Hi russ832..... the main enemies of system hair is dryness and oxidation caused by sun-exposure,chlorine in water etc., so , the deterioration really begins once we actually begin to wear the system and expose it to normal `wear and tear` ...... a good care-routine helps to slow down the harmful effects of oxidation...... I haven`t ever stored a system for a long time, but I see no reason why, if it was packed in a sealed polythene bag and kept in a cool dark drawer etc., that it should suffer any negative effects compared to a system which is in daily wear....should be `good to go`when you need to wear it..... I know Antywanty has kept his poly/skin system in storage at home over the last 7months or so and is only now beginning to wear it ,so maybe he can tell us how it was when taken out of storage...regards, Paul.