From A to Z: A Glossary of Bongs and Other Weedy Jargon
If you’ve never gotten high you still probably know a few weedy words — chronic, dime bag, baked, and stoned — that have made it to the mainstream. We thought we’d dive deeper and break down the lexicon of our favorite smoking device: the bong. Enjoy!
A -
Ash Catcher: An underrated accessory designed to trap ash and debris before it enters the water in your bong, ensuring a cleaner and smoother smoke. Can be built in to your piece or sold as an attachment that fits into the downstem.
B -
Beaker Base: A type of bong with a wider, flask-like base that provides stability and allows for larger water volume.
Borosilicate Glass: Durable, heat-resistant glass commonly used for making high-quality bongs, known for its longevity and clarity.
Bowl: The holy vessel (literally, it has holes lol) that you pack with weed, light up, take a big ol bong rip and enjoy.
C -
Carburetor (Carb): A small hole on the side of the bong that you cover while inhaling to control airflow and clear smoke. In the case of your bong, that would be your bowl piece.
Carb Cap: A small accessory, often made of glass or other heat-resistant materials, designed to cover the nail or banger on a dab rig during the dabbing process. The carb cap helps regulate airflow, lower the pressure within the dab rig, and maintain consistent vaporization temperatures for concentrates.
Cashed: When the bowl has been fully burned and there's nothing left to smoke.
Crumble: A type of cannabis concentrate known for its crumbly texture. It can be used with certain bongs designed for dabbing
D -
Dab: A potent method of consuming concentrated cannabis extracts. Dabbing involves applying a small amount of the concentrate onto a hot surface, typically a nail, and inhaling the resulting vapor.
Diffuser: A downstem or piece that breaks smoke into smaller bubbles, increasing the surface area for cooling and filtering.
Downstem: A long, slender tube that extends from the bowl piece into the water chamber of a bong. It serves to carry smoke from the bowl down into the water for cooling and filtration.
E -
E-nail: A device used for heating dabs to the ideal temperature. It offers precise temperature control, giving you a consistent smoking experience. E-nails eliminate the need for butane torches, making them a safer and more convenient option for dabbing enthusiasts.
Extract: Concentrated substances, such as oils or dabs, that can be used with certain bongs designed for vaporization.
F -
Filtration: The process of using water and sometimes additional percolators to filter out impurities and cool the smoke.
Flower: Dried cannabis flower that can be ground up and smoked. (You should probably know this, but if you don’t that’s ok!)
Female: Refers to the joint or opening that accepts a male accessory, such as a bowl or downstem. Female joints are typically found on the bong itself.
G -
Glass-on-Glass (GonG): A bong design featuring glass joints and connections, often preferred for its airtight seal.
Grinder: A small device (or large, we don’t know your life lol) used to break down flower into smaller pieces to smoke
Gravity Bong: The mad scientist of bongs! It uses gravity to create a suction that pulls in smoke, giving you a hit that's out of this world. When you light the bowl and slowly lift the container out of the water, a vacuum is created, pulling smoke into the chamber. Once the chamber is filled with smoke, remove the bowl and inhale. Remember, it's all about lift-off! 🚀💨
H -
Honeycomb Perc: A type of percolator with multiple small holes arranged like a honeycomb, providing excellent filtration and diffusion.
Hotbox: Filling a small, enclosed space, such as a car or a bathroom, with smoke from a bong, joint / whatever smoking method you choose. The participants then enjoy the thick, hazy atmosphere and heightened camaraderie.
I -
Ice Catcher: A feature found in some bongs where ice cubes can be placed to further cool the smoke. Sometimes called “ice notches”
J -
Joint: The connection point where accessories like bowls and downstems are inserted into the bong.
K -
Kief: The fine, powdery residue collected from ground herbs, which can be added to your bong hits for an extra kick.
L -
Laid-Back Tube: A type of bong with a long, sloping tube that allows for a more relaxed smoking posture. (Also called a bent neck)
Lighter Leash: A retractable cord or chain that attaches to your lighter, allowing you to keep it handy and preventing it from getting lost during your bong sessions (or any sesh really!). It's a practical solution for the forgetful smoker.
M -
Male: Refers to the joint or protruding part of an accessory, such as a bowl or downstem, that fits into a female joint on the bong. Male accessories are inserted into female joints to create a secure connection.
Milk: A term used to describe the process of pulling smoke through water, creating a milky, dense appearance in the bong's chamber. This technique is often employed to maximize the cooling and filtration effects before inhaling.
