Why do people lose pipes on the trail?

“Wait. I had it right here.”

You check the jacket pocket. Then the other one. Then the little pocket inside the pocket, it's a scramble.

And then you remember the smoke spot. That beautiful overlook.

It starts with a "mandatory safety break".

Then, during a monolgue you forget the point of, you set the pipe on a log. Munchies happen. Someone starts packing up. The filter goes back in its bag, the bottle goes in its pocket, and the pipe stays on the log.

Or it’s a camp chair. Or the edge of a picnic table. Somewhere perfectly obvious while you’re sitting there.

Getting it out took a second. Remembering where you left it takes more backtracking than you're willing to do. Let's just say, we've beent there.

Morning pack-up has the same problem.

The tent has a bag. The stove has it's place. Your pipe, oh yeah, where did that end up?

Now you’re trying to remember whether it went in your jacket, the the bear canister, or that ditty bag you’ve already packed at the bottom.

Even when you haven’t lost it, you're looking for it instead of looking at the view.

We wanted the Rip Clip to have a home of its own.

We’d spent years moving pipes between jacket pockets, backpack brain pockets, and ditty bags. There was always somewhere to put one. Meaning another spot to misplace it.

That frustration became the idea for The Rip Clip: build a gear clip into the pipe so it it's easy to find and easy to put back. We’re developing it as a titanium smoking pipe, and prototypes just finished production!

You can start with the same idea using the pipe you already own. Give it one place, put it back after the break, and check before you leave.

For the practical side—pockets, pouches, clips, and protecting glass—read how to carry a pipe while hiking.

Back to all Lore