Dry Herb Vape vs Bong

There are so many different ways you can use your herb - but two of the most popular are the dry herb vape vs bong. They sit on total opposite ends of the spectrum. Bongs are big and hit hard; vapes are discreet, portable, and easy on the lungs.

So, which is right for you between a dry herb vaporizer vs bong? That’s up to YOU to decide. Both have their place, honestly. You might have room in your arsenal for one of each. But, we think glass bongs are the better pick for almost everyone because they allow you to actually combust your flavor, which is where the real smoking experience comes from.

Learn more below, and find out what makes our glass bongs for sale the #1 choice online. 

Dry Herb Vape vs Bong (Fast Facts)

Pros and Cons of Bongs

Bongs have been around for centuries - and they still tend to be the go-to choice for most users today. They’ve survived every technological advancement that’s come along, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s all about water filtration.

Pros

• One big hit gets you right where you want to be. No waiting through a dozen draws to feel something.
• Water cools smoke and catches heavier particulates before they reach your throat. A percolator bong goes further by breaking smoke into finer bubbles for smoother pulls.
• Borosilicate glass is non-porous, so you get the pure flavor you crave. Glass bongs don’t absorb residue or ghost yesterday's strain into today's bowl.
• Modular systems let you upgrade piece by piece instead of replacing an entire bong. A different base or a new percolator changes the whole experience for a fraction of the cost.

Cons

• Not portable. Glass and water don't travel well.
• Combustion produces tar and carcinogens. Water filtration reduces your exposure but doesn't eliminate it, so you may consider vapes as a form of harm reduction.
• Cleaning is non-negotiable. Stale water and resin buildup will mess with flavor within a few sessions. The less often you clean, the more work it is.
• Glass breaks. Even 5mm borosilicate needs to be handled very carefully.
• Zero discretion. Bong rips produce visible smoke and a lingering smell.

Pros and Cons of Dry Herb Vapes

They’re definitely not as popular as the other half of our vape vs bong comparison, but dry herb vaporizers have their place. They’re super discreet, and they protect your lungs from the harmful compounds that come with combustion. Not to mention, they are way more efficient in how they use your flower. That being said, they’re a totally different vibe from smoking. 

Pros

• No combustion, so way fewer harmful byproducts in each inhale.
• Minimal odor. Vapor dissipates almost right away. No clinging to furniture or clothes.
• Portable and discreet. Most units fit in a pocket.
• Temperature control lets you shape the experience to your exact preferences - lower temps to maximize flavor, higher temps for a more intense high.
• ABV (already been vaped) material still has some cannabinoid content. You can repurpose it in edibles for extra mileage from the same flower. Or, hit it in your vape again!

Cons

• Any good vaporizer costs between $100-$300 - the starting price is a lot more expensive.
• Managing battery life is a constant battle. There’s nothing worse than packing up the chamber and realizing your vape is on life support, and you have to go plug into an outlet to enjoy your sesh.
• You’re not getting the same type of high you would from combustion, so don’t expect to get floored by effects. It feels a lot more subtle and nuanced than a bong high.
• Small chambers (0.1-0.3g) mean group sessions become a constant repack cycle.
• The mouthpiece on vapes is notorious for getting hot. It’s not always an enjoyable experience.
• Screens clog and mouthpieces gunk up. The chamber needs brushing after every few sessions. More upkeep than you’d think.

Dry Herb Vaporizer vs Bong: Which is Right For You?

The long and short of choosing between a dry herb vape vs bong is you have to figure out what trade-offs matter most to you. Because either way, you’re going to be compromising on something. That’s why a lot of people end up having both a vape and bong in their rotation.

At any rate, here’s what you need to know to choose between a dry herb vaporizer vs bong. 

What You’re Actually Inhaling

The core distinction between a vape vs bong is what you’re inhaling - vapor vs smoke. They’re not the same thing, and that changes 1) how the high feels 2) the toll it takes on your lungs.

Vaporizers heat flower between 350°F and 430°F, below the combustion threshold. You’re not scorching the herb. You’re baking it, like in an oven. You’re still activating the cannabinoids and terpenes that you actually want in the first place, but you’re not igniting the plant matter.

On the other hand, bongs combust the flower - whether you use a lighter, match, or hemp wick. You’re burning plant matter, and you’re inhaling all of it. That’s great from an effects perspective, maybe not so much from a wellness standpoint, though. 