N -
Nail: A heating element, often made of quartz or titanium, used for dabbing concentrates in specific dab rigs.
O -
O-ring: A small rubber ring used to create an airtight seal between two glass components of a bong, ensuring there are no leaks during use. (Also called a rubber grommet)
Oil Rig: A specialized type of bong designed for dabbing concentrates. It typically features a nail or banger attachment and may include a water chamber for cooling the vapor.
Overfill: Not so much a term you’ll find out in the wild; moreso describing the act of adding too much water to the bong's water chamber, which can result in unintended splashing making for a suboptimal smoking experience. (Proper water levels are crucial for achieving the desired filtration and cooling effects in a bong hit.)
P -
Percolator: Perc for short. An additional water chamber or filter designed to diffuse and cool the smoke, resulting in a smoother hit.
Pull: The act of inhaling from the bong, drawing smoke into the chamber, and preparing for a hit.
Q -
Quartz Banger: A type of nail made from quartz crystal, often used for high-temperature dabbing.
Quartering: Dividing a bowl into four separate hits. Instead of taking one large hit, the user takes four (or more) smaller hits, allowing for a more controlled and evenly distributed pulls. If you’re sharing a bong with someone in a sesh, this is typically considered polite weedicate.
R -
Recycler: A bong design that continually recycles and filters smoke through multiple chambers, providing a smoother hit.
Rip: Taking a substantial and forceful inhalation from a bong or smoking device. Ripping involves drawing in a large volume of smoke in a single hit, often resulting in a powerful and intense experience. (AKA, a sh*t ton of coughing)
Rosin: A cannabis concentrate produced through a solventless extraction method. It's created by applying heat and pressure to cannabis flower or hash, causing the resin glands to release their potent oils. If you’re interested in learning more check out our blog article on all things rosin.
S -
Shatter: Type of concentrate known for its glass-like appearance and high potency. It's produced through a process that involves extracting cannabinoids and terpenes from the cannabis plant and then purging the residual solvents, resulting in a translucent and brittle substance.
Shower head Perc: Resembles a shower head. Its disc-like shape with multiple slits or holes allows smoke to pass and is diffused into multiple streams or bubbles, which increases the surface area of the smoke that comes into contact with the water for a smoother cooler hit.
Splash Guard: A feature, usually at the top of the bong, designed to prevent water from splashing up into your mouth.
Splash Back: Splashing of water that can occur if you inhale too forcefully or when there is too much water in the bong's chamber. Can be icky :(
Sugar: A form of concentrates known for its granulated, crystalline texture. It's created through a process similar to other concentrates but is allowed to undergo a natural separation and crystallization process. This results in a concentrate with a sugary appearance and a robust terpene profile, often favored for its flavor and potency.
T -
Time Bomb: A creative smoking technique where a joint or blunt is placed vertically within the bowl of a bong, resembling a "time bomb." As the joint burns down, it ignites the cannabis in the bowl, creating a delayed and intense hit. Will certainly knock you out.
Torch: A powerful and focused flame source used to heat the surface of a banger or nail for dabbing concentrates. Usually butane, it's an essential tool for achieving the high temperatures necessary for vaporizing concentrates.
Tree Perc: A percolator or with multiple arms or "branches," each containing slits or holes to filter smoke effectively.
U -
Upstem: A type of downstem that directs smoke upwards into the water for cooling and filtration. Usually found in gravity bongs.
V -
Vortex Chamber: A unique percolator that creates a swirling motion in the water, enhancing smoke filtration.
W -
Water Pipe: A general term used for bongs, often preferred to avoid the negative connotations associated with "bong."
Wax: A type of cannabis concentrate that resembles the texture of beeswax or earwax. It is known for its high potency and is often used with dab rigs or vaporizers.
X -
X-Tract: A play on words referring to extracts, such as oils or concentrates, that can be used with certain bongs.
Y -
Now we’ll be honest, we couldn’t find anything to put here, so keep on reading lol
Z -
Zong: A bong with a zigzag or serpentine shape, adding a touch of artistic flair to your smoking experience.
Although not definitive, we hope this comprehensive glossary will serve you well. Maybe you’re ready to buy a bong of your own - or maybe you just want to add more weedy knowledge to your vocab. Either way, have fun exploring the world of bongs with confidence and better understand what the heck you’re actually smoking. Happy toking!
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