Canadian-based company, Vinyl Storage Solutions (VSS) made a big impact on the vinyl community earlier this year when their innovative take on the humble outer record sleeve began flying off the shelves.
Company founder, Mike Sarazin set out to improve on existing designs by incorporating 100% North American materials, and by introducing an innovative dual pocket design. (Check out our full review, here).
Fortunately, Mike didn’t just stop at designing premium outer sleeves, and their brand new inner sleeve design looks set to be a real crowd-pleaser. In our most recent batch order of their outer sleeves, we received a few samples for testing–here’s our initial impression:
Vinyl Storage Solutions Inner Record Sleeves Review
For some time, we’ve recommended MoFi inner record sleeves as part of your day-to-day vinyl record care; and that recommendation still stands, they’re great quality sleeves. Sadly, most new vinyl records ship with very basic paper sleeves, which do nothing to mitigate static and are notoriously poor at keeping dust away from the record surface. If you haven’t already replaced your basic paper or card inner sleeves with anti-static polyethylene sleeves, I recommend you do so for the longevity of your collection.
…But enough concerning the basics, how are the VSS sleeves different?
Just like their outer sleeve designs, the new VSS inner sleeves enter the market with plenty of applied attention to detail, thanks to Mike’s engineering background. Here are a few highlights:
Integrated 2-inch Flap
Perhaps the most immediately noticeable feature is the 2-inch flap design. Said to be “the ultimate in dust protection”, these sleeves feature a 2-inch flap opening that is closed at the top and sides. Most inner sleeves are entirely open at the top, and this makes it easy for dust to fall in (and for the record to fall out accidentally, of course).
Material Quality
High-quality material is a given with VSS, and their new inner sleeves are certainly no exception. HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) is widely accepted as the definitive standard in safe record storage when it comes to inner sleeves. All sleeves are 100% virgin HDPE with a safe anti-static additive. VSS state there is zero recycled content involved. (It’s much easier to be confident of such claims when all your sleeves are made from American resin). There are many other premium claims from VSS about the material resistance, including (but not limited to): High moisture barrier properties, high-temperature resistance, corrosion and chemical resistant. (You can visit their product page for more detail).
4 Mil Thickness
The thickness of these sleeves is undoubtedly premium. At 4 mil, they are certainly thicker than my existing MoFi sleeves. VSS claim this helps to better protect the record from scuffs and scratches—particularly when stacking multiple records next to each other.
The Bottom Line
Firstly, full-disclosure, I was sent a couple of samples free-of-charge for the purpose of this review. As ever, our thoughts and views on any product remain our own.
The attention to detail over design and material quality is something I’ve come to expect from VSS. The new inner sleeves have a luxurious (but also robust) feel to them. It stands to good reason that a 4 mil thickness will undoubtedly protect the record better from scuffs than a standard 1-2 mil thick inner sleeve. If you’re looking for top-notch protection for your most valuable vinyl records, look no further.
Dust build-up is a thorn in the side for any record collector, and so the innovative flap opening will no-doubt win over fellow dust-haters. This design does make the record a little harder to slide in and out, but that’s a small price to pay for the improved protection. In any case, it’s still not difficult to insert or remove your records.
I remain more than happy to recommend MoFi sleeves for everyday use. However, for some of the more valuable wax in my collection, I can see myself turning to VSS more often—particularly considering the very fair price-point. We urge you to try them out for yourself the next time you’re in the market for inner sleeves; they won’t disappoint.
Learn more at: vinylstoragesolutions.ca
Product Discount for Sound Matters Readers: As a Sound Matters reader, you can benefit from 10% off your purchase when you buy directly from the VSS online store. Simply use the code SOUNDMATTERS10 on checkout. This code is a one-time use only and can’t be combined with other coupons or discounts. Discount is for product only and doesn’t apply to taxes or shipping costs.
[…] artwork while still retaining access to the record for day-to-day playback, and secondly their first inner sleeve offering with integrated flap. All products are made in Canada using North American materials, so the quality is also […]