At the Puffr wholesale head shop, you can get custom glass pipes in every conceivable size and shape. But while glass has been the go-to material for pipes and bongs since the 1960s, a challenger has emerged in recent years that some folks insist will soon make glass bongs and handpipes obsolete: silicone.

On the upside silicone bongs are long-lasting and less prone to breaking than glass bongs. Silicone is also easier to clean and many are lighter than comparably-sized glass bongs. But those are hardly the only differences between the two. In this brief guide, we'll compare glass to silicone bongs and see if we can’t determine which the best bong material is.

The Upside of Glass Bongs

Silicone may be experiencing an increase in popularity but glass bongs are still number one in terms of sales here at our wholesale smoke shop. And there are good reasons for that, including:

• Tradition – Not even stoners are immune to the lure of traditional materials. For decades glass was the only material most people knew when it came to bongs and many are unwilling to abandon glass bongs without good cause.
• Versatility – 40 years ago you only had a handful of options when it came to bong styles. Today, however, the only limit is the imagination of the bong makers. Many of today’s glass bongs are as much works of art as they are platforms for launching a buzz.
• Low maintenance – A lot of people don't clean their bongs often enough. But that's not the fault of the bong. Cleaning a bong is a simple process that only takes a few minutes.

The Downside of Glass Bongs

• They can break – The disadvantage of glass bongs today is the same as it’s always been: they can break. Even though many are made of tough borosilicate glass that too can crack if dropped onto a hard surface.

The Upside of Silicone Bongs

There are also good reasons why some people are choosing silicone bongs, including:

• They’re tough – Drop a silicone bong and you won’t have to cover your face to protect it from broken shards flying in every direction.
• They’re attractive – Place a simple glass and a simple silicone bong next to one another and you probably won’t be able to tell which is made of which material.
• Price – You can find some pretty expensive silicone bongs. But as a general rule, they tend to be a little less expensive than glass.

SHOP SILICONE PIPES AND ACCESSORIES

The Downside of Silicone Bongs

• Lack of accessories – There just aren’t as many available for silicone bongs as there are for glass bongs.
• Lack of choice – There are a lot of different styles of silicone bongs out there, but not nearly the variety (especially at the high-end) that you’ll find with glass.

Conclusion

At the Puffr wholesale head shop, we offer both glass and silicone bongs to suit every taste. So if you're interested in a customized water pipe or wholesale glass pipes for your smoke shop, stop by our brick-and-mortar store or check out our online shop.