Hello From Canada

[TigerLord]

Hi all!

I've been raping the search function in this place for 3 hours now, what a goldmine! I discovered Hookahs when I went to study abroad in Germany a few years ago. I stayed there three years and was introduced to the "Shisha Pipe" (loosely translated) at a party. I don't smoke NHT. But I really enjoyed this, and since then, I've been hooked.

When I came back to Canada I was devastated - tobacco prices were horrible and good quality tobacco was nowhere to be found. A good Hookah I had bought in a trip to Tunesia broke on me 10 months ago and I HAD to replace it, and went to look for retailer. It took me a while to realize Shisha wasn't how we call it here. When I realized Hookah was the more popular term, I found plenty of sites!

I finally settled on Hookahub. Not a bad place, but I had not researched thoroughly. I wish I had found this place before! I got a Eternity Modern Hookah Pipe with some Hookah-Hookah flavors. What I disliked in Germany was the amont of glycerin added to the tobacco - even though we only paid a few bucks (5EUR=8$ approx!!!) for the Nakhla 250g packages, Health Department laws prohibited high humidity %, therefore it was always very dry and adding glycerin or some of those honey mix they sold with them to humidfy the tobacco was always a hit and miss adventure.

So when I came back here to find out the same Nakhla stuff I paid 8$ in Germany was 30$ at home, I was a little sad. It was only a few months ago I discovered how wildly popular Hookahs were becoming around here and then I found this place!

I'm not very experienced, but I'd like to add a few tips I haven't read here, or experiments if you wish, that might add some new to your Hookah routine.

-It was already mentionned in the README post in the rules thread. But worth mentionning again. ICE COLD water makes a big difference over room temperature. We used to add ice cubes in a blender so make a liquid slush so to speak and use it as a base.
-For a bigger buzz, we would also sometimes add WINE to the water. Now wine is way cheaper in Germany that it is here. A "cheap" bottle there cost 5EUR. That same bottle could cost 15-20$ here and I would understand if people said TOO EXPANSIVE. But I guaranty you, different wines will change the taste of the smoke as well as give you a buzzing effect that is difficult to explain. Alchool isn't H2O solluble, but I guess it somehow affects the chemical composition of the smoke. Red wine worked better for us.
-We would sometimes add real fruits to the base water (or even red wine + apples and peaches). It would be some sort of sangria mix if you want. We'd keep the fruits as we changed water mix in-between bowls, and throw them out at the end (so the fruits can last 3-4 bowls... but don't eat them, a friend tried it and it was very ordinary he said ).

That's about it! Germany isn't as fancy though. I never saw beautiful Hookahs that are crazy expansive like around these forums (except in some Hookah bars perhaps). Then again, they're much cheaper there!

A few questions for the more experienced around here...
Now to replace my crappy Eternity Modern Hookah Pipe I'm looking at either the beautiful Mya Gyro or a KM... which I hear are wonderful... I'm sure one would be as good as the other, but is there an important reason I missed that should push me to get one over the other?

Also, I've never tried a Phunnel bowl and will get one for sure. Is foil preferable over screen for those?

Finally, I SO want to try Tangier tobacco! I've read many reviews around here and must try them. Any flavors I MUST have?

I'm delighted to have found this place!

Happy smoking Edited August 18, 2008 by TigerLord

[zachf88]

I'm a newb, too, so I'm not the best person to answer those questions! Where in Canada are you located?

[TigerLord]

I'm a newb, too, so I'm not the best person to answer those questions! Where in Canada are you located?

Lived in Mississauga, ON for a while now I live in Mtl, QC while I study !

[plzimaninja]

All I can comment on is the Phunnel bowl. which is amazing it makes my sessions last alot longer and very flavorful! i use foil with my phunnel bowl and it still smokes great everyone says a glass screen for phunnels makes it better but i have yet to try it

[zachf88]

I'm a newb, too, so I'm not the best person to answer those questions! Where in Canada are you located?

Lived in Mississauga, ON for a while now I live in Mtl, QC while I study !

I live in Halifax, NS.....

I just bought a small funnel from HS and I have only smoked once from it and I can def. notice an improvement.

