How to Protect Your DJ Gear from Harm

You’ll often hear top-shelf manufacturers talking about the ‘durability’ and ‘road-readiness’ of their DJ hardware. In practice, what this actually means isn’t always what it sounds like.

Sure, give a decent piece of DJ kit an occasional knock while carting it about and it’ll probably weather the storm. By contrast, make the mistake of dropping it from even a modest height and...well, let’s just say the consequences could be catastrophic.

Irrespective of how ‘durable’ a piece of DJ hardware claims to be, it still makes sense to protect your investment. The more you spend on your DJ rig, the greater the importance of safeguarding it as sensibly as possible. Mercifully, adding one or more additional layers of protection to your most important hardware doesn’t have to be difficult, or expensive. You simply need to kit yourself out with an appropriate combination of the following, in order to maximise the lifespan of everything you own:

Decksavers

Decksavers are simple yet indispensable tools, which can protect a broad range of devices from a long list of potential accidents. They’re designed to serve as a protective cover for mixers, controllers, CDJs and more, preventing dust, dirt and grime from settling on them. They also add an important layer of waterproof protection into the mix, which can be a literal lifesaver where drinks and bodily fluids are being thrown all over the place. Topped off with the fact that a decent decksaver can be picked up for less than £50, it’s an essential investment in your hardware’s longevity.

Flightcases

This is the single most important piece of hardware you can buy to protect the rest of your hardware on the road; while it can be tempting to transport DJ equipment in conventional bags and holdalls (which is technically possible), doing so doesn’t really afford them a great deal of protection. With a premium flightcase, you’re looking at the kind of high-end impact protection that can safeguard your equipment from even the roughest treatment. Particularly if you plan on entrusting your hardware to other logistics handlers (like when flying or using a road crew), top-shelf flightcases are a must.

Soft Cases

Of course, anything you plan on taking along for the ride that doesn’t need a super-heavy degree of protection could be just fine in a soft case. Examples of these include cables and power supplies, the bits and pieces that comprise your visual setup and so on. Some of the best soft cases on the market come close to rivalling the protection afforded by some types of flightcases. But as some of the more generic options available aren’t really very protective at all, it’s best to go with an established brand name you know and trust.

Equipment Bags

Specialist equipment backs that are actually designed for DJ hardware are almost always better than mainstream bags. There are some seriously cool backpacks you can pick up right now that are engineered to both carry and protect all types of DJ equipment. Some of these are (understandably) more expensive than generic backpacks, but it’s a small price to pay to minimise the risk of having to replace your gear prematurely.

Added Extra...Surge Protectors

One final thing to mention – a surge protector can play a role of immense importance in keeping your equipment safe. This is basically what will prevent your entire rig from getting completely fried, in the event of a power surge or electrical fault. It’s exactly the kind of thing you don’t know you need until you need it, by which point it’s too late to reverse the damage done.