How to Take a Bong Hit like a Pro

holding a blue bong

Smoking from a bong for the first time is exciting, intimidating, and just a bit tricky. After all, there are so many different pieces to the bong and steps to take that anyone could get confused trying to figure it out. Your first time might have you wondering, 'what goes where' and 'when does what go where?' As with most things in life, the best way to learn how to take a bong hit is by trial and error – unless, of course, you read and follow Leafbuyer's guide to taking hits like a pro. You can learn all the ins and outs of expert-level bongitude. We have every tip and trick in the book to buy the best flower and help you take the best bong hits you possibly can. From packing the weed to puffing it, you'll impress everyone with your deft handling of one of the trickiest common smoking implements: the bong.

Preparing the Bong

showing how to take a bong hit

Even hardcore stoners with years of verified bong experience wouldn't be able to smoke from a badly prepared bong. Setting a bong up is actually very easy to do but one mistake can lead to a mouthful of bong water or, even worse, nothing at all! First and foremost, make sure to clean your bong when preparing to smoke weed. If your bong is new then all it should need is a good rinse, but if your bong is a hand-me-down or in any way pre-used then you'll need to clean it. Dirty bongs are downright disgusting to smoke from and can turn a smooth hit into a coughing fit. Do yourself a favor (and anyone else smoking from that bong) and give it a good, hard scrub. Make sure to rinse with cold water when you're finished cleaning the bong since smoking from a warm, steamy bong is kinda gross.

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Bongs are essentially fancy water pipes, meaning you put weed in one end and suck smoke through the other. The only difference is the addition of a few extra bits and bobs: a detachable bowl, a downstem, the actual body of the bong, and sometimes fancy features like percolators and ice catchers. To prepare the bong for a smoke session first make sure you have all the parts you need and, of course, some weed.

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After you’ve gathered what you need, remove the bowl piece from the bong and set it aside as you fill the bong with water. You will want to fill the bong high enough to cover the bottom of the downstem, but low enough to avoid getting bong water near, on, or in your mouth. The more times you fill a bong the more accurate you'll become, but try some trial and error before smoking so at least the bong water will be clean! If your bong has a percolator then filling it will be a slightly different process. First, fill the bong's percolator with water using the top hole then use the downstem to fill the bottom of the bong. Bongs with ice catchers are easily prepared – just add ice! The trick is keeping an empty cup nearby to pour off the extra bong water at the ice melts. After all that, just pack the bowl piece with your favorite weed and enjoy the wonders of a well-prepared bong.

How to Take a Bong Hit

woman lighting on bong sitting on a couch

Your bong is prepared, your weed is packed, and your lighter is lit –  all that's left is to take that bong hit! But what do you do, and when do you do it? What seemed easy when everyone else was doing it may not seem quite as straightforward when it comes down to you and the bong. But don't stress out because bongs aren't as confusing and scary as they can sometimes look. Half of knowing how to take a bong hit is knowing how to use a lighter, which surprisingly few people can do (before they start smoking, that is).

Practice with the lighter before taking your bong hit. It's a lot easier to cradle a scorched finger or run for a fire extinguisher when you aren't carrying water-filled glassware. When your lighter skills are mastered you can move on to what really matters, learning how to take a bong hit.

Hold the bong securely either in your lap or on a flat surface like a table or countertop. This reduces the risk of accidentally dropping the bong or forgetting steps because balancing everything is distracting you. To take your hit, place your mouth on the big, top hole and be ready to make the opening airtight. Light your lighter and bring it to the side of your weed-filled bowl and gently inhale until smoke starts pulling through the bong. Try not to set too much weed alight as it makes the hits rougher, more potent, and less beginner-friendly. When the bong is filled with enough smoke you will remove the bowl piece from the bong. Inhale however much smoke you want from the bong, keeping in mind that bong hits are stronger than other methods of cannabis consumption. No one is making you finish your hit, so take it easy on your lungs and smoke however much weed is good for you! When the bong is smoke-free simply place the bowl piece back into the downstem and repeat the process until everyone is high enough or all the weed is gone.

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