Rolling papers: the formats
Rolling papers come in a few fixed formats. The sizes differ a little between manufacturers, but they are close:
- Regular or single wide: about 70 x 36 mm, the smallest format.
- 1¼: about 78 x 42 to 44 mm.
- 1½: about 78 x 60 mm, wider.
- King size: about 110 x 52 to 60 mm.
- King size slim: as long as king size, but narrower: about 110 x 42 to 46 mm.
So "slim" means narrower, not shorter.
Thickness and colour of papers
The thickness of a paper is expressed in grams per square metre. A thin paper weighs about 12 to 15 g/m². The difference is in the weight and the feel.
In Belgium, since 1 June 2026, paper for rolling tobacco must be white with a matt finish. A brand name as a watermark is no longer allowed.
Gum strip, rolls and tips
- Gum strip: the sticky edge on the paper is usually gum arabic, also called acacia gum.
- Paper on a roll: a long strip you tear to length yourself, often about 44 mm wide.
- Tips: a booklet of thin card strips that you roll into a mouthpiece.
Filter tips: the diameters
- Regular: about 7.5 to 8 mm.
- Slim: about 6 mm.
- Extra slim or ultra slim: about 5.3 to 5.7 mm.
The names are not the same for every brand: what one brand calls "extra slim" is just "slim" at another. So go by the diameter in millimetres. Most filter tips are about 15 mm long; long tips about 20 mm. There are filters of cellulose acetate, of paper, and filters with a chamber of activated carbon.
Matching paper and filter
Choose a filter with about the same diameter as what you roll: a regular filter with regular or king size paper, a slim filter with slim paper, and an extra slim filter for very thin cigarettes.
Tubes: the sizes
- Standard: about 8 mm in diameter and 84 mm long, with a 15 mm filter.
- Extra long filter: the same 84 mm tube, but with a 20 to 25 mm filter.
- 100 mm: a longer tube.
- Slim: a narrower tube, about 6.5 to 7.2 mm depending on the brand.
A tube filler fits one diameter. A regular tube filler is made for tubes of about 8 mm; slim tubes need a slim tube filler. Since 1 June 2026 the length and width may no longer appear on the pack of tubes. If you are not sure which tube fits your tube filler, ask us in the shop.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between king size and king size slim papers?
They are equally long, about 110 mm, but king size slim is narrower: about 42 to 46 mm against 52 to 60 mm.
What diameter is a slim filter?
About 6 mm. A regular filter is about 7.5 to 8 mm, an extra slim filter about 5.3 to 5.7 mm.
Which filter goes with which paper?
A filter with about the same diameter as what you roll: regular with regular or king size, slim with slim paper.
What size are standard tubes?
About 8 mm in diameter and 84 mm long, with a 15 mm filter. There are also tubes with a longer filter, 100 mm tubes and narrower slim tubes.
Why is the size no longer on the pack of tubes?
Since 1 June 2026 the length and width may no longer appear on the pack. Feel free to ask us in the shop.
