A Stepwise Guide To Use a Bong

Using a bong can be a cakewalk once you are familiar with the technique. However, beginners may find the process a tad unnerving. Filling up a bong with some water or packing its bowl is not daunting, but you need to use the key ingredients in an optimum quantity. 

Also, handling a bong as you light the herb and draw the smoke through the mouthpiece calls for a bit of skill. But do not let these nuances overwhelm you because this stepwise guide will solve all the little mysteries of smoking a bong perfectly. So, let’s get started. 

1. Fill Your Bong With Water

The first step is to fill your bong with some potable water. But before that, ensure your bong is clean, especially the mouth piece and the water chamber. You do not want to draw in dust and other debris when you take a puff and inhale the flavorful smoke from your herbs. 

Bongs have different sizes and shapes. Also, the stems are not identical for all designs. You may have a small, medium, or large bong. The stem may be fixed or removable. Some bongs have no stem. Instead, the bowl has a slider that you can remove as and when necessary.

Irrespective of all these varieties, you have to fill the bong with some water. The thumb rule is filling up to an inch over the down stem. The down stem tip should be completely submerged in water. However, make sure you do not get any water into your mouth or lips when you draw. 

2. Adjust the Water Level

Check the level after you pour some water into the bong through the mouthpiece. Adjust the water level so that it is an inch or so above the down stem. Now, conduct a practical test before loading the bowl.

Hold your water-loaded bong upright or slightly tilted, depending on how you will smoke it later. Draw some air through the bong and see if the water level rises too much. You should not have any water reaching your lips when you draw through the mouthpiece. 

At the same time, the down stem must remain submerged even if you tilt the bong a little. The smoke from your herbs should not find a direct way to the mouthpiece, which may happen if the water level shifts, leaving a gap at the tip of the down stem.

If your bong has a percolator, the water level should just about cover it.   

3. Grind Your Preferred Herb

Use a grinder to get fine and even pieces of your herb. The finer pieces burn well, and you will get clean, strong, and flavorful smoke. Else, chunky bits of your herb may not burn uniformly. Also, you will struggle to pack the bowl properly. And the session may be short of awesome. 

4. Pack the Bowl With Herb

Always pack a little herb when you get started with a bong. You will combust the herb, so there is no need to overload the bowl. Also, overloading can lead to a harsh and sometimes choky smoke. Besides, you do not want to clog the bowl or down stem.

Try to spread the ground herb uniformly in the bowl. Do not press the herb as that will make the packing compact, which can restrict the airflow. You need sufficient air to pass through the bowl, so that it can extract all the flavors from the herb and build up to voluminous smoke in the bong.

5. Light the Herb in the Bowl

There are two popular ways to light a bong. You can use a cigarette lighter. Or, you can get a hemp wick. Either way, you need to practice handling the bong while lighting and smoking. 

Here are the steps to light the herb in the bowl:

1. Hold your bong gently and firmly in one hand.
2. Use the free hand to hold the lighter or hemp wick.
3. Place your mouth on the mouthpiece to cover it.
4. Light the herb as you draw through the bong.
5. Allow sufficient smoke to fill up your bong. 
6. Take the bowl off the bong and inhale the smoke. 

6. Smoke As You Take the Bowl Off

Some air will gush into the bong as you take the bowl off the down stem or by its slider. This airflow pushes the smoke out through the mouthpiece. Thus, you do not need to put in a lot of effort to take a puff or draw the smoke and inhale. 

Lighting the herb, drawing an initial puff, taking the bowl off, and finally inhaling the built-up smoke is a sequential process. This entire process takes only a few moments. So, you need a little bit of practice to develop a rhythm of holding the bong, lighting the herb, and smoking. 

7. Repeat, Replenish, Rejoice

You may need to light the herb in your bowl more than once to burn and smoke all of it. Repeat the process till you finish the herb in the bowl. Pack the bowl again, if you want. Keep an eye on the water level and how clean it is. Replenish the water as and when needed.

If you're looking to purchase water pipes and bongs online, check out our online store for the latest products.