Like the title says I will be moving into my own apartment and will be looking to get a nice quality piece of scientific glass. I am looking to spend between 200-300 dollars, so something quality, but definitely not top of the line. From some research here are my options as of now: PHX: Straight tube PHX. I like PHX mainly for their honeycomb percs but they are in the 500-600 range for a single honeycomb perc so a little out of my price range. Would a straight tube PHX be worth it for right around 300? Illadelph: Straight tube Illadelph. I have hit these quite a bit, and for a non percolated bong they are quite smooth as well as being good quality thick glass. I just think that for 280 for a straight tube no perc I could get more for my money. HiSi: Triple bell perc HiSi. I have heard good and bad things about the quality of the HiSi glass, but to me they look thick and I do like the general appearance of them. I just feel like 3 bell percs is a bit overkill and may have a ton of drag, so for 270 at the top of my price range Id be taking a risk being happy with it. GravLabs: Grav labs 16" straight tube stemless bong with disc (honeycomb) perc. This is the bong I have been looking at the most because it is both quality glass from what I have heard, and it also is a great size, stemless and has a honeycomb perc. I have searched for reviews on this particular bong and havent had much luck because it is new. It is also price below 150 so I would have money to spend on an oil rig, ash catcher, carbon filter, new bowl or whatever else I feel it needs to be everything I want. These are the 4 specific brands I have been looking at and I am looking for feedback on each, or if you have any experience with any of the particular pieces I would love to hear them. I gave my reasons for possibly wanting them, so Id like to hear your experience directly with them. Also if you have experience with the brand not the particular piece I have mentioned and would like to reccomend that it would be highly appreciated. Thanks
Listen to sweendog, get a stemless. I think your right about the illadelph, you can get more for your money. My buddy has a piece like that hisi, it does have quite a bit of drag and 3 passes thru water is fun sometimes, but not all the time imo. And I would want to see a function video of a piece before I considered buying it. Since you said you can't find much info on the gravlabs, id put a hold on that one.
Get the grav labs piece. I have the exact one with my girlfriend but without the honeycomb perc. Ours is stemless 16" too with the red logo. Simple glass piece but thick glass and it would be sick with the grav labs 90 degrees phoenix ash catcher. I personally love honeycomb percs too. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Illadelph is always nice though if you're willing to spend a little more. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum mobile app
thanks for the responses guys. The grav labs is definitely my number one choice right now, im just waiting to see some videos of it, or atleast reviews. If I got the grav labs piece I would most likely get an inline perc for it instead of their ashcatcher, just a huge fan of inlines personally. And as far as stemless goes, everyone I am looking at besides the Illadelph and PHX are stemless. I will be going to two local shops this weekend that are both authorized dealers of PHX, Illadelph, HiSi, and GravLabs so I will be able to physically check them all out and get price quotes as well. Still looking for any knowledge about the HiSi or grav labs pieces though too
PHX = american boro illadelph= american boro HiSi and Grav labs = chinese I like the stone glass works waffle for 300-ish (cheaper with the sales going on). I think PHX and Illy are both overpriced if you just want a straight tube, if you're just getting a straight I'd look into SYN and HVY, mid range american boro. If you want something that looks a bit better (and this is subjective), look into pyrology. Like illadelph they are philly based and use american boro. I just like the label that pyrology uses better than HVY and SYN.
I agree with PHX and Illadelph being slightly overpriced which is why I was pulling towards the grav labs. I was under the impression that grav labs was made in Texas though. And as far as the SGW waffle percs I have looked into them and they are nice but a waffle perc is different than a honeycomb perc which is what I am ultimately looking for. If you have any suggestions for a straight tube with a single honeycomb perc I would love to hear the suggestions.
Yeah the waffle is different from honeycomb.....they actually work properly which is why you see so many recommendations for the SGW. I think Gravlabs is made in texas but they get their boro from China. So I'm guessing it'd be a step above china made from china glass. I still would prefer made in america from american (or european) borosilicate. China has a poor track record for quality control. My issue with honey combs is that so few of the grids are really firing and they fire so unevenly. I had a mobius matrix disc which is basically a honey comb type perc, I hated it, and this was a mobius. The waffle perc has a lot of restriction before the perc forcing the entire airstream through it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TzycW9GAZs watch the perc, notice the airstream is just at the outer edges and how few of the holes are actually functioning. versus this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2kU6UOJFM4 If you still have your heart set on the honeycomb cause you like the look, then get it, but nobody can tell me that vid 2 isn't a better functioning tube.
I believe they are american made from american boro, other than that, I see them in my lhs but I've never used one. Youtube function vids are your friend when you can't water test the piece. I always try to find vids without music so I can hear the bubbling action. You can usually get a good guess as to how diffusive a piece is from the sound. Rumbles are chuggy, hissing is more airy.
I completely agree, the second video the perc can actually be used to its full potential. The look isnt really a main reason for looking for a honeycomb perc, its because of the ease of cleaning. The absolute last perc I would ever buy would be a tree perc just because of cleaning it. The SGW piece does look nice, however they do not have straight tubes in my price range. Does anyone know anything about manifest glass works? I have found them and personally they may be some of my favorite looking bongs I have found so far. Between the logo and also the fact that they take a normal straight tube and change the stemless part slightly that they look really appealing. I am looking up reviews and videos now of them, but I just wanted to confirm that they are american boro and american made.
Thanks for the help. I am looking up videos now of the manifest pieces. I definitely like the way they look and as long as they are solid pieces my mind may be made up. I did go to a local store yesterday which I havent been to in years which used to have alot more high quality scientific glass. I will be going to the other local store within the next week or so which I know carries a much larger selection of high quality name brand glass. And I will still be taking suggestions if anyone has any. I am not a fan of SYN HVY or SGW mainly for how they look, although I cant argue the SGW waffle perc appears to work great.
don't worry too much about cleaning. Simple Green or Grunge Off makes cleaning so much easier than before. I've only used grunge off but simple green is very popular and I'll probably try it when I run out of grunge off because it's cheaper. With these products you just fill your bong with it and let it sit overnight, then just rinse it out the next morning.
Ive never used simple green for anything, but I have used purple power for car related cleaning and itll clean rust off of parts, but that also scares me to an extent. I have always just used alcohol and some salt for cleaning and shake it around a bit. Is that not a preferred method for anything percolated?
Id go with the grav labs, its going to be the most affordable option while also probably being the most functional, PHX and illedelph are way overpriced when your just looking for something thats straight up functional and the tripple "bell" perc piece looks really basic an unnecessary, bell/dome percs are just as common as tree percs and are both kow to add quite a bit of drag compared to other percs out there.
not anymore, I've used alcohol and salt for 10 years, once I switched, I never looked back, way easier with these products.
That was my number one choice when I was under the impression it was US glass and US made, but now I have been told they use China glass now which is not as high quality. I have also found an Manifest Glassworks piece that I like alot more than the GravLabs. From reviews and videos it seems to have practically no drag and people have noted how smooth the hits are. alright thanks alot for the info. Definitely have to pick up a bottle when I get my piece
Illadelphs might seem overpriced but they are the nicest option out of the 4 you posted. The quality of illadelphs is much higher compared PHx and they look hella dope in person. I used to be on the fence about illadelph until i hit one, 1 fat toke to the dome and you're done. Defiantly a smooth toke but it just hits you in a way where it really catches you off guard Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum