6 Tips for a Better Experience with a Vape Bong
A bong is a bong. Even if you’ve heard the term “vape bong,” it’s mostly to describe glassware as an attachment to a desktop vape or portable dry herb vaporizer.
Bongs used to be only for smoking. As smokers transitioned to vaping, they had to kiss their favorite glass pieces goodbye. Unless you were doing dabs, there wasn’t a good reason to own a bong anymore.
Nowadays, cannabis bud and vape pen users can get in on the action. Even though vaping weed through a bong can seem excessive or unnecessary, there are a number of benefits to it. Here are some tips to making the experience as good as it can be.
Choose the “right“ vape
The first thing you’ll want is a vaporizer that has a water pipe attachment available for it. Some vapes include them in the box, but most of them are available as a separate purchase. Each vape has a slightly different shaped mouthpiece, so each adapter will be specific to that device. There is no one size fits all bong adapter, although some might happen to fit on more than one device. For example, the adapter for the Airvape Legacy also fits nicely on the Firefly 2+.
If you’re using a desktop vape, you’ll need an attachment compatible with your whip, bag or both. The Arizer Extreme Q is a great example because the whip already utilizes an 18 mm joint, which is one of the more common bong sizes. If you prefer the bag method, you’ll want an adapter that can accommodate the slim mouthpiece on your bag. You might need an additional adapter for that, so it isn’t the best option. Ideally you’ll want to use as few parts as possible.
Know your joint/connector size
Once you found a water pipe attachment for your vape, you’ll need a bong that’s compatible with it. The most common sizes are 14 mm and 18 mm female connections. Smaller sized bongs tend to use 14 mm connections and the larger ones tend to use 18 mm ones, but this isn’t always going to be the case.
Fortunately, a lot of water pipe adapters have a tapered design which makes them compatible with the more common joint sizes. Not every 14 mm bong is going to fit perfectly with all 14 mm adapters—you’ll find that some work better than others due to the nature of glass. Just make sure your bong maintains an airtight seal with your device or it will not function properly.
Check the adapter fit
Before vaping, make sure you can easily remove your vape without it getting stuck in your bong. The reason for this is that when you vape, the bong will fill up with vapor. Even after you exhale a huge puff, some of the vapor will be trapped in the chamber. You can always clear it out at the end of your session after you remove your vaporizer. Some vapers prefer to clear the chamber after each hit because it feels more like a traditional bong session. That’s why it’s better to have an adapter with a snug fit, but not to the point where it gets stuck in your bong.
Choose a bigger bong
Larger bongs tend to be heavier than the smaller ones. In addition to being more stable, there are other benefits to using a bong with some size to it. If your bong is too small it’s not going to have a huge impact on your vape sessions. From my experience, the larger percolator-style bongs tend to work better because they provide more noticeable bubbling action. Smaller bongs are more portable, but if you want the full experience then bigger is always going to be better. Besides, who walks around with a bong in their bag all day anyway?
Another tip to consider when buying a bong is the angle at which the adapter sits. A lot of bongs tend to have the stem sitting at an angle, which is not ideal for vaping. Preferably, you’ll want a bong that looks more like a dab rig rather than the smaller and more typical beaker-style bongs.
Don’t overfill your bong
Fill your bong with water before attaching it to your vape. Inhale through the mouthpiece and if any excess water comes up, then pour some out and try again. If there is too much water in the bong, it could enter the adapter and possibly the vape which could ruin your flower or possibly your device.
Get your appropriate water level sorted out before attaching anything to your bong. Another helpful tip is to change your bong water at least once a day, if not after each session. This doesn’t just ensure the best possible flavor, but it will also keep your bong cleaner for longer.
Go slow and steady
The last thing you want is your bong tipping over from the weight of your vape. You’re not playing with fire, but you’re playing with water and glass, so you still need to exercise some caution. You don’t want to swing your bong around too much because in case you didn’t know—water and electronics do not mix.
Set everything up on a solid table and be mindful of any small and delicate pieces. Even if you’re using a portable, there is always the risk of dropping your bong, your vape, or both. Take your time and don’t just blast through your session like you would on a regular bong. If you prefer to hold it in your hand, keep it steady to prevent any water from spilling out and make sure your bong isn’t wet so you can grip it firmly and not worry about it slipping.
Final thoughts
If you’re shopping for a new vaporizer, check and make sure that it comes with an attachment for water pipes. Preferably, it’s a universal adapter so you can use it with more than one glass piece.
Choosing the right gear is the most crucial part. You might even need to experiment with a few bongs before finding the best one for your device, but it’s worth the effort.