Filter Tips and Roaches, Paper to Glass Materials

Paper, Carbon or Glass: Which Filter Material Suits You?

The material your filter tip is made from changes the experience more than most people expect. Plain paper or card tips are the classic choice: they're cheap, disposable, and do the job of keeping your roll open and your mouth clear of loose bits. Cellulose tips are a step up: they're firmer, stay rigid even when damp, and keep their shape through a longer sesh. Activated carbon and charcoal tips go further still: the carbon absorbs tar and some impurities as the smoke passes through, which can produce a noticeably cleaner, cooler taste compared to plain paper. Brands like Purize and G-Rollz both make carbon filter tips in slim formats if that's the direction you want to go. Reusable glass tips sit at the other end of the scale: borosilicate glass, washable after each use, and they cool the smoke as it travels through. Good for anyone who rolls regularly and wants to cut down on single-use waste.

Does Filter Tip Diameter Actually Matter?

Yes, and it's worth getting right before you buy. Filter tips are measured by diameter in millimetres, and the most common sizes you'll come across are 5mm (super slim), 6mm (slim), 7mm (standard) and 9mm (regular). The size you need depends on the rolling papers you're using and how tight you like your roll. A 9mm tip in a slim paper will bunch and restrict the draw; a 5mm tip in a king size paper can leave gaps that let air in around the sides. As a rough guide, slim papers tend to work best with 5mm or 6mm tips, while standard and king size papers suit 7mm or 9mm. If you're rolling with king size papers, a 7mm tip is a solid starting point for most styles.

Pre-Rolled or Loose Tips: What's the Difference in Practice?

Pre-rolled tips come already shaped into a cylinder, ready to drop straight into the end of your paper before you roll. No folding, no fiddling. Just pick one up and go. They're consistent in size, which helps if you're still getting your technique sorted, and they speed things up when you're rolling a few at once. Loose tips (sometimes called roach card or booklet tips) are flat sheets you fold and roll yourself. They take a little more practice to get right, but they let you adjust the diameter and tightness to exactly what you want. Some rollers prefer the control; others just want the convenience of pre-rolled. If you're newer to rolling, pre-rolled tips from brands like RAW or Elements are a genuinely easy place to start.

Want Something a Bit Different? Flavoured and Novelty Tips

Not every filter tip is purely functional. Crushball tips contain a small capsule inside the filter: squeeze it mid-sesh and it releases a burst of flavour into the smoke. It's a simple mechanic, but it changes the experience noticeably. Flavoured tips in general add a mild taste to each draw without any extra effort. There are also novelty formats (coloured tips, decorative finishes, and multi-tip tins) that are more about making your setup look a bit more interesting than any technical benefit. Worth knowing: flavoured tips are a different category from carbon filter tips, and the two aren't interchangeable if your priority is a cleaner draw rather than a different taste.

Frequently asked questions

Is a roach the same as a filter tip?

In UK rolling culture the terms are used interchangeably, but there's a subtle difference. A roach typically refers to a paper or card crutch you fold yourself. It keeps the roll open and stops bits reaching your mouth, but doesn't actively filter the smoke. A filter tip, particularly carbon or cellulose types, does both: it provides structure and absorbs some tar and impurities as the smoke passes through.

Can I reuse a glass filter tip, and how do I clean it?

Yes, borosilicate glass tips are designed to be washed and reused across multiple sessions. A rinse with warm water after each use keeps residue from building up. For a deeper clean, a short soak in isopropyl alcohol followed by a rinse works well. Brands like RAW and Hemper both make glass tips in this format. They're a practical option if you roll regularly and want to cut down on single-use waste.

Do carbon filter tips change the draw resistance compared to plain paper tips?

They can, depending on the density of the carbon medium inside. Most slim carbon tips from brands like Purize and G-Rollz are designed to keep draw resistance close to a standard paper tip, but you may notice a slightly firmer pull compared to a plain card roach. The trade-off is a cooler, cleaner taste as the carbon absorbs some tar and impurities. If resistance matters to you, a 6mm or 7mm carbon tip generally draws more freely than a 5mm super slim.