Who does not love a cigar in the woods?

[Dan Yeruski]

Black Bears and Grizzlies hate them.

[Tom Clark]

I agree…cigar & cigarette smoke stinks. Why go to the woods to smell that when you could go to a bus stop? You say no one is around, but the person hiking up 10 minutes after you still smells it, and you won't/can't do anything about it.

As Miguel says, would you tolerate people purposely stiking the air around you, or for that fact…yelling in your face? I doubt it, so why would I want you to stink up a huge area of the outdoors that I'm trying to enjoy without spoiling?

If no one is around, then how can I complain, but do you always have control over that?

[Chris Scala]

If someone is doing their best to be considerate, let them enjoy the woods as they please. Frankly, if I happened upon someone having a pipe atop a mountain, clearly enjoying himself, it would be rude of ME to be a total jerk about it. Maybe that man is having the best day of his life? Am I really going to crap all over it by saying, "Excuse me, I know the view is gorgeous, but could you please leave?" God, no.

Smoking and the outdoors goes hand in hand, and has since before everyone decided to be involved in each other's business. Live and let live. If the faint smell bothers you that bad, I'm curious what kind of resolve your fragile self must have to be hiking all those miles.

In other words, if there is no one around to the best of my knowledge, I refuse to worry about any "potential passerby's". That is just insane, and silly. I think it shows a great sense of entitlement to say, "Well, I DON'T like it, so YOU can't!"

[Dan Quixote]

Ents & Huorns?

;)

[Keith Bassett]

>why would I want you to stink up a huge area of the outdoors that I'm trying to enjoy >without spoiling?

I agree that a lack of consideration is rude.

However, unless you hold ownership of an area or you are protesting an illegal or extremely intrusive activity – we live in a society that values individual freedoms.

If someone sits next to you and blows smoke in your face, by all means complain. If someone is hiking directly in front of you smoking, ask if you can pass. But 10 minutes ahead of you is still unacceptable? That seems somewhat extreme.

On the other hand, if I am right next to you in a confined area and I light up my cigar and blow in your direction… Then I am being rude. Confined spaces are no place for smoke, whether they are a train car or a very small campsite.

I guess my point is moderation from smokers who want to enjoy a cigar, and moderation from those who want no part of it. Try not to infringe on other people's freedoms, just because you find them distasteful.

The pendulum has swung pretty extremely to the anti-tobacco side, but that doesn't justify outrage at non-aggressive behaviors.

Can't we all get along? :)

[Arapiles .]

"My most sincere and heartfelt apologies to everyone who reads subjects without a care to the message content. Clearly, next time a more appropriate subject would be "A 7.2g waterproof metal tube with endless applications". This way nonsmoker's blood pressure would stay low enough for them to continue reading further and realize what I am actually trying to discuss. Again, my bad."

In other words it was a troll. You might as well have posted about dogs on trails or guns. Are you so surprised by the response you got?

And by the way, tobacco smoke – particularly cigar smoke – is very noticeable in the outdoors, even well after the smoker has passed.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Arrrggggghhhh!

I go to the woods to smell nature, not a cigar. But if'n yer a smoker ya got little sense of smell left I guess.

[Roger Caffin]

In the news yesterday, from large long-term survey:
People who got second-hand smoke as babies are turning out to have medical problems at middle-age.

One day, tobacco company execs may get indicted.

Cheers

[Jason Picard]

Cigars are great. So is scotch. I enjoy cigars sparingly and only around those who aren't bothered by it. I check first. Seems simple enough.

[Chris Scala]

I'll reiterate how I feel on this.

Regardless of YOUR personal stance on tobacco, tobacco and the wilderness have gone hand in hand… forever. It is not "disrespectful" to smoke tobacco outside. It is nowhere near the same thing as littering, or crushing vegetation in a camp site, or chopping live wood, or anything like that. I believe we as US citizens have a right to choose our vices, so long as we are only impacting ourselves with that decision.

I also believe, that MUTUAL respect is a strong virtue. So, if my favorite thing to do in the woods is have a cigar, you gotta respect that's what I decide to do. At the same time, knowing that cigars are indeed smoky things, I have to respect you by DOING MY BEST to make sure I'm not sending smoke in anyone's direction. That means, I have the intent of respect, but should you sneak up on me, or I am unaware of your presence, then I can't be responsible for that, but I would gladly move if I suddenly notice a father and son coming up the trail to the spot I'm at.

