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At what point is humidity outdoors too high (or low) to smoke?

Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Cigar 101
I've had a couple of occasions where it seemed like the air was so wet it just wasn't worth the effort. Could not stay lit. Conversely I've had bad cracks in wrappers on cigars smoked in low low humidity. Does anybody have a formula for this? I'd rather not waste a stick if I can gauge ahead of time that it just isn't gonna work out well.

Comments

  • Lee.mcglynnLee.mcglynn Posts: 5,960 ✭✭✭✭
    Hhhhmmmm personally I find winter smoking/low humidity better for me. Some wrappers like Cameroon can't handle it well though. But if you go to a lounge I see no problem with smoking. But yeah outside summer time I get tunnel issues!! So for outdoors I'd say smoke spring and fall the winter summer can be rough
    Money can't buy taste
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I remember once I tried to smoke on my covered deck when it was raining and the saturated air would not let me keep it lit. Guess I was taking in too much water on the draw.
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    No such thing, IMO. Here in Florida, my cigars sometimes crack if the humdity is high, but still quite smokeable, and it's certainly not enough to stop me from lighting one up if I'm in the mood.

    Can't speak to a cigar being too wet to light though; that sounds like a problem with your humidor, probably your RH is somewhere north of 70%, I'd guess? If so, lower it a few points to 67 or 68, and the problem goes away
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    xmacro:
    No such thing, IMO. Here in Florida, my cigars sometimes crack if the humdity is high, but still quite smokeable, and it's certainly not enough to stop me from lighting one up if I'm in the mood.

    Can't speak to a cigar being too wet to light though; that sounds like a problem with your humidor, probably your RH is somewhere north of 70%, I'd guess? If so, lower it a few points to 67 or 68, and the problem goes away
    No, I've been at 70% RH as long as I've been keeping them but I'm fixin' to try a lower RH after hearing lots of guys say they like it there. It only happened to me just that one time, and it was misty rain.
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    Hmm, weird. Which cigar are we talking about here? How long had it been in your humi? Some very oily cigars can have problems lighting or staying lit if you smoke them ROTT; a few weeks in the humi or a few hours dry boxed should fix the problem, but in either case, it's always the cigar or the humi in my experience.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    xmacro:
    Hmm, weird. Which cigar are we talking about here? How long had it been in your humi? Some very oily cigars can have problems lighting or staying lit if you smoke them ROTT; a few weeks in the humi or a few hours dry boxed should fix the problem, but in either case, it's always the cigar or the humi in my experience.
    Could have been the cigar. I don't recall what it was unfortunately. There's a slim chance it was an Alec Bradley Prensado. I remember some burn problems with those. And the last one I bought was for my dad and he couldn't keep that one lit either on a crisp fall sunny day.
  • blurrblurr Posts: 962 ✭✭
    I think what you're experiencing is issues because you store at 70 rh. I did this, and thought the bad burns were because of ambient smoking humidity. In reality it was just different blends and different cigars, some smoked ok at 70 some didn't, so I blamed it on ambient because it seemed to fit the pattern just by coincidence. Your thinking is right, when I dropped to 65 to 67 rh this went away. COMPLETELY in my experience. I can smoke when its raining and hot as heck, or dry and cold as the north pole. Aim for 65 to 67 rh and I have full faith that your report back after a few months of adjusting and testing will result in you saying what we all learned, 70 is way to high holy crap my sticks are all burning perfect. Edit that the ambient does have an effect in my opinion, its just a huge effect at 70 rh stored cigars. The effect is minimal when you smoke 65 rh cigars, if that makes sense. What I'm saying us you avoid the effects if ambient high or low extreme rh by storing at 65. Just try it.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    blurr:
    I think what you're experiencing is issues because you store at 70 rh. I did this, and thought the bad burns were because of ambient smoking humidity. In reality it was just different blends and different cigars, some smoked ok at 70 some didn't, so I blamed it on ambient because it seemed to fit the pattern just by coincidence. Your thinking is right, when I dropped to 65 to 67 rh this went away. COMPLETELY in my experience. I can smoke when its raining and hot as heck, or dry and cold as the north pole. Aim for 65 to 67 rh and I have full faith that your report back after a few months of adjusting and testing will result in you saying what we all learned, 70 is way to high holy crap my sticks are all burning perfect. Edit that the ambient does have an effect in my opinion, its just a huge effect at 70 rh stored cigars. The effect is minimal when you smoke 65 rh cigars, if that makes sense. What I'm saying us you avoid the effects if ambient high or low extreme rh by storing at 65. Just try it.
    Yes I'm learning so much from all you guys. I've been planning to lower my RH for some time now. All my current products work reliably at about 70% but I've got some 65% Boveda packets ordered and on the way. And just tonight I've begun freezing all of my new stuff that has been delivered recently.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,033 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've had 2 cigars bust in high humidity. Mainly because I didn't let them sit outside before I lit them. Now I give them some time to get acclimated to the outside humidity. And usually don't have much problems beyond cracking. That being said once the temps get to high and the humidity is around 80% I just don't bother I can't enjoy it when I'm drowning in my own sweat.
  • webmostwebmost Posts: 7,713 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here in Dull-Aware we get loads of rainy days. Had too many sticks either crack or cack out in the damp garage. Then by accident I found that Perdomo Lot 23 always burns right regardless. No idea why, but it's a decent smoke so I stock them. When it's stodgy, that's what I pull out. Also never once had a problem with cheap machine rolled, like my fave Factory Throwout # 49 Sungrown. They are packed loose and always burn right.

