I'd love to be completely certain that I wouldn't have to check the gear, and that I could keep it on my person for all my flights/trains that I'll be taking. Unfortunately I can't, and I don't really trust any of my "walking around" bags to be checked on a potential 15 hour flight home from Oz, or on any of my shorter trips in EU/UK.
This case won't be used for transporting the gear around my destinations, just transportation from Point A to Point B. If you can suggest something as durable and rugged I'm willing to look at it, but seeing what a Pelican can handle, and having punished quite a few of them with gear valued at more than I make in a year inside, I feel pretty safe with them protecting my measly little personal collection, despite the minimal extra weight.