Traveling With Pipes/Tobacco. Has it changed for you?

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Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
10,476
42,239
RTP, NC. USA
I don't remember last time I've been more than 10 miles from my house. Never really was into traveling. With boys growing up, we did some. In college, some road trips. With my wife, when we were younger. I need to plan a family vacation this year. It's been awhile. Last time I took some pipes to a trip was 6 years ago to my kid's college visit. Oil canvas roll up. Fits two cobs.
 

OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
7,657
42,456
72
Sydney, Australia
I'm going on a trip to Malaysia in a few weeks with a couple of mates, one of whom smokes pipes and cigars.
I'm planning to bring a couple of pipes and tobacco plus some cigars.
But I will have to estimate how much smoking I will be indulging in while I am away.

The problem is returning to Oz with leftover tobacco and cigars.
The duty-free tobacco allowance into Oz is a paltry 25gm (1 oz) per person.
If bringing in excess of 25gm, then duty is payable on the TOTAL amount of tobacco brought in - not just the amount over the 25gm limit !
 

Richmond B. Funkenhouser

Plebeian Supertaster
Dec 6, 2019
5,696
25,397
Dixieland
My wife and I usually avoid travel because of smoking rules.

Hotels, theme parks, whatever, usually have no regard for smokers.

Even casinos FFS...

I think an RV or a motorhome is the answer, maybe one day we'll get on that.

We've been on a couple of trips over the last few years, they weren't bad trips.... 2 years ago I drove a rental car across the country, which was no smoking. I spent a good percentage of that time being arggravated.

You can have a lot of fun at home for the cost of a family vacation.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
22,288
55,291
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Simple, two pipes, one to two blends, pipe cleaners. And that’s it. Any experienced traveler travels light.
When I was young it was 2 1/2 months out of a Kelly backpack while thumbing my way around Europe.
If I’m going for a couple of weeks it’s a couple of pipes and a small suitcase that easily fits in the overhead bin on an airplane.
On the other side of that equation, I have a friend who used to own a winter home in Florida, and he would pack about 200 of his pipes for the winter, along with poundage of his favorite tobaccos.
200 pipes is a tiny percentage of his collection, so that would be his idea of keeping it simple.
 

PApiper63

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 13, 2024
143
651
My wife and I usually avoid travel because of smoking rules.

Hotels, theme parks, whatever, usually have no regard for smokers.

Even casinos FFS...

I think an RV or a motorhome is the answer, maybe one day we'll get on that.

We've been on a couple of trips over the last few years, they weren't bad trips.... 2 years ago I drove a rental car across the country, which was no smoking. I spent a good percentage of that time being arggravated.

You can have a lot of fun at home for the cost of a family vacation.
We travel a good bit...4 or 5 bigger trips a year plus the odd weekend away and the occasional cruise. I always seem to be able to work my pipe smoking into these trips. We do own a small RV and some of our travel is in that. That does make life a lot simpler for the pipe smoker. But, I like the flexibility of pipe smoking. I can go a couple days and not touch it or I can have it sticking out of my face all day long. I hope you get a chance to take some nice trips if that is your goal.
 

FLDRD

Lifer
Oct 13, 2021
2,753
11,694
Arkansas
If I'm traveling to a city and staying in someone else's property, I can't imagine having the opportunity to enjoy a pipe. Where exactly would that be? Seems to be banned everywhere.
If I were going on a camping / fishing / hunting / adventure type of trip then yeah.
Otherwise, I do without.
 

cosmicfolklore

Moderator
Staff member
Aug 9, 2013
36,355
88,339
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
My wife and I usually avoid travel because of smoking rules.

Hotels, theme parks, whatever, usually have no regard for smokers.

Even casinos FFS...

I think an RV or a motorhome is the answer, maybe one day we'll get on that.

We've been on a couple of trips over the last few years, they weren't bad trips.... 2 years ago I drove a rental car across the country, which was no smoking. I spent a good percentage of that time being arggravated.

