Single wide is the classic short paper, around 70 mm of rolling length. It makes a small, quick joint and is the most efficient choice for a solo smoke. 1¼ is the next step up at roughly 78 mm, wider and taller, holding about a third more flower; it is the most common size sold in North America and the easiest all-rounder.

King slim is long and narrow, around 110 mm, and produces the long, thin joint most people picture when they hear the word joint. Double wide is wider than king slim and takes noticeably more flower, so it suits sharing. Rolls are continuous lengths of paper, usually three or five metres, that you cut to size, which is economical and lets you roll whatever length you want but is fiddly outdoors.

Paper weight is given in grams per square metre. Anything around 12 to 14 gsm is ultra-thin, around 15 to 18 is standard, and 20 and above is heavy. Thinner paper burns faster and adds less taste; heavier paper burns slower and is far easier to handle, which is why most beginners have a better first week with a standard weight.

There is a real trade-off hidden in that number. A very thin paper on a loosely packed joint will burn hot and fast down one side. The same flower in a heavier paper burns slower and more forgivingly. If you keep fighting canoes, try a heavier paper before you blame your technique.

The gum strip is a thin band of adhesive along one edge. Most papers use gum arabic, a natural resin from acacia trees; some brands use sugar-based or hemp-based gums and market them as cleaner-burning. In practice the differences are subtle, but the quality of the gum matters: a thin, evenly applied line seals with a light lick and holds, while a heavy or patchy line either needs soaking or lets go halfway through.

If a seam keeps opening, it is usually too much moisture rather than too little. A light, quick pass from the middle out seals better than a long wet lick.

A pre-rolled cone is a paper already shaped and gummed into a tapered tube, usually with a tip inserted. You fill it from the wide end and twist the top. It removes the rolling skill requirement entirely, which makes it the most reliable way to get a consistent burn, at the cost of controlling the density yourself.

Cones come in short sizes around 70 mm, standard 1¼ around 84 mm, king size around 110 mm, and larger party sizes. Fill them loosely in small pinches and tap the cone as you go, rather than pouring flower in and packing it down, or the bottom third becomes a plug that will not draw.

Solo, five minutes, want efficiency: single wide or a 1¼. Solo but you like a long slow smoke: king slim, packed a little looser. Two or three people: double wide or a big cone. Outdoors or windy: heavier paper. Learning: standard weight, 1¼ size, and a cone in your bag as a backup.