Does elevation affect smoking characteristics? I'm at 8000 ft and had to relight several times on three different cigars today. All were different brands too. Also I hadn't had those problems with those same cigars while in Hawaii. They have been stored in my Xikar travel humi so I know they weren't dried out.
Cigars and elevation?
- Thread starter Fia
- Start date
I'm no scientist but higher elevation = less oxygen = fire tougher to stay lit
TravelingJ
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- May 23, 2010
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I didn't have much issue smoking at 9500 feet over Memorial Day weekend. My problem there was I could never get my lighters to work, and had to switch to matches. Once lit, I didn't notice any problems with my smokes-but I could have just been lucky.
This is kinda out of left field, but maybe it has to do with the difference in elevation, and less to do with the smoking elevation. Maybe our Hawaiian brother isn't drawing as hard because of the +8000 ft change? I know that I have a harder time breathing at significantly higher elevations, especially if the change is quick with little time to acclimate.
Or maybe the cigars are experiencing "elevation shock?"
Or maybe the cigars are experiencing "elevation shock?"
Xikar has a new lighter called the stratosphere that lights at high altitude. MSRP 29.99
I think the reason your cigars wouldn't stay lit is because you took your cigars, which had a RH ~60-70 at sea level, and took them up to elevation where the partial pressure of the air and water vapor is less. Relatively speaking, the cigars' relative humidity shot up to a point where they were soaked.
What was the temperature up there? If it was colder than sea level, that would raise the relative humidity of the cigars as well.
Regards,
Randy
What was the temperature up there? If it was colder than sea level, that would raise the relative humidity of the cigars as well.
Regards,
Randy