The Evolution of the Gravity Bong

Thick milky white smoke blasted into the back of your throat. Nothing can go wrong when it comes to a gravity bong!

From joints to suppositories, it seems like stoners have dreamed up just about every possible way to enjoy cannabis. Weed smokers are known for being creative and inventive, and the gravity bong has stood the test of time as the poster child of homemade weed apparatuses. The gravity bong (or “grav” bong) is truly the ultimate “DIY” smoking device and has undergone quite the evolution in recent years.

The classic gravity bong is constructed from household materials including cut-up soda bottles, five-gallon Home Depot buckets, and random metal knick-knacks you stole from your dad’s toolbox (“that’s a hex bit socket, son”). But oh, have gravity bongs come a long way since then. Companies like Grav and Stundenglass have successfully reinvented the traditional DIY gravity bong with next-level class and elegance.

But before we delve into the newest innovations in gravity bongs, let’s reflect on the special times we shared with those gravity bongs that look like a jumble of random objects from a janitor’s closet.

The Classic DIY Gravity Bong

A cornerstone of college parties and dorm rooms, the gravity bong has proved its enduring popularity throughout the years.

Back in the day, at a time where head shops were not as common and cannabis was not as accepted (or legal), stoners were left to their own devices. Although a variety of household items can create a plethora of pipes, the gravity bong is really an icon.

The functionality of a gravity bong is actually quite simple. The idea behind the apparatus is that gravity pulls cannabis smoke into a bottle with the help of water suction.

How do you Make a Gravity Bong?

First, the interior bottle is cut in half so that it can be easily submerged in the water. On top of the bottle is a cap which is typically converted into a makeshift bowl piece, or sometimes it can even be an actual glass bowl piece.

Seasoned gravity bong users will know that screwing on a bowl piece packed with cannabis is a big no-no unless the bottle is already immersed in water. If the bowl is packed before the interior bottle is submerged, a burst of air will ruin your hit (and maybe even your day) by erupting your dank greens up into the air and onto the floor, or worse, into the water.

Instead, attach the bowl piece after submerging the bottle into the water, and slowly pull the bottle up while simultaneously lighting the herb.

The end result will be beautiful milky goodness flowing into the bottle as you pull it upwards. When you reach your desired hit size, remove the bowl and enjoy the sweet cannabis smoke that will be shot into your mouth as the bottle drops back into the water.

The function, nostalgia, and budget-friendly nature of homemade gravity bongs can be good draws. However, the commercially manufactured models on the market right now are definitely worth considering, especially with all the impressive improvements that have been made recently.

The Grav Gravitron: The World’s First All-Glass Gravity Bong

Today, Grav is one of the most trusted and widely known names in cannabis glassware. Dave Daily invented the original Gravitron 2004 and the rest is basically history. The Gravitron became the brands claim to fame product and Grav Labs, now shortened to just Grav, grew on their success with the Gravitron Gravity Bong and continued to evolve their glassware lineup.

The Gravitron continues to be Grav’s flagship product and has remained a best-seller for over 17 years now. The Gravitron was the world’s first-ever glass gravity bong and is still as much fun to use and hard-hitting as the day it was created!

The Gravitron 2.0: A Higher-Quality Glass Gravity Bong

For those of you who are seeking a seamless gravity bong experience, without the plastic or effort of a DIY gravity bong, consider Grav’s latest. In May of 2021 (yes, that's last month), Grav gave it’s namesake all-glass gravity bong a facelift celebrating 17 years as a company. 

Cannabis users are known to break things. So if you're scared of investing in a fragile all-glass smoking device, Grav’s brand new and upgraded Gravitron 2.0 increases the glass thickness of their original Gravitron by five times! Any debilitating effects from its smoke are far less likely to lead to destruction now. 

Additionally, the new flange at the top of the neck gives you a great grip on the bottle as you lift it. This all makes for a low-risk, high-fun experience. The new model also includes an upgraded platinum cured silicone grommet for added protection. 

Arguably the coolest feature of the Gravitron 2.0 is its ability to work with your own 14mm and 18mm male bowl pieces (the medium Gravitron has a 14mm female joint while the large Gravitron is fit with an 18mm female joint). So you can forget all about about raiding your father’s toolbox for hex sockets or having to order the custom 12mm bowl slides that came with the original Grav Gravitron. 

The Stündenglass Gravity Pipe: The Ultimate Gravity Bong Experience 

Rarely is a gravity bong associated with a lavish and elegant lifestyle. Stundenglass set out to change that mindset with the first ever kinetically-powered, motion-activated glass Gravity Hookah Pipe. There is a reason that this truly unique apparatus has attracted the attention of cannabis heroes like Wiz Khalifa and Seth Rogan. It’s completely badass.

In the brands own words, the Stundenglass Gravity Hookah is described as:

“a sophisticated and elegantly designed 360° rotating glass hookah that generates kinetic motion activation via cascading water displacement, opposing airflow technology and the natural force of gravity.”

This description may seem pretty similar to how a DIY gravity bong works but its features are numerous. Constructed with high-quality borosilicate glass globes and an aircraft-grade anodized aluminum body, the Stundenglass Gravity Bong was designed to last the test of time. 

The Stundenglass Gravity Pipe includes an aluminum hookah bowl kit, a glass bowl piece for dry herbs, and can also work with virtually any smoking or vaporization device that uses a 14mm male joint.

Each Stundenglass Gravity Bong also comes with a 3-foot silicone hose that attaches magnetically and can be used for smoking directly out of the device like your standard hookah. Conversely, a stream of smoke from the mouthpiece will appear after rotating the gloves which gives you the option of an entirely contactless hit! That’s a win for the germaphobes out there. 

The Grav Gravitron was not the only gravity bong to get a recent facelift as the Stundenglass Gravity Pipe was reinvented in 2020 with a much more durable body and overall cleaner aesthetic.

Adding to this product’s many enticing features are the customizable parts and growing collaborations that Stundenglass established since the redesign. From the Cookies Blue Stundenglass Gravity Bong to the Dr. Greenthumb’s Green version, these Stundenglass Gravity Pipes are undeniably gorgeous and are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Sure, a top-shelf, beautifully engineered item comes with a higher price tag, but the Stundenglass Gravity Hookah Bong also comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty. If that is not enough insurance for your shaky stoner hands, the Stundenglass also includes a reusable craft box with a handle, allowing for secure travel and storage.

The gravity bong has been around for years and the demand for more efficient and reliable grav bongs continues to grow. No matter what your budget is looking like, there is a gravity bong out there for everyone.

From the cheap DIY model, the mid-range Grav Gravitron, and the legendary Stundenglass Gravity Hookah Pipe, you can’t really go wrong with a gravity bong. Get your hands on one of these top-shelf glass gravity bongs today and see for yourself what all the hype is about!