boveda or beads?

[weigle]

I currently have some Boveda packs in my humidor but have been seeing a lot of talk about heartfelt industries beads. I have been very happy with the packs but it costs $20 every 2 months, but cigars can touch them.

I'm torn. . . which to go with? I think they're both good products, but which one is better despite cost?

[Cigary]

I love beads,,,have always done very well for me,,,low maintenance and pretty much idiot proof is how I roll thru life.

[Randy_LL]

iv neverryed the beeds but the owner of the cigar lounge by my house is a very good friend of mine and swears by the packs ,,,so i dont know

[cstcyr]

I am starting two cigar storage devices in the next week or so. One using the Boveda seasoner and packs and one with heartfelt beads. I'm going to see what I like best. From everything I've heard it's all about the beads though.

[Koolpsych]

I like the beads for their ease of use. My beads have been going for 2 months now and I have not had to do anything to them. This includes the beads in my 100 ct. humidor as well as my 65 qt. coolidor.

[Randy_LL]

let us know how that works ,,, im still useing the sponge just cause the jell wuz the worst and i want to change

[Herf N Turf]

Originally Posted by cstcyr

From everything I've heard it's all about the beads though.

While I'm "all about the beads", I think both work equally well. For me, its a matter of volume. Packs are slim and take up little to no room. In a 25ct humidor, I can just lay a pack on top of things and I'm good to go. ANything larger, I go beads.

Little known secret you can recharge your packs too. Just put them in a container with a wet sponge for a week. Just like beads, they absorb, as well as give off moisture. Boveda would really rather that not get out there and I can't say I blame them

[e-man]

Of course, your B&M is going to push the packs, because you become a recurring source of income. They never seem to sell beads. Just Bovedas and humidifiers that use PG to recharge (thought most don't really need it after the first fill).

Just know that beads are every bit as effective/stable, and you only buy them once. That's why most people prefer them.


One difference that may sway you is the selection of rH values:

Heartfelt: 60%, 65%, 70%

Boveda: 65%, 69%, 72%, 75%

Note: Most B&M's only stock the 72% Boveda packs.



The other major difference I have noticed is the maintenance cycle:

Boveda packs hold a LOT of water. They will last a few months IF you use the suggested amount: 1 for the humidor, and 1 for every 50 sticks.

I usually re-charge my beads every 2-4 weeks, more so during the cold/dry winter weather where I live. I'm even running double the suggested amount of beads for the size of my humidor. I could probably go a bit longer between re-charging, as I don't let them get too dry (50-60% white)...just in case I need to leave town unexpectedly. Regardless, I've never gotten remotely close to three months without a recharge.

As with any humidification media, the more of it you use, the less often you need to replenish it.


I don't know how feasible it is to recharge a Boveda. I tried it once with the sponge method, but it was still pretty crusty (though less crusty) after two weeks. There's just not that much water in a moist sponge, compared to the water content of a full Boveda pack. I can't imagine how long it takes to fill one up all the way.

My buddy tried to recharge a pack by placing it in Tupperware next to a bowl of distilled water. Mold started growing on the outside of the pack before it ever got soft. Apparently, the bowl of water released moisture faster than the Boveda could absorb it, and humidity soared above 80%.

I have also read of others suspending a Boveda above a bowl of boiling hot distilled water, inside a closed container. Not sure how well that works.