Smokey's Bomb-proof Stick-a-dor v2.0

I do a lot of backpacking. I've always wanted to have a cigar with me to smoke by the fire at the end of the day, while sipping on the rum or tequila I've packed along. The problem has always been protecting the cigar, especially because I smash everything down into my pack.

Smoke's ingenious PVC stick-a-dor motivated me to try something very similar. I went to Home Depot and bought some white PVC from the plumbing section. It's labeled as 3/4" PVC, but using a caliper, I've been able to determine that the inside diameter is .9" and the outside diameter is 1.03". It won't bend when cut to the lengths used for this application, although you can get it to flex in lengths over a foot.

I've found that this size is perfect for cigars in the 54-and-under ring with the cellophane on. Anything larger than that won't fit in this stick-a-dor. A 54-ring cigar fits very snugly, without compressing, in the tube. If you're looking to take along exotic shapes and sizes (like tons of Gurkhas), you'll need a different size of PVC.

But here's where it gets interesting. I've been saving the cedar sheets from cigars that come wrapped in them. They stay in my humi, all curled together around a random small stick. If I'm putting a smaller ring (50 or less) cigar in the stick-a-dor, I will put it inside these (already seasoned) cedar sheets to add thickness for protection, and a better humi-like environment. A 50-ring toro fits perfectly with a couple cedar sheets (to cover its whole length).

My humidification method is slightly different (cheaper, lazier). I've cut sponge into small rectangles that fit snugly inside the PVC tube as well. I've cut tubes to two different lengths. One length is meant to hold cigars of 6 inches or less, and the other is meant to hold cigars over 6 inches. I use regular push-on-style end caps, and the sponges sit half-in-the-tube/half-in-the-cap.

The environment in the tube is so snug, that there is very little air left inside to dry out the cigar (think of your cigars that come in a tube. However, if humidity is a concern, wet the sponges with distilled water (or PG solution) and wring them out very, very well... so that they're just damp. You don't want to soak your cigars. The sponges also act as protective cushioning for the ends of the cigar.

You wouldn't want to put a cigar in this without the cellophane. It's your last barrier from the wet sponge on either end. It's also nice to have the cedar covering the entire length of the cigar, although this will likely shift a bit in transit.

As an improvement, you could use the green floral foam glued into the end caps (a la Smoke's idea). Or you could make the tube longer and shove in one of those short tubes of beads. Another improvement would be to buy some spanish cedar and use a hole saw to create plugs which would act as a small separator between the cigar and the humidification.

The original plan was to take this baby backpacking with me this past weekend, but my partner bailed. I piloted this method on a day hike in Great Smoky (tribute?) Mountains National Park. Worked flawlessly.

Thanks for the invention, Smoke!

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Comments

Smoke=Fire

Glad to hear it worked as well for you as it does for me, duty!

And stick-a-dor...I like it!

I too use the spanish cedar wrappings from past smokes to line it with. But looking at your improvement ideas, I think I am going to take some spanish ceder cut with a hole saw to the proper dimension to fit inside the tube, drill a few more holes in it to allow moisture passage, and voila...a barrier between my foam and cigar.

kuzi16

this is what i use when i go back packing.
http://www.cigar.com/cigars/viewcigar.asp?prod=M-CIO3400

i like it because if i go out on the trail with another person i usually am the one to supply the sticks so i need to have more than one on hand. i never put more then 4 cigars in there and i use beads in an old tubo with holes punched in it for humidification. the thing seals so damn tight that i can go months without recharging the beads.

jihiggs

I use a similar product, kuzi. I believe its made by otter box. took it off the plane once and I had to pry the thing open with a screwdriver it was sealed so tight from the pressure difference.

jihiggs

try taking one of stickadors into an airport and see all the fuss lol, put a fuse in one end just for good measure.

Smoke=Fire

Once I come to in intensive care I'll be able to explain its use in more detail :P

kaspera79

jihiggs:
try taking one of stickadors into an airport and see all the fuss lol, put a fuse in one end just for good measure.

Hey Jihiggs, thats a stunt that will get you on the six-o-clock news. Hey !!! I know that guy !!

dutyje

kuzi16:
this is what i use when i go back packing.
http://www.cigar.com/cigars/viewcigar.asp?prod=M-CIO3400

i like it because if i go out on the trail with another person i usually am the one to supply the sticks so i need to have more than one on hand. i never put more then 4 cigars in there and i use beads in an old tubo with holes punched in it for humidification. the thing seals so damn tight that i can go months without recharging the beads.

Hey Kuzi .. what's that thing weigh?

kuzi16

im not sure on the exact weight, but i cant get it to register on my crappy bathroom scale. im guessing under 2lbs when fully loaded. plus i hear you can run over it with your jeep and itll survive --cigars intact.

it may even be closer to one pound.

rdnstn

Those things are awesome and weigh very little for their strength. I have a bunch of pelican cases that are that size. They just don't have the foam insert or humidifier in them. Nothing that a little ingenuity and some beads can't fix though. I'll see you guys. I have to get out into the workshop. LOL

egeem2

Awesome idea. I could use one of those.

Lasabar

You guys suck... all this reading of sport-a-dor and stick-a-dor's and all the active lifestyles that are out there makes me look lazy... STOP IT!

I'm gonna start a forum on how I made a humidor by buying one online and then setting it on the dresser... the end

kaspera79

Lasabar:
You guys suck... all this reading of sport-a-dor and stick-a-dor's and all the active lifestyles that are out there makes me look lazy... STOP IT!

I'm gonna start a forum on how I made a humidor by buying one online and then setting it on the dresser... the end

Nothing wrong with your plan either lazybar, oops clumsy fingers pushed the wrong key. ( we suck !!) how dare you make such an unfounded statement..

Lasabar

Allright... I guess the "You Suck" part was maybe uncalled for... my bad

But on a side note there is a "Severe Thunderstorm" watch for my area now... so there may not even be a Dern Cigar tonight afterall!!! GAH! Stupid Woman laying down the law that I can't smoke inside...

Well, she isn't back till sunday... hmmm *raises eyebrow in a sinister way*

kaspera79

Lasabar:
Allright... I guess the "You Suck" part was maybe uncalled for... my bad

But on a side note there is a "Severe Thunderstorm" watch for my area now... so there may not even be a Dern Cigar tonight afterall!!! GAH! Stupid Woman laying down the law that I can't smoke inside...

Well, she isn't back till sunday... hmmm *raises eyebrow in a sinister way*

You better leave the windows open wide.. That smell might just linger till next week..

dutyje

I thought the same thing on Sunday when we had a thunderstorm. I considered smoking one in the garage, but decided to take a night off and smoke two the next day

The wife's coming back on Friday, so I'll be back to my one-a-week pace after that. I'm really pleased with the sampler I've gone through in the past week, though. Some really good stuff -- especially that Playboy.

gott.des.feuer

If the room has a lot of cloth for the smoke to stick to, just spray it all down with Febreeze right afterwards. I've done this a couple times after smoking out the window (too lazy to go outside) to get rid of the smell from the smoke that blew back inside. Dunno how well it'd work for actually smoking inside, though.