Filter Tip Size Guide: 6mm vs 7mm vs 8mm vs 12mm

The filter tip (a.k.a. the crutch) is the first thing you place and the last thing you think about. That's backwards. Tip diameter sets the width of the whole roll at the mouthpiece, affects how easily the paper seals, and decides whether you get a neat, even roll or a lumpy one. This guide covers the four sizes Das offers and how to pair each with the right papers.

How tip sizes are measured

Tip sizes come as two numbers: diameter x length, in millimeters. A 7mm x 28mm tip is 7mm across and 28mm long.

• Diameter matters most. It sets how wide the roll is at your lips, how open the mouthpiece feels, and how much paper you need to wrap around it.
• Length sets how much of the paper the tip takes up and how far the lit end sits from your fingers. Longer papers usually look and roll better with longer tips.

Paper sizes vary a little between brands, so read the pairings below as starting points, not rules. Your paper, how much you pack, and how tight you roll all shift the right answer by a millimeter either way.

The four sizes at a glance

6mm tips: slim and tidy

A 6mm tip suits single wide and slim papers. Narrow paper doesn't have much room to wrap, so a thin tip leaves enough overlap for the gum line to seal flat instead of straining over a fat mouthpiece.

Pick 6mm if you like small rolls, want something discreet and quick, or use European-style slim papers. Skip it for big king size rolls. A narrow tip at the bottom of a wide roll makes the paper bunch and pinch right above the tip, which gives you an uneven draw and a roll that's hard to shape.

Rolling tip: with a thin tip, packing matters more. Spread material evenly along the paper before you tuck, so the roll doesn't bulge in the middle and pinch at the ends.

7mm tips: the everyday middle

7mm is a comfortable default for 1 1/4 papers, probably the most common size people roll with. It keeps the profile slim and still gives you enough of a base to hold while you tuck and roll. It also works with king size slim papers if you like a longer, narrow roll.

If you roll 1 1/4 papers and don't know where to start, start here. From 7mm you'll learn quickly whether you want slimmer or wider.

Rolling tip: set the tip right at the edge of the paper, level with the gum line side. Roll the tip first, then the rest of the paper follows its diameter. Starting the tip crooked is the most common cause of a roll that angles off to one side.

8mm tips: fuller and sturdier

An 8mm tip opens up the mouthpiece and gives you a firmer base. Our Big Boy is also longer (37mm), which suits longer papers like king size slim and king size, and works in a well-packed 1 1/4 if you like a fuller roll.

The extra length is a practical plus: more room between the lit end and your fingers, and a sturdier handle when you pass it around. It's a good size for learning cones, too. The wider base gives the narrow end of the cone something solid to build on.

Rolling tip: with a longer tip, check that your paper has enough length left for material. On shorter papers a 37mm tip takes up a lot of real estate, so pack a little less, or move up to a longer paper.

12mm tips: wide tips for big rolls

12mm is a wide tip, made for king size papers, hand-rolled cones, and big rolls. The wide opening keeps the mouthpiece from feeling pinched in a heavy roll, and it gives a large roll a real foundation, so the whole thing holds its shape instead of sagging near your lips.

Wide tips are also popular for elaborate builds where the roll needs to stay open and structured from end to end. If you mostly roll small, 12mm will feel like too much. If you roll big, it's the one that makes big rolls behave.

Rolling tip: give a wide tip wide paper. A 12mm tip in 1 1/4 papers barely leaves enough overlap to seal. In king size papers you get a clean seam with room to spare.

Matching tip size to paper size

Paper width decides how much wrap you have to work with. As a rule of thumb:

• Single wide / slim: 6mm
• 1 1/4: 7mm for a slim roll, 8mm for a fuller one
• King size slim: 7mm or 8mm
• King size: 8mm for a standard roll, 12mm for a big one
• Hand-rolled cones: 8mm or 12mm, depending on how big you want the wide end

Using a rolling machine? Size matters there too. Tip and material both have to fit the machine's barrel. Das carries 1 1/4 and king size rolling machines. Try a 7mm or 8mm tip in the 1 1/4 machine first, and step up in the king size.

Signs you picked the wrong size

Tip too big

• The paper barely overlaps the tip, and the gum line won't reach or won't lie flat.
• The seam over the tip wrinkles or splits.
• The roll flares right after the tip and then narrows, like an hourglass.

Tip too small

• The tip slides around inside the paper or falls out when you pack the end.
• The paper pinches just above the tip and chokes the draw.
• Loose material creeps toward the mouthpiece.

In both cases, switching sizes usually works better than rolling tighter or looser to make up for it.

Ready-made tips vs folding your own

You can fold your own crutch from card stock: an accordion fold or two, then roll it into a cylinder. It works, and plenty of people like the ritual. The catch is consistency. A hand-folded crutch comes out a slightly different diameter every time, so your rolls change from one to the next.

Ready-made tips come out the same size every time. That's most of why Das tips come in set sizes: you find the one that fits your papers, and every roll starts from the same base. If you can't decide, a mixed pack like the Das Sampler or Higher Values Package lets you try several sizes side by side.

Keep your tips in good shape

• Store them dry, away from humidity, so they keep their shape.
• Keep them in their pack or a small tin so they don't get crushed in a pocket.
• Place the tip, roll, and pack the open end gently. Packing hard from the open end can push the tip out.

Find your size

Slim Jim (6mm), Midway (7mm), Big Boy (8mm), and our 12mm wide tips are all on the products page, along with samplers if you'd like to compare before you commit.