Intro
Bongs are an iconic way to smoke your legal dry herbs. For decades they’ve been featured in stoner comedies and have been in the background of our favorite shows and cartoons as “scientific glass”. They go by different names and are often called glass water pipes.
A classic method to smoking, what separates bongs apart from other smoking methods is the water filtration. They are even thought to be one of the best ways of smoking cannabis and legal dry herbs because of the water filtration that ensures a cleaner smoke and a smoother hit.
When smoking, the water helps filter a lot of the harmful toxins and cools your smoke to give you smooth draws when inhaling.
Size and Shape
There are also many kinds of bongs that come in different sizes and designs from loops, twists , or simple straight tubes. Some bongs are even art pieces themselves and can cost you a hefty price for the delicate craft. Most pieces are made of thick, borosilicate glass.
Depending on the size of your bong, the amount of water you need to smoke will vary. Also, the larger the bong and the wider the base, the more smoke that will be created. Typically, rounder bases tend to be larger and are perfect for getting deep and heavy hits. Cannabox recommends 8-10 inches tall for the starter piece.
When smoking from a straight tube bong, the inhalation is more direct. Due to its straight shape, straight tube bongs are typically bigger than most other bongs. Some can even be 10 feet tall!
Don’t worry if this sounds a little confusing. Luckily, we have a buyer’s guide for newbies interested in trying out bongs and water pipes. Here’s the link to check that out.
Bowl Size
Now it might be a little confusing at first wondering how much to load in your bowl and that really depends on the joint size you’re used to smoking. Usually stoners like to smoke 2-3 bowls to achieve their desired high, sometimes even more. But if you’re new, start with a bowl and go from there.
Something I’ve done in the past is bought pre-rolls when they’re on sale to try a variety of strains without having to grind them up. Once I bought a bong I started loading it up with the extra pre-rolls I had bought on sale. It was really easy to unroll them and load up a few bowls for my session. You really just need to experiment and see what you’re most comfortable with.
Make sure to start small! Most glass comes with a 14mm male bowl.
Features
Bongs also include a variety of features depending on how much you are willing to invest. Typically, the more complex, the more expensive it will be.
Common features include ash catchers, percolators, and ice catchers (also known as ice racks).
Both percolators and ice catchers help cool your smoke and give you the best chilled smooth hit.
The way inline percs (percolator bongs) help cool your smoke is through the bubbles that are created when you’re ripping from your bong. The more bubbles, the cooler the smoke.
Some bongs even include special percolators called tree percolators (or tree perc) that provide a premium smoke. Tree percolators are included in some bongs and get their name from the multiple glass rods that resemble tree limbs. Each rod has a small slit for more diffusion meaning your smoke will be more isolated and purer.
You’ll be ripping the bong over and over again and you throat won’t hate you.
Overall, the more features that are included the more excellent filtration you will have during your sessions.
Cleaning and Material
Though you may find a wide selection of bongs made from different materials like plastic or ceramic, the best bongs are made from heavy-duty material like borosilicate glass. For the most part, glass water bongs have a better shelf life and are easier to clean.
In fact, all you really need is alcohol to clean your bong. If you have a small bong then you won’t have to do much work. You just simply pour it in, shake it up, and let it sit. The great thing about glass bongs is that they are non-porous meaning that the alcohol won’t affect any aspect of your smoking experience.
So, each time you’ll have the best smoke for your sessions. Easy and convenient, perfect for the stoner on the go. All you really need is some ground up flower, your bong, a lighter and some water. You can take all that to the beach and back without even noticing!
But if you’re the kind of cannaseur that is seeking more intense and heavier hits, you might want to look into dab rigs.
Dab Rigs
Bongs are easy and convenient, perfect for the stoner on the go. All you really need is some ground up flower, your bong, a lighter and some water. You can take all that to the beach and back without even noticing!
But if you’re the kind of cannaseur that is seeking more intense and heavier hits, you might want to look into dab rigs.
Basically, dab rigs are used to smoke cannabis in a variety of forms such as oils, concentrate, or extract. In reality, there is no smoke being produced because combustion doesn’t actually occur. Instead, they’re vapor-based meaning they’re more like vaping. In order to use a dab rig, you must purchase a quartz banger to be used with your glass.
Dab rigs also go by different names such as oil rigs or dab bongs and typically look and are made up from the same borosilicate glass that bongs are made out of. They are also a lot smaller in comparison to some of the giant straight tube bongs out there.
Also, instead of directly lighting your product, you heat up what’s called a nail with a hand-torch to about 350-400 degrees. Then you “dab” the nail into the product, creating a potent vapor that works its way through the twists and turns of your glass oil rig.
Keep in mind that hits from dab rigs are usually more concentrated and produce a more intense high. With your torch lighter, you get better control of your temperature and get the perfect heat every time.
You also don’t need water like bongs and you will generally consume less product because it’s already concentrated.
Dry Pipes
The best benefit to dry pipes is their simple design.
A lot of them are handcrafted into exciting shapes and different colors. They’re easier to carry and doesn’t need water. All you need is flower and a lighter and you’re off into the clouds.
But be careful because the smoke from a pipe can also be hotter and harsher on your throat if you’re a beginner. Unlike a bong, a dry pipe has nothing to filter the smoke. Instead it just stores it and produces thick smoke for the high you’re after.
Whatever your preference, if you’re interested in having new experiences with bongs or dry pipes, you can find them at your local smoke shop, dispensary, and even online from several different websites and cannabis subscription services.
Cannabox also includes several bongs that are currently on sale from past and current monthly boxes. These bongs provide you with a smoother hit and a better smoking experience and give you the opportunity to try something new every month.
So visit The Stash and keep smoking them trees!
