Pipe Size Preferences?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

tzinc

Can't Leave
Mar 24, 2021
346
1,395
Toronto
Starting out I liked bigger bowls after a year I prefer smaller ones. What are your preferences.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,125
118,514
Group 6 to magnum. Generally nothing with a chamber depth of less than 50mm unless it's a very special one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hillcrest

mtwaller

Lifer
Nov 21, 2018
1,424
7,175
35
Atlanta, GA
For me approximately .85” wide x 1.25” deep is perfection (for English blends, which is overwhelmingly what I smoke). Most Rhodesians are in that ballpark. My tongue gets fatigued after much more than an hour, so I like a shallow chamber.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,211
60,635
I have a big range of sizes, though none that could be called enormous, but well into Group 6 area. Now and then, nothing but the biggest bowl will do, for long meditative sessions, or the smallest Peterson Belgique when a short smoke is needed, or to sample, or for a medium smoke with flake or coin, etc. I enjoy compact pipes with ample bowls and lighter weight pipes that clench well. I find the variety useful.
 

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,265
4,064
Kansas
I have large pipes with small bowl capacities and smaller pipes with rather large bowl capacities and I prefer larger bowl capacities almost exclusively lately. Bit of a dilemma for me as at least half my Peterson pipe collection have capacities on the small side. That includes my 4 deluxe system pipes which I am not smoking now-a shame.
 

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,265
4,064
Kansas
For me approximately .85” wide x 1.25” deep is perfection (for English blends, which is overwhelmingly what I smoke). Most Rhodesians are in that ballpark. My tongue gets fatigued after much more than an hour, so I like a shallow chamber.
A shallow chamber will last me less than 5 minutes unless I'm smoking a flake.;) However, I put up with that to smoke my Rhodesians.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: mtwaller

stogie37

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 24, 2012
673
3,491
Southport, North Carolina
1.5” chamber depth is my favorite and I’ll take the entire range in chamber diameter. A few shallower options for strong tabac or extremely slow burning flakes - and just a handful of tall bowls pretty much exclusively for dry ribbon cuts (think Orion’s Arrow, Bayou Morning, Stratfordshire etc.)
 

mahew

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 30, 2017
116
40
Kentucky Hills and Hollers
Hmmm. It’s not the size of the bowl that matters, but how you use it.

On a more serious note, I like variety, both in bowl size and tobacco so I mix it up. To me, the same pipe and tobacco on a daily basis would be akin to eating the same meal everyday. As much as I like eggs for breakfast, I make them in a variety of different ways and serve them with a variety of different ‘fixins’.