How the High Feels

This goes back to what you’re inhaling. A bong rip hits hard and fast. It’s the classic cannabis experience. You’re fully combusting the THC, secondary/minor cannabinoids, and all the terpenes in one go. 

Meanwhile, dry herb vapes feel smoother, more nuanced. It’s not going to feel like you got all that high if you’ve smoked your whole life and then all of a sudden you decide to hit a dry herb vape one day. It’s very different. 

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just expect a bit of an adjustment period as your tolerance comes down a little. Eventually, though, dry herb vapes can get you right where you want to be from an effects standpoint. 

The Experience Itself

There's a whole physical process to hitting a bong. You grind the flower, pack the bowl, fill the base with water, spark the lighter and pull until the chamber fills with smoke. Then you clear it. The percolation sound, the cold rush on the clear. Passing one around is a social thing. It’s a ton of fun. It’s way more familiar to someone who has smoked before.

In contrast, a vaporizer feels more functional. You load the chamber and press a button - then start inhaling for the next 3-5 minutes (you get to set a timer for how long the “oven” stays on). It’s closer to smoking a joint as far as the experience goes in the sense that you have to take multiple hits to feel anything. 

Vaporizers are just not as practical for group sessions, because the chambers are a lot smaller and the effects land a lot lighter. You might need to pack two vape bowls whereas a single bong bowl would be plenty for a group.

A lot of people hate how hot the mouthpiece of a dry herb vaporizer gets, too. There’s honestly no getting around it. We’ve tried many dry herb vapes and dealt with the same thing. After a few minutes of the device heating, the mouthpiece can burn your lips a bit. 

Health and Safety

There’s no denying the advantage of a dry herb vape from the health and safety point of view. You’re not inhaling combusted plant matter. There’s still no telling what a dry herb vape actually does to your lungs in the long run - just because they haven’t been around long enough. 

Now, bongs aren’t as bad as joints or blunts since you’re not burning any extra material than the herb itself. But there is smoke involved, and there’s no getting around that - even with extra percolators. 

Cost Comparison

A dry herb vaporizer worth owning runs $150 to $350. Storz and Bickel and Arizer are the names most people trust. But a really good glass bong can fall within the same price range. The difference is a glass bong will outlast a dry herb vaporizer. There's no battery to degrade and no electronics to fail. A bong that gets regular cleaning lasts for years. Your only ongoing costs are flower and water.

Here at VITAE we make modular bong systems that take things even further. Instead of replacing the entire piece when you want a different experience, you swap a percolator or upgrade the mouthpiece for $65 to $145. One investment that adapts instead of a new purchase every time your preferences shift. 

Why Not Both?

We know you came here to compare the dry herb vape vs bong, but the truth is, you don’t have to stick with one or the other permanently. Plenty of people own both! The portable vape is great for discreet sessions on-the-go. You can use your bong at home as your daily driver.

The one thing we want to drive home is you should build your own bong if you’re picking one piece of glass that you want to last a lifetime. VITAE makes it fun and fast to design the perfect bong that only gets better as you expand it. Learn more about how it works over on our website!

Bringing Our Bong vs Dry Herb Vape Comparison to a Close

That does it for our dry herb vaporizer vs bong comparison. They’re totally different as far as the experience, effects, and safety side of things go. You can learn more about the different types of bongs in our blog, including the beaker bong vs straight tube comparison. Otherwise, the only thing left to do now is start designing your own modular work of art at VITAE!

Frequently asked questions

Is a bong or vape healthier?

Vaporizers don’t combust raw plant material, so there’s an aspect of harm reduction here that a lot of people prefer. Bongs still filter and cool water, but you are burning the herb and releasing quite a few other byproducts along with the good stuff you want. 

How many vape hits equal a bong hit?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But in general, 5-10 draws on a vaporizer will get you to the same place as one massive bong rip. 

Is a bong hit better than a vape?

Yes, for intensity and speed that is. It hits harder and feels more like the classic high you’ve come to know and love. However, vaporizers are gentler and more discreet - there are trade-offs either way. 

What gets you higher, a bong or a vape?

A bong, no doubt. Combustion at high temperatures extracts more THC per hit than a vaporizer running at 350-430°F. You’d have to vape an entire bowl to get the same type of effects of one bong rip.