Smoking in windy conditions
- Thread starter sartrean
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I avoid smoking outside if there is a breeze, otherwise you have to try to cup your hand over the bowl to block it or buy a pipe with one of those lids helps a little if you can find one. Basically, with wind, you are charging the bowl with extra oxygen and higher heat like a blow torch and all the flavor cooks up before it gets a chance to be smoked.
I exclusively smoke outside & since I live in a Red Flag Zone (high risk for wild land fire), I always use the wind cap as a spark arrestor, regardless of the wind conditions.
I smoke outdoors only, so windy or no, it's outside I go. So far, the biggest problem I have is lighting and I'll huddle against a wall to get a pipe lit in windy conditions. My tobacco is generally dry, so moisture and gurgling isn't an issue. I don't pack as fully and leave a bit more room between the top of the tobacco and the rim. So far, no real difficulties, though in gale force conditions, outdoor pipe smoking is not exactly relaxing.
In high winds, an airtight cover can be used, between puffs. Any small piece of flat material can be used, even a matchbook, (though that's fraught with danger— if you need to be told what that is, perhaps you should shy away from smoking! 
) The covers - wind caps made for the purpose work great in moderate wind, and help keep embers from flying around.
In fact, I need to find some as not all the time am I smoking in gale force winds. Any suggestions?
) The covers - wind caps made for the purpose work great in moderate wind, and help keep embers from flying around. In fact, I need to find some as not all the time am I smoking in gale force winds. Any suggestions?
Wind caps, either integral to the pipe's fittings or the spring fitted cap are what I use. Great on a motorcycle as well as when working in the wind, strolling a beach, fly fishing, etc.
Depends on the wind. If I can at least get a good light going, then put the wind cap on I am usually good to go. Of course if the winds are to high then nothing you do is going to work and it's time to call it a day.
Smoking a pipe, especially lighting a pipe, is an active sport, a little like flying a kite. You have to accept its challenges or it's no fun. Walls, trees, even pillars or posts can be wind breaks. A deep bowl packed about 2/3 full helps. I haven't tried the metal pipe covers, but that looks like a good idea. I usually keep my hand cupped around the top of the bowl. If you work it right, the burn doesn't accelerate that much and you can have a pretty good smoke. However, you can't always tell visually, because the smoke dissipates so fast, so you have to judge by taste, and that changes in the wind too. All this is more fun in a moderate wind. In a gale, it's just a game, not really much of a smoke, but sometimes fun to try.
"Tried to smoke outside when it was blowing quite a bit."
The simplest solution surely would be to go indoors and smoke until the wind blows over? :
:
Regards,
Jay.
The simplest solution surely would be to go indoors and smoke until the wind blows over? :
:Regards,
Jay.
If I could get a lynx or moose into the sitting room, I too could smoke inside while working on a windy day.
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