Not quite. Water pipe is a more generic term whereas bong refers to a specific type of water pipe.

Some bongs also have a carburetor (a small opening that lets air into the pipe to push the smoke through the pipe), percolator, and/or ash catcher.

The world’s oldest bong is 2,400 years old. It was excavated in Russia in 2015, and is made of solid gold.  Today’s water pipes can be made for a variety of materials (though pure gold is not the norm). Each has its pros and cons.

Glass bongs, a premium option, are the most expensive. They don’t impart any flavor to your smoke, which means you get a clean hit. Being transparent, glass bongs let you effortlessly check the water quality and level and for resin build-up. People love that glass is an easy-to-clean material. On the downside, glass bongs can shatter if dropped or hit.  They can also chip more readily than ones made from some other materials.

Silicone bongs are well suited for travelers who want durability and portability. High quality silicone is easy to clean and is unbreakable. However, it’s hard to keep tabs on water quality and resin build-up due to the opaque material.

Ceramic bongs come in a ton of different designs and shapes, which makes them great for collecting or serving as conversation pieces. This material doesn’t leach any flavor into your smoke, so you get a pure hit every time. Though cheaper than glass, ceramic shares the same risk of chipping and shattering. And because ceramic isn’t transparent, you can’t easily monitor the water or resin levels.

As evidenced from the 2400-year-old Russian bong made of gold, metal bongs are the ultimate in durability. They’re easy to clean, however, they’ve been known to influence the flavor of your hit, potentially giving it a metallic taste. And, unless crafted from stainless steel, the metal can tarnish or rust. Opacity can make it difficult to check the water quality and see if there’s any resin build-up. Many find metal bongs to be heavy.

Bongs come in many different designs — from vase-like water pipes to bubblers that look like lab ware to pieces that look more like art pieces. Each offers a unique experience, so don’t feel like you have to be locked into only one style.

As their name implies, these guys are straight and totally tubular — the same width from the mouthpiece to the base. Typically, the down stem and bowl protrude from the tube about a quarter of the way up from the base. Straight tube bongs are a sleek and simple design that are easy to handle and clean, which makes them a great design for novices and veteran bong tokers.

This design has a straight, tubular neck like a straight tube bong. But it flares out near the bottom of the bong, thus offering a slightly larger water capacity. Its lower center of gravity makes it more stable than a straight tube bong as well. Beaker bongs are ideal for beginners.

These are similar to most classic bongs…except for one feature. The neck. Instead of being ramrod straight from mouthpiece to base, there’s at least one bend — often looking like a zig-zag, piece of rickrack, or trend line on the monitor of a medical machine. This kinked shape prevents splash back and can even thwart would-be spills. Even better, though, is that the “Z” shape forces the smoke to travel farther. This cools the smoke before it reaches your mouth, which makes for a smoother hit.

Like beaker bongs, this style provides a marginally bigger water chamber than straight tube bongs. Round base bongs aren’t as stable as beaker bongs but offer a classic look.

If you’re after an ultra-smooth hit, this bong style is up your alley. These feature internal percolators, which accelerate the diffusion of smoke. This cools the smoke down before it reaches your mouth for a silky toke.

These are usually complicated-looking pieces of apparatus — but they work the same as traditional bongs. The multiple chambers allow the smoke to chill and get extra purified before it reaches your mouth. Don’t be surprised by the price of these high-end bongs.

You can find bongs with options or modifications that suit your needs and preferences better than “standard” models. Alternatively, you may be able to trick out your bong with attachments like carbs, ash catchers, and splash guards.

Here are some ways you can personalize your water pipe:

If you want to be able to take the bowl out of the down stem and put it back in as you smoke, go for a bong that has a handle on the bowl. Some bongs feature bowls with a built-in screen the prevents your cannabis from falling into the water chamber. A bulbous double-walled bowl will keep things cool and help you avoid finger burns.

These aren’t a necessity but can certainly elevate your smoking experience. They catch ash and resin build-up before it enters the bong, which keeps your water pipe cleaner longer. By adding an extra filtration layer, you’ll also get a smoother hit.

The joints are where your attachments will connect to your bong. They usually measure 18.8mm, 14.4mm, or 10mm in diameter. You can buy adapters to make attachments fit the joints that are a different size.

