Types of Bongs - The Ultimate Guide

From Asia to Europe to the USA bongs have made a massive impact across the global landscape. Many people associate bongs with some of the most memorable experiences they’ve had whilst growing up. 

From young teenagers sampling out some of natures finest herbs to college kids having a few drags bongs have become synonymous with growing up and spreading your wings across the globe.

In many cases, bongs are actually considered fine pieces of art that would not look out of place in some esteemed art museum.

Other bongs are simply designed to get the job done and deliver to users some of the most delicious, succulent, and awe-inspiring hits imaginable.

What this blog will attempt to do is give people a varied understanding in regards to how bongs work, the best ways to use them, and how best to ensure that your hits are safe.

Check out the beginner's guide to buying a bong you love

What are Bongs?

Essentially, a bong is a water filtration device that acts to make your herbs into the best hit possible.

What happens is that your herbs are filtered through a water system that will be built into the pipe and this system will act to ensure that toxins are removed to give you the best buzz possible.

Bongs have the capacity to remove many of the nasty carcinogens that can be associated with smoking and will if used properly deliver to you an outstanding hit that will be etched into the annals of stoner history.

Parts Of The Bong

Without a doubt, bongs are available in a vast array of shapes and sizes, but in spite of this, the majority of bongs will have a number of characteristics that will be common to them all.

Check out the ultimate guide to clean your bong

• Water Chamber- The bottom of bongs usually will have a large chamber that will hold water. The water in this area acts to filter your smoke and cool the smoke down until it hits the perfect consistency. If you use a good bong that has a top filtration system you can be assured that the smoke that you’ll receive will be far smoother and far more tasty than any joint could ever hope to aspire to.
• TIP- If you use a good bong that has a top filtration system you can be assured that the smoke that you receive will be far smoother and tastier than anything else.
• Tube- Bongs will also have a large tube in them where the smoke will pass through the water chamber and flow upwards into a long tube and then directly into your mouth as soon as you inhale from the mouthpiece.
• In many cases the tubes are straight but in more intricate bongs there may be a whole host of elaborate chambers for your materials to travel into. I’ve found that these bongs give quite the buzz.
• Downstem- The stem usually sticks out from a small hole which will be found in the tube.
• The bottom end of the stem sits on the top of the water chamber and the top is that once you inhale air is drawn into the water which will create the well renowned bubbles that we associate with bongs.
• Carb Hole- A Carb hole is a small hole on some bongs that you cover and then release to allow fresh air to enter the bong when breathing in.
• If you’re using a slider downstem you will pull out the stem when taking the hit.
• The bowl- at the bottom can vary in size depending on what the specific users preferences are.

Types of Bongs

1. Percolator Bongs

• The percolator bong is one of the most renowned bongs in the world. This particular bong has a suspended glass filter which disperses all of the bubbles inside on an even basis.
• A Percolator Bong creates smaller bubbles that are extremely efficient at filtering toxins and carcinogens out of the smoke that is being inhaled.
  These bongs create incredibly smooth hits as the extra holes and slits result in enhanced diffusion.
• In certain bongs, there may be additional perc chambers that provide extra benefits but at the same time will result in greater resistance.

Types of Percolators

• A diffuser which sits into a downstem.
• The Tree which uses downward facing arms which increase flow between the arms. With the tree, the drag usually decreases when there are more arms.
• The Spiral Perc is a bong that coils via a water chamber into a tube. The smoke is diffused through an arm on the bottom which will have multiple holes inside of it.
• The Spiral Perc provides a double helix system that filters your herbs to a perfect consistency.
• Disk-shaped which draws the smoke into the bottom of a water chamber which then proceeds to pull the smoke upwards through an array of holes.

These bongs usually come equipped with a shower-head in which there are multiple holes inside.

Check out types of percolator bongs and which one is best for you

2. Bubbler Bongs

The bubbler bong is one of the devices that stoners seem to be continually raving about.

The lightweight version is very portable and features a down drop down water chamber that acts as a filtration system and smoke cooler.

This glass piece delivers a very smooth and light drag that live long in the memory. A long neck finished up with a small whole which acts as the mouthpiece.

One of the slight negatives with bubblers is that they can be difficult to clean, but I wouldn't let this put you off as these bongs can deliver some really out of this world highs.

Check out why you should use a bubblers for smoking herbs?