You can have a lot of fun at home for the cost of a family vacation.
You are such a rule follower, ha ha. I have spent over a decade driving rentals cars and staying in hotels. And, I smoke in all of them, and never once has anyone complained about pipe smoke. Cigarettes are what everyone is sniffing for, and no quality pipe tobacco is going to be even close to that nasty smell.
We have a trip coming up, and I plan to smoke in rental cars and hotels.
You guys can follow rules like a buncha sheep, ha ha. Not me.
 

Richmond B. Funkenhouser

Plebeian Supertaster
Dec 6, 2019
5,696
25,397
Dixieland
You are such a rule follower, ha ha. I have spent over a decade driving rentals cars and staying in hotels. And, I smoke in all of them, and never once has anyone complained about pipe smoke. Cigarettes are what everyone is sniffing for, and no quality pipe tobacco is going to be even close to that nasty smell.
We have a trip coming up, and I plan to smoke in rental cars and hotels.
You guys can follow rules like a buncha sheep, ha ha. Not me.

Yeah, I've mellowed quite a bit.

My mom rented the car and she's also a smoker... I couldn't talk her into breaking the rules, she's the square. Haha

I did smoke in the hotel bathrooms, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to poop.
 

Steddy

Lifer
Sep 18, 2021
1,685
28,747
Western North Carolina
Totally depends on the trip. Where am I going? Am I driving or flying ? If I’m flying it’s one cob and one blend, something like C&D BriarFox.
If I’m driving and space is not an issue I might bring a different pipe for each day.
Congrats on the Anniversary, what a blessing to cherish.
 

Brad H

Lifer
Dec 17, 2024
1,203
7,854
Least 3 pipes and 4-6 blends. You never know what mood you will be in.
3 pipes so they can rest after each use.
 

username

Lifer
Dec 24, 2014
2,382
16,864
Tucson Az
i just use my County Squire Pipe roll. but then again i don't really travel much outside of going to the pipe club up in Phoenix.
 

Woobijube

Lurker
Jan 1, 2025
23
44
Round Rock, TX
I still take with me two or three knockabout pipes, cob or briar. And a ziplock bag filled with my usual air cured blend. A bic. Pipe cleaners. A Czech tool. All which is thrown in an old Tupperware container . So not much has changed for me
Hats off to a practical man, of which there are dwindling few.
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
4,136
42,529
France
Id probably take too much for a week but my target would be 3 pipes, maybe just 2.
3 blends, a cheapo tamper and lighter. some cleaners and such. It should all fit in a little bag.
 
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telescopes

Pipe Dreamer and Star Gazer
Economy of scale - keep it simple. As someone who does travel a lot and to places all over the globe, the following are my considerations:

1. Take only what you are willing to loose, either accidentally or through customs;
2. Don't take so much that it can't be easily accounted for and stored economically in terms of space. Have a designated storage container for your pipes and tobacco. If possible, remove steams from the pipes to eliminate possible breakage - it happens;
3. Lighters are good, matches are better. Replacement lighter fluid sucks - but Bics and matches are sold everywhere;
4. Your goal is to explore, not smoke. More than three blends becomes a smoking vacation and will eat up time better spent exploring and enjoying. You aren't traveling to smoke, you are smoking to reflect on your travels during down time.
5. Speaking of which, finding places to smoke can be problematic and can eat up a lot of time better spent doing what you came on the trip to do in the first place. Small bowed pipes are better - you can always fill a second bowl if you have the time for a longer smoke;
6. Bring a utility pipe, and bring a fun pipe. Interesting pipes serve as ice breakers and you will be surprised what the natives will do for you if they find you interesting and pleasant. I leverage the novelty of the pipe to my benefit;
7. Bring some money of a pipe or tobacco you might find interesting - no matter where I go, I generally find something worth trying or something that peaks my interest.
8. And once again, less is more. Have fun.
 

