Bong Vocabulary
A bong is a type of pipe that uses water to filter tobacco, herbs, or other material. It consists of a bowl, a downstem, and a water chamber. The water in the chamber helps to cool the smoke and filter out unwanted plant matter and resin providing a smoother more enjoyable smoking experience.
Types of Bongs
Acrylic Bongs
Acrylic bongs are a type of plastic bong that are lightweight and affordable. They are a budget friendly alternative to high quality glass bongs and since they are made of plastic, they are less likely to break when dropped. These bongs are much more difficult to clean than glass pipes and do not provide the same quality of smoking experience.
Ceramic Bongs
Ceramic bongs are a bong made from pottery and can be beautifully crafted and come in a variety of styles. The drawback of ceramic bongs is the lack of scientific percolator and transparency. Many smokers like to see how clean their bong is and watch it function.
Bamboo Bongs
Bamboo bongs are made from bamboo and provide a sustainable alternative to acryclic bongs. They are typically handmade and tend to be very beautiful. They are also more difficult to clean and lack the transparency glass bongs do.
Silicone Bongs
Silicone is a rubber like material that is very durable and unlikely to break if dropped. This material is used in household goods like cookware and baking mats. Silicone bongs are easy to clean and can be molded into a wide variety of shapes and colors. They do not provided the same level of transparency as glass bongs and have to feature a glass downstem often to increase the function to anything but a simple diffuser.
Glass Bongs
Glass bongs are made by lampworking borosilicate glass. They are popular for a few reasons: transparency, easy cleaning, scientific function, artistic design.
Borosilicate is the perfect medium for crafting high end glass bongs. It is used for scientific glass blowing and therefore glassblowers can create top shelf filtration systems (percolators) that provide an unmatched smoking experience. In addition the wide range of artistic and scientific designs allows smokers endless options when it comes to buying a new bong.
Types of Glass Bongs
Beaker Bongs
Beaker bongs are similar to straight tube bongs in that they feature one main chamber for filtration. The difference is the style of the base. Beaker bongs have a wider, flask like base that make them hold more water and provide more stability. Beaker bongs can contain multiple percolators although they tend to be single percolator bongs with a removable downstem.
Straight-Tube Bongs
Straight-tube bongs are the classics. They have a simple design with a tube connected to a flared base and features a fixed or removable downtime. The function of the straight tube really depends on the style of percolators and the overall size of the bong.
Bongs with Multiple Percolators
Bongs with multiple percolators contain more than one percolator, which are small additional water chambers that help to further filter and cool the smoke. These bongs can produce especially smooth and cool hits, but may be more complex and require more maintenance due to the additional percolators.
Multiple percolator bongs are when any design features more than one percolator with the intent to add additional filtration to your pipe. These pipes can produce especially smooth and cool hits but may be more complex and require a more complicated cleaning process due to how the second percolator affects the flow of water when rinsing your piece.
Recycler Bongs
Recycler bongs are a style of bong that circulate the water through multiple chambers allowing the smoke to be filtered multiple times over before it is inhaled. This can result in particularly smooth dab rips. These bongs need to be kept clean to make sure they work properly.
Parts of a Bong
Bowl
The bowl is the part of the bong where the herb or tobacco is being placed. It is placed at the open end of the downstem or ground joint and should fit in perfectly.
Stem
The stem is what connects fresh air and your bowl to the percolator. This extends from within the water chamber to the ground joint of the pipe. The downstem can feature added filtration or just be a place to connect the bowl.
Water Chamber
The main chamber of the bong is where the smoke is cooled and filtered as it passes through the water. Unless it is a multiple percolator piece the water will sit at the base of the bong. This base can be shaped as straight tube, beaker, and many other styles of bong.
Mouthpiece
The mouthpiece is the part of the bong through which the smoke is inhaled. It is typically located at the top of the water chamber and may be shaped like a tube, a disk, or a sphere, depending on the design of the bong.
The mouthpiece is where smoke is inhaled from the bong. It is located at the top of the main chamber and is designed based on the style of bong. It is typically reinforced to provide a mouthpiece that won't accidentally chip with usage.
Ashcatcher
An ash catcher is an accessory for a water pipe that is simple in design but so efficient in execution. It is a small separate chamber that is attached to the downstem in place of your bowl. Your bowl then goes into the ash catcher. It can provide additional percolation or simply help to catch ash from your bowl before it passes into the main water chamber.
Bong Terminology
Hit
A hit is a single inhalation of smoke from a bong.
