Lighter Logistics - Flying to Vegas

[shopkins82]

So next week I'm heading out to Vegas with my wife and a handful of other couples to celebrate my wife's 30th birthday. We'll be there from Thursday evening until Sunday night when we catch a red-eye back to Atlanta. We're staying at the HGVC Flamingo while some of the other couples are at the Flamingo, MGM Grand, and Encore. We'll have a limo transfer to/from the airport for 6 of us, one couple is renting a car and driving on to Scottsdale, AZ after we leave and another couple is driving up from LA.

I've recently converted one of her friends' husband who is also a good friend of mine into a smoking buddy. At least one of the other husbands is a cigar smoker, and I'm pretty sure the other two guys coming will join in on the fun (5 guys total including myself).

While the girls are laying at the pool 4 of the guys will be playing a round of golf at the Paiute Wolf course. While the ladies are seeing Chippendales we will be playing night-golf at the Callaway Golf Learning Center (lighted Par 3 pitch-and-putt). While the ladies are shopping at The Forum Shops, the guys will be camped out at Casa Fuente.

All told, I'm expecting to personally smoke 12-18 cigars over the 4 days, and probably hand out 10-15 to mooches (got a freebie bundle of Augusto Reyes Navegadors from Famous for just that reason). I'll be toting 30 sticks in a couple of 15-stick Cigar Caddies along with a couple of 4-stick Black Ops cases to take to the golf courses and around town.

My big question is related to lighter logistics... how do I light that many cigars without being able to travel with a torch lighter and/or butane can?

I ordered a couple of the big-tank DealExtreme 1320 torches . I figured I'd try putting them in my checked luggage and, if they were confiscated, it's no big loss. I ordered on 6/23 and everything shipped on 6/28. I'm still hoping they arrive before we leave on 7/11. If they don't, I'd like to work out a contingency plan.

Otherwise I have a couple of junk ST Dupont clones that each light 10+ sticks each, but I have a feeling they're not going to do the trick outside on a golf course. Is my best bet to just to pick up a couple of JetLites and a can of crappy Ronson fuel at Walgreens once we get to Vegas, and then sacrifice them to the TSA when we fly out if necessary?

If I do make it there somehow with a decent butane torch, are there any cigar shops on the strip that will refill lighters for you (as most around Atlanta do for free)? Or can you recommend a shop near the strip that would sell decent fuel at a reasonable price (I cringe when I see Vector or Xikar selling for $10+ a can).

Thanks in advance!

[CigarNut]

You probably will not be able to take the tank lighters. You can pack a small torch lighter (no fuel) in your checked bag and then pick up some fuel in Vegas. Or you can pick up a few inexepensive soft flame lighters (Ronson Jet Lites or similar) for travel.

[montecristo#2]

I would just bring/buy a couple of bic lighters or a few djeeps. Soft flame should be fine.

Otherwise, Casa Fuente has matches, go old school.

Otherwise, can you ask the couple from LA to pick up some butane? Or if you have time, send it to them to bring along.

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by montecristo#2

I would just bring/buy a couple of bic lighters or a few djeeps. Soft flame should be fine.

Otherwise, Casa Fuente has matches, go old school.

Otherwise, can you ask the couple from LA to pick up some butane? Or if you have time, send it to them to bring along.

Best option IMO.

No restrictions on what they can bring. You're the "cigar guy". Ask them to be responsible for bringing the fire. You could ask them to pick up some cheapo lighters.

[rennD]

I check in my cigar lighters all the time. Never been a problem for me.

[equetefue]

just flew about 1.5 months back and did not had any problems carrying cigars or my bugatti lighter inside my cigar caddy. All of it inside the carry on of course

[markem]

If I am checking baggage, I always have a full deal extreme lighter in the shaving kit. You can also bring an empty lighter and run by a local cigar shop and give them a dollar to fill it up.

[tsolomon]

When I go on vacation, I find the closest Walgreen's to where I'm staying and buy a couple of Ronson JetLites. You have four of them close to your hotel and they all show as having them in stock.

