What are these beads?

[Omerta]

Was in the b&m getting a few cigars when I asked if they sell any heartfelt or boveda packs. This is what they gave me to throw in the zip lock bag with cigars. Im working on getting a coolidor set up and haven't decided on what to use for humidification. What are these beads do they work? I tried letting them dry out and they didn't seem to do anything. Almost like little water balloons.

 

[Bruce T.]

Never seen those before ????

 

[Mossome]

You got those at the Wharf didn't you? They put those in my bag once and I was dumbfounded too.

 

[Omerta]

You got those at the Wharf didn't you? They put those in my bag once and I was dumbfounded too.

Yes I did. I don't think they do anything at all.

 

[luckysaturn13]

Throw a hygrometer in a zip lock with em for abit and see what it registers

 

[Rupe]

Pretty sure they are called water pearls and are used for floral arrangements. I saw some of them available in different colors when I was shopping with my wife at Michaels one time. I briefly considered them as a potential humidifier for my cigars but disregarded them because I was not sure what RH they would generate and quite frankly the kitty litter I have been using is just too consistant and maintenance free for me to even think about switching to something else.

Here is a link to a product on Amazon that I'm pretty sure is the same thing. http://www.amazon.com/Water-Pearls-CLEAR-Centerpiece-Wedding-Filler-makes-gallons/dp/B003NZG936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437357798&sr=8-1&keywords=water+pearls

 

[Omerta]

Wow yeah I think your right that is exactly what these are. I don't think they work very well or at least they aren't letting off humidity since they aren't drying out at all.

 

[boltman]

Are they like the blue ones you can get on C-Bid?

 

[Mossome]

When I got them with my cigars, I didn't really trust them and left them out on the windowsill to see what would happen. That was a month ago. This is what they look like today:

Much smaller but still there. Large amount of condensation on the inside of the packet that had several holes punched in it. I absolutely wouldn't trust them to humidity cigars.
That was the first place I went after I bought my desktop humidor to get beads or bovedas, and all they have there are small tubs of gel beads. I did but two tubes and they worked fine, but I also bought a couple bovedas immediately that I found at Arrow Wine.

 

[Omerta]

Ya iv taken them out. Since I don't have a storrage system setup yet I figure these in a ziplock is better than nothing. Got to get a coolidor setup soon figured I'd order a few boveda packs to go in it.

 

[CaptainRon]

I believe they're just those gel humidifier bead things that come inside of things like this: http://www.amazon.com/Xikar-808XI-Crystal-Humidifier-Jar/dp/B002VYQLOW/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1437436984&sr=8-10&keywords=cigar+humidifier

They're just much cheaper to buy by the bad like @Rupe posted. I think they just keep releasing whatever humidity they have so no real control but maybe good for something short term.

Same thing as in this video: I think