We love our glass the way we love our favorite teams—what brings a group together quicker than ripping the same piece with the same fire weed while celebrating a raucous play? Sure, some people prefer to roll up for their sesh, but a good bong takes us to new heights every time.
So for the final battle between The Bongs and The Blunts, Leafly’s got all the action on the green. Whether you managed to get a ticket for the game, or you’re warming up the wings and nacho cheese at home this year, Leafly is handling the play-by-play and breaking down our dream starting lineup for bongs. Here are eleven of our top fantasy picks for a super bowl.
Andy Roth Glass
Looking at one of Andy Roth’s bongs, you can see a love for not only glass, but also architecture and intricate design (they also make jewelry). His captivating pieces have sharp, clear lines and color arrangements that evoke a mid-century modern fireplace or vintage perfume bottle.
It’s the kind of bong an upscale therapist would have out on the shelf. You can check out Andy’s web store or see our friends at The Cave. Good art doesn’t come cheap, so expect to spend between 2 and 3k but functional art like this is more than just a bong, it’s a conversation piece.
Toro Glass
Everyone knows the beautiful glass grails, slurpers, caps, and core reactors J. Toro and company have released—we know you’ve even seen terp slides videos. But not everyone has the chance to marvel at the gorgeously-constructed glass tubes they create.
Old-timers will even remember the collaboration Alien Labs dropped a handful of years back. Expect to spend $600-$1,200 for a piece, but when you feel how effortlessly you clear the hit, you’ll feel like every penny was well spent. Check out Toro’s shop update on 2/8 or see the selection at Cloud9.
Leisure Glass
If bongs were carnivorous plants, then the gardens would be full of Leisure glass; the delicate lines, creative shaping, and colorful patterns expertly distract you while getting eaten. For people wanting to get started on a Leisure Glass piece, the selection available now through Forever Rolling High are, clear but contain the same shape and function for around $500 (check out the insane 54-arm bubbler as well). Anyone shopping for that #hypnotech can check out the selection at Big Al’s.
Subliminal Glass
A juggernaut of crafting real-life items from glass, Patrick McDougall has created everything from a tommy gun and glass dueling pistols to a fully rotating 50-caliber machine gun. His bong work is no less impressive, with intricate imagery and detail, like the sandblasting he did for the Miami Vice-inspired piece Glass2Grass displayed during Art Basel.
Though the pricier Woodgrain and Oni tubes he’s recently released are beyond the value of their $2-3K price tag, his selection of fully carved tubes will be all anyone can talk about during the halftime show.
Tako Glass
There’s an underwater theme to much of the Tako Glass repetoire that makes you feel like you’ve unearthed something from a head shop in Atlantis. Regular readers of Leafly’s glass features will recognize this talented Washington-based artist from our Spoon pipe roundup last year but beyond the sections of pipes, bubblers and adult toys, you’ll find a whole selection of bongs to fit any price range.
I know it’s like a car schtick salesman to say their best is the most expensive, but this Crystal Seaweed bong is an insanely faceted work of art that contains an outrageous 96 cuts.
ROOR.US
Did you know German glassblowing legends ROOR have a sister studio in California that has been operating for over 10 years? If you’re shopping for something that’s got options but always the same high level of quality, this is it. With a name built on performance, there’s a reason these guys have had to come after fakes in the past.
At The Cave Smokeshop, there are a whole variety of these U.S.-blown models currently on display ranging from the more affordable 14” clear and colored tubes, to the eye dropping, double-chambered ELEVEN30 models and beakers inlaid with Swarovski crystals.
Hi-Si Glass
Coming out of San Leandro, the family-ownedHiSi Glass has over forty years of experience in the game. They have five different bong models, each with a different style of percolation. But what gets me the hardest are their Ice Tubes.
Available in 15” straight tube or 5 mm and 7 mm-thick beaker versions, the ice catching “pinches” remind me of the old days—shoving a half-tray of ice cubes into the bong for those frosty hits. Each of these straight tubes clocks in at under $200 which is an absolute steal and if you want to go pinkie-out there’s a slightly more expensive Hexagon shape for just over $200.
Geo’s Glass
Based in Omaha, Nebraska, Geo’s Glass Gallery is the only store in the Cornhusker State that offers repairs and custom work. Their bongs come in two distinct styles, the Shredder, a straight tube with an inline percolator, and the Thrasher, which features an ice pinch within a thick grip.
Within these two you can choose to go with a standard, mini, mega, double, or the dreaded mega-double version—all customizable with 25 different colors, opals, showerheads and they take special requests. Standard models start at under $200 and a fully tricked out mega double tops out at around $1100
US Tubes
Looking for something a little taller? Why not check out the 17” and 20” bongs from US Tubes over in Berkeley California. They’ve been in the business of high functioning glass since 2008, and their bread-and-butter is the beaker shape although their Hybrid, which combines a beaker and a straight tube, has been a popular choice for smokers for ten years now. They make fixed or removable downstem bongs and four different styles of downstem. Anything 14” or shorter is $350 or less, and taller models will set you back anywhere from $400 to $650 for one of their opening day models – the massive, 20-inch, 9mm-thick beaker.
IG: @ustubes
Apix Design
What about something made-to-order? The Bay Area’s Apix Design has some incredible, Tesla-esque bongs available now through his site, but you can also can a selection of different 17” and 18” stemline bongs, with options like silver fuming or a notched base, each sporting 3 hole glass bowl with a color horn that you’ll pick out yourself. They start at $300 and go up to around $600 depending on the level of fuming you want. These ready-to-order pieces take around one to two weeks to complete or you can contact the artist directly to see if anything from Glass Vegas came back to the shop.
IG: @apixdesign
Zong
Let’s close this out with a brand that has a championship under their belt already. Zong has an impressive thirty plus years in the business, creating their signature Z shaped Zongs, Zubblers, and Zrigs. The Dr. Seuss-like “kinks” in the neck not only keep bongwater far away from your mouth, but act like the perfect space to toss in an ice-cube or two and enjoy some sub-zero clouds. Their webstore features a 9mm thick linebacker with your choice of up to 6 kinks, and either a beaker or bubble base. With a base price ranging from $150 up to $245, you won’t even blink at adding on the extra $50 for some sandblasted dragons on there. IG: @zongglass.
No matter who wins what game, these bongs stay winning in 2024 and beyond. Just remember to keep them clean and cradle them to prevent any fumbles!