Should you put ice in your bong?

Should you put ice cubes in your bong?

Both beginners and marijuana connoisseurs can benefit from adding ice to a bong. It's a way to cool down bong hits and add frosty hits to smoking sessions.

Bongs are one of the most popular ways to smoke weed. They are probably the most iconic marijuana paraphernalia immortalized in film and pop culture.

Bongs come in different shapes and sizes and made from different materials. Simple bongs are made from acrylic or silicone, while more elaborate bongs are made from glass. Essentially, however, they all have similar wider-based cylindrical tubular structures designed to hold water.

Many bongs have ice catchers, which are small notches in the neck of the bong to catch ice.

What are the benefits of putting ice in a bong?

Adding ice to a bong has many benefits

Ice can cool your hits:

Bong hits can be harsh and trigger coughing, while hot smoke can irritate the throat and lungs. This is where the ice comes into play. As the smoke passes over the ice, it cools down significantly. This results in cooler, smoother hits than bong water alone, and filtration alone is enough.

Ice filters the smoke:

The ice not only cools the smoke, but can also help filter it. A screen of ice cubes through which the smoke can flow is a very effective filter.

Ice enhances the taste of your hits:

The smoke you inhale from a pipe with ice is not only filtered but also has a better taste. The cooler smoke allows you to better enjoy the flavors of your weed.

You can also add your own flavors to the bong water or ice to enhance or complement your herb's flavonoids. You can read about different bong water alternatives to add more flavor to your session.

Ice lets you take bigger hits:

Bongs are known for creating large cracks. Adding ice to your bong will make the smoke cooler, allowing you to inhale more without having a coughing fit. Therefore, you can take bigger tips and go higher.

Ice acts as a splash guard:

Nobody likes bong water splashes. It's not a flavor that anyone likes or desires. By placing ice in the neck of the bong above the water level, it can act as a splash guard and direct the water back into the bong.

How do ice catchers work?

A bong with a built-in ice catcher allows you to stack ice cubes on the neck of your bong. The typical ice catcher consists of a clamp with two or more tips in the neck of the bong. With this ice clamp the ice can be stacked in the pipe neck.

When you use the bong, the smoke is pulled through the ice, cooling and filtering it.

Remember that the water level in your bong will rise as the ice melts. Therefore, you may need to adjust this to avoid splashes.

What if my bong doesn't have ice catchers?

If you already have a bong, you don't have to spend more money to enjoy cool hits, even if it doesn't have an icicle.

Add a few ice cubes through the neck and let them sit in the water.

If you have a beaker bong with a removable downpipe, remove the downpipe before adding the ice cubes to your bong.

Do not drop the ice cubes into your bong as they could damage it. Instead, hold your hookah at an angle. Then slide the ice down the neck into the bong. If your bong doesn't have an ice catcher, you can still enjoy cool hits by using ice water before pouring it into your bong.

Which bongs are suitable for ice?

You can put ice cubes on almost any type of hookah.

However, some bongs are better suited to ice than others. Of course, it's a good idea to use a bong that already has an ice catcher, but this isn't essential.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of ice in a bong, using a glass bong is highly recommended. This allows you to see the smoke swirling around and enhances the smell and taste.

For those looking to add ice to their bong, a straight pipe or wide-mouthed cup bongs are most logical.

You'll also find that different ice sizes affect the cooling temperature and the hardness of the hits, so you can experiment.

Safety precautions

If you're not careful, smoking ice can lead to bronchitis and other serious lung problems.

When you remove the ice cream from the freezer, you may notice that it has a white, frosted surface. You may also see white steam rising from the ice.

That white vapor and frosted ice are exactly what you should avoid inhaling.

The water vapor and frost are so cold that when you inhale it, it strains and strains your respiratory system.

Never put ice cubes in the bong neck and use it immediately. Always allow ice cubes to warm up for a few minutes after removing them from the freezer and before adding them to your bong.

If you have respiratory problems or are prone to asthma attacks, bongs (with or without ice) are not recommended.

Heavy smoke irritates your respiratory tract, so it is better to avoid smoke and choose other consumption methods that are gentler on the throat and chest. Maybe e-cigarettes, edibles, infused drinks, or sublingual tinctures.

But in all circumstances, using ice or ice water with your bongs is a path to bigger bongs and cooler temperatures that are easier on your lungs and get more out of your weed.