We have all probably at least seen a silicone pipe at one point or another, and many of you reading this have probably even smoked out of one. Yes, they look very different than pipes constructed of more traditional materials. The advantage? They don’t break like other pipes when we drop them! I know that last sentence really hit home for a lot of you, breaking a beautiful pipe we’ve come to know and love is a very sad, frustrating experience that most stoners encounter. After having several of these experiences myself (RIP Bill Bubbblechik) I began looking into silicone pipes. I ended up purchasing one two years ago, and I still have it to this day! I enjoy taking it hiking, camping, or anywhere else on the go. I was a little skeptical at first however, and thought some of you might feel the same. For this reason, I created a guide to walk you through everything related to silicone pipes, and hopefully in the process of this I’ll answer any questions you might personally have had!
Are they Safe to Smoke out of?
Safety first for this article! We have all heard stories of people smoking out of aluminum, and other strange materials, and how that is terrible for your lungs and brain. For this reason, it is perfectly normal to be skeptical of smoking out of anything other then glass/ceramic. To answer this question however, is yes, silicone pipes are perfectly safe to smoke out of. It can withstand temperatures up to 520 degrees Fahrenheit without deteriorating, so you do not have to worry about inhaling silicone particles. Your lighter gets up to 520 degrees, so for that reason all silicone pipes have a glass bowl. It is very difficult to break the bowl by dropping it however, because it is surrounded by silicone. With that said, this is for pipes that are made out of smoking quality silicone, beware of manufacturers selling cheaper forms of silicone that cannot withstand this high temperature.
How are they made?
Most of us know that glass pipes are created by glass blowing, but how are silicone pipes created? Silicone products in general, are typically created using a technique called injection molding. In injection molding, silicone liquid is placed into a tube that heats the silicone, and then injects it through a nozzle at the bottom and into a mold that is the shape of the pipe. The mold is then heated and pressured until it is solidified. As you can see, the process in which silicone pipes are made does limit them to a fairly simple shape in comparison to some glass pipes. With this said, it doesn’t mean they can’t be works of art, just take a look at these!
Does Smoke from Silicone Pipes Taste the same as Glass Pipes?
When comparing a silicone pipe to a glass pipe, the glass pipe can hold an advantage in taste, when it comes to water pipes in particular. The reason for this is a glass water pipe can feature accessories like percolators and ash catchers, that will surely hit smoother than a silicone water pipe, or any other water pipe that does not contain these features. As you can probably guess from reading the previous paragraph, the process in which silicone pipes are created makes it difficult to add features like an ash catcher or percolators. Therefore, it is silicone material, but rather the lack of features that gives glass pipes the upper hand as far as smoothness. Again, this is only for water pipes, you should not notice a difference between silicone and glass hand pipes.
Where do I find them?
Today, silicone pipes are sold at various head-shops around the country and can also be ordered from many eCommerce companies as well. In addition to the smoking subscription boxes Sensi-box provides, you can also find the two silicone pipes that are pictured in this article here:
As we said before, it is important that the pipe is made with the proper silicone material, so be sure to buy your silicone smoking products from a reputable company!
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