Choosing a bong
I was told not to choose a bong, but let a bong choose me. Go to your local shop, have a look around, and if something catches your eye, ask to see it. Always refer to bongs as "water pipes"! While your headshop may be more lax in this, it's generally a bad idea to say "bong", or use any other weed lingo in a store.
There are different ways to judge a bong's quality once you find one you might be interested in. Thicker glass means a bong will be heavier, more durable, and less likely to break. No glass, however, is unbreakable. Inspect all joints and look for defects in the glass. A small hairline crack can mean big trouble down the line, so make sure to look closely at problem areas like places where the glass turns or changes shapes. DO YOUR RESEARCH! Check out online stores like grasscity and pick out a few features you like. Go into the store with some idea of what you want, and what price you expect to pay. At some shops, you can haggle a bit on price to get a better deal, or the clerk will throw in a few free items like screens, or if your lucky, a small handpipe or bowl. Don't expect this unless you're a regular, however.
There's some debate about the major "brand name" bongs like RooR, Illadelph, etc. These bongs carry a higher price tag, and are usually more complex and intricate than generic bongs. I've personally had 0 experience with brand name bongs, but I've never had problems with generic bongs either. Ultimately, it comes down to two things: the amount of money you care to spend, and the amount of time and care you plan to devote to your glass. I find it hard to justify spending the big bucks on a brand name bong, as I don't have the time or resources to display, care for, clean, and admire such an investment. However, if you have your own place, or a safe place to store your glass, think you'll be able to maintain and take care of it, and trust EVERYONE you'll possibly be sharing it
with, I would suggest going for a big name.
The parts of a bong
While bongs can be configured in may different ways, there are a few key parts a bong must have.
Tube: This is the main body of the bong.
Base: This can either be an extension of the tube, or a bulbous chamber where water will sit and smoke will form.
Stem hole: This is a joint in the base of the bong for the downstem. This is said to be glass-on-glass or GonG when it is designed for another peice of glass to fit it. Otherwise, a rubber grommet or seal of some sort joins the downstem and the stem hole.
Downstem: This attaches to the bong at the stem hole, and extends into the base. It will be submerged when the bong is filled with water.
Bowl: The bowl attaches to the downstem, and can be small or large. Weed goes in the bowl. This can be stationary, or what is referred to as a slider. A slider is a bowl that is pulled out before clearing the bong of smoke.
Other parts: not applicable to every bong, and each works in a different way.
Carb or shotgun hole: This is a hole on the tube of the bong, and acts in place of a slider. It is covered during inhalation, then released during clearing to allow air to enter the bong and the smoker's lungs. This is used in place of a slider, and most people say it makes it harder to clear the chamber of smoke. It's up to personal preference.
Ashcatcher: This attaches to the downstem, and acts as a primary filtration and debris catcher. If material pulls through the bowl, it will ideally stay in the ashcatcher instead of entering the bong's downstem and dirtying the water. This may make it harder to pull your bong, however, as the smoke is being transferred through two bodies of water.
Icecatcher or ice notches: These are pinches in the bong tube. They allow you to add ice or snow to the tube to cool the smoke.
Diffuser: This refers to a specific type of downstem that has several small holes or slits in it, rather than one large hole at the end. It is designed to further cool and expand the smoke. Can add drag, but make the smoke smoother and sometimes thicker.
Percolators: Often referred to as "percs". These are found in the tube part of a bong, and further cool and expand smoke. They can add drag, making it more difficult to clear the bong, but often make the smoke smoother. There are two common types- dome percolators, and tree percolators. Tree percolators have arms, dome percs resemble a disk. Bongs can have one or more of these.
I was told not to choose a bong, but let a bong choose me. Go to your local shop, have a look around, and if something catches your eye, ask to see it. Always refer to bongs as "water pipes"! While your headshop may be more lax in this, it's generally a bad idea to say "bong", or use any other weed lingo in a store.
There are different ways to judge a bong's quality once you find one you might be interested in. Thicker glass means a bong will be heavier, more durable, and less likely to break. No glass, however, is unbreakable. Inspect all joints and look for defects in the glass. A small hairline crack can mean big trouble down the line, so make sure to look closely at problem areas like places where the glass turns or changes shapes. DO YOUR RESEARCH! Check out online stores like grasscity and pick out a few features you like. Go into the store with some idea of what you want, and what price you expect to pay. At some shops, you can haggle a bit on price to get a better deal, or the clerk will throw in a few free items like screens, or if your lucky, a small handpipe or bowl. Don't expect this unless you're a regular, however.
There's some debate about the major "brand name" bongs like RooR, Illadelph, etc. These bongs carry a higher price tag, and are usually more complex and intricate than generic bongs. I've personally had 0 experience with brand name bongs, but I've never had problems with generic bongs either. Ultimately, it comes down to two things: the amount of money you care to spend, and the amount of time and care you plan to devote to your glass. I find it hard to justify spending the big bucks on a brand name bong, as I don't have the time or resources to display, care for, clean, and admire such an investment. However, if you have your own place, or a safe place to store your glass, think you'll be able to maintain and take care of it, and trust EVERYONE you'll possibly be sharing it
with, I would suggest going for a big name.
The parts of a bong
While bongs can be configured in may different ways, there are a few key parts a bong must have.
Tube: This is the main body of the bong.
Base: This can either be an extension of the tube, or a bulbous chamber where water will sit and smoke will form.
Stem hole: This is a joint in the base of the bong for the downstem. This is said to be glass-on-glass or GonG when it is designed for another peice of glass to fit it. Otherwise, a rubber grommet or seal of some sort joins the downstem and the stem hole.
Downstem: This attaches to the bong at the stem hole, and extends into the base. It will be submerged when the bong is filled with water.
Bowl: The bowl attaches to the downstem, and can be small or large. Weed goes in the bowl. This can be stationary, or what is referred to as a slider. A slider is a bowl that is pulled out before clearing the bong of smoke.
Other parts: not applicable to every bong, and each works in a different way.
Carb or shotgun hole: This is a hole on the tube of the bong, and acts in place of a slider. It is covered during inhalation, then released during clearing to allow air to enter the bong and the smoker's lungs. This is used in place of a slider, and most people say it makes it harder to clear the chamber of smoke. It's up to personal preference.
Ashcatcher: This attaches to the downstem, and acts as a primary filtration and debris catcher. If material pulls through the bowl, it will ideally stay in the ashcatcher instead of entering the bong's downstem and dirtying the water. This may make it harder to pull your bong, however, as the smoke is being transferred through two bodies of water.
Icecatcher or ice notches: These are pinches in the bong tube. They allow you to add ice or snow to the tube to cool the smoke.
Diffuser: This refers to a specific type of downstem that has several small holes or slits in it, rather than one large hole at the end. It is designed to further cool and expand the smoke. Can add drag, but make the smoke smoother and sometimes thicker.
Percolators: Often referred to as "percs". These are found in the tube part of a bong, and further cool and expand smoke. They can add drag, making it more difficult to clear the bong, but often make the smoke smoother. There are two common types- dome percolators, and tree percolators. Tree percolators have arms, dome percs resemble a disk. Bongs can have one or more of these.
