When smoking marijuana, bongs are commonly used to cool off the harsh effects of the recreational drug. The smoke is then inhaled by the user.
There are different methods to smoke cannabis, but people still prefer using bongs.
The cooled water brought out by bongs allows smokers to inhale smoke more deeply, achieving better psychoactive effects than other smoking methods.
Bongs are a symbol of pot culture. It helps users get a fully immersive recreational experience.
Even with the rise of vapes, pipes, pens, or edibles, bongs remain significant and are considered to have more personality.
What Is A Bong?
A bong is a water pipe generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco, and other herbal substances. They are typically made from glass, ceramic, or acrylic, and come in all shapes and sizes.
Bongs hold more smoke and use either cold water or an ice filter to cool down the smoke so that it hits easier on the throat.
Initially, bongs were only sold exclusively for tobacco use, however, research finds that they originate from regions where the practice of cannabis consumption predates tobacco production.
What Are The Different Types of Bongs?
A bong is essentially a water pipe. They only differ in their design and the material they’re made of. The following are some of the most popular types of bongs:
Beaker Bong
This classic type of bong is in the shape of a beaker and is less prone to falling over. Its heavy-shaped bottom makes it look tall.
Beaker bongs are typically good for smokers who want to add an ash catcher and a diffused downstem for filtering smoke.
Other types of bongs can tip over, but the beaker has a nice and sturdy structure.
Straight Tube/Cylinder Bong
Similar to the beaker, its name is derived from its shape.
Straight tubes are inexpensive due to their simple design. They can also be made using silicone.
Almost all straight tube bongs normally come with a downstem, though there are some with a stemless design.
Round Base Bong
This type of bong has a round base. Similar to the beaker, it also has a bottom-heavy design.
Rest assured it won’t roll around the floor. Even though its water chamber is round, the base is still flat.
Round base bongs also come with percolators and ice catchers. Percolators are small glass devices that collect water to filter smoke.
Multi-Chamber Bong
This kind of bong has two or more sets of percolators. They add an extra layer of smoke filtration, making it smoother for the smoke to inhale.
Percolators or “percs” are also responsible for the bubbling sound when smokers take their hit. More percs ensure a smoother hit.
Honeycomb Bong
Some smokers treat honeycomb bongs as the holy grail of percolation; they provide a one-of-a-kind smooth hit with zero drag.
Honeycomb bongs sport a percolator with a flat glass disc. They mainly have a seamless design which is convenient for clearing the chamber.
Inline Perc Bong
An Inline bong is a type of multi-chamber bong with inline and tree percolators.
When you smoke from an inline bong, it goes through two sets of percs.
Cyclone Bong
Also called tornado bongs, cyclone bongs feature spiral perks that make the water swirl around in a spiral pattern.
It’s an aesthetically pleasing bong, with tree perc that breaks the smoke into bubbles.
Matrix Bong
Named after the Matrix movies, this type of bong is a 360-degree mesh that transforms smoke into tiny bubbles.
Matrix percolators also offer an incredible volume of smoke diffusion.
Mini Bong
If you prefer a lightweight bong, then mini bongs are right up your lane. They’re generally 6 to 10 inches in size, and they come in different materials.
Some mini bongs have ice catchers and percolators.
Their small size makes them portable, meaning you can carry them anywhere without hassle.
If you’re on a budget, this bong is perfect for you!
What Materials Are Bongs Made Of?
Bongs are commonly made of three primary materials: acrylic, glass, and silicone.
Acrylics are a form of plastic which makes them not that good for smoking. Some smokers prefer bongs made out of this material because they’re cheap in comparison to others.
Glass is the best material to use for making bongs. It’s durable, do not leave any taste to your strain, and they’re very easy to clean.
Silicone is more affordable than acrylic and it’s virtually indestructible. These types of bongs are softer and more malleable than plastic water bongs. However, over time, the original flavors of your chosen cannabis are lost when using silicone bongs.
Why Are Thick Bongs Better?
When choosing glass bongs, make sure to pick one that is made of thick glass.
Glass bongs can vary in size and shape, ranging from 1 mm to 9 mm in wall thickness. The main reason for choosing thick-glass bongs is durability. They’re less likely to break when dropped on a hard surface.
The standard glass thickness when making bongs are around 5mm to 7mm. However, the latter is already considered thick enough. It’s the kind of thickness that’s perfect for beginners who are still exploring different materials.
9mm glass is very thick and is the ideal option when choosing glass bongs. Bongs manufactured with 9mm glass are sturdy, heavy, and extremely durable
Thick glass can also withstand heat and is less likely to crack. Thicker is indeed better.
Aside from durability, thicker glass bongs also provide a smooth, clean hit.
Given their high durability, glass bongs are likely expensive. But the cost is proportional to the quality, and it also makes for a long-lasting investment.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for quality bongs that are highly durable and can last for a long time, choose thicker glass bongs than their thin counterparts.
It will give you a better recreational smoking experience than bongs made of other materials.