The Snus Blog

Any new snuser will have the question “Should I get loose or portion snus?” I aim to solve this question here..

First of there are two main types of snus, Loose Snus and Portion Snus. Portion snus is the snus that comes in a little pouch not unlike a teabag. You put it in under your upper lip and enjoy. Portion snus usually comes in four types: Mini, Regular, White, and Maxi. Then there’s Loose snus, which just comes as tobacco in a snus can

Portion Snus

Mini: Just as the name says. This snus is smaller than the others. It is commonly used by people who either do not want to use as much snus, or those who want to conceal it. I have not used this snus myself, but it is common amongst office workers, women, and those wanting to cut back on their snus usage. If you’ve never snused or used other smokeless tobacco, you might try this. A number of my friends who have tried my regular or white portions have not been able to handle it for too long. A mini portion may be best for these types.

Regular: This is your standard snus portion. Nothing special about it. It’s about 1 gram of snus per pouch and it goes under your upper lip. I have used this and it’s pretty satisfying. It lasts from about 30 minutes up to 1.5 hours. I’d recommend this to new snus users. It’s not too strong but not too weak and it gives you a good idea of what snus is like. Another variant is the strong portion or sterk or stark portion. The sterk has an elevated level of nicotine so it really hits the spot. Some popular sterk portions are General Ekstra Sterk, General Onyx, and Skruf Stark. My first portion snus was General Portion and I liked it a lot. If you’ve never really used tobacco orally, I’d recommend this or the mini. If you have used smokeless tobacco before, I’d still recommend this. It is the standard portion and a good way to try snus for the first time.

White: This snus is about the same size as a regular portion pouch but it lasts a lot longer. I’ve used white portions for up to 2 or 3 hours. Somehow they’ve made this portion last a lot longer than the normal. I’d recommend getting a tin of this your first try. A couple of good brands to try for this are Göteborg’s Rapé, Göteborg’s Rapé no. 2, General Wintergreen, or Röda Lacket. This is the snus I normally use in class and at work. After trying this, I do not usually get the normal portions anymore. The only downside is that there is not as big of a selection for white portions. I think this is pretty standard among experienced snusers.

Maxi: These are the large pouches of snus. They’re about twice the size of a regular portion pouch. I’ve never used these, but judging by what I’ve read, they’re quite effective. If your looking for some extra kick, this might be the way to go. The maxi may be a little harder to conceal, but if that’s not a priority and you want some nicotine and flavor, this may be the portion for you.

Loose Snus

Loose: or Lös. This is the form of snus without the pouch. It’s just raw ground snus tobacco. I was reluctant to try this at first, but after I started using it, I would say it is the best form of snus. Most long term snusers and swedes use this variant. It does have it’s drawbacks though. I usually only use this in the privacy of my own home because it’s harder to conceal and because it gets all in your teeth. On the other hand, it is usually stronger than the portions and lasts longer. Plus, you control how much you want to use so you can use a lot or a little. This form also gives off the most flavor. It does give you what they call “elephant skin” in your gums, but that only lasts for a little while after you take it out. “Elephant skin” is when the skin where your snus was feels a little wrinkled after you take it out. You get the same thing with American dip or chew and even with portions. Now then, another part of loose snus is that you can’t just stick it in like you can a dip. You have to form it into a pris, which is like a little snus pellet. I usually make it into a little ball, but here’s a good video of how to make a pris.

If you’ve ever used American dip or chew, I’d recommend this for you. I would say that new snusers may want to use the portions at first and then gradually start with the loose. There’s also something they call an icetool that forms the loose snus into a pris for you. This are available for purchase at most snus websites.

As for me, my schedule revolves around a couple of things. I work a job that is hard to smoke at, I take university classes, I hang out and go out, and then, of course, I chill at home. I usually use the portions for school and work, but when I get home I use the loose. When I’m out at a bar I usually use the portions, but if I’m just watching the game at a buddy’s house, I might use the loose. When I’m at home by myself, loose snus is the king. I’d say test a couple and see what you like. A lot of people never even try the loose, but they don’t know what they’re missing. A can of portion snus usually gives you 24 grams of snus, whereas a can of loose snus usually gives you 45 grams of snus. Plus the loose snus’ flavor is stronger and lasts longer. If you’ve ever used dip or chew, the loose might be right for you. It’s not the same as dip though, so save yourself the trouble and don’t throw it in like it’s dip like I did. It’s much finer ground, so it will just get all over your mouth. You really need to make a pris and stick it under your top lip. Altogether, I’d say both are great, and a mix of both is probably the most feasible. Enjoy the snus!

The Snus Blogger.

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