Ice Catcher Bongs and Why There is Ice in a Bong

If you have ever smoked with a bong connoisseur, they may have shown you that alcohol is not the only thing you can enjoy over ice. Many bongs these days are designed to hold ice in the neck, so that smoke can mingle with the cubes before hitting your throat. But what are the benefits of putting ice in a bong? And why do so many people prefer their smoke served with ice? Read on to learn more about this smoking phenomenon.

What Are the Benefits of Bongs with Ice?

There are a few reasons why you might add ice to your bong. The most prominent reason is that the ice acts as an additional filter for your smoke. Before the smoke from the bowl of the bong hits your throat, it is first pulled through both the water chamber and the ice-filled neck of the bong. When the smoke comes in contact with the ice, it is cooled down and filtered more for an extra-smooth and extra-tasty hit. This added layer of filtering also helps you take even larger bong rips than normal. Normally large inhales can feel harsh on your lungs, but the ice helps lessen that potential effect.

In addition to filtering your smoke, ice added to the neck of a bong can work to prevent any backsplash from the water chamber. Sometimes, if the bong’s water chamber is too full, the water can bubble right up the neck of the bong and into your mouth -- gross. But with the ice acting as a splash guard, your chances of getting an unwanted mouthful of water are less.

Adding ice to a bong can also provide some pleasing visual effects. Watching smoke swirl around the cubes can be mesmerizing, similar to watching a burning campfire. So, if you want to add a simple but extra touch to your bong session, toss some ice in.

What Kinds of Bongs Are Served Best with Ice?

Sadly, not all bongs are designed to have ice added to them. However, it is becoming more common for bongs to have an ice catcher incorporated. An ice catcher can look different depending on the shape of the bong, but it typically consists of a few indents that extend into the neck of the bong, without sealing it. These indents then work as a screen or shelf for the ice to land on and prevent the ice from falling into the bong water. Ice catchers have become so common in fact, that they are included in the modern silicone bongs as well.

Without an ice catcher incorporated into the bong’s design, the ice could fall right through the neck and into the water chamber, making your bong look like a bad mixed drink. There are a few tips and tricks that you should keep in mind when loading your bong with ice though.

Five Tips and Tricks for Putting In Your Bong:

1. Be sure to use whole ice cubes instead of crushed ice. Although ice catchers do a good job at catching cubes, they are not typically designed to catch small pieces of ice. Adding crushed ice will just make your bong into a bad margarita.
2. After you are done with your smoke session you should always remove the ice from the neck of your bong. Emptying all of the water out of your bong after a session is a good habit to get into as well, to prevent mold from building up.
3. When using ice in a long bong session, you should keep a careful eye on the water level of the bong’s bottom chamber. If you don’t then the ice will eventually melt into the water chamber and overfill it. This can lead to a bad drag of some major backsplash, both of which you’ll want to avoid. Simply dump out some of the water from the bottom chamber if it starts to fill too much.
4. Clear glass bongs are especially nice to use with ice since you can watch the smoke swirl around the ice when you inhale. For an especially cool touch to your session, you can add some food dye to the water you are making ice cubes with, to add a touch of flair to your session. Or you can class it up with some colorful flower petals added to your ice cubes. The coolest option might be adding tiny plastic figurines to your ice cubes, but they might be a little more difficult to get out of your bong if the ice melts.
5. If you like the sound of having ice in your bong, but don’t happen to have a bong with an ice catcher built into it, then you might be thinking about improvising. However, shoving random objects into your bong to catch ice is not recommended. This increases the potential of the ice catcher breaking inside your bong and causing a tricky mess to clean up. Even worse, if you put the wrong object into your bong you could break the entire piece.

Now you know why there is ice in people’s bongs. But if you haven’t tried it yet for yourself you should give it a spin. All you need is a bong with an ice catcher, some ice cubes, a bit of dry herb, and a lighter to experience an extra smooth session.

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