Smoking Pipes
Smoking pipes are probably the most basic way to consume dry herb. Ranging from the simplest smoking ‘tubes’ to intricate and hand-crafted designs. They can be extremely affordable or function more as conversational pieces because of their fragility and beauty. If you are looking for a way to enjoy your dry herb, it is almost impossible for you not to be able to find a smoking pipe that would fit your needs. Whether you’re an experienced smoker or someone newer, check out the diverse selection of pipes available to you.
How to Choose a Smoking Pipe
There are so many types of pipes that just diving straight in will make your head spin. You really should consider your needs and how each type of pipe and its material and features are going to best meet those needs. Not to mention, you will want to set a budget for yourself or have an idea of what you can afford. Between preferences and price point, there is a pipe for you.
Type of Smoking Pipe
The first place you will probably want to start will be with the type of pipe you want, from a general category standpoint. As you keep reading throughout this page, you will come across the many different styles of pipes. Sherlock pipes, for example, resemble old fashioned tobacco pipes as is often associated with Sherlock Holmes. There are bong pipes, chillum pipes, spoon pipes, and the list goes on. You will want to decide which pipe has the look and feel that you prefer and go from there.
Water-less and Water Pipes
Water can make your smoking experience feel like a whole new experience – or it can be a hassle and simply add another step you may not need. Depending on how you feel about maintenance, cleanliness, and smoothness of your hits and piece you may or may not prefer water. Often, water makes it easier for rougher, powerful hits to go down more smoothly. Particularly if you are sensitive to smoke or harsher, hotter hits, you may want to go with a water pipe. Otherwise, you may prefer water-less.
Glass, Silicone Pipes and Other Materials
Besides the overall type of smoking pipe, another key feature to keep in mind would be to decide what sort of material you are looking for in a pipe. Glass is an extremely popular option because of its beauty, feel, taste of the smoke, and general smoothness. But, it is breakable. If that is an issue, you may want to go with silicone or metal. Whichever you decide, it will be based on your preferences and needs. Each of these materials will provide different advantages and disadvantages – just like the type of pipe you choose.
Power of the Pipe
Different kinds of pipes are going to max out at different power levels. For example, a small one-hitter is certainly not going to pack the punch of a bong. But even beyond the most extreme examples, you wouldn’t expect a bubbler to be able to compete with a larger bong either. Both deliver good hits, both use water, but one has a larger bowl capacity and chamber to hold more smoke. When thinking about power, think about capacity for dry herb and smoke.
What is a Smoking Pipe
To start, it would be best to give a general description of a smoking pipe so that we are clear what we mean. Having been around a while, pipes are probably one of the most numerous types of smoking devices in the world across many different cultures – east and west. Essentially, a smoking pipe is a pipe or tube that is designed to hold dry herb on one end, have a mouthpiece at another, and function to allow the movement of smoke from the bowl head end, to the mouthpiece end. There are other additives available like carb holes, intricate designs or patterns, and much more but at its most basic a pipe simply incorporates those fundamental design principles.
Best Smoking Pipes
Again, preferences are going to be the most critical part of your determination. With the sheer, and daunting, number of pipes available on the market you are not going to be satisfied with each one – no matter how much you might like to smoke. As such, to help guide you, we discuss some popular options and iterations of the different smoking pipes so that you can better narrow down your ideal choice.
Water Pipes
As mentioned earlier, water is going to be crucial in cooling down and smoothing out some of the harshness from smoking. Particularly if you are susceptible to coughing, this is helpful. Water also helps you take bigger and bigger hits, plus you can really cool the puffs with ice, if there is an ice catcher feature. Naturally, water will require you to be more careful and cleanly when dealing with these pipes.
Cool Smoking Pipes
Due to the sheer amount of pipes out there, there are plenty that are absolutely amazing or mind-boggling. Particularly, there are some beautiful glass pipes that are practically works of art. They feature entirely unique and one-of-a-kind designs or colorings that are not replicated by a machine or factory. Do not be afraid to let your creativity seep out into your pipe purchasing habits as you can certainly purchase an affordable conversation piece to smoke around.
Glass Smoking Pipes
Glass is easily one of the most popular pipe materials. Particularly when thinking about how easy it is to clean – cleaning thoroughly and frequently will result in absolutely no residue. Not to mention, because of this cleanliness glass has a great flavor profile and is easy to use. However, be careful when handling glass because it is fragile. No one wants to smoke glass shards. Consider thicker glass if this is a concern for you.
Gravity Bongs
Gravity bongs sit in a category of their own because they incorporate the simplicity of normal pipes with the power and water-cooling capabilities of bongs – all while using the laws of physics. Not to mention, gravity bongs can be purchased or made at home cheaply. The sheer, raw power of a gravity bong might not lend itself to the lightest of smokers, however, “one and done” is certainly an acceptable (and understandable) policy when using these heavy-hitters.
More Smoking Pipe Options
Silicone Smoking Pipes
Silicone is increasingly a popular material for smokers to look into and purchase. Silicone doesn’t bring any (or maybe a slight few) flavors with it to distract you from the taste of your dry herbs. It is also affordable and, best of all, is indestructible when compared to glass or ceramic. When thinking about purchasing a reliable, easy-to-use pipe make sure to consider silicone pipes as a viable alternative to other methods like glass, ceramic, or metal.
Dugout Pipes
Dugout pipes are incredibly useful – particularly for the smoker on the go. Dugout pipes are extraordinarily concealable and are quick and easy to pack. Most importantly, storage and carrying is going to be a breeze because they’re designed to stay out of sight or mind until they are needed. For a heavy smoker, a dugout pipe should be bought in conjunction with a larger pipe for your home. For a casual smoker, a dugout pipe could be all they need.