A Guide to Pick ‘n’ Pluck Foam

Almost every case in the Peli range is available with Pick ‘n’ Pluck foam. But what actually is Pick n Pluck foam? This practical and effective option, is how many professionals choose to protect the gear inside their Peli cases.

Whether you’re putting a tiny gadget into a 1030 Micro Case, or a large piece of equipment into an 0500 Protector Case, Pick ‘n’ Pluck foam could be the perfect solution for you. Before getting into the best way to use this kind of foam, we’ll first consider the pros, cons and alternatives.

WHAT IS PICK N PLUCK FOAM?

Pick n Pluck foam is a type of pre-scored foam that allows you to easily pluck out cubes of foam to create a custom insert. The cushioned foam offers protection and ensures your gear is safe and secure within your case.

THE BENEFITS

Often considered the ‘default’ option, in terms of which insert to use inside a case, Pick ‘n’ Pluck is very versatile and can be used to protect many items.

Thanks to the customisable nature, you can make it work for almost anything, and it doesn’t break the bank either. In short:

• Cheapest insert option
• Customisable to any set-up
• Soft cushioning is ideal for fragile equipment
• Quick to configure

THE DOWNSIDES

All this said, there are certainly a few downsides to Pick ‘n’ Pluck, which may lead you to consider alternative inserts.

Inserts cannot be reconfigured - once you have plucked out your foam, you will need to buy a new insert if your setup changes or if you make a mistake
Limited lifetime - due to the nature of this low density foam, it will inevitably degrade over time, especially with heavy use
Limited to cubes - it will be difficult to make pockets that securely hold items thinner than the average cube size, or items that have particularly complex shapes

SO WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?

There are four main alternatives to Pick ‘n’ Pluck.
Custom foam - a highly durable, tailored foam insert with many options for a professional finish. Often cost effective for multiple cases, especially when considering the replacement cost of Pick ‘n’ Pluck.

Padded dividers - available for many Peli cases, Velcro dividers are long-lasting and can easily be reconfigured to allow for changing setups.

TrekPak - an alternative divider system which looks smart and makes full use of all the space available inside a case

Empty - do away with inserts and let your stuff rattle around inside your case. Hugely dependent on what you keep in your case but sometimes this can work for certain items.

HOW TO USE PICK ‘N’ PLUCK FOAM

If you’ve decided to go ahead with Pick ‘n’ Pluck it’s important to take your time to familiarise yourself with the best practices, and to think about exactly what you want before you start plucking away like there’s no tomorrow.

Remember, with Pick ‘n’ Pluck it’s very difficult to undo any work - CTRL+Z won’t help you here.

For a quick, visual guide on the best methods of picking and plucking, check out the video below.

Read the full guide on how to use Pick ‘n’ Pluck foam here.

HOW BIG ARE THE CUBES?

The individual foam cubes are usually approximately 1cm², but this will vary slightly depending on the size of the case the insert is made for. If you require the exact measurements for a particular case, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, and a member of our team will be happy to find out for you.

HOW MANY LAYERS OF FOAM DO YOU GET?

Again, this depends on the case you are purchasing an insert for. If you are buying the ‘full foam set’, it will always include a base foam, lid foam, and at least one layer of Pick ‘n’ Pluck foam. The large the case, the layers of Pick ‘n’ Pluck a foam set is likely to include.

If you require exact information on the foam for a particular case, or have any other questions that haven't been answered here, please get in touch for help.