The use of a water pipe to smoke tobacco or any other substance dates back to the late Ming Dynasty in China’s 16th century. So, contrary to popular belief, the bong is not an invention of cannabis enthusiasts in the late 70s.
Now, when you go online to buy a new bong, one is bound to be dumbfounded by the variations and options. This makes it hard for customers to decide the bong they want to buy. Amongst the big or the small bong or beaker-shaped bongs, the options are nearly endless.
Each of the different materials used to make bongs serve a different purpose.
So, here are some of the types of materials used to make bongs and their purpose.
- Glass bongs
Since the bongs gained popularity in the 70’s, glass bongs have been the star of the show. To date, they are the most popular types of bongs owing to a plethora of reasons.
Firstly, since it is made of glass, the bongs can be blown into any shape or design for cosmetic or functional purposes.
In addition, glass bongs are incorporated with some functional modifications like ice catchers, percolators, and much more. These modifications enhance a smoker’s experience.
Lastly, good quality glass bongs are more durable than they seem. Glass bongs are convenient, easy to use, easy to accessorize, and cost-effective.
- Silicone Bongs
A relatively newer type of bong in the market, Silicone bongs are slowly making a name for themselves in the community. These bongs are borderline unbreakable, easy to wash, and highly portable.
Silicone bongs are highly affordable when compared with glass bongs, and most of them are made of safe to use silicone. Such bongs come in a lot of colors and sizes. They are relatively small bongs since they are focused on portability. However, with their size, there is less room for percolation in silicone bongs which often leads to a burning sensation while smoking.
- Acrylic Bongs
These bongs are made of hard low quality plastic. Acrylic bongs usually cater to a segment of the market that only has to use the bong once. People who need something cheap and effective usually buy such bongs.
Since acrylic bongs are made from low-quality hard plastics, there is no assurance if they are BPAF (bisphenol A) free and safe to smoke from.
- Ceramic Bongs
Before glass bongs gained popularity, ceramic bongs were the primary choice for smokers. Ceramic bongs are less prone to heat, enhancing the smoking experience by cooling down the smoke. This enables the smokers to take big rips of their preferred substances.
However, ceramic breaks more easily than glass, so one has to be cautious when using ceramic bongs.
- Other materials
Materials such as wood and bamboo are gradually gaining popularity amongst the smoker’s community. These materials offer a unique smoking experience and are a great addition to the shelf for decoration purposes.
While there are only a few types of materials that are used in making bongs, the designs are endless. Innovations in the smoking accessories have led to the production of complex bongs such as bubblers, and multi-chamber bongs that improve the smoking experience significantly.