Let’s get real – there are so many quality bongs on the market today, it’s difficult for even the most veteran of buyers and consumers to choose. For beginners, finding the best type of bong to fit their own personal style can be even more complex.
From different bong sizes to materials, we’re here to answer all the top questions on buying a bong for beginners. Keep reading for the ultimate bong buying guide, tips, tricks, and basics you should know.
Bong Buying Guide – Top 3 Tips
Don’t make the mistake of buying a bong just because it looks cool. Even though the design may be dope, it could be the wrong fit for your personal habits or routine. Rather than wasting your money, check out our top four tips to consider when buying a bong for the first time.
- Choose The Best Type of Bong with the Right Size
Like goldilocks and the three bears – you’ve got to find a bong size that’s “just right” for you first. For the most part, basic bongs come in three different sizes – small (or mini), medium, and large. Without being able to try the bong sizes yourself, it’s important to know the traits, benefits, and drawbacks of each.
So, let’s break these sizes down to help you decide which works best for you.
- Small or mini bongs – Small, or mini bongs are less than 10” and are compact and lightweight for travel or discrete use; however, with less space for air filtration and flow, hits from small bongs will be harsher. These pieces are overall easier to clean and store.
- Medium bongs – Medium bongs deliver the best of both worlds. They’re small enough to hide if need be, but big enough for bong rip enhancements like percolators, ice catchers, and more. Typically, medium bongs range in sizes from 10-14”.
- Large bongs – Love a good smoke show? Then large bongs at 14” or higher are for you. These bong sizes tend to have the most gadgets and percolators to swirl, bubble, and infuse smoke for an elevated experience. They’re also best for those who stick close to their home base, as they can’t go far undetected. Larger glass is harder to clean, so it’s always a good idea to maintain your big pieces after every other use.
Another thing you’ll want to keep in mind with sizes is that bowl and joint sizes will vary from piece to piece, too. Each bong will have an identifying gender for joint types, and a size (10 mm, 14 mm, etc.). If you have a female bong, you’ll need male joints and if you have a male bong, you’ll need female joints of the appropriate size.
Joints are replaceable and have varying bowl sizes to suit the amount of usage or the number of people you smoke with.
- Choose The Best Type of Bong with the Right Material
Are you someone who’s always fumbling and breaking glass bowls? Are you seeking the purest, tastiest hits possible? Are you looking for the most cost-effective starter bong? These are questions you may begin to contemplate when you begin to compare bongs and their unique materials.
In addition to the most popular types of glass bongs, there are now acrylic, silicone, and ceramic types, too. Here’s how each one differs to help you choose the best type of bong material for your lifestyle.
- Glass bongs – Tried and true, glass bongs are by far the most popular amongst beginners and veterans alike. They come in a wide variety of sizes, thicknesses, prices, shapes, and are the most versatile in use; meaning with one good glass starter bong, you can change your bowl size, toggle from flower to extracts with dabbing, add ice, filter hits,– the list goes on and on. One glaring drawback of glass bongs is that they don’t travel well and are the most breakable of the bunch.
- Acrylic bongs – Acrylic bongs tend to be the cheapest of the bunch and are incredibly durable. Another plus is acrylic bongs are usually beautifully designed and burst with vibrant colors. Out of all the material types, acrylic does the least for enhancing flavor.
- Silicone bongs – Recently, silicone has risen in popularity in use for dab rigs and starter bongs, too. Silicone is nearly impossible to break, easy to conceal, and even more convenient to travel with when need be. The material is also super simple to clean, which makes it ideal for beginners, too.
- Ceramic bongs – Ceramic bongs are highly durable and come in second behind glass bongs for delivering the best flavor. Historically, ceramic bongs have been used for over 100 years, which makes them beloved by cannabis aficionados and veterans alike. Ceramic is ideal for high temperatures, but do be cautious as it can still break like glass if dropped. It is also important to buy ceramic products that are glazed not only on the outside but on the inside as well, as glaze is liquified glass that solidifies to add a safe layer for inhalation to your piece.
- Choose The Best Type of Bong for Your Type of Use
Last but not least, your own personal use should help determine what type of starter bong you should invest in. For instance – if you’re a frequent consumer, a high-end quality glass bong should be versatile, and durable enough for a higher level of use. If you’re a frequent joint/blunt user, a smaller bong might do the trick as it acts as a bubbler for your paper.
If you travel frequently and need to take your bong on the go – a more durable material might be the best basic bong for you.
If you’re a budding bong connoisseur and don’t care how much you spend on the baddest collection – a ceramic, or show-stopping tower of a glass bong might tickle your fancy.
All in all, it’s best to find a smoke shop that sells them all. That way, you can more easily compare bongs and shop for other necessities and accessories to keep your routines on auto-pilot.
Buying a Bong – The Bottom Line
Now that you know the basics of buying a bong, you’re better equipped to choose one that suits your needs best. Of course, the cannabis industry is always evolving with the latest and greatest tools for enhancing our elevated experiences. To stay in tune with what’s new – consider an automated subscription box that’s just as fun, as it is useful.
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