Bong Rip
A bong rip is a full inhalation of smoke from a bong, often taken in one deep breath.
Taking a bong rip is fairly simple:
- Fill the bong with water. The water should be high enough to cover the downstem, but not so high that it touches the bowl.
- Pack the bowl with your desired substance. Make sure the substance is evenly packed, but not too tightly, in order to allow for proper airflow.
- Place your lips on the mouthpiece and form a tight seal.
- Light the substance in the bowl with a lighter or hemp wick.
- Inhale steadily, pulling the smoke into your lungs.
- Remove your bowl from the downstem and continue inhaling until the chamber is empty.
- Exhale and enjoy the effects of the bong rip.
Remember to breath slowly and steadily when taking a bong rip. There is no rush! Smooth calm breaths will help ensure you get a full hit of smoke without overwhelming your lungs. It is also important to keep a clean bong to ensure you get the best hit possible.
Pack a Bowl
To pack a bowl means to pack the substance being smoked into the bowl of a bong. It is important to pack the bowl properly in order to ensure an even burn and a smooth hit.
Packing a bowl is a simple process:
- Grind your legal herb or tobacco into a fine, even consistency using a grinder, scissors or any other method.
- Hold the bowl in your hand and gently sprinkle the ground herb into the bowl, being careful not to spill gently tap it down to pack it into place.
- Continue adding the flower until the bowl is fully packed. Be careful not to pack the bowl too tightly, as this can restrict airflow and make it difficult to hit the bong.
- Your bowl is now packed and ready to be smoked.
Tips for Packing a Bowl
- Be sure to grind your plant into an even consistency in order to ensure an even burn and a smooth hit.
- Gently tap down the flower or tobacco to pack a bowl and ensure your flower stays in place.
- Avoid packing the bowl too tightly, as this can restrict airflow and make it difficult to pull smoke through the bong.
Carb
A carb is a small hole located on the side of hand pipes and on some bongs. It is used to help control the airflow similar to a bowl and a downstem. To use a carb, cover it with your finger while you inhale to "milk" the piece before releasing your finger allowing the smoke in the piece to be replaced with fresh air as you inhale the smoke.
Choke
A choke is another term for a carb.
Chamber
The chamber is the part of the bong where the smoke is held before it is inhaled. It is typically located above the water chamber and below the mouthpiece.
Clear
To clear a bong means to inhale all of the smoke from your bong.
Clearing a bong is a simple process:
- Make sure the bong is filled with water and the bowl is packed.
- Make sure you are all set to smoke and in a comfortable location.
- Light the substance in the bowl with a lighter or hemp wick.
- Inhale slowly pulling the smoke into your lungs.
- Pull the bowl from the downstem and continue inhaling until the chamber is empty.
- Exhale and enjoy the effects of the bong rip.
Benefits of Clearing a Bong
Clearing a bong can be a great way to get clean potent hits. By having a clean waterpipe and a freshly packed bowl, there are no contaminants to your set up. No paper, no resin, no dirty bong water. If you can learn to clear a bong, you can medicate quickly, cleanly and effectively.
Ghost
To ghost a hit means to hold in your hit until no smoke comes out. There is no need for this as your lungs absorb the active chemicals from smoke quickly.
Pass
To pass a bong means to hand it to the next person in a group of people who are taking turns smoking.
Bong Etiquette
Rotation
In a group setting, it is generally considered polite to follow a rotation when smoking from a bong, with each person taking a hit in turn. It is stoner custom to pass the bong to the left. No one is sure why.
Cleanliness
To have a nice time using glass, it is important to keep a bong clean. This means changing the water, cleaning the bowl and downstem. And cleaning the whole piece with isopropyl alcohol from time to time.
Respect
It is important to respect the bong and the smoking experience, as well as the other people involved. This includes being mindful of the amount being smoked, not pressuring others to smoke more than they are comfortable with, and being considerate of others' needs and boundaries.
It is important to respect someone's bong when you are smoking with them. It could have cost them a lot or they could have sentimental reasons for wanting to keep the bong safe. Be mindful of who you smoke with, how much you smoke and don't pressure others to smoke more than they choose to.
If you think we are missing some bong vocabulary, comment below! We will be sure to add it in.
Benefits of Bong Rips
Bong rips are a great way to consume cannabis and tobacco because they can provide smooth, flavorful, potent hits. The water in bongs helps cool and filter out excess plant matter and resin making smoking easier on the throat and lungs. Bong rips can be a time save and be provide an efficient way to medicate cleanly.
