The death of the bong has been predicted for years now, with paraphernalia experts proclaiming that dry herb vapes and other alternatives would be the demise of this stalwart cannabis delivery system. But something amusing happened on the road to obsolescence: people continued to purchase bongs. You now have more options for these bespoke glass pipes than ever. So the question is less "When will the bong go out of style?" and more "How do you get better bong hits?" And it's that second question we're here to answer.
Top Techniques for Smoother Bong Rips
If your bong is not pulling its weight, it is possible that it is a series of bad technique. With that said, the staff at IC Glass have compiled the following tips that should allow you to achieve harder hits and harder buzz. Here they are in no specific order.
Practice Your Breathing
No matter what kind of bong you are using, the quality of your hits will also rely heavily on how you inhale. The secret to getting big, fat hits is taking slow, long inhales. This is particularly true with perc bongs. Don't rush it, then. Just sit back, empty your lungs as much as possible, then take a slow, long draw on the mouthpiece. And don't go downing a bunch of beers before lighting up the bong since alcohol is proven to inhibit lung function.
Chew Gum
Stoners also tend to cough right in the middle of a monster hit causing wasted pot and a sore throat. Most of the time, the reason we cough is due to the fact that smoking dries out the throat. Dry mouth + marijuana smoke = coughing fit. But it doesn't need to be. If you are consistently coughing on large hits, try chewing gum. Chewing facilitates salivation which can ward off dry mouth cough. Just be sure to not inhale the gum or have it fall into the water chamber.
Grind Your Weed a Bit Finer
In a majority of situations, a bad hit can be traced directly back to the quality of the grind. If you're trying to break up the buds with your fingers then you're probably not getting the draw that you need. A simple one of the easiest things that you can do to enhance your bong hit is use a grinder and get your flower ground up into small pieces that will burn efficiently and effectively. If you don't have a grinder, go check out IC Glass and pick one up. They're inexpensive, simple to operate and they'll enhance the quality of your session.
Cool Things Down
Another reason that people cough when they smoke a bong is because the hit is too hot for their throat. Even if the smoke is traveling through the chamber it's still too hot. Luckily, there are methods of making the hit cooler. One is to add a perc to your bong. One is to purchase an ice catcher bong or include an ice catcher in your current bong. There is some debate as to whether or not ice catchers are a good thing but those who are against them appear to do so largely because it appears to contravene bong orthodoxy.
Keep an Eye on the Water Level
A bong is called a customized water pipe for a reason: it uses water to cool down and filter impurities from your hit. But water evaporates and if you’re not careful it may drop to levels that render it useless. This is especially true for heady glass where it can be difficult to see what’s going on inside the bong. Whether you’re using a standard bong, heady glass, or a percolator bong, the downstem should always be submerged in the water. If it’s not, it’s going to undermine the dynamics of the hit.
Use Your Perc Bong Correctly
This tip only applies to those with percolator bongs. Removing the bowl on a perc bong at the end of the hit can facilitate the effectiveness of the hit. However, most stoners take the bowl out too soon. The preferable technique is to take the bowl out slowly. This will control the way the smoke is entering your lungs and should let you pull the hit out a little longer so that you can breathe in more smoke that is packed with THC.
Exhale Appropriately
Just because you didn't cough on the inhale it doesn't necessarily follow that you will not cough on the exhale. We have all been there at some point or another. What has happened is the user has not exhaled properly and there is a bit of smoke still left over in their lungs. Instead of exhaling slow, a better option is to cough the smoke out of your lungs to ensure that you got everything.
The second way is to exhale half of the hit, breathe, then exhale the second half of the hit that is now mixed with the new air you just breathed in. After you're confident you've expelled everything, take a few long, slow breaths to clear the lungs, then wait for around a minute before taking the next hit from the bong.
The Bottom Line
The subtle art of bong hitting perfection is a practice that takes time and patience. But by heeding the tips above, you'll be well on your way to a more enjoyable experience. You'll also smoke less weed and get more out of the weed that you do smoke.
SHOP BONGS
Get Bongs, Pipes and More at IC Glass!
Maxing out your bong is not brain surgery, but it is likely to take some practice. If you find yourself coughing when using your daily bong, try adding a percolator or using a percolator bong. It will provide you with cooler, smoother hits that are easier on the respiratory system. And for the largest choice of custom bongs and accessories, check out www.geticglass.com – your premium destination for high-performance glass.