Tangiers Vs. Tangiers Lucid

[cloroxshisha]

Hey guys!

I've been lurking these forums for quite awhile now, never needed to post seeing as all the information is available to me and everything is quite thorough. However, I have a question on both Tangiers and Tangiers Lucid. So, I recently bought Tangiers, did the whole acclimating thing, packed the bowl yada yada. One of my friends complained it was harsh like a tickle in the back of the throat, not a burnt taste. Is this normal with Tangiers? I purchased Tangiers for the rave reviews and awesome smoke and flavor, but if my friends don't like it I don't really see the point in purchasing it if my friends don't want to join me (main reason I own a hookah). Now my question is, would Lucid be a better choice? Does it tickle the throat as much as original Tangiers? I personally have no issue with it, but sometimes I do feel that tickle in the back of the throat and it does take away from a long out draw. Any help would be appreciated! Good to be here on the forums. Oh, Clorox flavored shisha is the best!

[dizzbizz]

Its pretty normal but if you pack it right, you wont get the tickle. Usually when I pack a bowl of OG Tang and I get the tickle its because I don't have enough heat. 3 or 4 halves of coconut coals if perfect for a small Tang Phunnel.

[cloroxshisha]

so it's all about if I pack it tight? I was using the bowl as a scoop and after that I'd take a fork to clean up. I'm smoking it right now, and I really do not like the tickle.

[dizzbizz]

Yeah you need to pack it TIGHT. Do the scoop, pack it down tight and pack more on top. It should be 1/4 of an inch above the rim when you place the foil on. When you do, press the foil down and squish the shisha down, if you press it down and see the inside ring of the phunnel you need to add more. Poke the holes all the way to the bottom too.

[cloroxshisha]

Hmmm I'll have to try this. I really want to like this stuff. It hits hard and the flavor is great, but I can't get much of that if I can get a long out draw with the stuff we used to buy locally. Much appreciated. Now, have you ever tried lucid? What's the main difference between the two? I don't really want to pay $2+ for something that isn't as great.

[dizzbizz]

I haven't tried it. But its the washed version of the OG Tang, meaning lower nicotine content. With the lower nicotine it removes the need to acclimate. Most people will say its just as good as OG Tang just without the punch in the face buzz.

[SweetNut]

I only smoke Lucid because no matter how I acclimate it, it just wont cooperate....

Packing and heat are the 2 things that you really need to get down for it to smoke right.... keep at it, itll come and when it does you will love it

[cloroxshisha]

Yeah it's kind of a buzzkill right now, my friend always asks me what brand are we smoking, I say, "Tangiers * insert flavor here*." Then he just goes home.

[thatonethere]

I've tried Lucid and I love it. It is the washed brand of shisha. You don't have to acclimate it(which is a bonus for me), plus the flavours are the same as the OG Tang. It's a great way to get into Tangiers. I n fact, I wish I started with Lucid.
Lucid is more expensive because there is an extra step in making the shisha (washing). More work = a little more money, but you won't regret it if you try it. I've smoked only 2 flavors of Lucid and I love it so far. I've smoked about 6 flaours of OG Tang, and I think Lucid is the better of the bunch simply due to the easier buzz.

As far as the packing method goes, you want to pack it tight so it looks as tight as it was in the package. The same goes with Lucid.

Good luck on your Tangiers adventure.

Check out my reviews on Lucid. They should be on the last page.

[Arcane]

if you are experiencing that tickle in the back of your throat, you have a few ways to remedy the situation....

but, first...let's discuss the problem at hand. though i'm not familiar with the reason behind the tickle, i'm assuming it has to do with the greater amount of nicotine compared to other tobaccos, it can arise due to a few factors such as inadequate heat (as in the case with horchata), too much heat, or not being fully acclimated. the intensity of the tickle should be accounted for as well. if it is actually preventing you from taking a full pull, it may be one of the three issues mentioned above. if it's a slight tickle, but tolerable....that's just something inherent to Tangiers. you actually get used to it after a while and it soon becomes unnoticeable.

now, to get around the tickle...you can either perfect your Noir packing or switch to Lucid...

Keeping Noir:
In my opinion, the best advice was from Adam (KeepItSimple). He said, "You can't pack Tangiers too tight, but you can pack too much." I've been smoking Tangiers longer than Adam has been smoking hookah and this honestly was the best advice I've ever heard. The easiest way to smoke Noir is to smash it into your phunnel. Push down on the tobacco until the juice starts to seep above the tobacco. Once you fill the bowl to the top of the phunnel (not the rim), plop on some coals and take a pull. Adjust your heat as necessary. This is the simplest way to reduce the amount of "tickle" you get. After a while, you can start adjusting the amount of tobacco you use and the corresponding heat required.


Switching to Lucid:
For some reason, the tickle practically disappears with Lucid, which is why I think it has to due with the amount of nicotine in the tobacco. Another bonus is that Lucid is a lot more forgiving when it comes to packing and heat management. So, switching to Lucid could be a good alternative...although, you lose out on the buzz. You also deny yourself to chance to advance your packing/heat mgmt experience. Also, Lucid DOES require acclimation from time to time....sometimes 2 minutes, sometimes 2 days. But, it's more resistant to humidity shock...so, switching can help reduce the number of variables you have to deal with.

[Josh Hamilton]

so far Ive had the same experience...Ive had melonblend and mint...maybe I should use the small phunnel vs the hj alien...I cant last 3 mins with it coz its got that heavy nic / punch that seems to overwhelm me (noir/regular). sometimes I think I havent acclimated it correctly...will keep trying nice advice guys Edited June 2, 2010 by Josh Hamilton

[thatonethere]

I always thought the tickle ment that the shisha was on the verge of burning. this is what I do when I get the tickles:

I remove one of the coals from the bowl, move the remaining coals around, purge the old smoke from the base, then inhale again. Take a few puffs, then put the removed coal back on the bowl.

It works for me.