A Bong is a device which is generally used for smoking tobacco, cannabis, or a myriad of herbs. What differentiates it from other forms of smoking equipment is that it uses water as a filtration medium.
Bongs are available in so many sizes and shapes. If you’re a smoking enthusiast like we are then you’ve had a few experiences smoking a bong. At the least, you’ve seen someone taking a bong hit. We are going to break it down and explain how a bong works and how the different types of filter effects the smoke.
Having said that, a typical bong consists of a bowl for your herbs, a downstem to go down into the water, a base for water, a percolator to aerate the smoke and a tube for delivering the smoke produced.
There are also some bong accessories and aftermarket bong attachments that can enhance your experience. Let’s dig in to understand what different types of bong percolators there are and also some accessories are that can take your smoking experience to the next level.
Percolators
A percolator is a contraption for a bong or water pipe that helps to cool down the smoke. This helps smokers achieve a smoother hit and less coughing. The percolator is usually dome-shaped. But, smoking enthusiasts have been playing around with designs to improve the experience.
As the name suggests, this percolator has tiny holes punched in flat discs. The design usually comes in pairs of discs, but can contain a multiple of them. And, of course, the number of chambers means more cooling and better filtration.
This percolator doesn’t look anything like a showerhead but operates like one. A pipe inverted inside another pipe that pulls the smoke out of the bowl and pushes it down through the water. The best part is the enhancement in flavor due to improved residual VOC elimination.
Yet another design enhancement to the percolators, this type of perc use multiple holes created in a linear tube. As the smoke passes through these holes, it creates more diffusion, and thus offers an enhanced flavor.
These are just a few that are popularly bought by smoking enthusiasts. But the designs are not limited to these and there are many more.
MouthPeace And Filters
In case you didn’t know the delivery head of a bong is infested with bacteria. In fact, a single session can increase the bacterial colony by up to 400%. An innovative solution to this problem is using a silicone mouthpiece attachment with an activated charcoal filter, commonly referred to as Bong Filter or MouthPeace. The mouthpiece+filter attachment not only prevents the spread of harmful bacteria but also improves the flavor by eliminating tar, resins, and other contaminants.
Splash Guard
Though every pot smoker loves to hit a bong, nobody likes the taste of the water. A common problem with bongs is the splashes of water that hit your mouth due to bubbling of water. To prevent these splashes from reaching your mouth, an enhancement to the delivery pipe is included in many premium bongs. Commonly known as a splash guard. It does not improve the flavor or the cloud density but does improve the experience by eliminating the gross splashes of water. You can also use your MouthPeace with Filter as a splash guard, as it will totally eliminate any water from hitting your mouth during your rip.
With these attachments, your experience and new-found knowledge you are sure to be smarter than your average stoner at the next sesh.