Gravity Bongs Are Back - Whats New in 2021 (Buyer's Guide)
The gravity bong is making a comeback so we’re going to breakdown everything you need to know about them. Different than a traditional bong a gravity bong uses water to draw the smoke through the bowl. You may have heard a gravity bong referred to by a number of other names such as GB, geebie, grav, geeb, yoin, buckie, or even a ghetto bong. These are terms that describe the two main varieties of gravity bongs, the bucket, and waterfall bongs.
We’ve all seen Seth Rogen or Wiz Khalifa using that cool bong that flips over to smoke from, that is an example of a waterfall bong. There are a lot of different myths about these products out there and we’re aiming to show you more about this method of smoking and whether it is worth pursuing for you.
What is a Gravity Bong?
A gravity bong is a bong that uses water and gravity to draw smoke. It has two chambers, sometimes homemade out of plastic bottles. These funnel the smoke through water and then into your lungs.
How Does a Gravity Bong work?
These work using gravity, as you would expect. Firstly you use a small bottle or chamber with a bowl on top, inside a bigger bottle, chamber, or even a bucket of water. The bowl is then lit, and you draw the smaller bottle down out of the water to fill it with smoke while it is lit.
You then unscrew the lid and use the bottle opening to inhale. Push the bottle down, and gravity will do its thing and push the smoke from the bottle into your mouth.
A lot of people have tried smoking this way, using a homemade bong. You can make Gravity Bongs with a few simple pieces of equipment (more on this later). However, there are professional Gravity Bongs made with two chambers, with an opening for you to inhale.
Let’s explain some of the physics. These bongs use something called negative pressure. Water falls (a result of gravity) from one chamber to the next, and pulls air through the lit bowl. This replaces the empty space that the water leaves behind with smoke. When you flip it over, the water is dragged back into the chamber where the smoke is now sitting, and is pushed out to where you can inhale and enjoy.
The Gravity Bong High
One of the things that you may have heard about this type of bong is that it can make you experience a more intense feeling. Is this true?
Basically, yes. The smoke that ends up entering your lungs has a much higher concentration. It’s much more than you would get from smoking a rolled joint or even as a hit from other bongs. As you breathe in and inhale the smoke you are consuming much more in one hit. The bowl that has been burning has created an intense smoke with lots of flavor.
What does this mean? Well, it may not be the ideal option if you are a brand new smoker. The intensity can be far more extreme and you may not be used to it. Beginners are probably better off with a standard bong. However, people who want to experience the intense feeling of a large hit may get a lot out of experimenting with a gravity bong.
Should I Make a Gravity Bong?
You certainly can make one of these at home. There are plenty of tutorials out there showing you how to make a Gravity Bong. Depending on your skill level, this can be a basic task using a few simple tools, or you can go all out and make something truly impressive. If you are a bit of a craftsman then you can make a bong, but it can be hard to get the right materials.
A lot of people use water bottles for making their bongs. We explore below why this could be a bad idea.
DIY Gravity Bong
Plenty of DIY bongs have been made this way. You can use single-use plastics such as drinks bottles. Placing one inside another, and using the top half where the cap would normally go, is a common way to build a gravity bong. However, the plastic could bring its own dangers.
Plastics contain PETE or PET, in a soft and pliable form. This means that when heat is applied, it’s likely that some of these plastics and polyethylenes release their chemicals into the smoke. Once you inhale, you could be inhaling both smoke and plastic.
What does this do to your system? Well, research is limited. Nobody can say for certain whether it will do a lot of harm, but there is a risk. A lot of smokers opt for a more sturdy bong made out of silicone or even glass. This is seen to be a lot safer and less likely to give off anything harmful under the heat you use to light up.
Types of Gravity Bongs
We’ve already discussed the fact that there are a few main types of Gravity Bong out there. These may also have different nicknames depending on where you are in the world. It’s good to know your choices whether you are buying a durable, long-lasting bong, or making something temporary.
The Bucket Bong
The Bucket Bong might also be called a cup bong. They are made out of a plastic bottle (or a chamber or container in a professionally-made bong) as well as a bowl, sometimes made of a Hex Bit Socket. They also have a screen which fits around the bowl, and a bucket or chamber for both the bottle and water to fit inside.
People make homemade Bucket Bongs by cutting off the bottom half of a plastic bottle. The cap area is where the bowl can be placed, and the screen sits inside the bowl. The nozzle can be threaded into the hole from outside the area where the cap would ordinarily sit.
The cap is where you put your bowl, and it get screwed back on when the bottle has been submerged in liquid. The bowl is light with a match or with a lighter, and the battle lifts naturally. While the bottle sits in place, you can remove the lid, and place your mouth over where the bottle opens, ready to inhale.
These homemade bongs, often called a Buckie in some parts of the world, tend to look very unsightly. Models that are made out of plastic bottles don’t tend to last very long.
The Waterfall bong
A Waterfall bong is another way to smoke, and is considered a gravity bong. They’re usually made using one large bottle or container, a rubber stopper or a bung for the top, and a nozzle that works like the bowl in the bucket bong. The nozzle also keeps the product from going into the bottle itself, and you can also use an aerator screen.
The bottle gets filled to its neck with water and you can then attach the lid, and remove the stopper. Ignite the bowl and the water will drain, causing smoke to be pulled upwards to the bottle. This creates a waterfall effect. Once the water fully drains you can remove the cap and inhale.
Either a Waterfall or Bucket style of bong do an equally good job of creating a concentrated smoke that is perfect for experienced smokers to get a solid bong hit.
Benefits of a Gravity Bong
Gravity Bongs seem to be growing in popularity among smokers, so what are the benefits?
These bongs waste less product to get the same enjoyment. Because the smoke is condensed within the bong, when you take a hit you are likely to get far more entering your system than you would with some other bongs, pipes, or from smoking joints.
These bongs can also get you high quicker. For the same reason, the condensed smoke can be felt instantly after taking a hit. This means fewer drags and less tokes.
Another benefit is the fact that you don’t necessarily have to have one to hand. If you know a little about DIY and have the right materials, you could make your own gravity bong at home. Some people even turn this into a bit of a passion project.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly does a gravity bong hit kick in?
The feeling from this type of bong can be felt almost instantly. Because they give such a high concentration of smoke, all inhaled in one go. Giving you that one hitter quitter that so many experienced smokers wish to experience.
Is a homemade Gravity Bong better?
It’s always good to have the option to make your own bong, but as we’ve discussed, homemade bongs can sometimes pose a little bit of a risk due to the fact that they may include plastic. This plastic could potentially burn and get into your system when you inhale the smoke from the bong. It’s usually better to get a sturdy and well-made bong with silicone and glass construction, especially if you’re a regular user.
Should a beginner use a Gravity Bong?
It’s usually best to start with another method if you are brand new to bongs. A gravity bong can be a little too intense for those who aren’t used to large bong hits or who haven’t yet built up any tolerance. For experienced smokers, it can give that little extra hit that you have been looking for, so it’s recommended that you only use these bongs once you’ve had some time to build up to it.
Summary
Though the hits from a gravity style of bong can be harsh, especially if you aren’t the most experienced of smokers, they also have a load of great benefits. Gravity Bongs are easy to use, and if you are finding that you don’t get too much of a high from the bong you are currently using, they can be a way to concentrate the feeling and get more from each hit. It’s clear to see why many experienced smokers appreciate a good gravity bong for a unique smoking experience.