A Better Pipe Smoking Community

I find it depends; more than anything else, on the weight and bent of the pipe. I used to be more comfortable with saddle bits too, but like a taper on some bowls; I tend to clench my pipes in my jaw and saddles seem a little more delicate -- and I have 2 that need repaired to prove it. But, on a big Oom Paul and another large billiard, the saddle bits are wide and sturdy enough so they distribute the weight well; otherwise, most of my rotation pipes are tapered.

but I love it and would buy more. But most of the pipes I own are tapered. Not that it matters to me because I tend to just buy a pipe when I see one I like, not looking for shape or stem. anyway just a couple of pennies worth of a thought.

Happy smoking

saddle bits. That's just in my limited experience, all my tapers are bent stems and almost all my straights are saddles - except for my Bjarne which is a *very* narrow taper.

Either one can be bad or good. If a saddle is to thin, not good. If a taper doesn't allow a good clench, not good. In either case, I exercise careful judgement of the proper amount of flatness where the pipe meets the mouth. Too much roundess and thickness is not good in either style for my chops.

I've had good & not-so-good experience with both. I have a Dunnie bulldog with a tapered stem that is the most comfortable of any pipe I own. I have a GBD with a thin tapered stem that tends to "roll" between my teeth. And a GBD with a saddle bit that's just too thin. I guess I'm ambivalent.

Esthetically I prefer the saddle, but functionally it depends of the pipe.
I have more problems with the p-bit than with the saddle vs tapered.

That's interesting Vasco because my most comfortable clencher is my P lip. Granted they are full bent stems, that may have something to do with how they hang.

I don't tend to clench my straights. Moisture is the biggest reason (I don't like to drink the juice... YUCK!).

I only have 2 pipes with a p-lip, both are bent, a small light #221 and a larger and heavier System in shape #309. In both cases I can only take a grip using the incisors tooth but it looks that mine are not very strong as they move a bit under the pressure. This is not comfortable at all.
For me the best bit is wide and thin.

I have a Peterson System bent with a P-lip. It's a good smoker but a wet smoker. I don't like the System pipe. I get along ok with the P-lip but I really don't care for it and would not buy another one.

Yes, my opinion exactly. The p-lip is only good if you hold the pipe in your hand.
Now I have 2 System pipes but when smoking them it feels like I'm holding a glass of water, that I must be careful not to trip. That's not the correct mood to smoke a pipe. :-)

I have two, one on a straight apple 87 that I truly hate and another on a 999 1/4 bent that I can tolerate but would like better as a fishtail. As far as the original question, the vast majority of my pipes are tapered bits. As long as they are thin enough to be comfortable clenching, I have no problem with them. My one saddle bit is very comfortable. I guess I'm lucky, I've never bitten through a pipe stem.

My preference overwhelmingly is for a saddle bit, however, all of my pipes sport rubber bit cushions. I am a clencher and I chop down rather hard on my pipe bits. Most of my stems are vulcanite which I prefer to plastic. The vulcanite is sturdier and stands up to the pressure of teeth clenching hard. The pipe cushion makes the whole clench smoke possible. My smokes usually last over one hour. I once purchased a new pipe put a cushion on and broke the plastic end in my mouth on the first smoke. That pipe went out for replacement with a vulcanite. The bottom line for me is the comfort provided by the cushion on the stem. I have lighter and heavier pipes, long straight large heavy billiards (the heavier and thicker the bowl wall the better the smoke) and very large oom pauls obviously with full bent saddle stems. They all smoke well and are very comfortable.

I tried bit cushions some time ago, they are very comfortable but in a couple of weeks the rubber starts tasting bitter and I wasn't able to clean it and had to throw it away.

After a full year smoking pipes I expected that I would be capable of holding the pipe on my tooth. However it looks that it is not going to happen. On the last 2 or 3 weeks my front teeth complain when I hold the pipe, even for a few seconds, it looks that I should go to see a Dr., I don't want to loose my front teeth.

or the closely functional military style push-bit are my first choices although I have and enjoy many tapereds. I also very much like wide, broad bits which are very comfortable for those rare times I do clench the pipe.
I never grew to like the p-lip even giving an otherwise nice Peterson Dublin away a few years ago. Dumb, now that I think about it.