How to Use Boveda 69% vs 84% Packs in Your Humidor
By Ron’s Cigar Store | Published: 2026-10-31
Category: Tips & Care
Learn when to use Boveda 84% for seasoning and 69% for everyday two-way humidity control, plus how to place packs correctly with a metal holder.
Quick answer
Use Boveda 84% 60g only to season an empty wood humidor before adding cigars, then switch to Boveda 69% 8g for everyday two-way humidity control. Place packs where air circulates and keep them in a holder so they don’t sit against wood or cigars.
Why the two packs are not interchangeable
Boveda 84% is formulated for humidor seasoning—it drives moisture into the wood’s cellular structure before cigars go in. Boveda 69% is a storage pack that maintains a steady humidity level for cigars already in the humidor. Using 84% with cigars inside can overhumidify them, while using 69% to season a dry humidor won’t deliver enough moisture to prepare the wood.
When a metal holder helps
A holder keeps a single Boveda packet in place so it doesn’t rest directly on cigars or slide into a corner. The Boveda-Metal Holder 1 Packet is sized for one packet and works in humidors or travel cases. If you use multiple packs, you’ll need a holder for each one or place them loosely with space around them.
Step-by-step: season, then store
- Empty the humidor completely: Remove all cigars, shelves, and loose accessories so only bare wood remains. Common mistake: leaving a stray cigar in during seasoning, which exposes it to 84% humidity. Seasoning is for the wood, not the cigars.
- Add Boveda 84% 60g packs: Place enough 84% packs to cover the humidor’s interior—typically one 60g pack per small humidor, but follow the pack-to-space ratio on the packaging. Do not open the packs; set them on a shelf or in a holder. More packs speed seasoning; too few leave dry spots.
- Close and wait: Keep the humidor closed for the full seasoning period recommended by Boveda—usually 10–14 days for a new or dried-out wood humidor. Check the packs: they may feel firm or slightly swollen, which is normal. Don’t rush by opening the lid to check; each opening releases moisture.
- Remove the 84% packs: Take out all 84% packs once seasoning is complete. Never leave them in with cigars. Common mistake: assuming 84% is a storage level and leaving it in. 84% is a one-time seasoning tool, not a daily pack.
- Switch to Boveda 69% 8g: Place 69% packs in the humidor—one 8g pack per small travel case or several for a desktop humidor, following the ratio on the pack. Use a Boveda-Metal Holder 1 Packet to keep each pack in place and away from cigars. 69% is your everyday two-way humidity control for storage.
- Check and replace packs as needed: Inspect packs monthly. When a 69% pack turns rigid or crunchy, replace it. Do not recharge or mix 84% packs into storage. Rigid packs no longer regulate humidity reliably.
Product facts
- Boveda 69% 8g: Boveda 69% 8g provides two-way humidity control in a small packet. It’s the everyday storage pack for maintaining humidity once your humidor is seasoned and stocked.
Boveda 69% 8g - Boveda 84% 60g: Boveda 84% 60g is designed only for seasoning a wood humidor without cigars inside. Using it correctly prepares the wood; leaving it in with cigars can push humidity too high.
Boveda 84% 60g - Boveda-Metal Holder 1 Packet: Boveda-Metal Holder 1 Packet holds one Boveda packet securely. It keeps the pack from touching cigars or wood directly, which helps air circulate around it.
