The Swedish effect.

[bakerbarber]

Granted we have discussed this before. I will rehash it.

How many of us, me included, when smoking stuck to one or two main brands and had little if any desire to change or give up brand loyalty.

At the height of my smoking years I remember instances where I would argue with a clerk over the difference. "I want lights in a box, not soft pack!" or " I won't smoke them damn 100s!" " You might think brand 1 is close enough to brand a.. I Don't"

There were times I would drive to three or four different places to get my brand my way.

Snus however is polar opposite to the strange rituals involved with smoking. Sure I'll settle for the white portion. Oh all you have is brand 2 not brand b, well that's OK I haven't tried THAT ONE yet. Sure I'll try that weird new brand over there.

I've been racing to try most snus currently available. When I smoked if I was fiending harsh for just one cig after running out I would turn down a menthol in disgust and go hassle someone else to bum me one. Heh, what balls it takes to tell someone who is kind enough to let you have one of their squares for me to chastise them for the audacity of not having my brand.

[airwoodstock]

Same thing here! I did notice though, when I was jonesing for something different, like the RYO kick I was into 2 years ago, I did the same thing I'm doing with snus. Sadly though, RYO didn't last with me either and I went right back to my old brand of smokes.

I do have my "Must include in every order" snus but, still look for the new stuff to try.

TBO, I could probably not make an order until after the new year with the amount of snus I have in the freezer but, I like them all. With RYO tobacco, I'd have 5 different types of tobacco and, give the ones I didn't like away. I don't have a snus I don't like enough to give away! (well....maybe Elixyr PE) :shock:

[holnrew]

I don't know, I must be rare in that I wanted to try everything when I smoked. But then I would have several packs of the same brand on the trot before switching it up.

[snusbear1]

Bakerbarber - I've had exactly the same experience. Just speaking for myself here, I think for me it has to do with the relative newness of the snus experience. When I first started smoking as a teenager, I was fascinated by all the different brands and styles of cigarettes in the magazine ads, thinking (at the suggestion of advertisers) that they would all lead to some kind of magic problem-solving, and that surely one of them must be better than others at helping me deal with life's problems! In the intervening 30 years, however, smoking has just become smoking, a habit, often a problem, and certainly not a solution. Just give me what I'm used to (lights in the box, the BOX, I said, damnit!), and I'm OK, but no magical mystical tour here.

But then something comes along, a new possibility, something so many are raving about - snus!! And I find the old adolescent feelings re-emerge - maybe there IS a magical product, a solution, not only to life's problems, but now to my smoking habit also! I must try every variety to make sure I'm not missing out!! What is the perfect product for ME? I will settle on it and be happy! But then, maybe, well just maybe that other product would be even better? This goes on for a while. I then see myself 30 years from now, as an old man, sticking to his tried and true brand, style, and method of snusing, happy with the familiar, not wanting to change, but not expecting any "magic" besides the quelling of an addictive itch, and realizing that life's real magic lies elsewhere.

[Huskysibe]

What I like is all of the new flavors that seem to come out every year. The variety is always expanding unlike American Dip(I cant speak for cigs, I dont smoke) Brand loyalty is prevelant with American dip as well. I have found myself ordering my favorites in every order as well and then ordering a can of Los and a can of portions of something I havent tried yet. Its a strange thing this Swedish Snus phenomenon I have latched onto, but I love it!!!!!!!!!

Billy

[Sedriak]

I think that with any new thing people come across they will be curious to try as much or as many brand/styles as possible. Using snus is no different to smoking, peple are going to have their brand that they always buy. I have Many friends that are long time snus users who only buy on brand for the last 10yrs and will ask to bum a snus from a random only to say no if its a White portion or a brand they never use, just becuase its not 'their' brand. This is one of the reasons so many of these newer brands are disscontinued, us Swedish people are too set in our snus ways.

[Jason]

You guys are/were some picky bastards! :lol: I only bought Camel Lights, but if I was bumming, anything went as long as it wasn't a non-filter. I even bummed a Misty once....yeah, I'm all man, though. :P

[RobsanX]

If anything, switching brands of cigs was a negative thing. I had to get used to the new taste, strength, and feel of the smoke.

In the end I settled on Parliament Lights because the cardboard filter made them easy to stub out without burning my fingers...

[bearcat87]

When I smoked I only switched brands if I found something else I like better. Went from Marlboro lights to Marlboro 27 to Camel Filters to RYO (only smoked RYO for a month before the snus Gods descended upon me). When it comes to snus I do like my brands and types but I am more flexible. But the flavors with snus are much more interesting than with cigarettes.

[yigs]

Yea i remember when i first started i would have around 7 brands of cigarettes in my drawer, i was into smoking as a hobby. but once i became addicted it really didnt matter which cigarette i had as long as it hit the spot with a tolerable flavor. I think snus will become the same thing as cigarettes eventually. with slight differences, We each have our different snues; such as a dessert snus, business meeting snus, driving snus, kick back and let it all hang out snus.
Of course just like cigarettes we change it up every couple of months. so if you change up each of you different snuses (car, business, relaxation) it almost seems as if you cant settle on one....
Therfore Snus is better! and will never get old
~Yigs

[snusjus]

When I first started smoking, I went through every single brand that exists (Kool, Marlboro, Newport, Winston, Camel, Lucky Strike, Basic, etc.) and decided to smoke Winstons almost exclusively because they were additive-free and cheaper than American Spirits. I remember asking my friend to buy me a pack of Newports right after I smoked a pack of Marlboro Reds... he said "What the hell? They are completely opposite!".

[Gowrie]

Snussers are lucky there are only maybe 50 things to sample. It's easy to whittle them down to 4-5 favorites. Imagine if there were thousands of choices, like pipe tobacco.

[bakerbarber]

I never got into pipe smoking. I love the smell when my someone has one going?

What's the start-up cost for a decent pipe, a small variety of tobacco, and whatever other tools and gadgets needed?

[Wholesome]

A decent pipe will run you about $80. After the $100 mark, you're just paying for aesthetics. Get a briar wood pipe (Peterson is a good brand and has great value) Pipe cleaners are cheap. the Czech pipe tool is cheap. I cannot offer any advice on aromatic blends, but the English blends I like include:

Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop
Cornell & Diehl Three Friars
Cornell & Diehl Black Duck
G.L. Pease Cairo
Dunhill Durbar
Dunhill Light Flake

These tobaccos run about $8-10 for a 2.5 oz. tin

When I got into snus, I was kind of overwhelmed by all of the choices available, but like many here trying them all became a whole new addiction! But you're right, the world of pipe tobacco seems as vast and unending as 10 vast and unending things.

If you wanna give it a shot, go to smokingpipes.com

[Wazzy]

DORAL FULL FLAVOR HARD PACK in a carton if they did not have that only one pack of camel full flavor. NEVER NEVER a menthol I would go with out a smoke if that was the only option. Now with snus sure I'll try that one why not.