Thoughts on water bong vs dry bong vs stems/stems with cooling beads?

[Thick Vape]

I cough much less when I use water these days. I try to use as little as possible as it also decreases efficiency and taste.

Best is hot water!

And every vape or piece is best for a different application. as @Madri-Gal says.

 

[VapeForHealth]

I cough much less when I use water these days. I try to use as little as possible as it also decreases efficiency and taste.

Best is hot water!

I also cough less with water and use just enough to cover the percolator. I have never used hot water, but have heard that it works best. How hot is the water you use?

 

[Thick Vape]

I also cough less with water and use just enough to cover the percolator. I have never used hot water, but have heard that it works best. How hot is the water you use?

I never experimented much and just took the hot water from the tap, as it is tasteless around here.
I think it is around 50-60°C/140°f.
But in theory the hotter the better. As long as it is not boiling and the glass can stand the heat difference.

 

[VapeForHealth]

I never experimented much and just took the hot water from the tap, as it is tasteless around here.
I think it is around 50-60°C.
But in theory the hotter the better. As long as it is not boiling and the glass can stand the heat difference.

Thanks! I usually use distilled water at room temperature, but I will give hot water a try.

 

[Thick Vape]

Thanks! I usually use distilled water at room temperature, but I will give hot water a try.

Me too. I use distilled water to keep my glass nice and it is smooth enough at room temp, so...

Sorry for the edit, but I was just thinking from a chemical standpoint salt saturated water could help squeeze out a little bit more taste, maybe. For the bongwatergeeks

 

[GoldenBud]

Sorry for the edit, but I was just thinking from a chemical standpoint salt saturated water could help squeeze out a little bit more taste, maybe. For the bongwatergeeks

I don't know if it will affect the taste, but mold can't live in distilled water, so it feels more clean to use even 2 days without replacing...

the minerals in the tap water/"mineral" water will make the water lose volume a bit, because the salts harm the hydrogen bonds, and the total volume is reduced.. but you can barely see the difference...

 

[SquirrelMaster]

Also you look cool as hell like a wizard holding one.

No other reason needed.

I prefer dry vigreux (spikes also good) stems for the best balance (imo) of cooling and flavor. Balls, beads, or lengthening the airpath (bong) are also effective but there's more cleaning and some loss of flavor (related to length). Sometimes I just want to milk up Herborizer Sphere even if I lose a little flavor.

Water bong for comfort, hands down, and preferably (tap) hot to add moisture to my hit.

Variety is the spice of life. Also wizards...

 

[darkstar72]

I prefer dry with a dimpled j-hook. I'm sensitive to heat at the back of the throat. The two for $25 dimpled hooks I got from dhgate work very well for cooling and are totally worth ordering.

 

[VapeForHealth]

I prefer dry with a dimpled j-hook. I'm sensitive to heat at the back of the throat. The two for $25 dimpled hooks I got from dhgate work very well for cooling and are totally worth ordering.

Do you have a link to the product you are referring to?

 

[Haze Mister]

While on Reddit earlier, I came across a couple of threads that were basically saying that vaping through water actually makes the vapor more harsh and cooling it down too much makes the vapor solidify and makes it less effective. The loss of flavor was also mentioned, but I have already experienced that myself while using water, so I know that to be the case.

Reddit posts are not really worth discussing. We are way ahead here.... Also keep in mind that many reddit posts are made for the purpose of getting "karma" or whatever sad social credit system they are hooked on.

This matter of minor loss of actives and flavor is settled by the understanding that the small loss of goodies through condensation in the bubbler is worth it for the benefits of water cooling/ hydration of the vapor. Also, the ability to take larger tokes largely compensates for the losses. The bubbler's design will determine how much flavour you lose!

Putting a Dynavap on a bubbler and firing it past the click results in much tastier and smoother vapor than inhaling directly or through a j-hook so the talk of harshness is absurd.

 

[darkstar72]

Do you have a link to the product you are referring to?

Yeah, note the flattened mouth end is probably preferable to the flared option.

https://www.dhgate.com/product/16mm...EkPemxnaP8b3&seo_type=1&resource_id=754851222

 

[VapeForHealth]

Yeah, note the flattened mouth end is probably preferable to the flared option.

https://www.dhgate.com/product/16mm...EkPemxnaP8b3&seo_type=1&resource_id=754851222

Thanks! I was looking at that exact product and tried to find one with the flattened mouth, but no luck.

