How to Choose the Perfect Bong for You
So, you have decided to buy a bong? Maybe the years of smoking joints that burn your throat have made you say enough is enough, maybe you are new to smoking entirely and you have heard that they are the way to go, or maybe you just really like bongs. Whatever your situation may be when making a purchase you should consider every option, and which is best for you. That is why we are here to provide a comprehensive list of bongs, as well as things to consider when choosing the perfect one for you.
What Bong Size Are You Looking For?
The very first thing you should think about is how big you want your bong to be, they come in a surprising number of sizes, especially for a beginner, and though you might think bigger is better (and in some cases it is), there are many cases where having a smaller bong is an advantage. We will divide them here into 3 general groups although there exist intermediate sizes between each step.
Small Bongs
These cute little vases are anywhere from the size of a 12 oz mug to tiny handheld tubes that look more like smoking pipes. They are best for people looking for the most discreet and/or portable use bong, with the added benefit of being usually cheaper and around the price of vape pens.
Medium Bongs
Probably the most common choice for beginners, medium bongs are defined as being around 10 to 15 inches tall. While you may think they would provide the best of both worlds in regard to discreetness and practical use, medium bongs are not exactly easy to carry around in your pocket. However, they are much more convenient to transport than bigger ones and have a smoother pull relative to tiny portable bongs.
Large Bongs
The big boys. These are usually bonging over 15 inches in size, up to 21 barring any crazy experimental creations. Though for a newbie these might seem like they are only for pros, their size gives them the best possible airflow and therefore the smoothest and coolest hits, that are easy on the throat. Large bongs are best reserved for home use since they are near impossible to hide and inconvenient to take with you.
The Main Bong Design Types
Now that you have decided what size is best for your plans or lifestyle, we can move on to the fun stuff. You may already know bongs come in many different shapes, but not all are purely aesthetic, many designs come with their own unique advantages and quirks. Here we will show, in no particular order, 5 of the most common designs:
Straight Tube Bongs
These are the simplest, most straightforward variant of bongs, just a simple tube with a flat base with a stem and a bowl.
Beaker base and Round base Bongs
We grouped these two together because of how similar they are, both are basically Straight Tube bongs, but with wider bases, either beaker shaped or rounded, with a flat surface. This gives them better stability which allows them to be taller.
Percolator Bongs
If you have a sensitive throat, or just want to elevate the already smooth bong experience to the next level, that is what this design is for. These bongs, as the name may imply have a percolator, which dissipates the smoke to create bubbles, making it cool faster.
Multi-Chamber Bongs
These bongs, also called recyclers, are modified straight tube, beaker, or round bongs, that have different chambers which the smoke passes through. This has the same purpose as using a percolator, in that it allows the smoke to cool more for a larger, yet smoother pull. The added benefit of Multi-Chamber Bongs is just how cool they look. Though the complex design means they are pricier.
Gravity Bongs
The most unorthodox method of smoking on this list, but one we just had to include. The Bukket Pipe is a gravity Gravity Bongs work by filling a container with water, then carefully emptying it to replace the resulting vacuum with smoke and come in 2 different variants: Bucket and Waterfall. Gravity Bongs are relatively easy to make for yourself with everyday objects, but for long-term use, we recommend buying a proper one.
Choosing a Bong’s Material
This step may seem uninteresting or boring compared to what we have discussed, but knowing what materials bongs come in to choose the best one for you is extremely important. What your bong is made of will decide how long it lasts, how easy it is to maintain, and how expensive it is. Having said that here are the 3 best materials in our opinion, there are other semi-commonly used ones like plastic and metal but these are our most recommended:
Glass Bongs
The biggest advantage of glass bongs is simply how common they are, they are the most popular material used, for good reason, and so you have a huge array of designs to choose from. Other than that, glass does not affect the smoke’s taste at all, and since it is see-through it is easy to know when to clean it. On the negative side they are obviously pretty fragile compared to silicone, and are a bit more expensive than other materials.
Silicone Bongs
An up-and-coming material in the bong world, silicone is getting to be more and more common. Unless other materials such as metal are used in the bowl, there are no effects on the smoke whatsoever, and their combination of Durability and Cheap price tag cannot be matched. However, they tend to be quite small, and since they are not as common as glass or ceramic there aren’t many accessories or designs available.
Ceramic Bongs
This is the classic material. Before glass bongs became the norm, ceramic bongs were practically the only ones available, and many old-school smokers still swear by them. They are very resistant to damage, though not as much as silicone bongs, and come in a huge amount of creative designs. They do however fall short on a few points, they are not see-through which can make cleaning a pain, and there are not many accessories out there for them like dry herb vaporizers have.
Overall Recommendations
If you read through this whole article and still cannot decide or are not sure what is best for you, worry not! Here is what we would respond to these common concerns with:
- If you are looking for a small, portable bong that is easy on the wallet, our recommendation would be to get a small or medium silicone bong, straight tubed, or beaker based.
- If, the last bong you bought was too weak and you want more power, we would recommend a large, multi-chambered bong, and since you probably will not be moving it all too much, glass is the best option, giving the additional benefit of being able to add a huge amount of accessories.
- Everyone is different, but in general, for newbies, we like to recommend a simple, beaker-based medium-sized glass bong. If you have the extra cash to spend however a percolator might be in your best interest.
Final Bong Thoughts
There is a surprising amount of diversity when it comes to bongs, and choosing the right bong can often be overwhelming especially if you are new to smoking. Whether you are shopping for your first ever bong, filling out your collection, or just browsing for curiosity’s sake, we hope this article was of help to you.