What is a Gravity Bong?

One of the many things that our 24-hour online head shop experts are constantly amazed by is the creativity that smokers express when seeking out the perfect smoking experience. With more shapes and sizes of glass pipes than ever before, there are so many options on the market that help people redefine what it means to relax. Passionate smokers are consistently improving upon older technologies to create something big, powerful, and effective. If you have ever been curious about some of the more non-traditional methods of smoking, then you’ve come to the right place. While we provide an endless supply of water pipes, bongs, dab rigs, and accessories that fit all designs and styles, you might be a veteran smoker who is interested in something a little more extreme. If you want your whole smoking session to be defined by one hit, then you might be interested in learning more about the epic gravity bong. What Exactly is a Gravity Bong? You may have already seen a gravity bong without even knowing it since they go by many names: the grav, the bucket bong, the one-hitter quitter, the waterfall bong…the list goes on. Once you identify a gravity bong as such, you can start to experience the whirlwind of benefits that come from this unique method of smoking. Essentially, a gravity bong is a sort of DIY type of bong that can be made in a variety of different ways, offering an affordable yet immensely powerful method of smoking herbs. All you need for a gravity bong is a container of water and a method of pressure that pushes the water-enhanced smoke directly into your lungs. This makes for a greatly enhanced hit, offering more potent results when compared to glass pipes and traditional bongs. There are many ways that this can be achieved, so we will run through some of the most popular options in this article. Why are Gravity Bongs So Potent? Gravity bongs are often created in a much larger container than other types of bongs, meaning you can get a lot more smoke per hit than usual. This already creates a much more potent smoking experience, often amplifying the soothing effects of the herb even more than usual. What’s more, the vacuum created by the pressure will put smoke into the lungs a lot faster, and more powerfully, than a typical smoking experience, making this an extreme way to get the most out of each bowl. For this reason, gravity bongs are typically recommended for people who have a lot of experience with bowls, pipes, bongs, and other smoking devices. This makes for one of the best gifts for people who smoke as it can be made by hand or purchased online for quick delivery and an even quicker smoking experience! How Gravity Bongs Work It’s all in the name. Gravity bongs use nature’s most powerful law - gravity - to create a powerful smoke. While gravity bongs come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, they typically consist of two different chambers so they can effectively work. The first chamber is a large container, usually a cut-off water bottle or an open glass jar. This chamber will hold the water, which can be either hot or cold (although we recommend ice-cold water for the best use). The second chamber is smaller and usually consists of something that is small enough to be submerged in the larger container. This can be a smaller bottom or a container with a bowl on top and an open bottom that can go into the water. Once the herb is lit, the bowl can be slowly pulled out of the water while the vacuum creates a bottle of pressure-induced smoke. Once it’s all filled up, simply inhale the smoke and let it fill your lungs. The result will be a powerful experience you aren’t going to forget anytime soon. Top 5 Benefits of Gravity Bongs The promise of a more potent smoke is already a good enough reason to get your hands on a unique gravity bong, or you can try your hand at making a grav all by yourself. No matter what you choose, you can benefit from many different perks that can only come from this unique smoking method: 1. Use a Smaller Amount of Herb When You Smoke Using any type of glass piece will provide you with a nice smoking session at any time and any place, but if you are a regular smoker, then you are going to want to find ways to maximize your smoking efficiency. You likely don’t have an endless supply of herbs or tobacco, so it might be useful to know that a gravity bong takes up way less product per hit. Just a small amount can go a long way, prolonging your stash and making each puff way more effective than the last. 2. Smoke Less with More Friends In addition to needing way less herb when you pack a gravity bong, you also have so much more to share with your friends. With a huge chamber filling up entirely with smoke, this brings the potency of each ingredient to the next stage of power, giving everyone who takes a hit a chance to experience smoking like never before. This is one of the most fun and effective ways to share a smoking sesh with friends. 3. It’s Easy to Use a Mouthpiece Our experts do not recommend inhaling the smoke directly from the top of the chamber; rather, you can get a more potent effect by inhaling smoke from a few inches away. While this may seem to waste smoke, it absolutely doesn’t! And if you want to be extra sure that you won’t let any of that precious smoke fade into thin air, you can use a silicone or glass mouthpiece. This piece acts as an extra filter, getting rid of resin, tar, and other unhealthy ingredients so that they don’t hit your lungs. Additionally, the mouthpiece gives you a clean chamber that the smoke can more easily travel through to reach your mouth. 