Question About Pipe Shows

I wonder about the same things. 8O

When I do pipe shows, I bring a dozen or more pipes since I like to rest them a week or more. I usually raid my racks for the small Group1 sizes to minimize my nic overload as I often will sample 8 or more blends. My usual regimen is 3 bowls daily,
Also since my main purpose is to try out the blends, I often DGT - that helps minimize the tongue bite and nic issues. Wind caps or rolled up pipe cleaners keep ash from spilling out of the partially puffed pipes.
There are a number of nice pipe cases that hold several pipes.
hp

les

It can happen. Went to a pipe event at a shop a while back and smoked pretty much most of the day including a slow smoke competition. I took three or four pipes and used them all. By the end of the day I was pretty beat. I think it important to not try and smoke everything, even if you want to.

Drink lots of fluids and eat something for sure it helps.

Also bring little baggies. The vendors are good about taking several bowls' worth for later tasting.
hp

les

My experience has been limited to the Chicago shows, and at this particular show the various tobacco blenders are more than happy to hand out small pouches of their various tobaccos. Don't be a hog and bring your gallon size plastic bag to start dumping tobacco in, just accept three or four of the various blends they're more than happy to hand over. You can always make a second pass a few hours later – believe me they have more tobacco to give away, and they'd rather not have to pack it up and take it back with them. In addition, Paul Creasy will be more than delighted to hand you multiple cans of the latest Setliff blends. Just be nice, and don't act like a hog, and you will be well satisfied with your haul. As for how many pipes to bring with you, keep your weight limit down, as you will be alternating between the smoking tent and the show hall, and you will not know where to head next.

Smoking at pipe shows is usually limited to an area outdoors. You can't smoke on the floor of the show, in

my experience, or soon you wouldn't be able to see the exhibits for the clouds of smoke. I do much of my

sampling with my nose and eyes, until I light on something really delectable. I haven't carried baggies in

the past, though it's a good idea. Likewise, I only take three or four small pipes and the necessary tool,

matches and pipe cleaners. All this fits nicely in a denim jacket with assorted pockets, and this doesn't

seem to offend anyone's dress code. Otherwise, I dress "nicely." I go through the exhibits, talk with a

number of exhibitors, fill a pipe when I find a choice tobacco, and then retreat outdoors for a smoking break,

and really slow down and spend some time with the blend. That's when I talk the least. The conversation

is pretty interesting, but I mostly eavesdrop as I smoke so I am giving full attention and concentration to the

blend (yes, while eavesdropping and conversing a little). Also, I go to the show with specific tobaccos I want

to sample and look for those. At the last show, I focused on Low Country blends from SP, and after careful

consideration bought a tin of Cooper. I liked Waccamaw too, but decided Cooper was the one to take home

first. Also, most shows give you a nice goody bag as you leave. Sutliff has been the goody bag tobacco so

far at my show, and though this is a low-price tobacco, I have been very pleased with their blends.

Especially The Great Outdoors and Westminster, an English blend, have been really good. I think sampling

more than three or four tobaccos on site is too much. My palate, anyway, would just get overwhelmed and one

flavor experience would be jamming another. A baggie or two to try later would be good. I try to limit my

sampling to a bowl or two in quantity, or even a partial bowl. Some courtesy and consideration is due these

people who are traveling to the show to present their goods, so I don't want to appear to be taking advantage.

I want these exhibitors to show up next year with all their pipes and tobaccos. I have a number of smaller

pipes that are handsome but not theatrical. I don't take the most expensive pipe I own, but I'm proud of

the ones I take. I hope I look like I am somewhat knowledgeable and part of the pipe community.

It never fails, by the end of the week in Chicago my voice gets hoarse. Could be the great conversation has a bit to do with it, but I'm pretty sure its the clouds and clouds of pipe/cigar smoke in the tent. I'm usually there for 5 days and about the 3rd or 4th day I start to notice it.

Also, your clothes will take on a distinct campfire smell.

But I tell you what, it's the most fun I have all year!

Chicago was easy- smoking in the tent only.
...Vegas about killed both Greta and myself. It started with way too many drinks on Friday night and about 6 bowls of flake tobacco...The next day, lit a pipe on the show floor and kept one going until late that night.

During the dinner in a banquet room, there must have been 200 guys smoking pipes and the ventilation was not really keeping up with it...
Recovery time was about 4 days until I could talk normally, and I don't think I touched a pipe for a week...
A good time was had by all!!

Zack, sounds like a fair trade off to me brother!
Can't wait 'til Richmond C.O.R.P.S. show this year, as that is in my backyard, a little over an hour north. That will be my first show and hopefully i will get to meet some of the wonderful people i've socialized with on here. I'm stoked.

I've only ever been to the Vegas show, two years ago and planning on heading back this year. I purposely didn't take anything pipe related. This "forced" me to purchase two pipes while I was there. I broke in the first while listening to Russ' drink and tobacco pairing talk and the other one later that night while wandering the strip with my wife.

Brewshooter, I've never found that carrying a few pipes decreased my propensity to buy more at a pipe show.

I've tried it. It doesn't help. Besides, I can carry one or two of his "babies" back to show my favorite local

pipe carver. He always looks amused and admires his handiwork. Then I buy another one.

Oh, I probably would have purchased them anyway. It was just a way to convince myself that I had no other course of action, but to buy the pipes. I mean, I couldn't be stuck two more days in Vegas without a pipe right? RIGHT?!!?!? 8O

I've been to a few pipe shows over the years. You can make the experience as frenetic or laid back as you want to. Some folks are moving lickity split from table to table all day. Others move at a leisurely pace, visit with the vendors, smoke casually and take a rest when they feel like just sitting somewhere and visiting. Pipe shows are the bread and butter of the hobby, IMO.

When I go to a pipe show

I tried to delte this but it will not work. I wrote a post and this is all that showed up.

Forget it

I've never been so this thread is of great interest to me and the advice above is valuable and appreciated. I can remember going to a large Sportsman/Outdoors show venue here near Pgh that has always had the big name Smokeless tobacco companies present and often they had some large, elaborate set ups to get free sample pouches or cans out to the shows attendees. It always sickened me as to how greedy people would get and the lengths they would go to just to get more. I've seen guys hauling shopping bags full out to their cars and coming back for more. The vendors naturally caught on and now it's so much of a pain in the butt to get a sample, most of those freeloaders walk on by. They have people provide ID, fill out a lengthy survey and then hand over one sample size container. I'd hate to think that would ever happen at a pipe show.