I am well aware of what this product was designed to be used for. I stumbled across this looking for a more compact, lightweight, and stylish way to carry around my pipe and supplies. I stumbled across the Icky Stick XL. It has the ability to give you 4-6 puffs of your favorite tobacco and disappear without any issues. Welcome to my new travel pipe.
The Ad Copy:
Need a bit more capacity in your pipe? Look no further than the Icky Stick XL. Holds twice the quantity of the Icky Stick and you gotta love that shiny chrome. Also has a sturdy weight and size that a lot of people look for in a pipe. The average user gets four to six puffs from this bad boy. Keep it for yourself or feel free to pass it.
STATS:
Brand: Icky
Product: Icky Stick XL
Material: 100% anodized metal
Filtration: Maze filtration system
Length: 3.75 inches
Diameter: .75 inches
Weight: 6 ounces
Price: $49.99
First Impression:
I was blown away at how well this was packaged. For such a small item Icky made sure it arrived secure and in a beautiful thick cardboard box with a cool design on it. The XL felt very sturdy while maintaining its lightweight. I noticed a very cool added bonus on this which was a hole drilled specific for carrying should you choose. It will easily slip onto a keychain or my preferred method of running a dog chain chain through the supplied hole. It makes a very stylish necklace when not in use.
Usage:
Cleaning:
Due to the smaller nature of this pipe I was concerned with how to keep it clean. Of course I went to the company for information then hit the web to see what was used by other users. Once the pipe is taken apart you can see the maze-like path in the one side. The XL comes with a multi-purpose, stainless steel tool that has a tip designed to fit the maze perfectly. You are able to scrape out any ash or build up inside of the pipe. Icky also has come out with a cleaner specific to their line of pipes to clean out the entire body. Soak your XL in the all natural solution for an hour and was away all the build up. I also read that using alcohol such as Vodka would be a suitable substitution to clean out your XL. As an added bonus, you can flip over the included stainless steel tool and use it to pack your pipe. Overall cleaning this was not a problem at all and the included tool made it even easier.
First Use:
While the design and idea of the XL is simple I think I make everything more difficult. I looked this thing over way longer than was needed. With that being said, I unscrewed the bottom and packed it with one of my favorite pipe tobaccos. I used the included multi-use tool to pack it in and closed it up. I lit the one end and took my puff. It was a very smooth and even draw. I was able to get six draws before it was time to take it apart and clean it. It was very pleasant to enjoy tobacco from the XL without waste.
One Week Assessment:
Nothing notable changed after some heavy usage. While this will not be a replacement for your pipe it will indefinably be in your arsenal for a quick smoke. Cleaning it is very simple. I went with the alcohol method and used the included tool. Looks as good as it did on day 1. Will finds its home in my everyday carry.
My Preference:
The obvious item needed is the Icky Stick XL. A torch lighter would not be recommended for this item. I went with a classic Zippo soft flame to get this party started. As for carry I did put the XL on a dog tag chain and kept it on me as a piece of jewelry. My tobacco of choice was Missouri Meerschaum American Patriot which I placed inside a FireDog tobacco pouch. It holds a good amount for travel and packs very small.
Final Thoughts:
This is a very handy and sleek tool to have. I hate to waste tobacco especially when I know I will be wasting it. This is more than perfect for those times you want to grab a few quick puffs and move on with whatever you were doing. If you are like me and want different options this will do exactly that. Currently it is out of stock. I would keep a watchful eye out and grab one as soon as you can.
You can find them direct from www.Icky.com
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