Everything you need to know about gravity bongs (including how to make one)

Gravity bongs are typically made from two plastic water bottles, or one water bottle and one bucket (Shutterstock)

A gravity bong is a homemade smoking piece that you can use to light up even if you don’t have papers or a bowl.

Sometimes called a “geeb,” GB, or bucket bong, gravity bongs are made from everyday household items, so you can build one when you’re in a pinch or just for fun. But new smokers be warned – hitting a gravity bong is an intense, old-school way of smoking that delivers a powerful punch.

How does a gravity bong work?

Gravity bongs are typically made from two plastic water bottles, or one water bottle and one bucket. They work by using gravity, air pressure, and water displacement to draw smoke from the cannabis and push it into your lungs.

Unlike hitting a regular bong where you light the cannabis and inhale at the same time, gravity bongs are lit first, so the smoke builds up and then you inhale. The amount of smoke build-up can quickly surpass a typical bong hit, effectively delivering an intense smoking experience, and possibly getting you higher than usual.

The history of gravity bongs is largely unwritten, but you can take it as proof that even in the midst of prohibition, cannabis lovers still found simple yet ingenious ways to get high.

Why are gravity bongs so effective?

Gravity bongs are very effective due to the size of the hit that you get. They deliver a far bigger hit than one you would get from a typical bowl and when used properly, should produce one “monster hit” per bowl pack.

Pros and cons of gravity bongs

Pros	Cons
You get a strong hit that delivers a powerful high.	Strong hits mean harsh smoke on your lungs.
Quick to make with household items.	The amount of smoke can make you cough.
Works well if you don’t have papers or a bowl.	Reusing plastic bottles can lead to chemical inhalation.

What you need to make a gravity bong:

You can make a gravity bong from simple things you are likely to have around the house. Here’s what you’ll need:

plastic bottle with cap (16 – 20 oz)
2L plastic bottle or cylindrical bucket
aluminum foil
cannabis
box cutter or knife
sharp poking device (toothpick)

How to make a gravity bong

If you have a glass bowl, you can use it. But if you don’t, tin foil is a common choice to create a make-shift bowl for your gravity bong. You can also use a socket (the tool piece that attaches to a socket wrench).

Phase 1: building the bong

Cut off between a quarter and a half of the bottom of the 16 oz bottle. The larger the bottle, the larger the smoke chamber is and the bigger your hit will be.
Cut the top half off of the 2L plastic bottle.
Poke or cut a hole in the plastic cap. The hole should be roughly the size of your pinky finger and large enough to draw air through.
Use the aluminum foil to create a bowl for your weed and wrap it around the cap. The bottom of the bowl should sit through the hole in your bottle cap while the rest of the foil will wrap around the sides. Note that your cap needs to screw back onto the bottle, so don’t cover the threads.
Gently poke holes in your aluminum foil bowl. The holes need to be big enough to allow air through, but not so big they rip the foil.
Fill your larger bottle halfway with water. You want enough water so the smaller bottle will be covered, but not so much that it will make a mess when you pull the smoke.

Phase 2: lighting the bong

Place your weed in the cap-bowl.
Submerge the smaller bottle in the water, leaving about 2 inches above the water.
Carefully screw the cap-bowl back onto the bottle.
Using a lighter or a hemp wick, light the cannabis. As it burns, slowly pull the small bottle out of the water and let it fill with smoke. Leave the bottle with ½ to 1 inch in the water. Take care not to pull the bottle out of the water entirely or your smoke will dissipate.

Phase 3: How to hit a gravity bong

Once the bottle is full of smoke, unscrew the cap and place your mouth over the bottle opening.
Gently push the bottle back down into the water. The smoke will be displaced by the water and enter your lungs. Don’t be surprised if you start coughing – these bongs can hit hard!
If you don’t want to hit it all at once, you can put the cap back on and keep the bottle submerged in between hits.

Don’t reuse plastic water bottles in your gravity bongs. Single-use plastic water bottles contain chemicals that can be harmful to your health if inhaled. Recycle after use! ¹

Sources

Paul Westerhoff, Panjai Prapaipong, Everett Shock, Alice Hillaireau, Antimony leaching from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic used for bottled drinking water, Water Research, Volume 42, Issue 3,
2008, Pages 551-556, doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2007.07.048

Was this useful for you? Yes 4 No 0

Why not?