How To Use A Bong: A Step By Step Guide

The most popular way to consume dry herbs is using a bong. Compared to other smoking methods, bongs allow you to use a little bit of herbs while still getting a huge hit. Bongs also utilize water to help filter your smoke for a more comfortable smoking experience. With so many different bongs on the market today it can be tough to learn the best way to use a bong, but here at Toker Supply, we have you covered and will teach you everything you need to know.

Before you can learn the best way to use a bong, you need to learn all the different options and the differences and how they impact your smoking experience. Bongs vary from simple glass tubes to ones with numerous chambers or percolators that increase performance and functionality.

Learn The Parts Of A Bong

Before getting into how to use a bong its important to know what each part of a bong does. Not all bongs are created equal but ultimately they all work the same and achieve the same purpose.

• Mouthpiece: This is the top opening on the water pipe where you put your mouth to inhale while lighting the bong. Depending on the size of the mouthpiece you may put your lips inside or around the bong mouthpiece. Its important to create a tight seal with your mouth and the mouthpiece to ensure the best smoking experience.
• Bowl Piece: The bowl pieces or slide is the small bowl shaped piece that holds your dry herbs. This is where you pack your herbs and light when you are ready to inhale. It's important to make sure you clean this regularly so it doesn't get clogged and restrict airflow when you're smoking.
• Chamber: The water chamber on the bong is what makes it a bong and sets it apart from other traditional smoking pipes that don't use water. Bongs can either have a straight tube chamber or beaker chamber. If you prefer more water you should try a beaker bong.
• Downstem or Perc: Classic simple bongs contains a downstem that connects your bowl piece to the bong and forces your smoke through the water when you smoke. However some more advances bongs have percolators that act the same way with just a different design.

Steps To Use Your Bong or Water Pipe

Step 1: Fill Your Bong With The Correct Amount Of Water

The first thing you need to do is add water to your bong. It’s important to get the proper water level so that all the percs function correctly and you do not get any water in your mouth when inhaling. A general rule of thumb is to fill the bong just above the main perc or downstem. If you add to much water you may get water in your mouth and if you add too little your piece will not work correctly. To ensure you have the correct water level you can pull from your bong before adding any dry herbs to make sure all the percolators are working and no water is getting near your mouth. Ensure you add water into all the required chambers so the bong functions properly.

Step 2: Add Ice To Your Bong If You Want

Not all water pipes can accept ice cubes but your bong does we highly recommend adding them. Adding ice to your bong helps to cool down the smoke which makes it more pleasant to inhale. If you do add ice be sure to keep track of the water level as the ice will melt and you may need to dump out some water in between sessions. Some bongs have ice catchers built in that stop the ice cubes from going down to far in the bong. While they do help they are not entirely necessary to add ice to a bong. It really depends on your specific type of bong if you can add ice or not, you be the judge. Ice is absolutely not need to use a bong.

Step 3: Take A Practice Hit

Before adding your herbs to the bowl it's important to take a practice hit to make sure you have the proper water level and all your percs are functioning correct. If you are getting water in your mouth, dump a little out until you don't. Once you are happy with the amount of water and how the bong is hitting you're ready to move to the next step.

Step 4: Pack Your Bowl Piece

Now it’s time to add your dry herbs into your bongs bowl piece. To prevent your bowl from getting clogged and to ensure you get the most from your herbs we recommend using a grinder to grind up your herbs into small even pieces. It’s important not to over pack the bowl or you won’t get the proper airflow required to burn all your herbs evenly. Bongs pack a big punch so if you’re a first-time smoker it’s best to start with a little bit of herbs and you can always smoke more! Always ensure your bowl piece is clean of debris before adding new herbs. This will prevent it from clogging and make the experience much smoother.

Step 5: Light Up & Take A Hit

You’re all ready to smoke! Now grab your lighter or hemp wick and light your bowl of dry herbs while pulling from your mouthpiece and watch your bong fill up with smoke. Once the bong is filled with smoke remove the bowl piece to inhale all the remaining smoke. If one bowl pack is not enough for you, its time to back another bowl and repeat! Be sure you are holding the bong securely in one hand and lighting the bowl with another.

If the water pipe you are using is really big or heavy you can even sit it on a table and stand over the bong so you don't risk dropping it or knocking it over. Some smokers like to sit back and rest the bong on their stomach for stability.

Step 6: Exhale Don't Hold In Smoke

There is a common myth amongst many smokers that holding the smoke in your lungs longer some how makes it more potent. However from our own personal experience this does nothing but irritate your lungs more than needed. So we recommend you exhale right away after a full deep inhale, there's no reason to hold it in for a long time.

That's it! That is the easiest step by step way to use a hit a bong. 

Bong Smoking Etiquette

If you are smoking by yourself then by all means smoke however you want. However, if you are smoking with friends there's a few things to keep in mind so everyone has the best smoking experience.

Clear All Smoke From The Bong Before Passing

If you leave smoke in your bong for too long it will go stale and lose its potency and flavor. In fact stale bong smoke is pretty nasty, so be sure to clear the entire bong of smoke before passing it to a friend. If you can't finish it yourself hand it off to a friend to finish quickly while it's still fresh.

Don't Spit Over The Bong Mouthpiece

While inevidebitly you are going to get some drool or saliva on the bong be sure you aren't drooling into the bong. This is just plain gross and not nice for the next person in the rotation. If for some reason this happens be sure to wipe it away with your shirt or a paper towel before passing it on.

Corner The Bowl

Everyone loves greens so be sure to share the wealth. Cornering the bowl is one of the most important things you can do when smoking with other people. It's very rude to smoke all the greens and then pass the next person nothing but ash. If you're not sure how to proper corner the bowl piece read our guide on how to corner a bowl.

Clean Out The Ash & Repack

If you were the last one to finish the bowl with nothing but ash left, be sure you clean it out and pack it fresh for the next person. If you don't clean our the ash your bowl piece will get clogged and eventually you won't get any airflow in your bong.

Change The Bong Water

Nobody likes smoking from dirty bong water. If you are the host and everyone is smoking out of your bong, be sure you add fresh clean water to the bong before the session. Nasty bong water makes even the tastiest herbs taste like ash and nobody wants that.

Bongs are the most popular way of smoking dry herbs and for good reason. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, designs that will fit anyone’s style or budget. Bongs also allow you to conserve your dry herbs while getting the most out of them. It is important to keep your bong clean along with your bowl piece or downstem to ensure they work at optimal performance and you get a clean flavorful smoking experience. To find the perfect bong for you head over to our bong section to browse the largest selection of bongs for sale online.