STORING SOFTWARE

The subject of suitable storage media for CDs was raised by friends recently. Between just two boats we established that we possessed six different types of CD container! 

With at least as many non-audio CDs as ones with music on them, storage aboard was a topic both had given some consideration to individually before this conversation took place. It was interesting to see that we seemed to have reached the same conclusions, although living very different lifestyles. 

Our temporary neighbour told us that he keeps most of his CDs in his home, ashore in the United States  of America, most of the time. He selects the music and software he reckons will see him through his time sailing, whether he is taking off for his summer holidays or going for a quick weekend break. Our CDs are kept aboard full-time and one or more may be taken ashore, to the nearest Internet facility or someone's home, along with our laptop.

Setting aside paper or cardboard envelopes, as obviously not an option in the longer term, we agreed that the least exciting, and most cumbersome, form of storage is the 'Jewel' case - the ordinary rigid plastic case that so many CDs are packaged in when purchased . You get very little storage for your money - only one to six CDs are housed in each jewel case and broken jewel cases are not an uncommon phenomena. They are a method of storage that is cheap on cash but expensive on space. Still,  'Jewel' cases are far better than paper or cardboard! One can store a few in a zip-lock bag, to keep the sea air and moisture away from them us much as possible, however inelegant and bulky they may look.

We had both tried rigid, concertina-interior snap-shut cases and neither of us had liked them. I still possessed an empty 12-CD one but there was no sign of a manufacturer's name on it. The case was slightly larger than one of the two models we both liked for different reasons. 

The CaseLogic 24-disc case is the size of one CD plus surrounding material in height, and about the same width as the 'am' 28-CD case, made in Denmark. The CaseLogic is covered with a black synthetic cloth of some sort, which it is possible to wipe clean with a damp cloth. There is not much rigidity to the case, however, so you have to be a bit circumspect about just what you put down on top of it. It is compact and not ugly. It turned out that the neighbour owned two and we have one of these, suggesting that they are available widely, as are the Danish 'am' 28 CD cases, of which, again, we each are happy owners.

The am 28 case  has a fully rigid spine and is a very good-looking case, as well as being able to accommodate an extra 4 CD's in the same space as the equivalent-sized CaseLogic model. The only, very minor, drawback is that the slightly rough acrylic canvas-effect exterior covering is slightly harder to keep clean than the far smoother exterior of the CaseLogic one.

The CaseLogic 48 CD case is two CDs high, so it will not fit into a 3L zip-lock bag as will the others. What it does offer though, is a huge amount of music or data in  less cubic space than occupied by two of the 24 CD CaseLogic cases and, almost, the same amount as two 'am' 28 CD cases. 

When you have invested in decent software and audio CDs, it does make sense to protect them from the elements and from potential damage. Each case acquired is a few fun tickets (as The Skipper calls his cash), Euros, dollars or yen well spent.

A word of caution here, some of the very cheapest CD storage cases appear to have pockets made from a plastic that causes deterioration in CDs that are left in them for any great length of time, so do be careful when buying what appear to be bargains!

Can you recommend any good brands of CD storage cases that you have used over a long enough period to be sure that they serve the purpose well? We'd love to hear from you.