Zeri

Lurker
Jan 16, 2025
49
429
Azores Islands, Portugal
I usually take 2 pipes, 2 blends, cleaning pipes and a lighter. Usually enough for me on my 1-2 weeks travels. However during those vacations it doesn't mean that one or another pipe(s) and/or blend(s) aren't acquired though :LOL:
 

PaulRVA

The Gentleman From Richmond
Generally 5 Leather Single Zip up cases each with their own lighter, pipe and tamper, 5 different blends in Leather Roll up Tobacco Pouches and 5 Leather Pipe Cleaner Sleeves.
These are put in a Leather Duck Blind Bag if traveling by vehicle.
If flying it is reduced to just 2 being 1 Briar and 1 Meer and the 5 tobacco pouches put in a carry on.
 

makhorkasmoker

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 17, 2021
866
2,211
Central Florida
Economy of scale - keep it simple. As someone who does travel a lot and to places all over the globe, the following are my considerations:

1. Take only what you are willing to loose, either accidentally or through customs;
2. Don't take so much that it can't be easily accounted for and stored economically in terms of space. Have a designated storage container for your pipes and tobacco. If possible, remove steams from the pipes to eliminate possible breakage - it happens;
3. Lighters are good, matches are better. Replacement lighter fluid sucks - but Bics and matches are sold everywhere;
4. Your goal is to explore, not smoke. More than three blends becomes a smoking vacation and will eat up time better spent exploring and enjoying. You aren't traveling to smoke, you are smoking to reflect on your travels during down time.
5. Speaking of which, finding places to smoke can be problematic and can eat up a lot of time better spent doing what you came on the trip to do in the first place. Small bowed pipes are better - you can always fill a second bowl if you have the time for a longer smoke;
6. Bring a utility pipe, and bring a fun pipe. Interesting pipes serve as ice breakers and you will be surprised what the natives will do for you if they find you interesting and pleasant. I leverage the novelty of the pipe to my benefit;
7. Bring some money of a pipe or tobacco you might find interesting - no matter where I go, I generally find something worth trying or something that peaks my interest.
8. And once again, less is more. Have fun.
I agree with most of your points. I'd just like to add, when I am traveling, smoking a pipe gets me interacting more with the people of a place. It basically means I'm standing around outside the hotel, or out on the sidewalk or in plaza, or wherever. And when I do that I get to talking with all sorts of interesting people, even though by nature I'm not a chatty person. Rarely does anyone comment on my boring pipes, but we talk about other things. So for me pipe smoking adds to the interest of travels.
 
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telescopes

Pipe Dreamer and Star Gazer
we talk about other things. So for me pipe smoking adds to the interest of travels.
I have found that natives of any place will immeditely spot Travelers - especially Americans. When in an area known for pick pockets I employ all prevention aides. Hell, I do that no matter what. But small things can be used to leverage positive interactions as well. If the concierge remembers you as the pipe smoker, they generally will also see you as someone interesting and unique and more likely to help you find deals. Mostly, I think it has to do with capitalizing on people’s positive memories and assumptions of who you are and because the chit chat is friendly, they generally tend to interact better with me than others in my group. Even the French - especially the French - who for whatever reason do better with me than most others around me. The pipe becomes a tool of diplomacy. Some will scoff at the notion, but my 30 plus years of travel with pipes has shown me otherwise. An interesting camel hair jacket, a pleasant looking hat, and perhaps a walking cane as well as the pipe - along with pleasantries and good eye contact and a smile thrown in with a little bit of genuine interest about the person you are speaking with - all of this opens doors. But it seems the one thing they all remember is the PIPE.
 

NookersTheCat

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 10, 2020
573
2,620
NEPA
1. Take only what you are willing to loose
This.
I learned this lesson at 7 years old from watching Spongebob :ROFLMAO:
Though they were talking about it in the context of being on a boat (still mourn my poor aviators that fell off my shirt collar, still resting in peace at slip 49 Marina Fort Myers lmao)

It definitely applies to all travel though, for sure.
If you aren't at home base, always tread carefully.
 
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daveinlax

Charter Member
May 5, 2009
2,248
3,433
WISCONSIN
When I was a road warrior spending 275 nights plus a year for weeks on end my 8/16 Ultimate Pipe Bag was my constant companion until hotels went no smoking. After that it was premium hand rolled cigars in my car.

I’m retired now and vacations usually involve a two pipe bag and cigars unless it’s to a pipe show where I travel with a fully loaded UPB.

We travel a lot of long distances by car, Mrslax puts up with one cigar a day on long road trips. I select a big stick and will puff for a while and let it go out over the day. I use a metal Coffee cup with a tight lid for an ashtray.