Cannabis smokers have their preferred methods of consuming their favorite flowers. Some prefer joints and blunts because they enjoy the act of smoking. Others rather take a straight hit to the face with a bong. There’s no right way to smoke, as preferences are personal, but at the end of the day, there’s nothing better than a clean hit out of glass bongs to end a long day. 

Ultimately, there’s an array of bongs on the market, from glass and plastic bongs to percolator bongs with numerous features to filter the impurities from the smoke. And while water pipes are relatively self-explanatory, there isn’t necessarily a manual on how to smoke a bong. However, there are some tricks and tips for taking a bong rip. These suggestions can help maximize each pull to ensure the bong uses its full potential. It’s as simple as the amount of water in the base or the weed packed into the bowl.

What Is A Bong?

A bong is a contraption made from various parts that allow smokers to filter out the herbs they are combusting, whether tobacco, herbal smoking blends, or cannabis. There are five parts to a water pipe:

• Bowl
• The carb
• The tube
• The downstem
• The base

Each of these parts works together to ensure you’re hitting bongs that produce the cleanest smoke. The bowl is where you pack the cannabis before the downstem transports the smoke into the base, where it’s filtered and cooled down by the water. The smoke will move through the tube for another filtration process once you pull the bowl out of the carb. 

Though you could find cheap bongs that could do the trick just fine, they usually come with the basics. There are plenty of options for elaborate bongs with percolators, ice catchers, and multiple chambers that make bong hits even smoother. However, the additional accessories and features don’t necessarily shift the functionality of a marijuana bong.

How To Hit A Bong

The fundamentals of how to rip a bong are relatively basic and shouldn’t differ, no matter their size. Ultimately, it’s a more time-efficient process than smoking a joint or a blunt. All you need is your weed, a lighter, and a water pipe.

• First, you must fill up the chamber with water. Adding water to the chamber might be the most “complicated” aspect of trying to hit a bong for the first time since each comes in different shapes and sizes. However, the basic rule of thumb when you’re learning how to fill a bong properly is to pour enough water to ensure that the slits of the downstem are covered. If there aren’t any slits, you’ll want to use enough water to submerge ½ inch of the downstem. Make sure the water is changed regularly. Clean and fresh water produces the best results.
• The second part of the process is packing the bowl. Grind up your herbs of choice until its finely ground, then pack in the bowl. However, it would be best if you didn’t overpack the bowl since it could make it harder to pull.
• Next, you’ll light the bowl while inhaling through the mouthpiece. A slow and steady inhale helps the bud to burn evenly and helps prevent backsplash from occurring. The last thing you need is dirty bong water entering your mouth.
• Finally, pull out the stem and rip the bong. Once you fill the chamber with enough smoke, pull the stem out and inhale!

It’s as simple as that. All you need is a solid bong and your favorite bud, and you’re set.