4 Expert Bong Accessories That You Must Have!
With the legalization of marijuana, the stoner landscape has changed dramatically over the years. Now, all kinds of weedpreneurs and brands fill the market with beautiful and functional products for casual smokers and passionate cannabis enthusiasts.
For stoners, all this comes as great news because they now have a myriad of options for them to choose from regarding product diversity and the number of ways they can experience marijuana.
A product, however, that has been a staple for smokers for thousands of years is the bong.
So, What Is a Bong and How Does It Work
You can barely consider yourself a stoner worth their salt – or hash in this case – if you don’t have a bong.
Bongs are great smoking devices that use water to filter marijuana smoke, providing an intense but smooth and incredible smoking experience to the user. They’ll definitely cost more than rolling papers but are very much worth the money.
Bongs generally feature a small bowl that holds the weed. The bowl is connected to a downstem through which the smoke from burning marijuana passes before it goes through the water chamber. The smoke rises through the water and into the chamber where the user inhales into their mouths.
What makes bongs even better is that they are incredibly versatile in that you can use different add-ons to your bong to make the smoking experience a lot more enjoyable.
Let’s take a close look at four great accessories that are an absolute must-have.
1. Diffused Downstems
As highlighted earlier in this article, the downstem of your bong connects the bowl that holds the weed and the base of the bong where the bong water rests. However, you can replace the stock downstem with a diffused downstem as an add-on accessory for your bong.
Diffused downstems provide improved diffusion and extra filtration that makes the smoke a lot smoother and kinder to the user’s throat.
Depending on the bong you have, you need to get a diffused downstem that is the right length and will fit in your bong with ease. A downstem that’s too long may not fit in properly, while a short one may require more water, which could be too much for the pipe.
2. Ashcatcher
If you’re one of the many stoners who don’t like ash getting into their bong water, then ashcatchers are exactly what you need.
An ashcatcher will do precisely as the name suggests – keep the ash from getting into your bong. Ashcatchers are attached at the stem of the bong right before the stem. They don’t just keep the bong clean for a long time but also provide for smoother rips since they keep the ash from flowing into the bong together with the smoke.
3. Percolators
A percolator, or perc, is a filtration system attached to bongs. Its complex name may give off the impression that it’s a difficult accessory to use, but all it does is provide a separate water chamber to filter and cool the smoke.
Many people tend to group ashcatchers and percolators together because both pieces help filter the smoke, providing for a more relaxed and smoother smoking experience. What sets them apart is that ashcatchers are an add-on while percolators are usually a main part of the bong itself, and many high-end bongs come with pre-installed percolators.
4. Ice Catcher
If you prefer using bongs because of their filtration features, then you’re going to fall in love with this accessory.
Ice catchers are pinched glass formations that hold ice cubes above the water chamber and are great for stoners who like having their smoke super cool. They are usually located above the percolator and act as the final filtration stop before the smoke is ready for inhaling.
The downstem, bong water, and percolator (if you have one) do a great job filtering the smoke, but ice will take it to a different level. However, if you do use an ice catcher, keep an eye out for the level of water in the water chamber because the ice will eventually melt.
The Bottom Line
With a plethora of smoking accessories in the market, sifting through head shops for cheap pieces that don’t last long enough is simply a thing of the past. Experts are even predicting that weed products could one day rival the proliferation of alcohol-inspired accessories.
If you enjoy a good bong rip every so often, consider the accessories listed in this article to make your experience more enjoyable for you and your stoner friends.
