ebay and rh beads

[craig]

It's actually quite simple...

If the hygrometers in both coolers remain steady for about the same length of time, and at the specified rh, it's plenty good enough for the storage of cigars.

This subject is WAAAY over-analyzed IMHO. Find something that works, and fits your budget, and run with it. No need to delve into quantum physics over something that until the last 30 years was often handled by slices of apple in your humidor.

I store boxes, singles in trays made from the bottom of boxes, singles in plastic bins from wal mart, coffins, whatever and wherever they fit in the coolers, I'd say 90% of the volume is occupied at any given time. Beads are stored in 2 or 3 glad storage containers with holes drilled in the lids, spread throughout each cooler, no active humidification.

I do however, live in the south, where humidity can average from 80% to 95% for long periods in the summer, and drop to the low 40's and below in the winter. this REALLY gives the beads a workout. I keep about 1.5 lbs in each cooler for this reason.

I respectfully disagree - somewhat. I use the metrics the conservation people use, e.g., how quickly the item recovers after its environment has been disturbed, as opposed to how long an environment can be maintained.

I guess how anal one wants to be depends on whether you're interested in storing cigars for days vs. months vs. years vs. decades, cello on vs cello off, American practices vs. RoW, when to store at 60% vs. 65% vs. 69% vs 72%, storage temps, Cubans vs. non (well, not really, but it is a convenient proxy for tobacco high in tannins), a/c or not, type of home heating, etc.

However, I think that we both agree that the short answer is: use 65% beads, use more than the minimum, use them in a cooler, and keep that cooler fairly full