Water pipes come in many sizes, typically ranging from 6-inch to 19-inch tall. The world's itty-bittiest bong is just shy of an inch high. In contrast, the world's biggest bong is a 24-foot-tall, 800-pound behemoth.

While size can impact your smoking experience, there’s no right or wrong — just better or worse matches to your needs and preferences.

Small bongs are around 4” to 7” in height. Beginners love that they’re easy to manage, move, and maintain. But, they don’t have adequate water capacity to filter the smoke very much.

Medium bongs fall in the 8” to 17” range. This is a popular size amongst beginners and pros alike. They appreciate that it’s got the perfect capacity for water filtration and supports a wide array of smoking attachments.

Large bongs are 18” and longer and tend to appeal to experienced bong smokers. But, they’re also a sweet option when it comes to sharing a bong session with close friends, especially since you’ll need help to light the bowl. With the longer neck, there’s virtually zero splashback when using these big bongs. Large bongs are more suited to staying in one place as they can be heavy and awkward to move around.

Beginners are often started with shorter bongs. With a reduced-length chamber, there’s less space for the smoke to accumulate. This translates into a smaller amount of smoke inhaled — ideal for newbeez who want to start low and slow.

The water in your bong does a decent job of cooling the smoke as it travels up to the mouthpiece. But, adding ice goes the extra distance! When the smoke hits the ice, it cools rapidly and significantly. The chilled smoke is easier and more comfortable to inhale, making for a smoother and more pleasant experience.

Piece Water makes taking care of a dirty, unhealthy bong easy! And it doesn’t rely on harsh and dangerous chemicals to get the job done.

So, how does Piece Water work? Piece Water’s all-natural, non-toxic ingredients trap smoke particulates. By capturing these smoke by-products, Piece Water stops resin from forming. The end result is that your bong doesn’t get as dirty and is easier to clean when needed.

Give Piece Water a chance — it’s far better than using tap water in your bong!

The ritual may differ slightly based on the bong you’re using, but the steps below are fairly standard.

You’re taking the step outlined above. But what’s happening? How’s it working?

Here’s the basic process:

The short answer is: Not really. Keep reading for the finer points….

It’s common knowledge that smoking is bad for your health. It doesn’t matter what you’re smoking — the smoke still contains carcinogens that can hurt lung tissues and small blood vessels.

However, according to various research, taking a bong hit once in a while (i.e., light to moderate use) is unlikely to cause significant harm to your lungs. And cannabis smoke is thought to be less harmful than tobacco smoke.

Some studies show that smoking cannabis may be less harmful than smoking tobacco. This could be because pot users tend to smoke less than tobacco smokers. It’s also believed that the method of inhalation may mitigate some harm. There’s even some evidence that occasional cannabis smokers may have improved lung volume and air flow rates.

There are also potentially different impacts for short-term versus long-term lung health. And, of course, these impacts are largely related to how much pot smoke you’re consuming. In the short-term, for example, smoke can cause coughing and aggravate asthma. Longer-term, it can lead to pulmonary disease.

A bong will cool and filter the smoke. This means a smoother, more comfortable experience than you’d get from smoking a joint (which yields a hot, dry smoke). And, a better, creamier smoke may be more satisfying to you — which might lead to you smoking less.

Your smoking session might feel better on your lungs. But don’t get lulled into a false sense of superiority. You’re still filling your lungs with smoke. And while the bong may filter out some bad components from the smoke — it’s not enough to make a real difference.

Lastly, bong cleanliness makes a huge difference. A dirty bong carries health risks that have nothing to do with the pot smoke. There are all sorts of harmful germs that can grow in your bong and get you sick (e.g., pulmonary tuberculosis or pneumonia). And it just gets worse if you share your bong.

It’s also important to consider secondhand cannabis smoke. One study indicated that the ambient concentration of toxic particles from pot smoke is at least four times worse than that of tobacco smoke. Experts think the finding is noteworthy, but this topic needs more research as the study lacked certain controls that would help interpret the results.

Yes, there is definitely a cannabis code of conduct to follow! Mostly it applies to when you’re sharing a bong with others. (A similar etiquette should be used when smoking joints, blunts, or pipes as well.)

This is a good starter list. Feel free to finesse it and make it your own, so you and your buds feel comfortable and safe when hitting the water pipe together.