Friday, January 7, 2011

1470 GS…It’s totally Plano!

No one gets crazier about plastic tackle-type containers than the good folks at Plano. I am a big fan and use a lot of their products, as they always seem to make that one thing that fits perfect in my game plan one way or the other. Now they have come up with a Waterproof Box in their Guide Series line of storage containers that just may possibly have a million and one uses. They make four different styles that vary in size accommodating almost any setup. I was sent the 1470 GS after being selected out of a hat of many other fantastic members of The Outdoor Blogger Network. How cool is that?

The main reason I wanted this unit was the fact it is waterproof. A gear review would not be complete without testing this aspect even if most of the water in my region is freezing up or already frozen over. Willing to risk it all for an OBN gear review, I put my last roll of toilet paper inside the 1470 GS, locked her up and sat there submerging the box for 30-minutes in my bathtub.
After 30-minutes I opened the box up and the inside goods were dry as a bone. Not a single drop of water made its way into the container nor did I see a single air bubble makes it’s way out. I did my best to rough the box up with a bit of manhandling and the seal still remained closed. Brackets that clamp on three sides create a seal reliable enough to put electronics in for say a kayak or canoe situation where the risk is very high that something is going to get wet.

Waterproof products have disappointed few people more than myself. The 1470 GS Waterproof Box has lived up to my initial expectations. Only time will tell how long it lasts through my tumbles, cliff dives and recreational pursuits.

The container itself has no shelving or compartments to maximize the overall storage space. The interior dimensions: 12”x7”x 4.625 didn’t really sink in until I actually got it in my hands. You can put a lot of stuff in this container that stays water tight, even in outdoor conditions. There are so many practical uses for the Plano Guide Series waterproof container but for the sake of this review (and to answer the challenge by the awesome folks over at Outdoor Blogger Network) I trimmed the list down to ten.

Mattsabasser’s Top Ten uses for the Plano Guide Series Waterproof Container:

10. Tackle or boat box. Or maybe a box for your smaller tackle boxes that you need to keep dry. This idea is pretty obvious and likely the most common application.

9. Must for camping! (Cameras, radios, I-pods…truly I think this is what the box was designed for.)

8. First Aid\Emergency Kit. I used the 1470 GS to max out the basic kit stashed in the truck. Now I am ready for an actual first aid emergency and watertight!
7. Ultimate Sewing or scrapbook box. Uh…imagine a ton of sewing stuff in the photo below.
6. Small cooler. Believe it or not you can fit (6) 12oz cans of “soda” in this thing with approximately two ice cube trays to boot!
5. Tooner Box. For the valve wrench and adapter, extra couplings, patch kit and anything I need to keep ultra dry. Maybe even add some Velcro straps! (Thanks Josh @Bigerfish\Blogspot for the idea.)

4. Dry Fart storage. Fellow co-worker Scott is looking at purchasing two of these just for this purpose. “Now I can save them for special occasions!” No picture provided, and my sincerest apologies for the behavior of some of the people I work with.

3. Lunchbox…I mean a serious lunchbox for anyone who has outgrown the regular sized lunchbox and looking to hold six or seven sandwiches underwater.
2. Backup buoy with about 10-pounds buoyancy. Not too shabby. Use it for a temporary marker or tie on some extra gear in case it goes overboard. I may use it for ice fishing so they can see where I broke through as I manage to go through the ice every year for some reason.

1. SOS Message in a box. “When the message in a bottle method just can’t be trusted.”
(Above: Had the 1470 GS been sent in July as opposed to December…I might have done a video reenactment. Instead my graphics team spent a whole 5-minutes with my own version of “cast-away”.)

More fab features of the 1470 GS and the Waterproof Box series…

Smooth but tough plastic surface with additional soft lining (small mat that can be placed bottom or top) keeps scratches to a minimum. I dare say this one of the better options for electronic storage in the outdoors. The exterior is very durable with the polycarbonate structure that is pretty tough for plastic.

Cam-action brackets!…Sounds really fast! Ok, let’s be clear that these are dense plastic latches that rotate on two separate hinges. This allows the lid to clamp down solidly and secure a watertight seal. These are not racing cams or anything like that. We raced the Guide Series against a few office chairs at work and it didn’t win a single race. Locks up tight and solid though!

The manufacturer suggests no more than one meter depth for 30-minutes. Not being able to find the breathing apparatus of my scuba suit (Did I mention this is December?) my tests were done in a bathtub. I weighted it down for over an hour and the seal held so maybe they tossed the extra disclaimer on the top to avoid unwanted liability.

Plano is sold everywhere from tackle shops to hardware stores as well as available online. My favorite source for Plano information is their home page listed below.


To view more about the Plano Guide Series check out the link below and click on the Guide Series Waterproof Case section.


I want to express my sincere thanks to the Outdoor Blogger Network for selecting my comment and sending me the 1470 GS to add to my collection of Plano gear. It is an honor to be selected and know that I am going to use the #$% out this!

For more amazing Outdoor Blogging information OBN is a must see.


Good luck and good fishing.

Disclaimer: ColoradoCasters is not endorsed by Plano or anyone really, which is a darn shame. Mattsabasser gear and product reviews are done as honestly as possible from my point of view. Coloradocasters as well as the manufacturers of gear that I review are not responsible or liable for injury or damages related to anything I say on my blog.

8 comments:

Bigerrfish said...

hell of a review man, I had no idea it was that freakin big!

last roll of tp, holding it for 30 minutes?...

Good thing you didn't have da poop.

Clif said...

That lunch looks delicious

cofisher said...

Great review. Plano makes great "boxes." They seem to have a pretty good pulse on the fishing pulse.

Mark Kautz said...

A fine job you did on that review. I'd say more, but I have to get over to Plano. Might have to buy one.

Mark

Anonymous said...

What a fun and functional review! Loved it!

Also your site is looking great over here! Keep up the good work!

Michael Agneta said...

Dry fart storage...and I've been using Ziplocs all this time.

Seriously, I have a smaller version (for cell phones and the sort) and it is awesome. Plano makes great stuff.

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed reading your review of the Plano 1470 GS. I agree with you on Plano. They make some great products for us fisherman and gals. Gave me some things to think about here. Like, "there goes another pay day allowance on a Plano 1470 GS".

Rob Choi said...

Aww yeah boy!!!