What should I look for when buying a bong?

[rwilliams]

I am not a bong expert but I LOVE the hits I get when hitting my friend's bong, so I'm going to go to some of my local headshops and go bong shopping. I have a few questions.

*what should my budget be? I want a quality bong. I figured I'd take like $90 out of the bank.

*any physical features that will help determine how my hits will be? or determine the quality of the bong?

*does the size of the bong really matter other than cosmetically?

*is there anything else I should keep in mind?

Sorry if I sound ignorant asking these questions, I have just never owned a bong before and I want to be an informed buyer

[DurbanPoison]

I'd get a glass on glass bong. That way, there is no other material to taint the taste of your herb.

[nushaganazad]

glass on glass is very nice it gotta be thick, gotta be able to take a fall or a squeezing, depth of the downstem, and it has to have a slide, carb bongs are gay in my opinion.

[rwilliams]

ok i'll get a glass on glass bong. but do i have the right price range in mind when i take about $90 out of the bank to spend on the bong?

[Johnny]

*what should my budget be?
$90 will be fine for a first. Glass on Glass might be out of your price range.

*any physical features that will help determine how my hits will be? or determine the quality of the bong?
Thick glass will be more durable, a larger joint will give less drag, a straight tube has less water volume than a beaker or bubble style so it'll have less drag but less filtration.

*does the size of the bong really matter other than cosmetically?
Absolutely. Ask the store owner if he knows the smoke volume. The bigger the bong, the more smoke you can clear at once.

*is there anything else I should keep in mind?
Name brands are awesome, but there's nothing wrong with a locally blown CCG piece with rubber grommets. Also slider does > carb. Carbs are only good in homemade bongs.

[SupremeBeam]

90$ will probably get you a good bong. We got an 8inch glass on glass bong. with a slide and everything for 65 i think. I think anything less than 8 inches tall is a waste, cause the smoke they give off is pathetic.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by SupremeBeam

90$ will probably get you a good bong. We got an 8inch glass on glass bong. with a slide and everything for 65 i think. I think anything less than 8 inches tall is a waste, cause the smoke they give off is pathetic.

8 inch GonG? with a 3 piece slider? shit, the bowl probably ended up higer than the top of the pipe! I laugh when I see the short blue Roor's because I always think whoever tries to smoke out of it will end up without eyebrows.

[SupremeBeam]

no dude it was all good. i personally dont like a long bong, im afraid im going to snap it.

[thewild0ne]

Originally Posted by Johnny

8 inch GonG? with a 3 piece slider? shit, the bowl probably ended up higer than the top of the pipe! I laugh when I see the short blue Roor's because I always think whoever tries to smoke out of it will end up without eyebrows.

hahahahahaha. hahaha. hahahaha. seriously. baby bongs are such a waste.

[high.hippie]

what exactly is an ice catcher or ice notches used for? and what does a percolator do
?

[SwissChris001]

Originally Posted by high.hippie

what exactly is an ice catcher or ice notches used for? and what does a percolator do
?

Ice notches keep the ice from falling into the water and a percolator acts as a ash catcher and cools the smoke because it needs to travel a greater distance...

check out my bong...has ice notches and percolator
http://forum.grasscity.com/showthread.php?t=98722

[high.hippie]

i see, whats that glass tube thats curved right above the water called? i assume it keeps the water that splashes from bubbling out of the tube... also what is the joint?

[emrandel]

That would be the percolator... it's basically another chamber so the smoke is filtered through water AGAIN. I've seen bongs with up to 8 percolaters. What you were referring to is a "splash guard"... which does what you mentioned but looks a bit different.

Just to clarify a percolator is not an ash catcher... for it catches no ash. The ash catcher catches ash. Therefore the name.

[emrandel]

Oh yeah... and I'd take out a little more than $90... you could probably find one for $90 but why waste your money when you could spend a little bit extra and get a much better bong that will last you a lot longer?

Personally I'd say try to take out as much as you can. Up to $200. My larger bong I currently have is 12" and I find that to be the minimum. In fact... it's just perfect. Then make sure it has ice notches (not a lot extra and is AMAZING)... glass on glass is not that important but if you can get it, do it. Make sure the glass feels thick and most important of all... make sure you LIKE the bong. If you have a bong that rips great but you just don't like how it looks... well. That'd be too bad.

Also, if you can... get a "diffused downstem"... that means instead of one big hole at the bottom of the ''stem'' there's up to 16 tiny ones which makes for tons of little bubbles instead of a couple of big ones. This in turn produces better filtered smoke because more surface area of smoke touches the water and is purified of heavy tars.

A one foot bong... GonG... diffused and with ice notches should be just perfect to get perfectly ice cold rips. It'll feel like taking a big breath infront of the air conditioner.

[micahgee]

Check out my thread "Molino Bong...etc"

If you would like a nice Glass-on-Glass 16" bong with ashcatcher for under 70 dollars, check Molino brand bongs in GC.