You can smoke your herb in wooden pipes or by rolling them as joints. Although you might like it to a certain extent, the entire experience will leave you unsatisfied because of the hot, unfiltered smoke and the messiness of the process.
For reasons like these, bongs have become a massive hit with smokers. These don’t leave a mess, have minimum preparation time, and provide cool, filtered smoke. You can also clean them without much effort, in significantly less time.
Chances are you’ve seen them at your friend’s house or smoking bars and wondered if they were any good. You should try them once if you haven’t, for you will become hooked to them within the first few puffs.
But before that, here are some helpful details regarding them, especially if it’s your first time trying them.
What is a Bong?
It is a device with an efficient filtration system and comes in various designs, colors, and sizes. Its body resembles a beaker that you often see in chemistry labs. Although some are made from plastic, you should purchase those made from glass.
Parts of a Water Pipe
It consists of a bowl piece, ash catcher, downstem, joint, splash guard, percolator, and mouthpiece. Each of these parts fulfills a valuable function. The bowl piece, for example, is where you store the herb after grinding it.
The ash catcher is a small device that prevents the ash from falling into the bowl and, eventually, your mouth. You will find some with in-built percolators that cool and purify the smoke.
The downstem connects the bowl (which holds the water at the bottom) to the chamber. It removes the air from the bong through suction, which allows you to pull the smoke while causing water bubbles in the main section. The joint keeps the downstem in place and measures between 10 and 18 inches.
Why Should You Buy one Made From Glass?
You should choose water pipes for their heat-resistant properties. In particular, those made from glass are more durable and can withstand higher temperatures. without breaking or cracking.
As a result, companies use this type of glass to make glass, jugs, and cookware. Further, they do not contain any toxins and are completely safe. Those made from plastic are prone to burning and/or melting, resulting in an unsatisfactory smoking experience.
Cleaning them also takes little time and requires items like Epsom salt, isopropyl alcohol, ziplock bags, rubber stoppers, bong plugs, and towels. Or, you could buy a bong-cleaning bundle consisting of a glass-cleaning gel.
What are The Different Types?
Here are the different kinds of water pipes you should know about:
Scientific
These are bigger compared to standard bongs and usually have more percolators. The presence of more than one percolator enhances the smoke quality since the device cleans and filtrates the smoke before it reaches your mouth.
Dab Rigs
Although smaller than bongs, they provide a potent hit and a stronger flavor. You can use dab rigs for smoking wax, oil, or concentrates.
To use them, you should first heat the nail or banger to a high temperature using a torch (preferably butane). Allow the rig to cool down for 10 to 15 seconds, and once they have, keep your wax on the nail, cover them with a carb cap and inhale.
Other types include dry pipes, ice bongs, etc. They also come in various sizes and shapes, thus giving you plenty of options to choose from.