[srawas89]

Well welcome to the forums and please refer to stuff that is not meant to be put into the hookah as NHT (Non Hookah Tobacco). I am glad you are happy with the forum so far and I hope you find tobacco cheaper somewhere in Canada. As for the KM or the Mya Gyro, I have not smoked a Mya Gyro but I have smoked out of a KM numerous times and it is wonderful to smoke out of however many say that Mya's smoke just as well which I will agree to since I have smoked out of some Mya pipes as well, so in my opinion choose a hookah that looks good to you. Hope you stick around as you can learn a lot just like I have.

[hookah hippie]

you could consider talking to the guys at Mnhookahs I know they ship internationally but don't order too much so you don't get nailed by customs

[TigerLord]

Sent them a mail since they dont list the gyro or any KM...

[Tom1]

You should probably edit your first paragraph. Be sure to read the rules too. Edited August 18, 2008 by Tom16689

[TigerLord]

I did read the rules...thanks for your help.

It said not to discuss the aforementioned subjects-whose-word-shall-not-be-written. Didn't say you couldn't mention it, but I edited it out nonetheless

[duckhater]

From what I've heard in other KM vs Mya posts... you can't go wrong with either.

Both are well made, obviously different process and area of the world, but very high quality.

This is the general opinion if I have it right; KM's have the best pull and best purge...Mya's also have a really good pull, but excel in multi-hose models where (at least domestically in the US) KM is really hard to find in multi-hose, and of course they both have very different looks.

If you've narrowed it down to those 2 models, I say come up with a budget for just the Hookah itself (if you've narrowed your brands, look at materials its made out of and of course what looks the best to you as it does make a big difference to a lot of people), then set a budget for what you want to spend on coals/ shisha/ accessories (check review section for suggestions) add those budgets together and look for something that fits that price range, because shipping sucks and you will find it may be cheaper to buy everything from someplace compared to another. PM me if you want, I don't consider myself an expert but like everyone here ; ) I have opinions...hehe

[Pilgrim]

I agree with Duckhater, never smoked a KM, but I'm pretty sure both are asewome. I think you need to think about what you're planning to do. Besides the fact if one/two hoses is best for you, are you planning to take your hookah with you to places? If so, I'd take a MYA, but with an acrylic base, not the gyro.
If not, I don't know which one to choose. I'd go with the KM, but only because I already have a MYA ( which smokes great) and the KM looks great (but then again, so does the Gyro).
Tough choice, but maybe you'll find comfort in the fact that this is just a (big) LUXURY PROBLEM

[TigerLord]

Thanks so much for all the input! After much research I will definitely order everything from MNH... simply because they are more discrete with the packaging and customs are less likely to hit me hard. Plus, I hear they have some of the best customer service out there. Since I appreciate good CS when I order from the US, I'll go with them. I already sent them a message, because they don't have either KM or the Mya Gyro on their site.

I realize now I have been doing SO MANY THINGS WRONG!!! How I packed the bowl... how the screen always touched the shisha, and I *ALWAYS* left the coal in the dead center and wondered why the shisha burned so quickly... plus I didn't always use good coal. Best I ever had was Three Kings (which ain't too shabby, but according to reviews, coco nora or japanese easy lite would be better).

I mostly like to light my Hookah alone while I work at home (I'm a student but took a year off and now design websites and do photography contracts as well... much more laid back than what I study in!) like 2-3 times a week so I'm mostly a solo smoker. However I do have friends and at parties we all enjoy it. A single hose was always a little problematic although nothing too serious since we'd be 5 or 6 smoking.

So from my research I'll probably either go with:

Hookah
-Mya Gyro (for multihose, beautiful and good quality)
-or-
The KM Thalatha...http://www.hookahcompany.com/thalatha_khalil_mamoon_hookah_3313_prd1.htm

edit: I really love the Nour too.... hmmmmmm

Both are simply gorgeous but I'm laying more on the Thalatha now. Looks prettier, better purge, and since I smoke alone 99% of the time, might be a better fit for me!

Coal
I've always used crappy coal. So I'll probably order Coco Nora as well as Jap Easy Lite and figure out which one I like the most. I'll probably get a Butane Lighter too...

What scares me with Jap Easy Lite is that the reviews posted here say they`re great but only if you get the real kind (not the fake chinese crap). But how do you tell?

Bowl
Definitely a large glass phunnel bowl with mod + glass screen. MH has beautiful ones that I'm sure will look great with either the Thalata or Gyro and the smoking experience wll probably be enhanced 100 times compared to my current generic hookah with vanilla clay bowl with the screen touching the shisha

Shisha
I'all only smoked Hookah Hookah and Nakhla, and liked HH a lot more than Naklha. I purchased it in Germany though and it is very dry and had barely enough smoke coming out and it was tasteless. I added some glycerin myself but overdid it all the times.

