Hookah Survival: 5 Tips For Smoking In Cold Weather

Hoodie Season

Arriving right on schedule for many of us in this part of the hemisphere is cooler weather. Why is it getting cold? The earth is round. 

There's more to that story but today we're solely talking about what you should and shouldn't be doing with your hookah gear in order to survive these upcoming colder days.

1. Say No To Crack

99% of hookah owners have a glass base.  98% of them have broken a base. We can't prevent accidents because well, they're accidents, but there's one way to prevent fractures that lead to broken bases.

When you're rinsing a base after a smoke session, the glass may be warm and the initial water temperature from your faucet will be much lower than it was a couple weeks ago.

If you cause a sudden temperature change (temperature shock), you'll risk causing the glass to fracture or completely shatter.

Regardless of the season, you should always let the water warm up a little before you start your rinse, unless it's an ice cold base going under cold water.

The same concept should be applied to your clay bowls.

2. Heat Your Charcoal, Not Yourself

If you're lighting your coals in the garage or just happen to have cold hands during the prep work, the burner shouldn't be the thing you hang around.

Hovering around a burner while the coals are initially lighting up is the furthest thing from smart, as the smoke produced will irritate your respiratory system which isn't a good way to start a session.

Once the charcoal is glowing on all sides it's party time, so grab some tongs and your coal carrier for a safe delivery of heat.

3. Night, Night, Keep Your Charcoal Air Tight

Warmer air will hold on to more moisture than the upcoming cold air that we'll experience, so even though it may not feel humid, your charcoal will still be at risk.

You can extend the shelf life of your charcoal by keeping them in a very dry location within a closed box or sealed storage container.

A drop in temperature pushes the air molecules close together and squeezes out the water which then makes rain or snow. Hookah charcoal should never be stored outside or near areas of water like the sink.

You'll know you have moist charcoal when they don't put out as much heat as you remember and struggle to ignite and stay lit. If you feel like you have a tainted piece a charcoal and don't want to waste it, we recommend drying out the charcoal with the use of an oven at 250-300 degrees for about 7-10 minutes.

Let them cool before moving to the burner. Keep your coals fresh year round by using a designated container; one wide mouth plastic container should be enough for 1-2kg or more depending on the depth.

4. Preheat The Oven Not Your Lotus

Friends don't let friends preheat the Lotus. Depending on where you store your heat management device, it may be ice cold before you use it leading to a longer heat up time or coal blackouts.

The standard Kaloud Lotus should never be preheated on any heater because you'll risk melting the device or instantly scorching the top layer shisha. Not to mention it also voids your warranty.
You can use the stainless steel version of the Lotus if you would like to preheat it.

We recommend running the metal puck under hot water and drying thoroughly if you want to give it a safer boost of heat.

5. Our Favorite Kind Of Trapper Keeper

If most of your session take place outside, we hope you have a nice jacket. But besides that, you should have at least one wind cover in your arsenal.

These devices are useful year round but they're also wonderful during the winter as this shield prevents unwanted airflow from affecting your heat output.

This heat trapper keeps your coals glowing. However, the higher amount of focused heat will turn up the temperature on your bowl, so keep that in mind.

You may have to move the coals around as you get used to the device but everyone can agree on the usefulness of a wind cover.

Are Mint Flavors Colder In The Cold?

Does Cane Mint gain power in a cold front? Will Mango Habanero actually warm you up? Give it a try and we'll revisit these questions again later this year.

We hope these quick tips help you face a smokey cold front and provide you with some new tips for an excellent season of hookah. Old school tips with trial and error helped create this blog and we gain more knowledge when we share with one another.

So, leave us a comment about something that changes with your hookah session in the cold or seasonal conditions in your area.