[smoore]

Manufacturer: Unknown
Retailer(s): Gameland Sports
Price: 29.95 + shipping
Material: Aluminum and plastic
Member Review by: smoore

This is a chip case with a different design than most. It’s a bit more expensive than the “pizza box” cases that come free with many chipsets but I feel the price is justified. I used to have a 500 chip vinyl case and one time I got out of the car only to have ALL of my chips hit the driveway. I decided it was time for a new travel case. The same style is available in a 400 or a 550 capacity.

Capacity

As the name implies, this case holds 700 standard chips and two decks of poker sized cards. There is no “dice storage”. It’s format is different from many cases; There are eight rows of 75 chips and two rows of 50 chips. Most “pizza box” cases are all rows of 50 chips. The decks of cards stack on top of each other and fit very snugly. There are finger grooves to facilitate removing the cards. I don’t own any plaques but as long as they aren’t larger than a deck of poker sized cards they should fit into this area nicely. I don’t see any way to get 44mm octagon chips into this case other than in the card area.

Unlike many travel cases, this case is somewhat accurate when you need to count your chips. I can get 76 of my NexGens in some rows but it’s a squeeze. When the chips are loaded correctly there is an ever so slight “wiggle” to the stack, much like when correctly loaded into an acrylic rack. Unfortunately, the rows aren’t exactly the same size, I verify stacks by holding each row to the front of the case and comparing them to each other.

Features

The latches are strong and do lock, but the lock is somewhat of a pain to use... it’s not smooth or easy to figure out if it’s locked or not. Although I haven’t tried, the lock looks very easy to pick. I wouldn’t rely on it for actual cash security but it’s perfect to keep the case from popping open. I usually just lock the right side when I walk with the case.

The card area holds folded American currency quite snugly, it won’t just pop out when you open the case. This feature is handy for me.

The handle is strong, well attached and comfortable for carrying. There are rubber feet on the bottom of the case to protect furniture but the feet on the hinge edge are metal and may scratch surfaces.

Construction & Durability

This is one burly case. I can flex the top and bottom of the case with my hands but it doesn’t feel like it will bend easily. The hardware is strong and well chromed. The handle seems to be leather and is well padded for carrying. The four plastic corner caps are flush with the aluminum runners and well attached. The case doesn’t “spread” when fully loaded with chips, one thing I cannot say about any other travel case I’ve personally seen. If someone stepped on it it would bend and probably be ruined.

The interior isn't this case's strongest point, it’s simply some sort of vacuum molded thin plastic that has been coated with green “felt” material. The “felt” is more of a paint than fabric. The top of the case seems to be a high density foam (think volara) coated with the same “felt”. This is where I feel I will see wear first on this case. I was slightly dissapointed with the interior when I recieved the case but it’s held through three months of at least twice-weekly use without any damage and very little wear.

One concern I do have with this case is the near lack of protection UNDER the chips. It seems to just be the thin plastic and aluminum side. Im not really sure what kind of force it would take to damage chips that are packed tight in a case but this is the point where it would happen.

What really sold me on this case is this guarantee (from the retailer’s website):

Your fault or our fault, if for ANY reason this case breaks (handle, hinge, lock, etc.), we will replace it absolutely Free of Charge! If you drop it off a cliff, doesn't matter. Just include your "proof of purchase" (copy of auction or invoice) with the case when you return it and we will send you a brand New case. The only cost to you would be the actual shipping charges (both ways). We are confident that you will be happy with this case for years to come.

Appearance

Standard appearance, slightly better looking than the “pizza box” cases to my eye because of the plastic corners, well chromed hardware and nice handle. The interior appearance I would rate as “normal”.

Security

The locks are standard luggage quality, i.e. they won’t keep a thief out. One nice security feature is that the card/cash area is in the back of the case so no one could open the case an inch and slip bills from the front. When I’m organizing the bank I must have my arms fully within the case. With a deck of cards on top of the cash and the case under my chair I’m confident no one is getting the bank.

Reviewers Comments

If I were to design a chip case it would be stronger and more protective than this one but this is my pick for a mass produced travel case, bar none. The combination of cash security, quality construction and attention to detail make it worth $30. When fully loaded with chips the case becomes quite heavy and I’m thankful for the padded handle. Above average construction, average looks and a better layout than “pizza box” cases make this a winner. With 700 chips I can run our 20 person rebuy events and if our tournaments ever become larger I will simply purchase another exactly like this. I am going to get the Elite400 case for my cash-only set I will be purchasing shortly.

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