard plastic case might be necessary.

For 90% of businesses — EVA is the ideal balance of protection, cost-efficiency, and aesthetics.

👉 Compare options or design your own case at: https://gaodaeva.com