Musings on What Pipes to Take

[captainsousie]

If all goes well, I will be moving overseas sometime in the next year (not sure where yet) and was thinking of what pipes to take. Some of the possible places could be quite petty crime-ridden so I don't want to take any of my irreplaceable or really nice pipes. The question is what 5-7 pipes would you take given a low budget (20-40 USD max per pipe) but wish for a good smoking pipe? This is really early to be wondering but I do like to be mentally prepared with a plan.
My first thought were some Mr. Brogs. I also thought about a bag of cobs and a briar or two. My current ideal of a good "cheap" rotation is a couple bargain Estellas, a couple Mr. Brogs and a few cobs. What would your "cheap" rotation be.

 

[leacha]

I'd take a couple meets or clays and use the rest of your budget on tobacco. No telling how easy your favorite tobacco is to come by.

 

[captainsousie]

Good thought leacha one I had and as a result I already have a my tobacco aging for the trip and a 5 year cellar at home. I hope to have another 10 years minimum put back by the time I go.

 

[jpberg]

Short of bargain briars from ebay or elsewhere, I'd be damned tempted to take a bunch of modified cobs. You've got the tobacco set, that's the important part.

 

[estumpf]

Corn cobs would be my choice. They smoke reasonably well for the price. It screams American. If you go to the Philippines make sure you take a General MacArthur corn cob. If a custom official takes them from you, you haven't lost much (don't argue with a custom official, they are worse then librarians).

 

[philobeddoe]

When you say "moving", for how long? If I was going for more than six months I'd just risk it and take them all. Are you going into the Peace Corps or on a Mormon Mission, if so you may be out in the boonies and would have to take weather into consideration. Briar and heavy moisture, as in a rain forest do not mesh, if the location of your move is undeveloped and without heat,a/c or humidity control I would only take perishable pipes. If your simply moving to a shitty part of a modern country for several years, then your going to need your favorite pipes more than ever! Just my 2 cents. I hope your move goes well.

 

[captainsousie]

When you say "moving", for how long?

It would be a 2 year contract with possibility of long-term employment in my field. I will still have a home-base in the USA that I would have to return to periodically but I could go anywhere from Southeast Asia to South America to Eastern Europe to...just about anywhere in the world. Climate will indeed be a factor in what pipes I eventually decide to take.

 

[kashmir]

I never go anywhere without two to four of my best pipes. You never know when will be your last smoke. And I don't want my last bowl to be in a lesser pipe. I smoke each bowl as if it were my last because one day it will be. Life is too short not to enjoy your finest at every given opportunity.

 

[allan]

I'm going to go with Kash on this one. I can't imagine being without some good briars for a long period of time, (say, two days!)
Take the corn cobs with you, but at least take a few of your best. Two years is a long long time.
IMHO
Allan

 

[smokeystover]

I agree with Kashmir. Enjoy your pipes to the fullest. Pipe smoking is so rare these days, I doubt many criminals would know a Bang from a 2 x 4. I'd be more concerned about a nice watch or jewelry, something that can easily be turned into cash.

 

[cigrmaster]

I say insure your best pipes way over their value and take them with you, if they get stolen you get to buy new pipes and if not you are smoking your best.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Take a pick axe pipe, for protection and smoking.

 

[petes03]

Cobs, Graybows, and at least one or two of your best.

 

[shaintiques]

I get that you are worried about crime or losing a pipe. I hiked part of the Appalachian trail earlier this year. I actually bought a pipe to refurb and take with me, a GBD, but when it came down to it, I still took my favorite pipe. Anything can happen and I figured that if I were to say have my last smoke I would want it out of that pipe. I never leave home without it and I don't let anybody else smoke it. I normally carry 4 pipes with me and always share pipes out, but never that one.

 

[snagstangl]

I would take a custombilt and then some other seconds lines of sav's or some decent english pipes.

 

[mso489]

Depends how long. I agree with the sentiment that if it is a long stay, you want to risk a few of your good

pipes, maybe not expensive gift pipes, but a few of the best. If we are just talking weeks or months, I'd

take cobs and and Grabow, and in my case a few bigger bowl but modest priced pipes. I'd take my

LaRocca poker with a good big bowl, perhaps my Peterson bent brandy B11 though I wouldn't want to lose

it, and maybe my Joh's lovat, small and light but with a medium bowl. Something like that. I'd take some risk.

As kashmir says, fatalistically, enjoy every smoke. I really struggle more with tobacco, to take a selection but

not too much volume. If it's a long stay, maybe a tub and some complementary bags to blend with it.