    Been relatively dry for a while now. But recently, I placed a hygrometer in the garage. From now on, when I do a review or take notes, I am going to record that reading. Up to now, I have had no way to put a number to it.

    I try to keep my cigars about 65%. I don't have time or patience to leave them lay out a couple hours to acclimate.

    “It has been a source of great pain to me to have met with so many among [my] opponents who had not the liberality to distinguish between political and social opposition; who transferred at once to the person, the hatred they bore to his political opinions.” —Thomas Jefferson (1808)
  • Gray4linesGray4lines Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭✭✭
    +1000 to blurr. I also used to store at 70% spotbin, had many burn issues. Brought it down to mid 60's and they disappeared! For me, 70% is just too high for most sticks. And you learn which sticks need to be dryer or can be smoked a little wet, etc...

    As to your original question: I believe outside weather CAN play a role in a cigars burn, weather ALONE will most likely never cause you a serious problem. I do think letting a cigar sit outside (just 5-10 min) will eliminate any "shock" in rh or temp change (i have had wrappers split going from hot to cold). But cigars were made in the hot humid conditions, so they will burn just fine in them if sored appropriately. I smoke in thecold all the time, abd it's never a problem, for the cigar at least!!
    LLA - Lancero Lovers of America
  • bbass2bbass2 Posts: 1,059 ✭✭
    The 5er of Prensados I had seemed like the second half was coated in flame retardant.
  • cabinetmakercabinetmaker Posts: 2,560 ✭✭
    bbass2:
    The 5er of Prensados I had seemed like the second half was coated in flame retardant.
    LOL...

    A lot of AB cigars need to be dry-boxed for a couple hours before you light them up. Black market cigars and tempus come to mind.
  • CigaryCigary Posts: 630 ✭
    Here in Atlanta we tend to get some humidity that curls your hair...everywhere and I tend to stay indoors until the sun goes down. I keep my RH at 65% for this reason alone in the sumertime because I've had cigar literally blow up on me and the end of it looks like a circus cigar.
  • StsepasStsepas Posts: 475
    I never noticed it being to humid to smoke outside till yesterday. I was outside trying to enjoy a cigar and it just wasn't smoking right. I thought maybe it was just to fresh. In my travels I stopped at the B&M. I got inside in the AC where it was much dryer and out of nowhere the cigar corrected itself!
  • Gray4linesGray4lines Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Stsepas:
    I never noticed it being to humid to smoke outside till yesterday. I was outside trying to enjoy a cigar and it just wasn't smoking right. I thought maybe it was just to fresh. In my travels I stopped at the B&M. I got inside in the AC where it was much dryer and out of nowhere the cigar corrected itself!
    That's interesting! I guess if a cigar is a littlebtoo moist, humid weather will exacerbate the problem. I'm having a cain lancero now and it's humid as balls; stick is burning great. It probably got a little drying time being in a herfador all day
    LLA - Lancero Lovers of America
  • StsepasStsepas Posts: 475
    It could've been what I was smoking! I don't know what the RH was in the humi bc I had just bought it that am and it was in the walk in
  • pilgrimtexpilgrimtex Posts: 429 ✭
    When you want a smoke - Smoke it. Worried? Go to a cheaper version and smoke it. Build yourself a smoking room. Very easy; get yourself an exhaust fan to suck air from the room to outside and a air purifier. I recommend the Rocky Mountain air and I have the summit model. I use the exhaust system when we smoke and the purifier on low. When done; I crank up the purifier and turn off the exhaust. In a half an hour no cigar smell.
  • pilgrimtexpilgrimtex Posts: 429 ✭
    If your looking to add a smoking room but don't want to spend a fortune. I have attached a pic of the Devil Dog Lounge.
    image
    The violet circle is a Fantech in duct blower.
    The Yellow circle is a receiver box I made to collect air from a range of elevation since smoke tends to stratify.
    The red circle is a rocky Mountain Air air purifier.
    image
    Works well and there is no cigar smell after about 30 minutes.
  • RainRain Posts: 8,958 ✭✭✭
    pilgrimtex:
    If your looking to add a smoking room but don't want to spend a fortune. I have attached a pic of the Devil Dog Lounge.
    image
    The violet circle is a Fantech in duct blower.
    The Yellow circle is a receiver box I made to collect air from a range of elevation since smoke tends to stratify.
    The red circle is a rocky Mountain Air air purifier.
    image
    Works well and there is no cigar smell after about 30 minutes.
    Ah...miss it already! The wife is excited to come down.
  • pilgrimtexpilgrimtex Posts: 429 ✭
    Treva and I are excited about ya'll coming up. Treva's on duty this weekend. thurs till Mon. hope you can make it soon.
  • CigaryCigary Posts: 630 ✭
    Reverse exhaust fans work great and I have one of those Hamilton beach plug in air freshners that kill the smell of tobacco. With both of those working together its a win/win.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    pilgrimtex:
    If your looking to add a smoking room but don't want to spend a fortune. I have attached a pic of the Devil Dog Lounge.
    image
    The violet circle is a Fantech in duct blower.
    The Yellow circle is a receiver box I made to collect air from a range of elevation since smoke tends to stratify.
    The red circle is a rocky Mountain Air air purifier.
    image
    Works well and there is no cigar smell after about 30 minutes.
    Pretty cool setup you got there. I'll have to try that some time.
  • StsepasStsepas Posts: 475
    I like what you've done in your man cave. It's not an option for me right Now. I live in a 2 bedroom apt, and including me there's for people in a small space. Two of which are my kids. So until i have a bigger place my cigar smoking has to take place either at the B&M or ouside.
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