For those of us who thrive on overland adventures, the ability to stay connected is no longer a luxury—it’s often a necessity. Starlink has emerged as a game-changer, offering internet access in remote locations where traditional services fail. However, transporting sensitive equipment like the Starlink dish across rough terrains presents a unique challenge. Having used our first Gen 2 Starlink for years and even created a DIY travel case, we understood the importance of robust protection. After upgrading to the Gen 3 Starlink, we revisited our storage solutions to ensure our internet connection remained secure, no matter where our travels took us. This led us to refine our approach to creating the ultimate Starlink Travel Case, focusing on durability and ease of use.
The Challenge of Starlink Portability for Overland Travel
The beauty of Starlink lies in its ability to deliver high-speed internet virtually anywhere. The challenge, however, begins when you consider the realities of overland travel. The Starlink dish, with its permanently attached mounting pole angled at approximately 35 degrees, is inherently awkward to pack and vulnerable to damage. While designed for outdoor use and weather resistance, this is vastly different from enduring constant vibrations, impacts, and potential crushing forces from other gear during off-road journeys. Anyone who has experienced washboard roads, deep ruts, or rocky inclines knows that gear inside a vehicle can take a serious beating, even with careful packing. Without proper protection, the Starlink dish is essentially a fragile piece of equipment waiting for an unfortunate encounter with a misplaced item or a particularly bumpy section of trail.
Starlink Gen 2 dish with its non-detachable mounting pole at an angle, making it difficult to store for travel and prone to damage.
Exploring Starlink Storage Solutions for Rugged Conditions
To safeguard our Starlink investment, we embarked on a journey to find the ideal storage solution. Our experimentation process involved evaluating several options, each with its own set of pros and cons.
Initial Ideas & Why They Didn’t Work for Long-Term Protection
Our first thought was to utilize the original Starlink shipping box. While it neatly contains all the components, we quickly realized its limitations for the rigors of overland travel. The internal dividers offer minimal separation, raising concerns about potential abrasion between the metal stand and the dish during transit. The cardboard construction, designed for a single shipment, simply isn’t robust enough to withstand repeated handling and the harsh conditions of off-road adventures. Furthermore, the box offers no water resistance, a crucial factor when dealing with unpredictable weather during travel.
Next, we explored repurposing a Cotopaxi Allpa travel backpack we already owned. This backpack proved spacious enough to accommodate the dish, router, and cables, offering a degree of portability with its harness and handles. Its water-resistant material was also a plus. However, the backpack fell short due to the size of the Starlink stand and, more critically, the protruding mounting pole prevented complete closure of the zipper. While the backpack offered some padding, we remained concerned about potential damage from impacts and pressure, especially when packed alongside other heavy gear in our vehicle.
Trying to fit the Starlink Gen 2 dish and components into a travel backpack designed for clothing, highlighting the challenge of the fixed mounting pole.
The Pelican 1610 Case: A Robust Starlink Travel Case Solution
Seeking a more robust and reliable solution, we turned our attention to Pelican cases. Renowned for their exceptional durability and protective qualities, Pelican cases are a favorite among professionals who need to safeguard sensitive equipment in demanding environments. We had seen examples of others using Pelican cases for Starlink storage and decided to investigate further. The Pelican 1610 case with foam emerged as the perfect candidate, appearing to offer the ideal balance of size, protection, and portability for our Starlink setup. This case boasts a virtually indestructible exterior, secure latches, a waterproof gasket, a pressure equalization valve, multiple carry handles, and integrated wheels with a telescoping handle for effortless maneuverability.
Pulling the rolling Pelican 1610 case, showcasing its portability and ease of transport for Starlink equipment during overland travel.
Creating a Custom DIY Starlink Travel Case with the Pelican 1610
Upon receiving the Pelican 1610 case, the next step was to customize the interior to securely house our Starlink components. The case comes with pick-and-pluck foam inserts, allowing for a tailored fit. We opted for a configuration that stores the Starlink dish with the mounting pole facing downwards. This orientation, in our experience, facilitates the quickest and most convenient loading and unloading of the dish. Beneath the dish compartment, we created space to store the Starlink cables and our custom DIY Starlink Tripod Stand + Adapter. The remaining side compartment provides ample room for the Starlink router. After some minor adjustments to the foam, we achieved a snug and secure fit for all components, ensuring maximum protection during transit. The Pelican 1610 case fits perfectly in the backseat of our truck, making it easily accessible and well-positioned for travel.
Removing sections of the pick and pluck foam from the Pelican 1610 case to customize the interior for Starlink components.
Customizing the Pelican case foam to create a secure compartment for the Starlink dish, including its fixed mounting pole.
Further foam modification to accommodate the Starlink router and associated cables within the Pelican 1610 travel case.
The finalized DIY Starlink travel case with all components – dish, router, and cables – securely and custom-fitted within the Pelican 1610.
Conclusion: The Pelican 1610 – Your Ideal Starlink Travel Companion
Our experience with the Pelican 1610 case as a starlink travel case has been overwhelmingly positive. It provides a rugged, easy-to-use storage solution that instills confidence when traveling with sensitive Starlink equipment. The peace of mind knowing our Starlink dish is well-protected during bumpy rides is invaluable. While we are still in the early stages of long-term testing, our initial impressions are extremely favorable, and we wholeheartedly recommend the Pelican 1610 for anyone seeking a durable and reliable starlink travel case. For those who wish to store the original Starlink stand, the Pelican 1610 can accommodate it with minor foam reconfiguration. Looking ahead, we are also considering custom foam inserts from https://pelicanfoam.com for an even more refined and potentially more durable long-term solution, depending on the longevity of the pick-and-pluck foam.
Using the custom Starlink Pelican case during an overland trip, highlighting its convenience and protection for on-the-go internet access.
Ready to protect your Starlink during your travels? Get your own Pelican 1610 Case with Foam here and support our adventures! Don’t forget to check out our range of Starlink Tripod Adapters in our store for Starlink Gen 2, Gen 3, and Mini dishes.
See you on the road,
-Adam and Val
Update – For a deeper dive into our experiences, read our 1 Month With Starlink Review to learn more about using our DIY Starlink travel case. Explore all our Starlink posts and sign up for notifications on new content.
