Black Ops Kilo Triple Flame Lighter

I ordered a bundle of the Gurkha Black Ops cigars awhile back and got a lighter free. Most of the freebie lighters from CI are Xikar and well worth getting whatever the combo is to acquire the lighter. I have seen the black ops travel cases and lighters and have been curious for awhile about how they would perform. With that being said here are my opinions, for what they are worth, on the Black Ops Kilo lighter. 

The Kilo is a fairly hefty torch with a built-in punch and triple flame jets. The fit and finish is nice, giving the appearance of quality construction. I usually prefer a single flame torch, as I feel it gives me more control of my toasting and lighting. The double and triple flame lighters just seem to burn through fluid too fast for me. There is a door that covers the jets when not in use, and it slides out of the way upon activating the igniter switch. The kilo, as well as most of the Black Ops lighters, is available in multiple color options. The colors have a militaristic theme to them with matte black, OD green, arctic white, desert sand being a few I have seen online. The one I have is a "black out" with a black on black color scheme.

When I first received the lighter I purged before filling even though it shipped empty, always seemed like a good idea to keep with the habit. The lighter filled with no problems and lit on the first try. I did have to adjust the flame before actually using it or I would have burned my cigar to the ground. The cigar punch, I am not sure what size, is a nice added feature. I have been using the lighter for several months and have filled it a couple dozen times with no problems. The punch is sharp and creates a nice clean hole every time I have used it.

Final verdict is that this is a nice lighter. It wouldn't be fair for me not to mention though that I have seen this lighter branded with a different name before. A google or amazon search for jobon triple flame torch will yield results that look identical. They are most likely the the same lighter but at different prices. So if you want a nice triple flame torch with a built in cutter with a militaristic color scheme grab a Black Ops. If you don't care what color it is as long as it works, you can save some money by buying the one without the Black Ops name. But if you are like me and like tactical and military stuff, you will want the official Black Ops version. Depending on which option you choose and where you buy, you can pick one of these up for 8-30 bucks. I personally, wouldn't pay 30+ bucks for this when I could get a lifetime warranted Xikar lighter. As a freebie or if i run across in the 15 dollr range, I would buy another. Only time will tell if this lighter will last for awhile or not, but for now I am pleased. I keep this lighter in my work bag so I don't have to carry a lighter and a cutter to work.

Xikar Executive II lighter

I am a huge fan of the Xikar line of cigar accessories. I haven't found a brand yet that delivers so consistently on value, craftsmanship, and unparalleled warranty. When I first started smoking cigars I would use the cheap torches and cutters. I told myself I couldn't justify spending 30 bucks on a torch when the 5 dollar ones at the gas station worked just fine. After going through God only knows how many of the cheap little crappy torches I realized that I was spending way more on replacing these things than a couple of really nice lighters would cost me. I do still have a few cheap lighters that I keep around for emergencies or camping trips but I mostly use one of my Xikar lighters. I currently have a stratosphere, executive II, and a inpress and love all of them. The executive II is probably my favorite of the group. It has a super convenient adjustment knob, so no more needing a screwdriver to adjust the flame. If you smoke in the winter time then you probably have noticed that a lighter sitting on a table gets cold. When that lighter gets cold it doesn't want to light because the molecules of the butane gas have slowed their movement and become more dense. You can adjust the valve and get the lighter to light but most of the time it requires a tool. If you didn't bring that tool, then you may not get to make that burn correction or re-light that you where in need of. The button to activate the executive II is on the side of the lighter body instead of up by the flame itself. This makes those long toasts more comfortable as it keeps the heat away from the fingers. There is a door that covers the jet when not in use to keep dirt and debris from getting inside. Upon clicking the button, the door slides into the body of the lighter and out of the way. It is a single flame torch so it's butane consumption is not bad at all. If you are in the market for a good lighter that carries a lifetime warranty and performs flawlessly, then you need to look at the Xikar offerings. I highly recommend the executive II or any other torch in their lineup. I have my eye on the new Vitara model and hope to get one in my hands soon, it has a built-in punch. The executive II lists for 35 bucks on xikar's website and can be found at many other online retailers as well. You can find more information on Xikar at their we page and you can also find them on twitter

T-Clip Cigar Holder

Have you ever been on the golf course and laid your cigar on the grass, only to find that the grass was wet and now so is your cigar? There are a ton of products you can choose to hold your cigar so I'd like to share with you what I use. I was gifted this fabulous cigar accessory by a friend at Capitalist Pig Marketing. The first time i took it out with me, I wondered how I had survived without it. It adjusts to pretty much any ring gauge cigar and can even hold your club grip off the ground. It uses a piece on the bottom that looks like a tee. This allows it to be used in the tee holder on your golf cart, as well as, making it easy to press down into the ground on the course. It is long enough to keep your stick out of the grass even in the rough. It has a magnetic ball marker on the front for a convenient way to mark the position of your ball without having to bring extra gear. You can find more information on the T-Clip at Tclipgolf.com. If you need a cigar holder on the course or a great gift for a cigar smoking golf lover,  consider T-Clip. It is well made and seems to be very durable. The price point on the T-Clip is around 15 bucks. This is a small price to pay to protect cigars you may spend just as much or more on while on the golf course.