Is there any reason to have a carbon filter for a vape? I'm going to order a 4 hose bong to share my greens with some friends easier, I find vaporizing with people generally takes much long than smoking, so hopefully this will speed things up. I was wondering though if there is any reason to get a carbon filter for a vape? Since there is no combustion I'm guessing no, but can it filter out other harmful things?
I have sensitive lungs & have had effective results with a carbon filter when vaporizing(dependent on which glass used). Since you seem to be someone who likes to vaporize with a water-pipe, you may not find it necessary. This could depend on the quality of your herb, your PERSONAL physiology(such as how your respiratory system reacts), the type of water-pipe you use, & others factors. Adding on an A/C(or pre-cooler) can be helpful to better diffuse/filter/cool the vapor, especially when using a single chamber bong that doesn't have adequate diffusion. However, using Ash Catcher's is a win/lose situation often. The more surface area the vapor is exposed to, as well as increased air path length/volume, has negative consequences(
IMO/IME). This contributes to the reasons why many vaporists prefer to use smaller glass pieces, than a typical smoker. An A/C basically 'extends' your bong, adding volume & surface area along with the obvious additional diffusion & filtration.
Filtration seems to be your main concern. If you don't have experience with AshCatchers/PreCoolers, you might not be aware that they typically add some 'drag'/resistance to the airflow. The Cloud would not be able to perform as intended, with a glass pipe that has far too much drag/resistance/volume, & this is why the HydraTubes that come with The Cloud are generally 'small' with good diffusion + low drag.
Using The Cloud with an A/C is not a good idea
IMO(generally). You would probably be better off using a Carbon Filter opposed to an Ash Catcher/Pre-Cooler, as it shouldn't add TOO much drag & would filter great. To answer your question about if it would filter out 'other harmful things'(very vague BTW), I would say yes. Depending how harmful the material your vaporizing is. If obtaining it from the black-market, its hard to know if the grower used proper & safe methods. Such as flushing correctly(to get all chemicals from pesticides out, + ... ), or if cured & stored correctly, etc. There are many potential things that could be harmful/irritating to your body, that a carbon filter would eliminate. One last thing, your concern about stability when using an A/C is warranted. This would generally add difficulty w/ The Cloud & require more attention. In turn, making it more difficult to vape with others in a "speedy" manner. Hope this helps.
