Foam inserts safe?

[Netskimmer]

I'm thinking of getting some Pelican cases for storage and transport. It seems like I read somewhere that foam cutouts for the cases were a concern due to little bits of foam wearing off (like dust) and contaminating the gear. Is this true?

I'm probably just nit-picking but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[Designer]

I think it does. And in my experience (not with Pelican) the foam sticks to the items over time, and it is hard to clean it off.

After that experience, I made a fitted case using expanded polystyrene foam (white bead board) and covered it with flannel glued on.

 

[Netskimmer]

That sounds cool. I may need to give that a try. Or at the very least, cover the foam in a breathable cloth.

 

[Buckster]

The foam in some of my older cases has deteriorated like that and turns to dust at the slightest touch. If not careful, I can imagine how it would get into every nook and cranny.

I have a large Pelican case that's a few years old that I still use occasionally, and it has the foam still intact, but I'm going to take Designer's suggestion and at least DIY something to cover the bare foam.

 

[Patrice]

I've been using blue 1/2 inch camping foamies to line equipment boxes and fabricate hard case inserts. The stuff is inexpensive, cuts precisely, glues up easily and none of it has yet to turn to dust, even after more than a decade. Give some a try.

 

[Designer]

It might seem like a waste of money to buy one of these:

Amazon.com Stansport Pack-Lite Pad 72X19X3 8-Inch Blue Camping Sleeping Pads Sports Outdoors

and then cut it up to make some home-made fitted case, but apparently it doesn't degrade over time.