By Steven Voser

If you’re shopping for a bong, arguably the most difficult part of the process is actually choosing which one to purchase. Not only do bongs come in all shapes, colours, and sizes—from small and portable to gigantic bong monsters for your coffee table—they also vary by material and fabrication. What’s the difference between bongs made from glass, silicone, ceramic, and acrylic? And moreover, what are the pros and cons of each? Let’s take a closer look!

ACRYLIC BONGS

Acrylic, also known as plexiglass, is a type of plastic that is often used as an alternative for glass. As acrylic can easily be formed into all kinds of shapes, acrylic bongs can be mass-produced, which makes them the cheapest option. Because of their low price point, they are great if you don’t want to spend a lot, and they also make decent beginner bongs.

Acrylic is a rather durable material that doesn’t break easily, so these bongs can tolerate some wear and tear. That said, they’re not unbreakable. Because they are relatively sturdy and don’t weigh much, they are great bongs to take with you on your travels, and they’re perfect for parties. Even if you should break your acrylic bong, a new one will only cost a few bucks.

So, what’s the disadvantage of acrylic bongs? Easy: They have the worst taste compared to the alternatives. The reason for this is that the plastic material can give off unpleasant odours when heated, which can adversely affect the taste of your weed. Worse, cheaply made acrylic bongs from overseas could possibly contain harmful substances.

ACRYLIC BONG ADVANTAGES

• Inexpensive
• Lightweight
• Sturdy and durable
• Good for travelling
• Available in many different shapes, sizes, and colours

ACRYLIC BONG DISADVANTAGES

• Bad taste compared to bongs made from other materials
• “Cheap” look
• Low-quality acrylic may contain harmful substances

Acrilyc Bong

CERAMIC BONGS

Bongs made from ceramic combine some of the pros and cons of glass and acrylic pieces. You can find them in all sorts of shapes and styles, and the artistry and design behind these pieces makes them something special to behold. For that reason, ceramic bongs are often considered collector’s items. You can certainly find ceramic bongs in the classic shape with a bowl and downstem, though you can also find them in the shape of figurines, sculptures, and pipe-style bubblers. An artsy ceramic bong with a cool or fun shape also makes a great conversation piece when you’re smoking with friends. Since some ceramic bongs look like a collectible your grandma might buy on her trip to a foreign country, they won’t raise too much suspicion on your shelf.

The big advantage of ceramic bongs, apart from the lower price compared to glass, is that they have a neutral flavour and provide a smooth smoke. This makes them almost as good as glass when it comes to taste. The main disadvantage is that ceramic bongs are perhaps the most breakable of the bunch. For this reason, they don’t always travel well, and might not last through a rave without meeting an untimely demise.

CERAMIC BONG ADVANTAGES

• Middle-of-the-road expense
• Good, pure flavour
• Available in many cool shapes
• Can make good stealth bongs
• Aesthetically pleasing and collectible

CERAMIC BONG DISADVANTAGES

• Breakable
• Don't travel well
• Not as versatile as a quality glass bong

Ceramic

SILICONE BONGS

Silicone bongs are kind of in a league of their own, and are made from the same material as those flexible silicone baking moulds. They are soft and squishy, much like rubber, but have the advantage that nothing sticks to them. For that reason, silicone has already been quite popular in the cannabis industry as a material for resin containers. Recently, however, there has been an insurgence of silicone bongs on the market.

The biggest advantage of silicone bongs is their neutral taste. As silicone bongs are made from the same food-grade material as cooking supplies, this also means they are safe to use near a flame and won’t give off unpleasant odours. Some cannabis users swear by silicone bongs, claiming that the flavour is just as good as glass. Another big plus is that a squishy silicone bong is pretty much unbreakable. They make great, lightweight travel bongs that you can even fold and squeeze into a small bag. For parties or any occasion where there may be some crazy blazing action going on, silicone bongs are ideal.

So, what are the cons of silicone bongs? One is that they are not transparent like glass bongs, so you won’t see the buildup of resin happening inside unless you take a good peak from above. On the other hand, silicone bongs are very easy to clean, and you can even throw most of them in your dishwasher.

Where silicone bongs will likely not win any prizes is in the beauty department. Compared to stylish glass and ceramic bongs, silicone bongs are not exactly the centrepiece you’d go for to impress your stoner buddies. They also have a “toyish” sort of look that makes them stick out, and because the material is soft and squishy, these bongs usually don’t come with any flashy features like percolators.

SILICONE BONG ADVANTAGES

• Neutral taste
• Extremely sturdy, almost unbreakable
• Perfect for travel
• Easy to clean

SILICONE BONG DISADVANTAGES

• Opaque
• Not as stylish as the alternatives
• Don’t come with fancy features

Silicone Bong

GLASS BONGS

Ask any cannabis aficionado, and they will agree that glass bongs are the best, most well-rounded tool for the job. Not only do they radiate a luxurious and classy aura, but those made from sturdy borosilicate glass are actually quite rugged and dependable. And that’s certainly not all; glass is non-porous, antibacterial, and odour-neutral. These are the reasons that glass has been used since ancient times to make bottles and containers for foods, beverages, medicines, herbs, and everything in between. Another advantage of glass is that it doesn’t conduct heat as much as some other materials, and it feels pleasant in the hand. In other words, it’s just the perfect material for a bong!

Moreover, the unique nature of glass allows it to be moulded into almost any shape and form imaginable. There are scores of videos on social media of innovative glass-blowers creating smoking devices of unprecedented imagination and design. Even some of the more "run-of-the-mill" glass bongs are made by hand with careful precision.

The unmatched pure taste that a glass bong can provide is the reason why many cannabis enthusiasts consider them the apex of the weed-smoking experience. But there is also something luxurious about glass bongs that simply can’t be matched. So even if you get a simple glass piece that doesn’t boast any fancy features, it will still look like a million bucks.

So, what about the drawbacks of glass bongs? Seeing as they are normally crafted by hand, they are by far the most expensive option. And the other drawback is, of course, that glass bongs are more breakable that silicone and acrylic. That said, quality glass bongs should be made with thick glass that can withstand a bump or tumble here and there. Still, a lot of dedicated cannabis enthusiasts who proudly own a glass bong also own a cheap acrylic bong that they use for parties and travelling.

GLASS BONG ADVANTAGES

• Best taste
• Luxurious and classy look
• Often hand-made
• Non-porous
• Often come with features such as percolators

GLASS BONG DISADVANTAGES

• Expensive
• Heavy
• Breakable

Glass

GLASS, SILICONE, CERAMIC, AND ACRYLIC BONGS—IT’S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE

What type of bong you should get will depend on at least two crucial factors: where you plan to use it, and how much you’re willing to spend. If you need a bong that you can take on the go, a silicone piece will outperform a massive glass rig in terms of ease. If you’re on a budget, an acrylic bong can be a decent beginner option, and ceramic bongs are often relatively affordable as well. If, on the other hand, you really want the best of the best when it comes to flavour, you should definitely consider a glass bong.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: