IP67, MIL-STD-810, ATA 300: Hard Case Ratings Explained

An IP67 case is dust-tight and protected against immersion in water up to 1 metre for 30 minutes, under the IEC 60529 standard. The other badges on a hard case cover different things: MIL-STD-810 is a US military environmental test method, ATA 300 Category I is an airline packaging spec for cases reused at least 100 round trips, and STANAG 4280, DEF-STAN 81-41 and UN4H2 are military and dangerous goods packaging standards. Ratings vary model by model, so check the exact case, not the brand.

IP67 (IEC 60529): water and dust

IEC 60529, "Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)", is published by the International Electrotechnical Commission. It was written for enclosures of electrical equipment, and hard case makers use the same code to describe how well a case keeps things out.

The code has two digits:

• 6 (first digit): dust-tight. No ingress of dust, tested with a vacuum applied to the enclosure.
• 7 (second digit): temporary immersion. Water must not enter in harmful quantity when the enclosure is immersed for 30 minutes, with its lowest point 1 metre below the surface (or its top 15 cm below, whichever is deeper).

Two things people get wrong. First, IP67 is 1 metre for 30 minutes, not a promise of deeper or longer submersion. Continuous immersion is the 8 rating, and its conditions are set by the manufacturer. Second, the water digits are not cumulative above 6: an IPX7 test is an immersion test, not a jet test. For monsoon rain, splashes and an accidental dunk, IP67 is ample. For the full picture see our post on what IP67 really means.

MIL-STD-810: G vs H

MIL-STD-810 is a US Department of Defense test method standard titled "Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests". It contains laboratory methods for things like high and low temperature, humidity, rain, sand and dust, vibration and shock.

The letter is the revision. MIL-STD-810H is dated 31 January 2019 and superseded MIL-STD-810G with Change 1, dated 15 April 2014. So a case marked 810G was tested to the earlier edition of the methods, and a case marked 810H to the newer one. G is not a failed H; it is an older version of the rulebook.

What matters more than the letter: MIL-STD-810 is not a single pass or fail test. The standard itself says its methods are "not to be called out in blanket fashion" and must be selected and tailored to the conditions the item will face. It also warns that passing laboratory tests does not guarantee the same result in the field. A claim of "MIL-STD-810" tells you the case went through a set of these lab methods, not that it survives anything.

ATA 300, Category I: built for repeated shipping

ATA Spec 300, "Specification for Packaging of Airline Supplies", was developed by the Air Transport Association, now Airlines for America. It sets out how parts shipped to and between airlines should be packed. The published specification groups reusable shipping containers into three categories:

• Category I: reusable for a minimum of 100 round trips.
• Category II: a minimum of 10 round trips.
• Category III: a minimum of 1 round trip.

Category I containers must pass impact tests, and the specification expects them to be repairable. When a camera case says ATA 300, Category I is the level that matters for something that goes through airports every month.

STANAG 4280: NATO levels of packaging

A STANAG is a NATO Standardization Agreement. STANAG 4280 establishes NATO levels of packaging and standard methods of preservation, so that goods stay serviceable from purchase to use, through long storage and repeated shipments. Its tests cover handling, drops and impacts, leaks and immersion. The current detail sits in a restricted NATO publication, so a case maker's claim is what you have to go on.

DEF-STAN 81-41: UK defence packaging

DEF-STAN 81-41, "Packaging of Defence Materiel", is the UK Ministry of Defence standard for packaging equipment and spares. It comes in several parts: Part 1 introduces the MOD's packaging requirements and levels, Part 3 covers testing a package's performance under the environmental and physical hazards of a military life cycle, and Part 6 covers package marking. Like STANAG 4280, it is about protecting kit through transport and storage.

UN4H2: dangerous goods packaging

UN4H2 is a packaging code from the UN Model Regulations on the transport of dangerous goods. It reads in three parts:

• 4 = box
• H = plastics material
• 2 = solid (4H1 would be expanded plastic)

A UN-marked packaging design has passed the regulations' tests, such as drop and stacking tests, for use as an outer packaging for dangerous goods, and the full mark adds X, Y or Z for the packing groups it is approved for. What UN4H2 does not do is change passenger baggage rules. IATA guidance still says spare lithium batteries and power banks go in carry-on only, never in checked bags, whatever case they are in.

Pressure equalization valves: the feature nobody rates

A case that truly seals has a side effect. Close it where the air is thin or warm, and when the air outside becomes denser or the air inside cools, the pressure inside drops below the pressure outside. The difference pushes on the whole lid. Across a lid the size of a camera case, that adds up to a lot of force, and the lid feels glued shut.

This happens in ordinary situations:

• After a flight, when the air pressure around the case changes between take-off, cruise and landing.
• Driving down from the hills: close the case in Shimla, Munnar or Darjeeling and open it in the plains.
• Temperature drops: a case closed in a hot car and carried into an air-conditioned room, or left out overnight in a desert winter.

A sealed case without a valve can be very hard to open in these moments, and prying at the latches risks damaging the case or dropping the gear when it finally gives. An automatic pressure equalization valve lets the pressure balance while keeping water out. Every Case Kavach Vantage case has one, and they remain IP67 rated with it fitted.

Which Vantage case carries which rating

All fifteen models are IP67 rated and all have an automatic pressure equalization valve. The rest varies. This table is taken from our verified specifications for each model.

A good all-rounder, the Vantage 225 (inner 300 x 225 x 132 mm) carries IP67, ATA 300, STANAG 4280, DEF-STAN 81-41 and MIL-STD-810H. The Vantage 195L is IP67 only and is rated from minus 10 °C to 80 °C; every other model is rated from minus 30 °C to 90 °C. Compare sizes in the waterproof hard cases collection.

How to read ratings when you shop

1. Check per model. A brand-level list of badges does not mean every size carries all of them.
2. Look for the letter and category. "MIL-STD-810" without G or H, or "ATA 300" without a category, tells you less.
3. Match the rating to the risk. For rain and dust, IP67 is what matters. For frequent flying, ATA 300 Category I is the useful one.
4. Check for a pressure valve if you fly or drive through the hills.

For everything else that goes into choosing a case, read our hard case buying guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is IP67 the same as waterproof?
IP67 means dust-tight and protected against immersion to 1 metre for 30 minutes. It covers rain and an accidental dunk. It does not promise deeper or longer submersion.

Is MIL-STD-810H better than 810G?
H is the newer revision of the same standard, dated 2019; G is the earlier edition. Both are tailored lab test methods, not a single pass or fail grade.

What does ATA 300 Category I mean?
It is the airline packaging category for containers designed to be reused for at least 100 round trips.

Can I put lithium batteries in a UN4H2 case and check it in?
No. UN4H2 is a dangerous goods packaging mark and does not change passenger rules. Spare lithium batteries and power banks go in your cabin bag.