July 26th, 2007
Torture Testing - The big case test - Part 2
This is Part 2 in a 3 part series of posts –> Post 1 | Post 3
OK, we’ve looked at the tests, now let’s see how the cases stand up to them!
Drag test
We decided to start off with the drag test because it was a quick and simple test (just tie them to the back of the Freelander and drag them approximately 300 yards over asphalt. Not only that but it was a quick way to rough up the finish of the cases a bit so they didn’t look new any more (it’s easier to be rough on something that doesn’t look factory fresh!).
Now we don’t seriously expect that someone will forget to pack their case but somehow attach it to the back of their car and drag along behind them. Instead, the drag test is seen as a good way to quickly simulate long term rough usage. It’s also a good way to test how secure the case latches are.
Safety tip: One worry we had when doing this test was that a case would snag on something and be sprung back towards the vehicle when released. To prevent this from happening we made sure that there was a low-breaking strain section between the vehicle and the rope - that way if anything did snag the rope would break rather than yank the case through the rear screen.
- Storm Case iM2370
Case survived intact. Latches remained secure throughout. The case suffered minimal cosmetic damage but remains usable.
- Storm Case iM2050
Case survived intact. Latches remained secure throughout. The case suffered some moderate cosmetic damage but remains usable.
- Otterbox 3510
Case survived intact. Latches remained secure throughout. The case suffered some light cosmetic damage but remains usable.
- Seahorse SX 300
Case survived intact. Latches remained secure throughout. The case suffered some moderate cosmetic damage but remains usable.
- Peli i1010
Case survived intact. The latches however did burst open numerous times during the test, which would have meant bad news for anything inside the case. Not good. The case suffered some light cosmetic damage but remains usable.
Adrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations
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