 

[Cheebsy]

For me it will depend on the vape and situation but my rule of thumb is to go with as little cooling as you can get away with. My desktop consumption, which is in the majority, is through a tiny dry bong. It's got a vertical downstem that I customise ensuring the output is a mm or 2 above the floor of the bong. This means that the hot vapour blasts against the cold flat floor creating the turbulence that @badbee was talking about. This does an exceptional job of removing the heat without compromising on flavour.

On the other hand my lightning pen is only marginally uncomfortable natively, so all I do is lengthen the vapour path with a plain glass tube with a 14mm female taper. No additional cooling, just a longer path.

 

[Shit Snacks]

There was something special about say using a short plain stem dry with something like Milaana, but I can't imagine ever doing that again.. The amount of particles that make it through and irritate the throat is much worse than the temperature or the vapor itself, unfortunately the sacrifice in flavor and potential potency seems like a simple double-edged sword trade off

 

[florduh]

There was something special about say using a short plain stem dry with something like Milaana, but I can't imagine ever doing that again.. The amount of particles that make it through and irritate the throat is much worse than the temperature or the vapor itself, unfortunately the sacrifice in flavor and potential potency seems like a simple double-edged sword trade off

Something like a short TM stem filled with balls always treated me pretty well. The balls would help absorb heat and help to filter out Scooby Snacks. The biggest problem is the short stem can only contain so many balls. Eventually they will get totally heat soaked. But for short sessions out and about it can't be beat. Very discreet.

 

[Shit Snacks]

Something like a short TM stem filled with balls always treated me pretty well. The balls would help absorb heat and help to filter out Scooby Snacks. The biggest problem is the short stem can only contain so many balls. Eventually they will get totally heat soaked. But for short sessions out and about it can't be beat. Very discreet.

Yeah no the issue is how dirty they get, the balls get so sticky with condensed vapor, and losing efficacy with flavors that way ... Unfortunately this is true of any added glass surface area especially cooling obstructions, that's what I mean by the trade-off, typically the better it is cooling the more you're losing

 

[Haze Mister]

There was something special about say using a short plain stem dry with something like Milaana, but I can't imagine ever doing that again.. The amount of particles that make it through and irritate the throat is much worse than the temperature or the vapor itself

This is precisely the advantage of water- it offers superior flltration and IMO if one is going to be vaping every day for years (or decades), this is desirable. This is why I prefer recyclers too, because of the added centrifugal filtration by swirling the vapor around with water

 

[Monk Debate]

imo this is the ultimate hook for the TM, I had him make the first one for me in 18 mm (I use backwards RBT stems as plain WPA with rimless steel mesh basket screen inside) so then be made it available on the site as a 14 (just right in the notes if you want to customize it to be 18 etc)

https://oregonglassblower.com/14mm-GLASS-SIDECAR-J-HOOK-LARGE-DIAMETER-LEFT-8-J-HOOK-SIDECAR.htm

I don’t have a TM but I love the design of this hook! Just ordered one. I also ordered a coiled stem from Sneaky Pete so I will compare the two: https://www.sneakypetestore.com/products/dryspring-glass-cooling-stem?variant=40319028985937

In general I prefer a small amount of water cooling. That’s why I enjoy handheld bubblers like the Hubble Bubble from Divine Tribe. Lots of water agitation with a small amount of liquid. My throat is noticeably less irritated and dry when I use those small bubblers and i can take bigger hits more easily. A no brainer for me.

 

[florduh]

I guess the most irritating part of both herb vaping and dabbing to me is terp burn on the throat. Water doesn't seem to do much for that over dry cooling options. For me, anyway.

 

[Madri-Gal]

Been on dry the past few weeks, and found that some of my smaller glass pieces work upside down with various vapes. Such as small beaker upside down on Angus POTV One, V3pro, etc. with WPA.
Also, with dry glass you don't have to be concerned about waterpiece above the vape, as there won't be back flow.
Having said that, I've just added water to two pieces I've been using dry. I like variety, and if I've been using a piece dry I'll often add water the last day of use. The piece is going to be given a thorough cleaning before being put away the next day, so water doesn't add much to the overall mess at that point.
I feel fortunate to like wet, dry, warm, cool. Don't care for ice in bongs, and am good with water, though I have tried coffee, soda, tea, carbonated water, and a few juices when I was stoned and thought it a good idea. Now I'm just water, or no water. Not enough pay off to bother with other liquids.
This is just my preference.