Before the preroll, the blunt, and the vape—there was the chalice, the prequel to today's bong.

Humans have been smoking out of anything they could get their hands on for millennia. So much so that pipe pieces sprinkled with pot fragments have been found dating back thousands of years. Wooden, metal, and natural materials have all been used for smoking vessels–and the innovation continues progressing.

Science has yet to determine why humans have gravitated to fast-acting inhalable smoke as a vehicle over thousands of years. But it's likely because they're effective, potent, portable, and usually enjoyable, especially when consumed from a well-designed bong that elevates the smoking experience.

And wouldn't you know it? We know a sleek bong that's innovated the timeless model, giving the iconic smoking experience a chilled, smooth smoke. Chill's stainless steel water pipe utilizes all of the best bong tech in one place, including ice.

But why do people use ice in their bong? The primary reason has a lot to do with comfort and flavor. But keep reading, as we'll explain exactly how and why people put ice in their bongs and why Chill's easy-to-use hardware maximizes the experience.

The Science Of Smooth: How Ice Enhances Your Smoking Experience

If you don't usually reach for a bong—all of the bells and whistles might seem confusing, overwhelming, or even unnecessary. But that feeling often changes after trying a few high-quality water pipes for yourself.

Upon closer inspection, you'll notice that there's a science to the components that makes complete sense. Lighting up plant material with a flame means the flame's heat is transferred into the weed, the smoke, and your lungs.

A hot hit, sometimes known as a spicy hit, is common enough in pot smoking, causing mild to modest short-term discomfort and a bad taste in the mouth. Put simply, it's when you cough from a hit, irritating your throat and lungs.

The good news is that there's a workaround for it, and bong tech has played a huge role in innovation.

A spicy hit is likely to come when the distance from lighter to lungs is as short as a hand pipe pipe, one hitter, or rolled joint. While they happen with larger devices, a bong's mechanics space out that distance while improving the ergonomics of lighting the bowl compared to a traditional pipe.

Waving a lighter just a few inches from your face is definitely less safe than one closer to a foot away since many bongs are 6" or longer. In addition to not setting your eyebrows on fire, all that extra space in a bong has another feature—water that cools the smoke before reaching the lungs.

Many original bong designs took it one step further with little spurs called ice catchers, which enhanced the water's soothing, cooling qualities. We went one step further, engineering Chill Steel Pipes to be a simplified and sophisticated system, where ice-cold water without ice catcher notches helps deliver clean, smooth hits and less irritation for your lungs and throat.

In short, it's the best of all worlds.

And good news, if you like glass with ice catcher notches, we've got that for you, too.

Advantages Of Putting Ice In Your Bong

Bongs have plenty of advantages and a few possible drawbacks. Chill utilizes the bong's classic benefits while addressing and improving on those shortcomings.

Innovative Stainless Steel, Vacuum Insulation and Ceramic Design Creates Bong Perfection

Chill's stainless steel water pipes are designed for the best and easiest ice bong experience.

Lighting a bowl or using an dry herb vape adapter makes the resulting cloud as hot as the source. Water takes the edge off, but often isn't enough. The late, great Rich Gonzalez created some of the best insulated water bottles today, which became the foundation for Chill's vacuum insulated design.

After a genius moment of inspiration, Rich applied this stainless steel vacuum tech to the bong that could keep the water inside cold for 12 hours, with an innovative ceramic lining for optimal flavor and hours of temperature control, and an easy cleanup. The Chill bong keeps the ice inside intact and water cold for nearly half a day, so you don't need to re-up.

Bigger Hits with Less Burn

Bongs are so beloved partly because of the big smoke clouds produced. Nothing will give you a rip like a longer-bodied piece.

But the hotter the smoke, the less you can physically inhale without that deep burn. Cooling the smoke down with the signature shiver of a Chill bong's cold capabilities means bigger hits with even more flavor, with less adverse impact on your throat and lungs. 

Long-lasting Chill

A Chill bong's cooling effect lasts up to 12 hours thanks to its vacuum insulation, which minimizes heat’s ability to enter a vessel. This means you can enjoy extended sessions without constantly refreshing the ice.

Addressing Health Concerns

Some claim that using ice in a bong can lead to harsh respiratory conditions, like bronchial inflammation and bronchitis. It is believed that these conditions are caused by a "winter" sensation, where the cooled smoke vapor hits the lungs and throats. Other health claims theorize that ice shards can wind up in the lungs, inducing bronchitis.

These claims have been around for a long time. Still, there isn't much evidence to suggest it's true, save for a lab study or two and some user anecdotes. While the concerns are worthy of analysis and examination, others say the claims aren't factual, pointing toward countless consumers who put ice in their bongs and don't end up with lung pain or medical conditions.

In short, the jury is very much still out. That isn't the case with smoking from a dirty bong, something science and consumers broadly recommend against.

Using dirty, resin-caked glass pieces can lead to severe health issues. In one more extreme case, a 23-year-old patient was reported to have developed lung gangrene and a severe infection from using an unclean bong. While most cases won't result in such adverse outcomes, consumers do face risks that become amplified when smoking from a dirty device of any kind.

Want to learn more about keeping your Chill bong clean? We'll have an article on this soon. 

How to Put Ice in Your Chill bong

Adding ice to a Chill bong is easy and effective. Here's how it's done:

Step One: Disassemble

Unscrew the neck from the base.

Step Two: Add Ice and Water

Fill the base with ice up to the suggested fill line inside. Then, fill the ice with water. 

Step Four: Reassemble the Bong

Re-assemble the pipe, ensuring that the neckpiece gasket is correctly in place. Do so but attaching the threaded neckpiece to the base in a clockwise motion until the seal is airtight. 

Elevate Your Bong Experience With Ice (and Chill bong)

Some will debate the claim, but we and many others over the years support putting ice in bongs. As countless anecdotes have stated, ice helps cool hits and enhance consumption experiences.

The Chill bong took that adage and ran with it, creating a sophisticated bong backed by leading insulation technology. This sleek, customizable bong is just right for making hits cooler, creating more enjoyable smoke experiences in the process. Plus, it offers superior durability, portability, and innovative bong tech that makes ice last up to 12 hours, even during hot weather.

While all inhaled cannabis poses some risk to the lungs, especially with long-term use, using a bong made of safe, nonplastic materials helps reduce irritation and discomfort, two leading causes of inflammation from smoking.

Ice hits improve flavor and comfort, and nobody does ice hits like a Chill bong. This game-changing bong makes smoking smoother and second nature with maximum cooling capabilities and an easy-to-master device, eliminating the need to endure overheated hits ever again.

Combine the best of both worlds today. Grab a Chill bong, toss some ice into the base, and notice the world of difference it creates.