Three Must-Have Bongs for Every Smoker
All smokers have their preferred devices. Many people love bongs. Dab rigs have their fair share of fans. Bubblers and chillums are popular too. Each of these types of water pipes has some variants. It is practically impossible to know your favorite unless you have tried a few water pipes, including different types of bongs.
The Scintillating World of Bongs
There are dozens of variants of the otherwise modest bong, which is one of the simplest water pipes we have at our discretion. If we choose material as the differentiating factor, then there are more than half a dozen variants of bongs. If we choose design as the basis of classification, then there are over a dozen distinct variants. It may not be feasible to try out all these types of bongs to decide a favorite. Hence, we have simplified the entire quest for you. Here are three bongs you must have in your collection.
The basic bong is made of glass. It has a simple design but there are varying features depending on a particular style you may choose. A glass bong is easily the most popular choice among smokers. There are many significant reasons for its unwavering popularity.
Glass is a transparent material. The borosilicate glass used to make classic bongs is also neutral when it comes to flavor and texture. Transparency of the material enables you to actually see the water inside the chamber, the substance you are using, and the smoke generated by the device. The neutral nature of glass ensures there is no influence or adverse effect on the quality of smoke, whether flavor or texture. Glass does not impart any taste and odor. It is also resistant to residual traces of flavor and odor. The only complaint about glass is its fragility.
Glass bong is not the most durable, so you have to handle it with care. On the flipside, glass bongs are easy to clean. A convenient wash and rinse is all you need after a session. If there is some resin buildup after two or more sessions, then you can use a gentle cleaning agent and get rid of the stains. Warm water, salt, a bit of soap or a cleaning agent can get the job done. You do not need any fancy cleaning material or complex routine. Since glass is transparent, you get to see the stains and thus, there is no need to presume the buildup of residual traces and stains.
Glass bongs come in various shapes and sizes with interesting features. You can choose among tube, beaker, round-base, and multi-chambered glass bongs. The latter offers cleaner, smoother, and cooler smoke, but they are harder to clean as there are more parts. Tubes are not so stable. Beakers and round-base bongs are steadier. Weigh the pros and cons before choosing a specific type of glass bong.
Those who are unsure of being able to handle a glass bong with care all the time can opt for acrylic variants. Plastic or acrylic doesn’t break apart if you accidentally drop your bong. Acrylic bongs come in interesting styles and shapes, some with advanced features. They tend to be portable and travel-friendly. Acrylic bongs are widely available and they are not too expensive.
The only complaint about acrylic bongs is the tendency of the material to retain residual traces of both flavors and odors. Resin buildup is faster in acrylic than in glass. You need a more frequent cleaning routine for acrylic bongs. Acrylic also takes a tad longer to be cleaned than glass.
Premium-quality and food-grade silicone is better than both acrylic and glass as a material. It does not retain flavors, odors, and resins like acrylic. It is as easy to clean as glass, if not more convenient. Silicone does not interfere with the quality of smoke, be it the volume, flavor, odor, texture, or coolness. Hits are clean and consistent.
Silicone is more durable than glass and acrylic. A silicone bong is effortlessly portable. Carrying one around, sharing it with friends, and even passing it among a large group during a party poses no risk to the material. However, the material is opaque. You cannot see through the bong. You have to look into the bong from its open end to assess the resin and residual buildup. If you fail to do this at the right time, the quality of smoke in your next session would be