Free weed in Italy?
After studying all 8 of Italy’s major cities, researchers found trace amounts of pot floating in the air. While it’s not enough to get you high, you can still smell the delicious aroma of weed.
Can you imagine what that’d be like? Being able to smell savory weed scents all day long, no matter where you go?
If you’re getting ready to create some weed smells of your own, why not use this opportunity to enhance your smoking experience? By understanding the differences between bongs vs bowls, you can finally have a smoke session that meets all of your needs.
Are bongs or bowls better, and how exactly do they work? Read on to find out!
Table of Contents
Size Difference in Bongs vs Bowls
The first major difference you’ll notice between bongs vs bowls is their size. Bowls, or pipes, are usually a size that can fit comfortably in your hand.
However, there are exceptions to the rule, with extra long steam roller type bowls, or more complex bubblers. Nevertheless, when it comes to traditional handheld pipe, or bowl, it’s going to be smaller than a bong.
Next, the way the smoke flows is another major bongs and bowls difference.
Bowl Parts and Smoke Flow
A standard bowl or pipe will have 4 parts. There’s the bowl where you put the pot, the carb, the stem, the chamber, and the mouthpiece.
When you light up the bowl the smoke fills in the chamber (right below the bowl). Once you remove your finger from the bowl’s carb, the smoke travels through the stem of the pipe and into your mouth.
Again, there are different pipe designs, that will allow the smoke to flow differently. However, traditional bowls will have the smoke flow in 1 straight line to the mouthpiece as you inhale.
Bong Parts and Smoke Flow
Similar to bowls, there’s a ton of different bong designs. However, a traditional bong design comes with 4-5 different parts. You have the mouthpiece, chamber, bowl, downstem, and possibly a carb.
After packing the bowl with pot, and lighting up, the smoke will travel through the downstem and into the chamber. As the chamber fills up with smoke, you’ll have to remove your finger from the carb to clear it.
If there isn’t a carb that’s because the bowl’s removable. Once there’s enough smoke in the chamber, you carefully pull out the bowl, and inhale.
Benefits of Using a Bowl
Are you throwing a party where you plan on smoking with a bunch of your friends? While it might be tempting to bust out a brand new bong, pipes are better for large groups.
Think about it, when’s the last time you went to a good party where something didn’t break? Instead of having to worry about policing your friends and babysitting your bong, get a thick glass pipe you can pass around without worry.
You can also look for a glass pipe that has an extra-large bowl, to make sure everyone gets a hit. Of course, smaller bowls have their advantages too! If you get a pipe with a smaller bowl, that means more green hits, and who doesn’t want that?
Tips for Using a Bowl
The main problem with bowls, or pipes, is that some people try using ones that are made out of materials other than glass. Materials like wood, or metal may look appealing, however, they’ll affect the way the pot tastes. Instead, always stick to using a well-made glass pipe.
To have the best experience, always grind up your bud before putting it in your bowl. The loose flower will be easier for air to flow through, which means the bowl will be easier to hit.
You should also make sure to pack your bowl lightly, overpacking will also disrupt the airflow. When you light up, avoid holding the flame over your bowl for too long. Overheating the pot is wasteful since you can only inhale so much at a time.
Instead try cornering the bowl, allowing the flame to gently touch down and stop. You’ll notice you have more green hits when you don’t overheat the pot, plus the bowl will last longer!
Finally, keep your bowl clean. Allowing resin to build upon your pipe will make it hard to hit, plus dirty bowls detract from the tasty weed flavors.
Bong Benefits
You can easily transform a boring Sunday afternoon into a special smoking session if you have the right bong. One of the great things about bongs is their ability to thoroughly filter the smoke before it reaches your lungs.
A lot of the best bong brands use percolators inside the chamber, allowing for even better smoke filtration. Instead of feeling hot and harsh, the smoke will be light and cool. For the best effect, try putting ice cubes in the stem of the bong. As the smoke travels up to the mouthpiece, it’ll become even cooler.
Tips for Using a Bong
Since bongs are bigger than pipes it can be easy to overdo it and take too big of a hit. If you’ve ever overdone it before, or you’ve seen someone tackle a monster hit and fail, you understand how uncomfortable the experience is. Nonstop coughing, tear-filled eyes, you might get high but it doesn’t feel good.
Luckily you can avoid coughing your brains out by monitoring your hit. Instead of filling the entire chamber with smoke, only take in as much smoke as you comfortably hand. Also, pro-tip, if you think holding in your hit gets you higher, we have some startling news. Holding in your hit doesn’t get you higher.
Instead, studies show that it only takes a few seconds to absorb 95% of THC. Holding out for 5 seconds or even 20 seconds will just make you dizzy and light-headed.
The Choice Is Yours
Now you know, when it comes to bongs vs bowls, both are great in different situations. You can get a bong to enjoy a smooth cool hit, or you can find a handheld bowl to share with friends.
Whatever smoking device you choose, we’re sure you’ll have an uplifting time. For more ways to uplift yourself, read another one of our articles.
