Compared to the earlier years in the smoking industry, when making a bong purchase you need to pay more attention to the details. One of the most basic (yet important) decisions you will need to make is deciding on the material of your device. In most cases, bongs are made out of one of two materials, either silicone or glass. Over the years companies have made several improvements to better the design and materials. To understand a little more about glass and silicone bong options, we will compare both the differences and similarities of these bong materials.
Silicone Bongs are Indestructible
One of the biggest differences you will find between glass and silicone is their durability. Glass bongs are made from glass. Therefore, if you drop them or if they are handled without care, they have a tendency to break. While this is not an issue for a stationary device, more portable options might experience issues with clumsy hands or while on trips.
On the other hand, silicone bongs are accident-proof and indestructible. While soft, silicone is very resilient. It has a very high melting point and can be banged, dropped, or even thrown without sustaining any permanent damage. They are great for portability and discretion without fear of breakage, even when tucked away in a small space for travel. They are ideal for traveling to a friend’s house to watch stoner movies.
Glass Bongs offer Tastier Puffs
Due to the nonporous nature of glass, you simply cannot beat the overall flavor and smoke quality found in a cleaned glass water bong. This means every time you take a hit of your dry herbs, you will get 100 percent of the flavor – every single time. It does not matter how often you use it. As long as you keep it clean, glass bongs will provide tastier puffs.
While silicone is perfectly safe to smoke out of, your herbs will lose some of their flavor as it travels through the silicone sections of your bong. Plus silicone quality is very important. For example, cheaper silicone bong options can emit a more plastic-type of flavor that can ruin your smoking session.
Portability
Due to the durability provided by silicone, silicone bongs are great for travel. Unlike glass bong options, silicone does not require any special cases or travel equipment to prevent breakage. In fact, silicone bongs can be treated as rough as you want or even folded and condensed, and they still will not break.
Glass Art vs Silicone Utility
With over 50 years on the market, glassblowers have been able to improve designs, airflow, and other customization features for glass bongs. In fact, many glass options are beautiful works of art. The shine and vibrancy aren’t found in other materials and craftsmen have found new and improved options for creating even more unique designs. Unfortunately though, along with their high level of craftsmanship, glass bongs can also come with a hefty price tag. It all depends on the size, shape, and design of the bong.
While silicone can be molded and shaped, they simply cannot reach the kind of design you would find in a glass bong. Silicone was created to be durable and functional. While you can find cool designs, silicone bongs will never reach the art and creativity of glass.
Silicone Bongs Can Be Disassembled
Most glass bong options have only one removable piece. This is not the case for silicone. While not every silicone bong has the ability to be disassembled, there are bong options that allow you to break the bong down into two or more pieces. This makes cleaning and maintenance for the silicone bong much easier (and quicker). Plus, by disassembling the bong, you also improve portability (which in turn improves discretion).
The Similarities between Glass and Silicone Bongs
Acceptable Smoking Pipes
Whether you choose a glass or silicone bong, both can provide a great smoking experience. While they can offer different perks, either one can reach the overall goal and get the job done. Neither one is much better than the other, and they both have their benefits and disadvantages.
Meant To Be Used with Water
Glass or silicone, bongs are designed to be used with water. This type of pipe works using a smoke filtration system. This system uses water (housed in a specific compartment inside of the bong) to cool the smoke of your hits before you breathe it in.
Filter Smoke for Better Puffs
As previously mentioned, bongs use a water filtration system to filter the smoke. While the materials can offer a slightly different experience, the water inside of the bong provides a smoother puff than the hits from other types of pipes.
Require Bong Bowls
No matter your choice, both glass, and silicone bongs require a bong bowl. The purpose of the bong bowl is to hold the dry herbs (or concentrate) you intend to smoke. Regardless of what type of material your bong is made out of, you have to have a bong bowl for it to work.
Ice Catchers
Like many other devices, you can easily add to your experience with an extra attachment to your bong. Two of the most common attachments are percolators and ice catchers. Although not a standard option, many smokers enjoy enhancing their experience with these added features.
Are Silicone or Glass Bongs Better?
When it all comes down to it, neither glass nor silicone is better than the other. It ultimately comes down to personal preferences and situations. Each material has its own individual pros and cons, which ultimately will determine which option suits a user better than the other. For example, if you are looking for the cleanest flavor and a piece with endless design possibilities, you would probably prefer a glass bong. However, if you want something durable and easy to travel, a less expensive silicone bong option is probably a better choice.
2-Piece Silicone Bong vs Glass ROOR Bongs
The 2-piece silicone bong is made of 100 percent food-grade silicone. This means it does not matter what you do, you will not have to worry about breaking any part of this bong. It can be broken down into two pieces, allowing for easier cleanup, better portability, and an extra layer of discretion. Plus 2-piece bong options come in a variety of fun colors and even have bonus features like an ice-catcher.
While the 2-piece silicone option may offer a wide color selection, glass ROOR bongs offer amazing and eye-catching designs. These glass bongs are 100 percent glass, providing you with a smooth and clean puff time and time again. However, a big disadvantage of this bong is the price tag. Depending on the specific model you choose, glass ROOR bongs can be as much as five times more expensive than silicone bong options. Nonetheless, despite featuring a single piece and a more expensive price tag, if glass ROOR bongs are within your budget, they offer a glass bong option that is hard to beat.
The Benefits of Using Water Bongs
Water bongs are one of the most popular methods of smoking dry herbs. The main benefit bongs offer is they lightly filter the smoke. When the smoke passes through the water chamber of the bong, it cools the smoke and removes part of the pollutants. This in turns provides the smoker with a smoother hit that is cooler and less irritating to your throat.
Written By: Chelsea O.