Silicone Bong vs Glass Bong - Water Pipe Comparison

Debating between a Glass Bong vs Silicone? This post breaks down all you need to know about Silicone Bongs when compared to their glass counterparts. Learn about these two water pipes today!

by: Mathew H. | 09/18/19 1:30PM

 

What are the Differences Between Silicone and Glass Bongs?

Silicone Bongs are Indestructible

Glass bongs are...well...made out of glass. As such, they have a tendency to break when handled poorly or dropped on the ground. While this may not be a problem for a stationary glass bong that is always handled with care, but glass bongs in transit or with clumsy hands might experience issues. Silicone bongs, being made of silicone, will not break at all. Silicone is extremely resilient and will not shatter due to impact or improper handling. You can even fold them up in a small space for travel and they will pop right back to form, even if you have it tucked away for weeks at a time.

 

Glass Bongs Offer Tastier Puffs

Glass is a nonporous material. What that means in terms of flavor is that you are getting 100% of the flavor every time you take a hit of your dry herbs. While silicone is perfectly safe to smoke with, you will lose some of that flavor as the smoke travels past silicone portions of your bong.

Portability

As we mentioned, it is much easier to travel with silicone bongs compared to glass bongs. Glass bongs will need special cases or travel equipment if you want to be sure that they do not break. Silicone bongs can be treated as roughly as you would like, as silicone simply will not break. You can even fold the silicone pieces or compress them in a small space. They will retain their shape with no problem.

glass-art-vs-silicone-utility

Glass Art vs Silicone Utility

Glass bongs can be made into beautiful pieces of art. They can reflect a high level of craftsmanship and also can come with a hefty price tag. Silicone pipes can be creative, designed as cool shapes or objects, but they simply will not be crafted into the kind of art that you would see in a glass bong. Silicone is meant to be a durable, functional material, not necessarily one that affords the opportunity to display art and creativity.

Silicone Bongs Can Be Disassembled

One of the best benefits of silicone bongs is their ability to come apart. Not all silicone bongs have this ability, but you will find that many of the options out there do. A glass bong will typically only have one removable piece (the bong bowl). However, with a silicone bong, depending on the bong, there are some keep parts that can be removed. This makes cleaning and maintenance much easier with silicone bongs, especially if you have stubborn buildup that difficult to clean. This also makes them much easier to travel with, as you can pack individual pieces of the bong into more convenient spaces.

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The Similarities Between Silicone and Glass Bongs

Acceptable Smoking Pipes

Both materials offer a great smoking experience and are widely accepted as usable materials. Each material has its own pros and cons of use, but the overarching goal of smoking dry herb is easily accomplished by both.

Meant to be Used with Water

Silicone and glass bongs are both designed to use water as a smoke filtration method. Each kind of pipe has a compartment made to hold water that allows your hits to be cooled. They also both need to be regularly cleaned, and both can be cleaned by soaking in a cleaning solution along with scrubbing and whatever else to help remove residue from the bong surface.

filter-smoke-for-better-puffs

Filter Smoke for Better Puffs

As previously mentioned, since both kinds of pipes are made for use with water, both provide water filtration. Though the specific experience provided by the materials may differ slightly, the trademarked taste of a filtered, smoother hit is provided by either water bong material.

Require Bong Bowls

Both kinds of water bongs will need to have bong bowls. The purpose of a bong bowl is to hold the dry herbs that you are smoking just like a smoking pipe does. When you take a draw, smoke travels from the bong bowl, into the stem, and is then filtered by the water in the body of the pipe. Regardless of the material, you need to be sure your bong has a bowl!

ice-catcher-bong

Ice Catchers

Many smokers enjoy adding extra attachments to their bongs, including ice catchers, percolators, and more. Both silicone and glass bongs can accommodate those accessories to further enhance your smoking experience.

Are Silicone or Glass Bongs Better?

Neither silicone nor glass bongs are inherently better than the other. However, you may find that one suits your tastes better than the other does. If you want a bong that delivers the cleanest flavor and can look absolutely gorgeous, you likely should go with a glass bong. If you want a bong that is easily traveled with, easy to clean, durable, and inexpensive, silicone bongs are probably the best choice for you. The decision will come down to your preferences.

2-Piece Silicone Bong vs Glass ROOR Bongs

Comparing these two bongs is a great way to highlight the differences between glass and silicone bongs. The 2-piece silicone bong is 100% silicone, which means that no part of this bong will ever break. It is also in two pieces, meaning it can be disassembled for easy cleaning and more convenient portability. It also has an included ice-catcher, which is a feature you can find on either silicone or glass pipes. They are available in bright, fun colors, but if you are looking for something elegant or artistic, you might be left disappointed.

The glass ROOR bongs, on the other hand, look amazing. They are available in a variety of styles, but each design is crafted to make sure it is eye-catching and stunning. They are also 100% glass, which means you can expect the clean flavor that only glass can provide. However, they are single pieces, meaning that they can be difficult to travel with, and they are expensive. Depending on what model you want, they can be 5x as expensive as the silicone pipe. If you do not need to travel with them and they are in your budget, though, you will be hard-pressed to find a better glass bong.

where-to-buy-glass-and-silicone-bongs

Where to Buy Water and Glass Bongs

Water and glass bongs can usually be found in local head shops, and increasingly in local vape shops as well. However, online retailers are still the easiest way to find a large variety of bongs to choose from, and that includes right here at nyvapeshop.com. Not only do we have an impressive catalog of products, but we offer and FREE USA shipping on all orders, plus an amazing rewards program where every purchase gets you points that can be used like cash!

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