If you’re buying your first bong, the number of options can feel overwhelming. Aside from all the style options, there are a staggering amount of sizes and materials to choose from.
You may not be new to bongs; instead, you may be an experienced cannabis user and you want to try something new. Each bong gives the user a different experience, so how do you know where to start?
Here are 7 things to think about before buying a bong.
1. CONSIDER BONG STYLES.
The most common bong styles include:
- Beaker bongs: classic pipes with a wide base, giving stability and the ability to hold more smoke and water to allow for bigger hits
- Recycler bongs: recycles the water and mostly used for smoking concentrates
- Straight tube bongs: a more lightweight and simple style that are great for beginners; they also allow users to switch out downstems for other parts to use the bong with other substances
2. UNDERSTAND BONG MATERIALS.
Just like styles, bongs come in a variety of materials for users. The most popular include:
- Ceramic: these bongs, while breakable if dropped, give marijuana users a neutral flavor profile and are incredible at handling fluctuating temperatures without overheating.
- Glass: most bongs are made of glass, as it’s the most versatile material. Glass bongs are durable for temperature change, versatile for add-ons, and offer some of the cleanest and purest tasting hits. However, glass can obviously break, so it’s important to be careful of where you place your bong during and in between uses.
- Plastic or Acrylic: while plastic or acrylic bongs often offer the most budget-friendly option, they don’t usually give smokers the best experience or quality.
- Silicone: growing in popularity, silicone bongs give you the best of many worlds by being durable, budget-friendly, customizable, and incredibly easy to clean.
3. DON’T FORGET ABOUT BONG SIZE.
Bong size is important to consider for a few reasons, including: the ease of portability and storage, as well as the smoking experience itself.
When a smaller bong is best
If you tend to travel often or plan to use your bong in multiple places, a smaller bong may be better suited to your lifestyle. In addition, if you live in a small space or prefer to tuck your bong out of view when it’s not being used, you may prefer a smaller option as well.
However, smaller or mini bongs tend to have less airflow and harsher hits, which can sometimes cause throat irritation.
When a larger bong is best
Alternatively, if you prefer to showcase a large, unique glass bong in your home, you might like a larger bong. In addition, the larger bong, the larger the chamber, and that means you’re able to take in much more smoke at a time.
Larger bongs tend to be more comfortable for experienced cannabis smokers, so beginners might prefer small or medium bongs (generally smaller than 14”).
4. BONG JOINT SIZES MATTER TOO.
In addition to the bong size itself, bong joints are able to be fitted with add-ons and accessories, depending on what you prefer.
It’s first important to know that each joint has a gender – either male or female. Knowing which joint you have will help ensure you purchase the proper accessory to be compatible. If you have a male joint, you’ll need to find female parts to connect and vice versa.
In general, most bong joint sizes are available in either 14mm or 18mm. Again, knowing what you have will help eliminate a lot of headaches as you search for matching parts.
That’s it for Part 1 of this series! Next, in Part II, we’ll cover the final three things you’ll need to keep in mind when choosing a bong.
If you’re in the market for a bong (or bong accessories), be sure to stop by your local Hive Medicinal shop in the Augusta, Maine area.
