Do You Prefer Briar, Meerschaum, or No Preference?

[gervais]

IIRC, polls were disabled due to so many poor ones.

I tried to make this a voting pole, but I couldn't find that as an option.

Which do you prefer, and why?

For myself, I prefer briar for its esthetics and for the taste the wood adds to the smoke!

 

[timt]

Just recently I’ve determined that have no preference. Each pipe I use, regardless of material, has its pros and cons. In the past I was absolutely convinced that I preferred meers but they bring out too much ocd in me, with monitoring the coloring progression and all.

Having said all that, if I chain smoked one pipe only, which I don’t do much anymore, I’d pick a meer or a cob for their sponge qualities.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

My briars outnumber by Meers by leaps and bounds, so I guess briar based on that, but it has nothing to do with the taste of the tobacco. Having said that my absolute favorite pipe hands down is a Meer I commissioned and the Meer I smoke (EMP) is a great smoking pipe.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

Briar for me. When the pipe is made properly, break in is a breeze. Maintenance is low effort. And they have the most pleasing characteristics in my opinion - grain and it's orientation.

 

[hawky454]

I still prefer briar. Meerschaum is great, I enjoy smoking mine but I’m definitely a briar guy.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Love them both. Out and about, briar gets the nod; at home either is fine.

 

[tklee]

I like Briar more.

 

[Davy]

I have tried briar, Morta, meerschaum and corn cobs. I have 1 meer and all the rest are briars. So.......I'm a briar guy for sure.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I like both. Presently, I'm on a Meerchaum kick. Briar, Meerchaum and Clays all have some nice attributes. Enjoy them all.

 

[warren]

I generally smoke my meerschaum at the house, inside and out as long as I'm not toiling. Briars otherwise. The exception being in my float tube, cobs then, cheap and disposable.

 

[Jwebb90]

Meerschaum.

 

[anotherbob]

Briar. I like meer a lot but it just doesn't feel 100 percent right to me. The combo of briar and tobacco is just a magical and special mix. If there was no briar I'd be fine with other materials but I treat meer like that really great band I don't listen to enough. I force my self to listen or smoke it, think that's really great why don't I smoke my meer and listen Bjork more often, and then it's many months before I feel like it again.
Yeah people including me are a bunch of weirdos.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

Probably smoke briars the most but cobs get a lot of use as well. The cob is my preferred outdoor pipe when I'm out in the woods or on the river or working on the farm. Meerschaums have been creeping steadily into the mix though.

 

[kcghost]

I prefer briar but do have some meerschaums that I smoke every once in a while.

 

[anotherbob]

Probably smoke briars the most but cobs get a lot of use as well. The cob is my preferred outdoor pipe when I'm out in the woods or on the river or working on the farm. Meerschaums have been creeping steadily into the mix though.

darn it you just made me realize I have to revise my opinion. It's situational. If I am sitting down and writting or reading I prefer meer but don't get to do that much (sometimes I go out to the park if the weather is right) Cobs are like you said for outdoors or more active activities, not only are they more practical but something really feels right about it (hand in glove).

 

[blackpowderpiper]

darn it you just made me realize I have to revise my opinion. It's situational. If I am sitting down and writting or reading I prefer meer but don't get to do that much (sometimes I go out to the park if the weather is right) Cobs are like you said for outdoors or more active activities, not only are they more practical but something really feels right about it (hand in glove).

First off, I love cobs and if that's all I had to smoke from now on I would be just fine. I guess what makes the cob such a good outdoors pipe is their light, portable and from a cost perspective, I'm not gonna cry if one gets lost or destroyed. Having said that, cobs are pretty durable when taken care of. I've got a few that are over ten years old and are still providing quality service.

 

[anotherbob]

First off, I love cobs and if that's all I had to smoke from now on I would be just fine. I guess what makes the cob such a good outdoors pipe is their light, portable and from a cost perspective, I'm not gonna cry if one gets lost or destroyed. Having said that, cobs are pretty durable when taken care of. I've got a few that are over ten years old and are still providing quality service.

I have told curious/part time/new smokers cobs are as good as briar and the price difference is only because the material is easier and cheaper to obtain (no one has to go out and find the right patch of corn out in the deep country side) and easier to work with. I also like that sometimes you can make strangers laugh by humming the Popeye just ate his spinach theme when smoking a cob too (last time I did that the person had Popeye sweat shirt on).

 

[blackpowderpiper]

After a long day afield, supper over and the Dutch oven washed and put away, relaxing next to a warm fire just before bed is the perfect time for a cob pipe filled with Haunted Bookshop or Old Joe Krantz. Sometimes the simple things are the best.

 

[AJL67]

Both, all shapes of Meer and freehand danish briar are my go to lately, bowls hold a huge volume of tobacco.

 

[gervais]

I think I need to add a cob or 2 to my life.