It's easy. Everyone just needs to relax a little. We have so little "open backcountry" left in the US, let's all share it and allow for personal freedom.

Because once you start saying, "It is rude if I have to smell your smoke.", you might as well say:

– No stinky Tuna dinners. I hate Tuna, so don't eat it.
– No nude bathing. I didn't come to the woods to see a nude man.
– Bear Horn? I don't want to hear that echoing in a Valley. Deal with those bears silently.
– I don't want to sit on a mountain top next to a guy with BO. Wash yourself before you choose to sit next to me.
– I hate the smell of Scotch, please take your flask down the trail.
– That lime green wind shirt nauseates me, please take it off in my presence.
– The smell of coffee irritates my bowels, please don't drink it near me.
– Don't pass gas up the trail from me, it is smelly and gross.

etc. It's a downward spiral of silly, self-entitled absurdity. It's one thing to be subjected to direct, harsh, second-hand smoke (I can't imagine a situation outdoors where this would happen)… it's another to complain of a faint odor in the air.

Oh and FWIW – I'm sure far more second-hand smoke is inhaled tending a campfire from 6 inches away than being on the same trail as a guy smoking a quarter mile away from you.

[Steven Clark]

I use the M&M candy tubes with a flip top to store small items. You can wrap tape, fishing line, or wire around the outside for repair kit or fish kit. No smoke!

[jacko vanderbijl]

As a lifetime nonsmoker who's parents both died of lung cancer my position on smoking is self evident.
However I am not the fun police.
If smoking is your deal then I expect if our paths cross we have a potential for conflict. I am sure that hiking the AT in 2013 it is something that is going to annoy me a lot. A recent thread on Whiteblaze discusses this in detail.
But just like when I break wind (frequently), some common courtesy reduces any issues.
There is generally an upwind side of any seating area and it makes sense to smoke downwind. Confined spaces that are shared should be respected. Leave no trace still applies.
Shelters on my local track are technically smoking banned but generally people get along.
I would think that smoking in a high tech (and expensive) tent and/or sleeping bag a potential for disaster anyway.
I expect that I will be spending more time in my tent than I would otherwise because of smokers but I'll live with it if the weight of numbers cause that. I would hope that when weather conditions etc necessitate crowding, smokers show more restraint.
But for the rest of the time let's just stay cool people. It's a big world out there.
Besides, if I relax my courtesies on my wind, I guarantee I win! :-)

[Arlan Beeck]

"For Maggie has written a letter to give me my choice between
The wee little whimpering Love and the great god Nick o' Teen.

A million surplus Maggies are willing to bear the yoke;
And a woman is only a woman, but a good Cigar is a Smoke.

Light me another Cuba — I hold to my first-sworn vows.
If Maggie will have no rival, I'll have no Maggie for Spouse!"

– Rudyard Kipling

[Jason Amick]

I am loving it but with great care.

[Eugene Smith]

There a few here who could afford to light up some grass and take a hit, mellow out somewhere alongside a brook and just sit. Okay, the grass isn't necessary, just saying….

Of all the things to get worked up about, on both sides. Why fight such small battles? Why even make it a battle?

It seems people here want what they want and don't like seeing others live a lifestyle that differs from their standards of living in this world. I make efforts to stay reasonably healthy, and daily see people make efforts to shorten their life by consuming fastfood until their feet swell up- should I cry foul at their choices? No, I live with it and move on, life is far too short and passing to waste energy managing the choices of others, even if those choices occasionally interrupt my hike along the trail or whatever perceptions of quality I feel I'm due while hiking outdoors. This is all starting to sound like a first world, priviledged, "problem" if you ask me.

A few solutions to avoiding tobacco smoke on the trail:

#1. Hike faster and harder. Pass them and go about your way happily. You're body will thank you ten fold.

#2. Hike offseason. Break out of the notion of "ideal" hiking times and go early spring, late fall, or winter when trail use is drastically reduced.

