Pipes in the winter

[LilBastage]

In my search of this topic I found out that I can pack a smaller bowl so I'm not out in the cold as long, but nothing about how the cold affects the smoking of a pipe. With cigars, I get wrappers splitting, no flavor, sometimes little smoke production. I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I won't be smoking any cigars during the winter until I get my "playroom" finished.

Will a pipe have these same issues? Can you still taste the tobacco? Will it be a little more "sturdy" than a cigar so I can actually enjoy it?

Please enlighten me. If I'm going to enjoy a pipe this winter, I need to start now so I can work out some of the newbie problems before it gets cold. I don't want to be messing around with too many idiosyncrasies while trying to enjoy myself.


Thanks!

 

[Newfie]

Alan, by far, over and above I smoke a pipe more than cigars in the winter. not only can you pack the bowl smaller, but I pipe is much more enjoyable to relight than a cigar (from my experiences, anyway).

 

[Mr Peat]

Its been a long time since I went out side to smoke a pipe in the middle of winter. I just can not justify smoking a pipe or cigar when it hits 30 below zero before the 30 mph winds make it feel like 70 below. I can't remember if the cold weather hurts the tobacco or not. More than likely it does some what.

 

[cuppajack]

I have a hard time smoking a pipe outdoors in ANY kind of weather. Any breeze seems to wreak-havok with my bowl and I end up relighting a lot and with bite...

Luckily The wife lets me smoke my pipes inside!

 

[LilBastage]

Thanks for the replies , fellas.

I guess I'll try to find a "starter kit" somewhere and give this a shot. It can't hurt to try, anyway...

 

[knuck42]

Agreed, packing a small bowl will get you out of the cold and into a warmer climate sooner then lighting a cigar would , (unless one is given to smoking very small cigars!) Yet there is also another benefit to piping in the Winter. Namely that holding a warm, (not scalding, no pipe should be that hot anyway), pipe in one's hand in colder weather has a nice, warming effect.

I find though that one need be careful of excessive wind. I do not find that the wind causes the pipe to go out, but rather causes it to burn hotter and unevenly thus causing charing to take place both inside the bowl as well as on the rim. There are inexpensive caps that one may buy to ward against this. They are perhaps $2 - $3 a piece, and ventilated enough on top to allow lighting without removal. Finally, obtaining a pipe with metal embellishment on the rim, (usually silver), also reduces the likelihood of rim charring.