lowest outdoor temp you go?

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Zeno Marx

Zeno Marx

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I like to take walks all winter long. I watch the temperature gauge like a hawk. Anything below 20°F and I notice: 1) the tenon and mortise fitting gets a bit too loose for my liking. 2) an unusual amount of moisture and gurgling in the bottom of the bowl. 3) it's too cold to hold the bowl without gloves.

If it is below 20°F, I don't take a pipe. Always a disappointment. What's your cut-off point? Or if you don't have one, how do you combat the weather? Preferences? Tips? Or just a thread to vent frustrations with how the weather affects your pleasures.
 
25-30º is usually mine too. At that point, I'm shivering too much to be stationary for any extended period of time, so I'm not enjoying the smoke break at all.
However, I did run out into the snow in 17º weather last week, pipe in hand, for the new year, and I didn't mind one bit!
 
Cobs were made for this weather. And colder. They shrug off buildup of condensation. Just have to look around for those with slightly larger bowls. The Country Gentlemen models are pretty good. Those older 7 day sets are nice.
 
I have done -30 degrees Celsius(forgive me if i don't post in farenheit) but after that -10 degrees celsius is my cut off.
 
Well, it doesn't get low enough in PA to keep me from going outside if I really want a smoke. As long as it isn't too windy, a pair of long johns, coveralls, a jacket or two and gloves with the fingertips cut off is enough to ward off the chill long enough for a bowl or two.

That's not to say I enjoy the cold weather, I hate it. But a good, stout burley or lat mixture sitting on the porch in a snowstorm can be a magical thing.
 
Where I've lived for the past two decades, Arkieland, it seldom gets below the mid-teens, and then only one or two nights a year. For a few months we have days in the 40s and nights in the upper 20s or 30s. Humid winds and rain can augment it, but it's never so cold I can't smoke.

Before, when I lived in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, it was much colder. I had Mike Brissitt make a very tall stovepipe bowl for my Kirsten pipe especially for when I would go snowshoe backpacking. It became an hour plus "handwarmer" as I slowly puffed away at 20 or so below.

Natch
 
Actuals around -30F aren't unusual here on Hoth, and windchill temps of -50F were hit this year a month before winter even officially began. I actually like going for walks in extreme weather (of all kinds, not just winter stuff).

No pipes, though. For that matter I've only rarely smoked outdoors at any time, regardless of the weather. No need, since I've always either lived alone or with a wife who didn't get all bent about smokin' up da joint.

 
My cut-off temp is at about 30F. Perhaps I'll go as low as 28F, but only if there's absolutely no wind. That means no pipe smoking for me during the coming week. :(
 
I'll smoke at just about any temp particularly if there is no wind. The colder it is the shorter the smoke. My cut off is about 25 deg. Fahrenheit.
 
Well i live in a part of the world where cold winters happen every year. When it gets -20 C (-4 F) i don't go out so often than when it's warmer. And i do not include the wind chill factor as i live about 50 meters from the shore, it is always damn windy here. Cold winters are no reason to quit smoking. You have to walk the dogs anyways, why not smoke the pipe while doing it. I mean why not walk the dogs while smoking pipe :D
 
Coldest temp I have ever smoked a pipe: -30 degrees F. Don't recommend it though. I have no problem smoking at 10 degrees F or so, I do it pretty often while walking the dog. As long as there is not much of a wind, I'll pretty much smoke in most winter temps. Don't have a lot of choice, as I either smoke in the garage (which I pretty much do not prefer), outside, or in my truck. I can't smoke indoors -- I have a young daughter (1 1/2 years old) and the place is pretty small. Man, do I miss smoking in the old bachelor pad I had in Colorado, feet up, wood stove blazing, good book in hand... My long-term plan is to build a shed with an insulated man cave/groovy hang-out on the top. Maybe put in a fireman's pole so I can exit in style. (Always wanted one of those!) Been planning on getting into ham radio, so it would double as the ham shack. Dang! Gotta get going on it pronto, man, pron-to.
 
Trout Bum":kw244jx2 said:
Coldest temp I have ever smoked a pipe: -30 degrees F. Don't recommend it though. I have no problem smoking at 10 degrees F or so, I do it pretty often while walking the dog. As long as there is not much of a wind, I'll pretty much smoke in most winter temps. Don't have a lot of choice, as I either smoke in the garage (which I pretty much do not prefer), outside, or in my truck. I can't smoke indoors -- I have a young daughter (1 1/2 years old) and the place is pretty small. Man, do I miss smoking in the old bachelor pad I had in Colorado, feet up, wood stove blazing, good book in hand... My long-term plan is to build a shed with an insulated man cave/groovy hang-out on the top. Maybe put in a fireman's pole so I can exit in style. (Always wanted one of those!) Been planning on getting into ham radio, so it would double as the ham shack. Dang! Gotta get going on it pronto, man, pron-to.
Click to expand...
Man cave? Sounds like the Bat Cave! :cheers: :cheers:
 
Very rarely does it get really cold in this part of Texas. Today it is a whole 30 Degrees (F) and it snowed abit yesterday. Would I smoke outside today? No its to cold out there for this old Indian. I will sit inside untill it gets at least 40. Or I will retire to the Ham Shack and see what the outside world is like and smoke in there. Other wise I will set inside smoke my pipe read on the computer for awhile. Stoke the wood stove and see if " Riders of the Purple Sage " is still as good as the last time I read it.

As a youth I lived in far Northwest Iowa and cold never bothered me. I would go out and smoke in below zero weather. Now that I have became a old geezer I don't like the crisp cold air of my youth. I rather have weather in the 50's to 80's which it is most of the time here except the summer. One of the many reasons I now live in Texas.

The Big question of the day is whether to open a new can of something to smoke or smoke the regular tobacco. As one becomes older the decisions seem to get harder.

The Cheif
 
Since I have to smoke outside its in the truck if too cold or not doing chores. Great idea using a cob.. 10.F is my outside limit.. Windy I head for the truck.. Also if I smoke some flake in my meers its a warm truck ..
 
I've been out in the single digits before. Its not the cold that troubles me its the wind when its cold. The combination of freezing gusts That chill you to the bone and difficultly lighting really takes all the fun out of it for me. Give me a calm cold day anytime. It makes me appreciate the warmth from the bowl on my hands.
 
25 years ago I was on the North Slope (Deadhorse, Alaska) in February; it was minus 55 degrees F. I was there for a week, and smoked outside once! It was so cold, the flame on my Zippo froze!!! The rest of the time I smoked indoors (you could actually do that then, believe it or not!!!).
 
Harlock999":5tqvun7w said:
I'll wimp out about 50 F. For L.A, that feels pretty cold.
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For me, I wouldnt dare to smoke at less than 50 F. Well, maybe I am spoiled rotten with the wheather at my city that is 65 to 75 all year long. ;)
 
The coldest for me was about 17 degrees with a bad wind. I couldn't even finish my bowl. I think the wind chill was around 3 or so. A perfect smoking day for me is in the thirties with little wind. I love the cold! I know, I'm weird.

:lol:
 
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