3. A mini bong

Mini bongs are extremely popular because they’re small and easy to operate. An added benefit of these devices is that they offer stoner's some tremendous value for money, and in my opinion, pound per pound, these bongs are some of the best out there.

Mini bongs rely on a carb system which acts to filter your plants to the perfect consistency.

The only negatives associated with these bongs is that there is a greater chance of inhaling water and also because the units are so small the thinner glass has a tendency to break a little easy.

Additionally, a smaller device like this can be quite a chore when trying to clean them. But if you can overlook some of these small issues I feel that mini bongs can provide stoners with the ultimate high.

4. The Scientific Bong

This bong is one of the sleekest that any stoner can get their hands on. The bong itself is made from elite borosilicate glass which is extremely strong and ultra heat resistant.

The look that these bongs give is a very sporting one with very simple and easy tubes with small beaker bottoms. These units usually come supplied with ash catchers and very fancy percolators.

One of the things that these bongs are world renowned for is smooth drag and extra milky flavour that the bongs produce.

An added bonus of purchasing one of these bongs is that they’re also available in vapour versions for when you want to try some concentrates.

5. Home-made Bongs

If you’re strapped for cash or even if you’re just feeling a little bit creative you could try and make your own home-made bong.

The majority of these home-made bongs are constructed from plastic or glass bottles but if you’re feeling really creative you could try and use fruits and veg such as apples and coconuts.

An added bonus when using fruits and veg is that these items will add an extra touch of flavour to the draw that you’ll be taking.

For example, the gravity bong is a plastic jug with holes in it that are then submerged inside water.

When you’re igniting your herbs the stoner will raise the jug and then will let gravity get rid of the water with the smoke.

Once you have the water drained you’ll push the jug back into its place which will then propel smoke out through the mouthpiece.

A similar device to this is the waterfall bong which lets water drain from holes that are inserted into the bottom.

6. Dabbing Bongs or Rigs

Instead of bowls with dabbing the downstem is a dab rig which has a heating element that acts to vaporize the concentrates that you have inserted into the device.

The nail can be made of numerous materials such as glass, quartz, or even titanium. The dome that the unit comes equipped with catches the vapor splashes that are produced.

Usually, the dome can come on many different designs such as a plain design or a very intricate art piece.

The recycler rig filters the smoke through the water a number of times and this ensures that your herbs are purified to the perfect consistency.

Your piece will also come supplied with a tube that allows smoke and water to travel together.

From my experience, these bongs produce a truly marvellous stoner experience with the hits being cool, flavourful, and utterly delicious.

Check out can you use a bong without water?

Highlights

Bongs have the ability to deliver to stoner's some of the best highs anywhere on the planet.

One of the reasons why many stoners swear by bongs is that the bongs have the ability to intensify any herbal experience and this due to the extra condensed smoke.

Do bongs also have the ability to filter out many of the toxins that can be associated with combusting plant materials And at the end of the day who doesn't want to experience the best and purest smoke possible?

Of course with anything, there’s always a number of negatives and this fact isn't any less valid even for creation as sublime as the bong.

One of the negatives associated with bongs is that sometimes they have a propensity to become stale as smoke congregates inside the tubes.

Stale smoke can be infinitely more harsh on the lungs and such an occurrence should always be averted if possible.

Another slight negative is that due to the designs of many bongs they sometimes can have a propensity to tip over and this can result in foul smelling water and materials scattering all over the place.

Bongs also can be easy to break in particular if you’re at a party and there is loads of drunk people staggering all over the place.

I would recommend that as soon as you’re finished using your bong you should store it away in safe and secure place where no harm will come to the device.

There really is nothing worse than having a bong and then some drunken idiot comes along and smashes it into a million pieces on the floor.

Another negative is because of the design that bongs will usually require quite a bit of cleaning so you should be prepared to get your cleaning kit out on a regular basis.

Conclusion

I believe that bongs are the supreme way for stoners to get that much sought after high.

Not only do bongs offer tremendous value for money bongs offer stoners the ultimate high that will take you onto a different plateau.

Of course like anything there are a number of drawbacks such as cleaning but you shouldn't let small little things like that put you off.

At the end of the day, everything needs a little clean time and time again and bongs are no different.

So the big question is, should you invest in a bong? And the answer to this is a most definite yes!

Bongs have the ability to give you some of the best herbal moments imaginable and if you’re a true herbal lover you should get your hands on a bong, you won't be disappointed!