BUT NOW I WANT TANGIERS

The reviews really got my curiosity and I'll probably be ordering 4-5 250g packages ...
I was thinking....
Kashmir Peach
Chocolate Mint
Bambleberry
Tropical Revenge
Melon Mix


Accessories
A case, butane lighter



What do you guys think of that???? Edited August 18, 2008 by TigerLord

[Pilgrim]

looks great, just one thing: I personally haven't smoked from funnel bowls yet, hoping to do so soon, but from all the reviews I read it seems that a large funnel is way too big if you smoke by yourself most of the time. From what I read you'd be better off with a small one.. Better ask someone who has a funnel first in my opinion...

That being said, real nice order, I'm jealous!

[TigerLord]

looks great, just one thing: I personally haven't smoked from funnel bowls yet, hoping to do so soon, but from all the reviews I read it seems that a large funnel is way too big if you smoke by yourself most of the time. From what I read you'd be better off with a small one.. Better ask someone who has a funnel first in my opinion...

That being said, real nice order, I'm jealous!

Thanks for the tip...

anyone can advise on this?

[mattarios2]

looks great, just one thing: I personally haven't smoked from funnel bowls yet, hoping to do so soon, but from all the reviews I read it seems that a large funnel is way too big if you smoke by yourself most of the time. From what I read you'd be better off with a small one.. Better ask someone who has a funnel first in my opinion...

That being said, real nice order, I'm jealous!

Thanks for the tip...

anyone can advise on this?

the large is discustingly big, and so is the medium. In my small phunnel I can get about 2.5-3 hours out of a bowl. I say go small unless there are times you have mass amounts of people over, then id grab small and a medium.

[OC4111]

I agree with mattarios about the phunnel, also if you're going to be using natural coals like coco naras (my preference) or easy lites then I don't know if a butane lighter would work for lighting those coals. Best bet would be to get a coil burner to light those. If you can get a glas screen for your phunnle if you don't then foil woud be best. I'm not a fan of the metal screens, the holes are to big an allow ash into the shisha. In terms of the japanese style coals, I think the rule is that if the sticks contain 4 tabs of coal then they're legit and if they contain 3 tabs they're chinese knok-offs

[duckhater]

yeah it seems if you use anything bigger than a small phunnel you are using soo much shisha to fill it perfectly...also the Thalatha has a Czech base which I am personally wild about, I just got the Bahiya base. I spoke with George from HC and he said he would be discontinuing the Czech or he'd have to raise prices dramatically because it's becoming to expensive to import and resell due to other manufacturers going elsewhere like Jordan or China to make less expensive bases. Imo I'd jump on the Thalatha, it's a damn sexy base.

[mix_tape]

I haven't found anywhere in Canada to get reasonable prices on tobacco so I mostly order online. I wish you luck!

[jahookah]

I haven't found anywhere in Canada to get reasonable prices on tobacco so I mostly order online. I wish you luck!

MN Hookah rocks! Tarik is great to deal with there and their customer service is great... Canadian advice I can give is don't order alot of tobacco at once, I am also in Canada and got dinged 168 bucks on a roughly 100 dollar order! No troubles when you order a couple of packages at once, though the shipping is high.

I love Tangiers also, kashmir peach is great as is cocoa, spearmint, maraschino cherry, peach ice tea, red tea, just to name a few.

As for the coals I think the japanese ones are the best, but the coco naras are a close second imo.

[mix_tape]

I've been reasonably lucky with my orders, I haven't been dinged but customs tends to hold my stuff for a long time, last time they held my order for almost 2 weeks.

[TigerLord]

So we're all in agreement a small MNH Glass Phunnel is enough for a solo session?

[duckhater]

So we're all in agreement a small MNH Glass Phunnel is enough for a solo session?

Oh yeah, don't get bigger if that's what you're asking (for a solo session)...may wanna consider getting a matching scalli mod and glass screen while you're at it

[TigerLord]

So we're all in agreement a small MNH Glass Phunnel is enough for a solo session?

Oh yeah, don't get bigger if that's what you're asking (for a solo session)...may wanna consider getting a matching scalli mod and glass screen while you're at it

mod and screen were already planned, just didnt know if I should get a large or small glass phunnel!

thanks for da help!