Beads vs. Boveda Packs

[mhsrunner]

Searching through this forum it seems that the vast majority of gorillas prefer beads to...well...anything, to keep their smokes in good condition. I was wondering why exactly are they better? Many people still seem to experience some fluctuation with the beads. Also, aren't boveda packs easier, since all they require is opening a plastic wrapper? Why exactly is it that most of you don't use boveda packs? Also, to any of you who do use or have used boveda packs, what is your experience with them? What are their drawbacks?

[Da Klugs]

Your can "rechage beads" and we are a bunch of cheap SOB's so over time they are much less expensive, not that either option is a break the bank issue. Now where are my backwoods smokes.

[Smoked]

Originally Posted by mhsrunner

Searching through this forum it seems that the vast majority of gorillas prefer beads to...well...anything, to keep their smokes in good condition. I was wondering why exactly are they better? Many people still seem to experience some fluctuation with the beads. Also, aren't boveda packs easier, since all they require is opening a plastic wrapper? Why exactly is it that most of you don't use boveda packs? Also, to any of you who do use or have used boveda packs, what is your experience with them? What are their drawbacks?

My humi at work uses both and I hardly ever have to recharge the beads or replace the boveda packs.

[Irons]

I liked the beads because I bought a 1/2lb and am able to put them in different size/shape containers. Such as pucks.

[K Baz]

I like beads because I like the idea knowing what goes on/in them - distilled water.

Why do I like the idea of distilled water? It seems clean and safe and I like the idea of something clean and safe humidifying my beloved smokes.

I don't know what is in the Boveda packs could be distilled water could be something I can't pronounce.

Plus if it good enough for priceless art it is almost good enough for my smokes.

And there is nothing to throw out - very enviormentally friendly.

[RGD]

To put it into numbers:

Let's say my Frigador holds 1000 cigars.

According to Boveda I would require 30 packs at $3.95 each for a total of $118.50. Let's say that they lasted a bit longer than what Boveda says they will - say four months. I would then need to purchase Boveda packs 3 times for the year so my total yearly operating cost would be: $355.50


With the Viper Beads the same unit requires 4 pounds of beads at a cost of $135.60. I don't need to replace them so there is no additional cost outside of 79 cents for a gallon of distilled water. So the total yearly operating cost would be: $136.39

Moving ahead to year two: Boveda operating costs again are $355.50 while the Viper Beads cost is 79 cents.

Let's move ahead to five years and look at the totals:

Boveda for five years: $1,777.50

Viper Beads for five years: $139.55

That's a difference of $1637.95 which could have been spent on a whole lot of decent smokes.

We could move ahead to 10 years - but I think you get my point.


Ron

[mhsrunner]

So this issue isn't so much that boveda packs don't perform well, its just that over the long haul they aren't economical like the beads?

[Da Klugs]

Originally Posted by mhsrunner

So this issue isn't so much that boveda packs don't perform well, its just that over the long haul they aren't economical like the beads?

Ding, ding we have a winner!

[RGD]

Originally Posted by mhsrunner

So this issue isn't so much that boveda packs don't perform well, its just that over the long haul they aren't economical like the beads?

I have used both - and I think that the Beads recover somewhat faster than the packs. If people are having fluctuation problems with the beads then they need to dig a little deeper to discover the problem - i.e. bad seals, temp swings, too wet or dry smokes, not enough beads, etc etc. But these are all the same problems that happen no matter what system a person is using.

I'm sure there is some instance where the Packs would work just fine - and if you don't mind spending the extra money - but I don't have any personal situation that would put the packs ahead of the beads.


Ron