The Ultimate Guide To Silicone Bongs

The Ultimate Guide to Silicone Bongs

With silicone bongs rapidly gaining popularity over the last few years, you may be wondering what all the chit-chat is about.

Silicone bongs aren't too different from your typical glass bong other than the fact that they’re made from silicone and generally feature a more straightforward design consisting of just a few basic parts like the bowl, stem, and body. 

If you have considered purchasing a silicone bong but you’re not sure if this type of bong is right for you, this guide will fill you in on everything you need to know before purchasing a silicone water bong. 

What is a Silicone Bong? 

Let’s start by explaining what silicone is and why it has quickly become popular in bongs all over the market. Silicone is a synthesized polymer and is created by combining silicon, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. Silicone plastic is similar to the texture of rubber, which allows it to bend and fold for transportation, plus it is indestructible. 

Silicone bongs and a silicone dab rig are a cheaper and more durable alternative to the traditional glass bong setup that we are all familiar with.

You may be wondering, is a silicone water bong safe to draw from then?

These silicone bongs are crafted using heat-resistant, high-quality silicone that is able to withstand extreme temperatures up to 600 ºF without releasing toxic chemicals or damaging the piece in any way.

Benefits of a Silicone Bong

Price

A silicone bong or a portable silicone dab rig is usually priced a bit higher than acrylic bongs, but lower than high-quality glass bongs. Typically when choosing a cheaper bong, you sacrifice durability for the low price, but with Silicone bongs, you are given the best of both worlds. While cheaper glass bongs have thinner walls and are far less durable, even super cheap silicone bongs will never break on you.

Durability

The main reason that people purchase silicone water bongs is the durability that they offer. A silicone bong can be thrown right at any hard surface and still won’t break, though you may dent the wall. This silicone is also heat resistant and won't contort or lose its shape at any degree below 600 ºF.

Travel friendly

Another big reason silicone bongs or a rubber dab rig is so sought after is how easy they are to take wherever you go. Some even have the ability to be folded up so that it can fit in any bag or be stored away when mom comes over.

There is absolutely no type of bong that is better for transportation than a silicone bong. Other bongs like glass or ceramic can shatter instantly if you make one wrong move while on the go.

Disadvantages of Silicone Bong

Like any other type of bong, silicone bongs come with their fair share of disadvantages. Some people have expressed that the taste of smoke from silicone bongs is not as pure as that of a glass bong, some even saying that drawing from a silicone bong is unhealthy.

While an unpleasant taste at times from this material is totally normal, the silicone will not pose a risk to your health in any way. 

As durable as silicone bongs are, they will simply just never look as classy or stunning as a glass bong does, nor can you see the inside to check if it needs cleaning.

This is why silicone water bongs typically have a more straightforward design without a percolator, which brings us to our final disadvantage of using silicone bongs, no percolator.

Without a percolator equipped on your bong, the smoke won’t be as efficiently diffused through the water, resulting in hits that are a little harder on the throat. 

Silicone Bongs Compared to Other Bongs

When it comes to durability, the silicone bong will always be the winner since it is practically indestructible. Bongs like glass or ceramic can crack or shatter if they fall out of your hands or get bumped on anything, and acrylic is nowhere near as durable as silicone.

As for taste, silicone will never affect the taste of your draws as much as acrylic can, the smoke just won’t taste as pure as it would from a glass piece.

Finally, silicone is going to be the easiest type of bong that you will ever clean, the simple build and anti-stick silicone allows you to spend less time cleaning and more time taking hits.

How to Clean a Silicone Bong

It is important to remember that silicone is a kind of plastic and as with any type of plastic, it is porous. This means that this material can harbor invisible bacteria over time. You can prevent this by performing cleanings on your bong often.

Silicone bongs are one of the easiest bongs to clean since silicone is totally dishwasher safe! You can literally throw it into your dishwasher and let it run. 

Here’s how to clean your silicone bong manually, you can use a bottle brush or even a toothbrush to scrub around the insides. When it comes to choosing a bong cleaner, it is important that you choose one that is specifically formulated to be used with silicone.

A classic salt and isopropyl alcohol solution is perfectly safe as well. If your cleaner wasn't designed to be used with silicone, you run the risk of degrading the material and over time, ruining your bong. 

Takeaway

Silicone bongs have been gaining quite a bit of popularity over the last few years and it’s with good reason. Silicone bongs eliminate the possibility of your piece shattering or cracking with one wrong move during use or cleaning.

These silicone bongs allow for easier transportation and can be brought practically anywhere without stress. If you are someone with butterfingers or you’re just always enjoying sessions on the go, a silicone bong is a perfect choice for you.