The Ultimate Bong Buyer’s Guide

Far too often, buying a bong comes down to your budget rather than the specifics of what you
need. For example, plastic is cheap and perfect for a travel bong but do you really want
mildly heated plastic in use every time you take a toke? For many of us, a bong is something
that is used all day every day, and poor quality affects not only the look of your smoking
apparatus, but also the smoothness of the smoke, the purity of your cannabis, and, of course,
the flavour. That's why we're giving you the ultimate bong buyer’s guide. By the time you're
done, your next bong will be a carefully selected centrepiece. 
 

Questions to Ask Before Buying a Bong

 
Before buying yourself a new bong, first ask yourself the following questions:
 
Where are you storing it?  - Consider where you are planning to store your bong and the
space that you need. There's a big difference between a bong you pack away and a massive
glass centrepiece on your living room table.
 
What size inhale do you prefer?  - The size of your chamber and bowl determines how much
smoke you'll be amassing so factor this in before buying the biggest bong out there.
 
Which type of bong? - The first thing that you need to consider is if you plan on dabbing at
any stage in the near future. If concentrates are on the cards, then make sure that you invest in
a bong that supports a dabbing attachment. This means that your female bong stem needs to
support a male attachment supplying a dabbing nail and its housing. 
 
What base type are you considering? - Bongs with beaker and flared bases are the most
stable. A beaker base also gives more surface area of water for the smoke to bubble through,
but flared bases are far more common. Ideally, you'll be looking for a bong that has a base
with a decent circumference thick enough to allow for good filtration and great stability.
 
Are you a clean freak? - Get a bong that comes with an ash catcher so that cleaning up is
never a problem. Ash catchers trap the ash that forms before it can enter your bong and form
a layer of grime. Don't get lazy and go more than one session without cleaning, and always be
excessively careful. 
 
Quality Factors
 
The higher the grade of your glass, the smoother your smoke will be. Better glass also helps
for terpene retention, which means that you get more flavour from your marijuana as well.
Other hallmarks of quality include:
 
 Borosilicate glass
 Reinforced joints
 Thick downstem
  Diffused downstem
 Male detachable bowl
 Wide base
 Ice catcher
 
Look for a Bubbler/Percolator
 
Only the higher quality bongs will feature a bubbler. Otherwise known as a 'percolator,' this
part of the bong refers to an interior chamber that is perforated with many tiny holes. More of
the smoke ends up exposed to the water and thereby filtered thanks to the way that the smoke
is subdivided into countless minuscule bubbles instead of a few big ones. Bongs with a
bubbler give the smoothest pull and best experience possible.
 
Consider Unbreakable Silicone
 
Want an unbreakable bong? Go for one made from silicone. Commercial grade silicone
bongs look stunning and come as small as the size of your palm. There's little chance of
getting a bubbler or a dome/nail dab attachment, but if you're extra clumsy or tend to keep
breaking your bongs, then a silicone one will be best.
 
Use Plastic for Travel Only
 
A silicone bong is far healthier for you but if you're strapped for cash then get yourself a
small glass bong and a plastic bong for travel purposes. Keep them both clean and well cared
for, and each should last for years - especially if you use the plastic bong exclusively for on-
the-road emergencies or trips outdoors. It is very hard to determine the quality of plastic that
you're smoking out of which means that you're probably inhaling toxic by-products at the
same time. High Times has a fantastic piece covering just how harmful plastic bongs can
be. Rather stick to using a glass bong as often as possible. High quality glass bongs are strong
enough to sustain hard knocks without cracking, making them an option for on-the-road use
as well.