[equetefue]

Originally Posted by tsolomon

When I go on vacation, I find the closest Walgreen's to where I'm staying and buy a couple of Ronson JetLites. You have four of them close to your hotel and they all show as having them in stock.

Now thats some looking out for a BOTL

[jjirons69]

That Paiute Wolf course looks awesome! Sounds like a great time!

Matches.

[cjhalbrooks]

Bic lighter and cedar strips. That is how I did it when I was flying back to the states.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by cjhalbrooks

Bic lighter and cedar strips. That is how I did it when I was flying back to the states.

Yup... Bic lighter. Two puff's into the cigar and you can't tell the difference if it was light from Dupont or Bic.

[czerbe]

anybody ever use one of these

http://www.amazon.com/Colibri-Tranzp.../dp/B000J0KUB0

[Brutus2600]

Originally Posted by czerbe

anybody ever use one of these

http://www.amazon.com/Colibri-Tranzp.../dp/B000J0KUB0

I've borrowed one of these from Beagleone, the only time I've flown with a lighter in my checked baggage it worked fine. I'll be using one next week as well. Prometheus makes one as well if you have trouble finding the Tranzpack (I believe they aren't made anymore).


Everybody has great suggestions here - but I'll add a word of warning! Don't check your cigars...pack those in your carry on. I wouldn't be surprised if you put them in your checked baggage if you showed up to Vegas with no cigars

[shopkins82]

I've also flown in the past with multiple full torches (usually a pair of Black Ops Kilos or a couple of Ronson Jet Lites) in my carry-on without problem, but without thinking to ask what the actual policies were. Now that I know, I'm not sure I want to risk losing any of my good lighters if they do chose to enforce the policy on my.

In this case I was worried that the appearance of the DX tank lighters might garner more TSA attention than regular lighters. If the DX lighters do arrive in time, I'm thinking I'll fill them and put them in carry-on in the bag with my liquids... or maybe put one in carry on and one in checked luggage in the hopes one or the other make it through. If the TSA folks raise it as an issue with the one in my carry-on, maybe they'll let me keep them on as long as I purge the fuel?

There's a shop off the strip (High Rollers Smoke Shop) that carries King Butane (my preferred cheap fuel) for $4/can... I think I'll see if the couple renting a car can stop there on their way from the airport to their hotel. I don't know the couple driving up from LA all that well, but that idea does make sense also.

[MrClean]

I've flown with my Xikar in my checked bags. It was full of fuel, not sure what the exact rules are. But the Ronson Jetlites are always a good option.

[longknocker]

Had My Dependable Ronson's Confiscated From My Carry On Last Flight At Security. They Said I Was Only Allowed "Bics" Or Similar Type, No "Torches". Of Course I Had Some Other Lighters In My Checked Baggage. I Wouldn't Take Any Quality Lighters Along With Me, Since I Don't Want To Risk Losing Them Or Having Them Confiscated. Every Security Check Is Different. This Is The First Time In The Last 5 Flights I've Had My Ronson's Confiscated.

[shopkins82]

Still nothing from Deal Extreme... if nothing comes by Thursday afternoon it looks like I'll go with a Jet Lite in my carry-on (along with my cigars), another in my golf bag (checked) and one in my wife's checked bag as well... I'm sure at least one will make it through. I've arranged for my friend with the rental car to pick up a can of butane once he gets there earlier in the day on Thursday.

[chaase321]

Just flew from Milwaukee to DC 1.5 weeks ago. Had to toss both my tank lighter (one of the lighters from Deal Extreme, that has the big clear tank) and my ronson. The TSA agent told me that bic lighters are ok, but torch lighters are a no go.

Granted, I was trying to CARRY THESE ON, I think checked baggage is different, but they def would not let me carry these on in my 25 count travel humi. They did allow me to carry my Xikar v-cutter. I was just happy that the two lighters I tossed, which were rock stars with every light, only amounted to about $8, so no biggie

[shopkins82]

IF the DX stuff comes, I'll stick one in my checked golf bag and one in my wife's checked bag, both with fuel purged. Looks like the only thing I'll even attempt to carry-on is a single Ronson, and probably an old beat-up one at that.