Drum cases – How to choose

The type of drum case you consider for your instrument should be a reflection of what you need them for, not all cases are the same, there a benefits and disadvantages to each type. Obviously a person who owns an electric drum set will need to buy a different case as to a person who owns a traditional acoustic set. This article is going to suggest a few options which may be right for your needs.

If you value portability and ease of use then you’re probably best off looking at soft, fibre drum cases. These are lightweight, which means they are easy to carry around and they will protect your drums from any dust or grime that may be built up over time. The only downside to choosing these types of cases is that they don’t offer much protection; the majority of soft cases will not absorb the brunt of any hard knocks, meaning your drum set could still be damaged rather easily.

Hard-shell drum cases tend to be more durable and secure, if you own a set of drums which you really want to avoid damaging then you’re best off purchasing a drum case with a hard-shell exterior. Many of these cases can even protect your drums from extremely large knocks such as falling off the back of cars (I don’t advise you try it out though). Hard-shell drum cases do tend to be more expensive and aren’t always the easiest to carry due to their weight, but if its protection you value then they are definitely the best ones to go for.

Finally, for players who want the best of both worlds, maybe a padded soft drum case would suit your needs. These combine some of the portability of soft drum cases with the security of hard-shells, whilst they won’t provide quite the level of protection or portability of the other two models; they are a favourite amongst drummers and are capable of meeting the requirements of most players. At the end of the day, the drum case you choose needs to match your own wants and needs; it’s the only way to find the perfect case for you.