Smoking Cigars on a Hike
Hiking through rugged terrain is a like a walk in the park on steroids. Lace up your Redwings, button your flannel, and brush the burrs out of your beard for a hearty hike through the woods, but don’t forget to push a few cigars into your pockets. Smoking a cigar is a perfect complement to the majestic views you’ll encounter in the crisp, fresh air with the crackle of branches under your boot-steps as you trudge along. Before you traverse the next trail, include a few essential accoutrements in your backpack, and be prepared to smoke a cigar while you hike through the wild frontier.
Windproof Torch Lighter
Of course rubbing two sticks together is the ultimate way to prove your fortitude outdoors when you’re tramping through a forest preserve. But, it’s a cumbersome way to light a cigar. Put a reliable windproof torch lighter in your pocket. Some models are equipped with built-in cigar cutters and multiple jets for a fast-and-easy light when the breeze is blowing in your face. Cigar lighters with a retractable lid or a shackled cap protect the jets from lint, debris, and moisture when you’re hiking, hunting, and camping with your favorite cigars.
Durable Cigar Case or Travel Humidor
It’s easy for premium cigars to get banged up and bounced around in a backpack. When a cigar’s wrapper is cracked, it can unravel or be rendered unsmokable. Invest in a durable cigar case or travel humidor. Choose a compact, lightweight cigar case that’s not cumbersome to carry around. Some models are made from sturdy crushproof plastic and come with a foam lining that gently cradles your cigars in case you accidentally slip and find yourself dangling from a cliff.
A Sturdy Cigar Holder (Clip)
If you plan to pitch a tent or build a fire on your hike, toss a cigar holder in your backpack. You can set your cigar down and secure it while you’re in the middle of any critical survival tasks. Some cigar holders are easy to affix to nearby surfaces. There are others you can stick in the ground. The Oliva Golf Tool conveniently fastens to a belt loop. Eliminate the worry your cigar will roll off a rock or wind up in the mud.
Great Cigars to Smoke Outdoors
Cigars with hearty wrappers fare better when you’re smoking outside. Thicker wrappers achieve and maintain a consistent burn with less effort. Consider a cigar with an oily Cuban-seed wrapper like the 94-rated La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial or the 93-rated San Cristobal. Both are blended by award-winning cigar-maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia and deliver loads of complex, earthy, and spicy tasting notes, courtesy of well-aged Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos. Other robust Nicaraguan cigars like Perdomo 10th Anniversary Maduro and Flor de las Antillas Maduro are fit for a trek through the wilderness.
If Nicaraguan cigars are a bit strong for your taste, Ashton Aged Maduro is drafted from a smooth and shimmering Connecticut Broadleaf over a silky blend of premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. Notes of dark chocolate, molasses, and pepper characterize this 92-rated classic. Arturo Fuente Chateau Maduro is another excellent Dominican cigar with a lustrous Broadleaf wrapper. You could also scoop up an inexpensive bundle of Rocky Patel Mulligans when you don’t want to risk damaging your pricier handmades out the woods.
Pack a Flask
Get a good buzz going with your favorite cigars and few shots of whiskey. Pack a flask in your back pocket to take the edge off if you get winded and need to sit down for a spell. There are too many whiskeys to count that go with cigars, whether you prefer bourbon, scotch, or rye. Don’t wander too far off the trail, though. It can be tough to find a Wi-Fi signal if you forget what direction to go in to get back to civilization.
