You just tear out the little columns of foam until you have a nest for the camera. Normally there are 4 layers of foam in a deep case. A flat layer against the bottom, 2 layers of pick and pluck and another flat layer fastened to the top and normally with an egg-crate surface.

The pick and pluck foam is great. You just wiggle your finger between two squares and gently tear the strands of foam that attach them together. Using this technique you can "cut out" a shape in the foam. I usually lay my camcorder on the foam in its desired position and draw its outline with a Sharpie pen. Then I use my finger to "cut out" the desired shape. I try to keep at least two rows of foam between any item and the side of the case to give good protection and to maintain the structural integrity of the foam.

Note that not all foam is created equal. I find the Pelican foam to be much nicer than some other case foam that I have used. It is fairly stiff, and holds its shape well when the camcorder is out of the case. If you have a couple of NP-F960 batteries in foam holes that happen to be above the camcorder hole when the case is standing up, then weak foam can sag really badly, sometimes causing the foam to tear. For those going with the hardware tool case from Lowe's, the Pelican 1520 replacement foam is perfect.

I think the optimal size Pelican case for the 170 and VX-2000 is the 1520. The 1500 works, but doesn't have quite as much room for all the accessories that I like to take. I also needed to remove some foam "bumps" from the eggcrate top of the 1500 to keep it from squeezing the cam more than I wanted when the case was closed. The 1520 is 1/4 inch wider which would be perfect.

Does anyone know if the Portabrace bag made for the pd150 be as ideal as it should be for the pd170? The PD170 is a bit taller than the 150? This sort of thing does matter, it's the XLR block we want protected well, as much as the rest....
Is the pd170 longer too?...

I've gone and checked out the Thermaplastic case at B&H, but I'm curious as to whether anyone might think the PD170 would fit into the hard aluminum case that's built for the 2100. Does anyone know?

The case is here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=306037&is=REG

For what it's worth, my VX lives in a tool box from Lowe's. It came with pull and pluck foam. Last year they were all the rage because they were durable and cheap ($30).

Don't know how they compare to "real" cases, but I haven't had any trouble. I just thought I'd mention it as an option.

I checked out the tool boxes at Lowe's. The only ones that I could find did not have the foam. You can get the Pelican foam and put it into one, but then you are almost up to the same price as a new Pelican case. Do you have a model number for the Lowes case with the foam?

Ok, these are the "Workforc" briefcase style tool boxes. 18x12 size. I don't if this is the model number per say, but on the bottom hinges it says "fx" on one and "c0233516"

Tony,

Pick and Pluck means that each layer of foam is cut almost all the way through top to bottom in about 3/4" squares. You just rip out the little columns of foam to make a space into which you can fit your gear. You can rip out the entire column or just as far down as necessary to make the gear fit best.

Make certain you leave enough around the gear to cushion it from other pieces or from the sides of the case.