Retrohaling

[winterlionpassing]

Could someone explain retrohaling to me?

As I understand it, you keep your mouth closed and breathe thru your nose, drawing as you inhale and exhaling your breath and draw out thru the pipe. Correct?

 

[lukifer]

I've always thought retrohaling is exhaling smoke from your nose.

Never a good idea to intentionally pull smoke into your lungs.

 

[lukifer]

Pull smoke into your mouth, close mouth, slowly exhale from nose while pushing tongue forward and shrinking the space in your mouth where the smoke is which causes it to escape via the nasal passage/nose.

 

[warren]

Never a good idea to intentionally pull smoke into your lungs.

Why? I do it fairly often. Most pipe smokers don't do it as routine but, doing so now and then is satisfying. It's a pipe, no rules. Smoking is risky business without inhaling but, I'm good with it. Plus you're pulling smoke into your lungs as you sit wreathed in smoke you've blown out from your mouth/nose. Simply part and parcel of risky little vice.

 

[proteus]

Close mouth around stem and inhale through nose. Smoke enters your mouth. Keep mouth closed around stem. Exhale and smoke leaves your nose. Repeat the process two or three times. If you keep doing it though you might get light headed from not inhaling enough oxygen. So you do that retrohale sequence to get some flavor and then break to breath. You'll have to find your cadence that works for you.

 

[elvishrunes]

The opposite, you blow smoke out your nose as you exhale without first inhaling it. Ive smoked for close to 15 yrs and only mastered it this summer. I just couldn’t do it consistently so kept giving up, truly you don’t need it to enjoy a pipe.

A quick shortcut. After puffing a pipe swallow the smoke without inhaling, not inhaling just swallowing and then exhale your nose and it will come out. it takes practice, but I always do it now when I remember…

 

[dottlejockey]

I try to smoke either outdoors or in a well-ventilated area (like my lounge and shop) and the retro/nasal exhale technique is a regular part of the process for a more comprehensive flavor experience. I never smoke a pipe or cigar without a good amount of retro - if the tobacco is exceptionally strong then 1/2 retros will do.

 

[Sobrbiker]

I inhale, retrohale, French inhale, breathe normally with a pipe clenched, “breath method”, etc.

If you’re freaked out about getting smoke in your lungs, having a hobby centered around instruments made to combust tobacco and delivery the smoke directly to your respiratory tract may not be a really prudent move.

 

[winterlionpassing]

thanks all

 

[kcghost]

Seems silly to me.

 

[Choatecav]

I like to think of the retrohale as one of the little "gems of enjoyment" to pipe, or cigar smoking. Many times when I have having trouble getting the flavors out of a blend, I always fall back to using the retrohale. Reason for me is that it doubles the bodies sensors that come in contact with the smoke. The tastebuds get the first pass at it and then the nasal membranes get their chance at it as it exits.

Really helps me pull out flavors when I do a slow retro. Hope you can nail it down quickly and enjoy your journey.

 

[AroEnglish]

thanks all

Have you been able to do it?

 

[winterlionpassing]

last night, I had some Wessex campaign and it was an interstellar experience. I had to take the pipe out of my mouth to be able to force the smoke thru my nose, but I expect I will eventually be able to do it hands free

 

[AroEnglish]

last night, I had some Wessex campaign and it was an interstellar experience. I had to take the pipe out of my mouth to be able to force the smoke thru my nose, but I expect I will eventually be able to do it hands free

Glad to hear! I've got a friend who also has a hard time with it so you're not alone.

 

[jbfrady]

In my opinion it's the best way to get a true sense of flavor. It takes a decided effort to learn to do it, but now that you've passed that initial threshold, you're only a matter of weeks from wondering why you hadn't been able to do it the whole time.

 

[Egg Shen]

Why? I do it fairly often. Most pipe smokers don't do it as routine but, doing so now and then is satisfying. It's a pipe, no rules. Smoking is risky business without inhaling but, I'm good with it. Plus you're pulling smoke into your lungs as you sit wreathed in smoke you've blown out from your mouth/nose. Simply part and parcel of risky little vice.

Disagree. Directly inhaling smoke is hotter and more concentrated than ambient wafts. As a former cig smoker I agree it’s more satisfying but I don’t think we should be advocating that if you retrohale you may as well inhale and that they’re about the same risk wise.

 

[walkingpipeguy]

I literally just exhale through my nose with smoke in my mouth, and the smoke comes out my nose. I never could understand why some people find it difficult. Trouble breathing through the nose generally? Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

[elvishrunes]

I literally just exhale through my nose with smoke in my mouth, and the smoke comes out my nose. I never could understand why some people find it difficult. Trouble breathing through the nose generally? Maybe I'm just lucky.

You are! Sometimes that worked for, sometimes not. I have to force the smoke backwards towards my throat and nasal cavity.

 

[popeofpiping]

Why? I do it fairly often. Most pipe smokers don't do it as routine but, doing so now and then is satisfying. It's a pipe, no rules. Smoking is risky business without inhaling but, I'm good with it. Plus you're pulling smoke into your lungs as you sit wreathed in smoke you've blown out from your mouth/nose. Simply part and parcel of risky little vice.

Couldn’t agree more Warren. French inhale, or otherwise I can’t get through a bowl without the satisfying burn. Well, I could but I don’t want to.

 

[mpjetset]

Wow, please confirm! If I'm reading the technique correctly, you seal the pipe bit in your mouth, keep your esophagus open, and breathe through your nose? The inhale creates enough suction to bring smoke into your mouth? And you don't get a bunch of smoke down your throat? I wish I could try this now but have a little bronchitis.