Photo by Matt Tamkin.
If you’re a cannabis enthusiast like me, sometimes you find yourself trying a bong and think to yourself “damn, that hit knocked me on my ass”. You know, that bong that takes you by surprise with just one hit and leaves you feeling like you’re on cloud nine. That is exactly how I felt with this bong created by Bio Glass and Pure Glass, which I’m calling The Collider. High Life Goods managed to work out a deal with the two LA-Based companies to create this limited edition collab piece, which is sure to become a quick favourite to the seasoned stoner. Trust me, there is a reason I’ve given it this name. When it comes to rating a bong or any smoking apparatus, I have a few things I look for: design, functionality, practicality, and, of course, price.
What I like about the design is its fresh take on a classic style. The Collider is the perfect bong for the experienced smoker. It’s a straight martini-style that stands at 2 feet tall and weighs almost 5 pounds! The ice catcher, or ice pinch if that’s what you know it as, can hold a good handful of ice. I like that they place the ice catcher closer towards the bottom which allows you to put lots of ice into the chamber. More ice means cooler hits. Also, if you add too much water, the ice acts like a splash guard! The downstem is diffused. For those that don’t know
what a downstem is, it has slits on the end opposite of the bowl to help break up the smoke as it pulls through the water. It helps enhance the smoke’s flavour profile. Lastly, the bowl isn’t deep but it is wide. It can hold almost 2 grams of flower.
The quality of glass is something worth mentioning because it's part of the reason it's so heavy. Pure Glass is known to use nothing but the highest quality material when making their products. They always use borosilicate glass because it not only withstands high temperatures but is also a high grade material that makes it very durable. The glass blowers certainly take pride in their work and it shows in the quality. When you see that “PURE” debossed in the back of the water pipe, you can rest assured that it's made to last.
Now, I’m a huge stickler for functionality: a piece can look dope as hell but can hit like crap.This certainly was NOT the case with The Collider. I put water in the bong and placed ice up to the mouth piece. I’m glad I did, let me tell you. When it came time to rip that bong, that ice saved my lungs from burning up. It helped to rapidly cool down the smoke as it traveled through the chamber. The downstem did a great job at diffusing the smoke, you’ll see some nice, smoke-filled bubbles in the video accompanying this review.
I will say when talking about the practicality of this bong, its definitely a planted bong. Meaning:I wouldn’t recommend traveling with this piece. Because of its size and weight, it can be difficult to take to a friend’s house unless you have the proper means to do so. Perhaps buy a travel bag for this if you want to make it portable. Another thing to note, when you’re done using it: be sure to empty the water and ice because once that ice melts, it will start flowing out the downstem and, well…you don’t really want your place to be smelling of bong water now do
you? Besides, part of what makes a bong or pipe last longer is taking good care of it. Lucky for you, The Collider is SUPER easy to clean. Simply add your favourite cleaning solution, let it sit, rinse and voila! Personally, I like this bong because of how easy it cleans up.
Taking all these factors into account, the price tag is fair. At $275, I would say this is well worth the cost. What you’re investing in is a piece that will always deliver and last. Whether you are a seasoned stoner or fresh to cannabis, this bong will satisfy you for years. Thought it is large and heavy, that doesn’t take away from the functionality. This will knock you on your butt, I promise you! The bowl size is diverse making it perfect for both snappers AND communal hits.All in all, if you’re looking for a good quality bong, this is the piece for you!