#3. Relocate. I have run into smoke on one occasion living in remote NM, and that happened to be a backpacking buddy who liked to partake in a little ganja while in the backcountry. I passed him and met up with him later. Easily avoidable. The AT corridor is a cluster F of shelters, well trodden trail networks, and prolific city traffic and roads, to expect people to not light up on trail is borderline delusional.

#4. Hike off trail. Get off the easy stuff and do some exploration.

#5. Acknowledge that you can't avoid the lifestyle choices of other individuals sometimes. Obesity burns my eyes, it messes with my selfish sensibilities, yet I am subject to seeing it daily. Do I bit$h about it? Nah, not worth it.

[D G]

"These Guys did the PCT last year and frankly, a couple of them smoke like chimneys.
I've never understood smoking and hiking (or biking for that matter)
"

Cycling and smoking have a long tradition:

And I agree with Eugene.

You'll be a lot happier in life if you don't sweat the little stuff.

[Chris Scala]

I think you and I would get along, Eugene. It is definitely a waste of energy to let someone else's choices affect you that much, especially in the back country. Adaptability of mind and body are important if you aim to truly be at peace in the outdoors… and that includes tolerating other lifestyles.

[Kevin Smith]

Urine and the back country have gone together forever too. Can I walk up and p!ss on your leg while you're smoking a cigar? May $hit in your shoe?

I mean seriously. You complain that people are infringing on your 'right' to smoke in the back country, but when some opines that your smoke impinges on their right to enjoy some pristine mountain air, as pristine as it gets these days anyway, you get all holier then thou.

Pot. Meet kettle.

[Nick Gatel]

Ah, come on. We all need to get together. We are a team here. Team work!

Here is an example of real team work.

[Nick Larsen]

"Urine and the back country have gone together forever too. Can I walk up and p!ss on your leg while you're smoking a cigar? May $hit in your shoe?" – Kevin smith

Sorry, but your analogy is invalid. A better analogy would be me doing my best to go off trail and out of sight to take a wiz, but am unknowingly in view of another section of trail, and am unaware of your approach. Then you proceed to throw a hissy fit because you didn't come to the woods to see a guy with his junk hanging out.

The only way your analogy is valid is if someone sat next to you on the side of the trail, lit up and blew smoke in your face. I think even smokers would agree that is out of line and is not likely to happen.

If you don't like the smoke then pass them or move somewhere else. If 2 minutes of residual smoke smell is going to ruin 3 days in the wilderness, then you have some issues that can only be cured by a conversation on a couch…

Chris Scala wrote a great post on the last page, btw. Worth reading.

[Ian]

It may be a little narrow but the cigar tube may work out as a pocket fishing kit. Probably would need to keep the tackle to a bare minimum.

Edit: Chase, if you'll bring the Cohibas and I'll bring the Midleton.

[Jason Hung]

you can put carbon felt into the tube soak with alcohol.
It also can be a adjustable stove by adjusting the felt how far it stick out of the tube!!

I love cigar too!

[Daniel Collins]

I couldn't read through the whole post but I will continue my 2 cigars per day habit while hiking.

For the needy, I have a HUGE assortment of cuban cigar tubos including a bunch of the RyJ #3s shown by the OP.
If you are lucky I will send you a Partagas or Hoyo tubo.
State your Vitola (size)needed, drop me a PM.
This offer is only available to those who respect my right to enjoy my cigar in the woods after a long hike.
The only issue taking cigars is the special lighter needed but I will just make due with a bic.
EDIT : OK I read the whole thing. I don't blow smoke on other people. Simply because you can detect the smell of cigar from a distance does not mean I have infringed upon your enjoyment. It is the smell of naturally cured, additive and chemical free leaves smoldering, no more or less. If you don't like the residual smell of it on my clothing then stop sniffing me. I exercise my freedom to enjoy a cigar outdoors and try to balance it with respect for others as much as is practical, but it is MY trail too.

Now stop the petty nitpicking and lets think up a use for these tubes for cryin out loud.

The wood inside the tube is Spanish Cedar BTW, used to balance the humidity level in the tube, and to impart a little cedar essence to the cigar. It is a 200 year old practice with cigar storage.

[F. R.]

I do not like them here or there, I do not like them anywhere.

[Ken Thompson]

But what to do with those tubes? Is there nothing to be done with them? Can we shove them where needed?

The cigar box is more useful I think.

[Author]

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