4. You Can Make Your Own Gravity Bong From Scratch There are plenty of gravity bongs for sale at your local head shop, or online with your favorite glass experts, so you will never run out of ways to obtain one of these unique pieces. However, a lot of people need something to smoke out of on the fly, so they end up making their own gravity bongs. DIY gravity bongs are easy and cheap to make, as they can be constructed with items you would normally find around the house. 5. Get the Most Affordable Bang for Your Buck Since you can make them at home for next to nothing, gravity bongs are certainly the cheapest way to enhance your smoking experience on the fly. In fact, you don’t even need to make a purchase or take a trip to the bank when you figure out how to make a gravity bong at home. Even if you decide to purchase a ready-made bong online, you will end up saving a lot of money in the long run because these pieces work so well. Is Making a DIY Gravity Bong a Good Idea? While our Thick Ass Glass pros will always encourage you to shop online for the best water pipes and bongs, you can always fashion your own gravity bong when you are stuck at home without anything to smoke out of. Instead of waiting for your purchase to be delivered to your front door, you can keep that front door closed and go looking around the house for items to make your own gravity bong with. Before we talk about the best ways to make one from scratch, let’s quickly review some of the biggest pros and cons of making a DIY gravity bong at home. DIY Gravity Bong Pros: They are very easy to make and will only take you a few minutes to construct You can save money on expensive glass pipes and other products DIY bongs use glass, which is non-combustible and generally safe to work with You can use an existing mouthpiece in tandem with your newly-made bong  You can control exactly how much smoke goes into the container DIY Gravity Bong Cons: A homemade gravity bong may not last more than a few days when put to heavy use There are better styles and sturdier materials in bongs that you can buy online You may not get the most effective smoke when you puff on your own  Depending on the type of market you are in, and how desperate you are to start a smoking session right away, making a DIY gravity bong from scratch might be a good direction for you to start with. Whether or not you have ever made your own gravity bong from scratch before, here are a few simple instructions to get you started. How to Make a DIY Gravity Bong The beauty of gravity bongs is that they come in a variety of designs and can be made from an assortment of items that you are almost certain to have lying around at home already. This is a great way to learn about the effects of water pressure and how easy it is to enjoy smoking all on your own. What You’ll Need Some items you will need to make a gravity bong include: A bucket or a bottle measuring at least 2 liters, made from PET plastic A second bottle with a secure lid Something sharp to poke holes with Aluminum foil A blade, box cutter, or sharp scissors The tobacco or herb you want to smoke Once you have gathered the right items, you can start the very easy process of making your own bong. Remember to trust the process, and don’t forget that the results are about increasing your smoking experience rather than creating the most beautiful bong in the world. Step 1: Cut the Bottom of the Bottles Using a box cutter or scissors, cut off the bottom of the plastic bottles. Make sure the hole is big enough for water to enter the bottle once it is submerged, and make sure there is enough space for smoke to fill up the entire bottle on the inside. The larger bottle should be cut off at the top so the smaller bottle can fit inside it. Step 2: Fill the Big Bottle The bigger bottle or bucket should be filled with water. Again, we recommend ice water, but any sort of clean water will do. There should be enough water that the bottle can be submerged but it does not need to fully fill up the second chamber. Step 3: Poke a Bowl Hole The third step is often the part that smokers find to be the most fun: creating the bowl! You can use a sharp stick to poke a hole in the cap of the smaller bottle. Then you can put your own glass bowl inside of it! If you don’t have your own bowl already, then you can create one out of aluminum foil. All you need to do is wrap your lid with aluminum foil and poke some holes in it for ventilation. Step 4: Prepare Your Herb Once you have either placed the bowl on top or created your own bowl out of tin foil, you can start to grind up your herb. Stuff your tobacco into the top bowl and make sure it is not touching the water. Underneath the herb should be an empty chamber that will fill up with smoke as soon as the herb is lit. Step 5: Smoke! You’ve done it - you’ve officially created your own gravity bong! Not only is this a great way to create a smoking device on the fly, but it also happens to be one of the best ways to get a more potent smoking experience than usual. If you are ready to see what gravity bongs are all about, then all you need to do is follow these quick steps. Learn More About Gravity Bongs Today Thick Ass Glass offers a fantastic selection of pipes, bowls, and bongs for everyone from the first-timer to the seasoned smoker. Whether or not you have used a gravity bong before, you are sure to amplify your experience with just a single hit. You can easily make one at home or buy one of our ready-made gravity bongs so you can share the love in a whole new way. Learn more about gravity bongs at Thick Ass Glass today!