What is a Gravity Bong & How to Make One? | Education

There are more methods for consuming cannabis than ever before; from hi-tech bongs that use lasers to light your bud to dab rigs, hemp wraps and dozens of different pipes, papers and vapes. Sometimes though, the tried and true classics are still the most fun - and effective - way to smoke your weed. If you've spent any time in your life around a college dorm or post-grad apartment, you might be familiar with a gravity bong.

The table-top smoking device is a classic cannabis conservation tool that's perfect for a crowded session. Now, in the middle of a pandemic, this no-contact bong is perfect for safe sharing. So what is a gravity bong and how do you use one? In this piece, we'll cover both of those questions and give you a step by step break down of how to build your very own geeb (that's slang for gravity bong) at home.

What Is a Gravity Bong?

To get to the bottom of what makes up a gravity bong, let's pull apart the name. First, gravity refers to the method in which smoke is pulled into and pushed out of the device. Second, the bong part means you'll need a bowl and some water. Put together, gravity bongs use water and gravity to displace smoke and push a stream of weed billowing out of the top.

In most cases, a gravity bong piece involves a large container full of water and a second, slightly smaller container with the bottom cut out and a cap or top with a hole poked in it and some form of bong bowl fastened to it. With the top unscrewed, the smaller bottle is placed inside of the large container of water, where it sinks to the bottom. The larger container is filled with just enough water so that the top of the interior container sticks out while fully submerged. Screw the top on the interior container while it is filled with water, pack the bowl and light the weed with one hand while you use the other to lift up the interior container out of the water slowly, making sure not to leave the bottom of the interior container submerged. As the interior bottle lifts, gravity will displace the water with smoke, filling the container. Once it is full, unscrew the bowl top, put your mouth over the top and push down. Next, the cycle will reverse and smoke will be pushed out of the opening into your face as the bottle fills back up with water and is fully re-submerged.

Why Use a Gravity Water Bong?

The benefits of using a gravity bong are all about the bang for your buck, or better yet, bud. Because geebs rely on the suction of gravity to light the bowl, there is no smoke lost, with every last ember condensed into the interior container. That makes for huge, potent hits even if you only packed a little bit of shake. Do gravity bongs get you higher? Not necessarily, but they do offer a massive rip that is often more powerful than a typical pull from a joint or blunt.

Gravity bongs are also one of the cheapest methods to smoke at home. Unlike traditional bongs or pipes that can cost anywhere from $20 to thousands, a gravity bong can usually be made with household items that won't cost a dime or, in a pinch, a maximum $5 trip to any convenience store.

Buying a Grav Bong Vs. Making Your Own

Of course, like every sector of cannabis accessories, plenty of brands have released a pre-built gravity bong for sale that takes the DIY aspect out of the equation. Two of the most popular options, the Vortex and the Gleeb, have been on the market for years. The Vortex is a large plastic all-in-one gravity bong, while the Gleeb is a more traditional setup with a custom-built glass interior bottle and perfectly-fit bowl.

The most recent pre-made gravity bong is the Stundenglass. This is a glass gravity bong is shaped like an hourglass with two large glass orbs that repeatedly turn, passing water between each globe as smoke streams out of a mouthpiece or hookah hose.

So with such elaborate gravity bongs on the market, why would someone want to build their own? Well, for starters, making a geeb at home is often hundreds of dollars cheaper than the store-bought version. And while gravity bongs may be fun to have around at the frat house, they aren't usually a long-term smoking device of choice, making a DIY disassembly the easiest clean up available. Besides, McGyver-style ingenuity is a cornerstone of cannabis culture, and sometimes building your own bong makes the high that much better.

How To Make A Gravity Bong

To make a gravity bong DIY at home, you'll need a few easy-to-find supplies.

5-gallon bucket or similar container
Empty two-liter soda bottle or similar container
Box cutter or scissors
Screwdriver
Lighter
Water
Bong bowl, hollow socket wrench, tin foil or any another bowl substitute.

First, start by modifying your interior container, or in this case, the two-liter soda bottle. Start by cutting off the bottom of the bottle so that it is entirely open. Next, use the lighter and screwdriver to poke a hole directly through the middle of the two-liter cap. The bowl will sit directly in the hole you make, so try to fit the opening to the size of the bowl.

The easiest bowl to use for a gravity bong is a real bowl from another bong, but if you're going the true DIY route, look in your toolbox for a socket wrench attachment for an electric drill. The small, hollow metal sockets make a perfect household bowl. Don't have a set of sockets? You can always go the cheapest of the cheap route and build your own bowl out of tin foil, making sure that it is hollow and being sure to change it after every hit to avoid inhaling any foil residue. Only use foil for a bowl as a last resort and even then, maybe reconsider and hit the smoke shop for a $5 glass bowl.

Once you've secured the bowl inside of the bottle cap, fill the bucket with just enough water that the 2-liter cap sits dry. Screw the bowl-equipped top on the two-liter, pack your bud, pull out your lighter and let gravity do the rest.

Do you have a secret tool or container that makes for the best DIY gravity bong? Give us the scoop in the comments below!