Hey guys, Sneaky Pete here and today I want to talk about vaping through water tools. This is something that you see me do all the time in my videos, and always hear me advocating for as well. To me, it’s an almost vital part of the process. I mean, it’s not something I do every single time, but to imagine a world where we always vape without water being involved, that’s not a world I want to experience. So, let’s go over why I like to vape through water so much.
THE BENEFITS OF VAPING THROUGH WATER
Adding a water tool increases my enjoyment of vaping. Some people don’t realize that just as you can smoke through a bong, you can use a vaporizer in the exact same way. I think that using a water tool adds something special to the process, making it more of an experience and almost a ritual.
Vaping through even a small amount of water cools your vapour down dramatically. Even if the vapour isn’t super hot, it is certainly warmer than normal air and that can feel harsh on your throat after a few lungfuls. Running it through water gets rid of a lot of that heat and makes it far easier to do back-to-back hits. Not only is vapour hotter than normal air, it’s also much drier, and that also contributes to throat irritation after a session. When you vape through water it helps to humidify the vapour so it's not nearly as dry and is significantly less harsh.
Adding water tools also opens your eyes to new products, enabling you to try a bunch of new accessories and different types of devices, this keeps vaping new and exciting by giving you many options for you customize your sessions with. Vaporizer acquisition syndrome (VAS) is a real thing and it enables you to participate in the hobby aspect by opening up a new aspect of vaping.
Some vapes are optimized to be used through water, it’s a simple as that. The Vleaf Go is an awesome little portable, but without a water tool it would be tough to recommend it. The Hopper io heats up in a few seconds, but using it without water is harsh. Run these vapes through water though, and it’s a whole different ballgame.
ONE-PIECE SYSTEMS
Once you've decided that you want to vape through water, you have two broad categories of water tools to select from. The first category is one-piece systems, these are self-contained all-in-one set-ups.
A one-piece system is a bit simpler and more portable because everything is provided by that one water tool, you don't have separate adapters to worry about. One-piece systems also enable you to use your vaporizer in a manner closer to its standard function, in case you don’t want to change things up too much.
Bubble straws are some of the smallest water tools available, they are one-piece tools designed to be a low profile solution. On an Arizer Bubble Straw, at the bottom is a bowl just like on the standard included stem and you fill this with herb, the middle reservoir section holds the water, and the top is the mouthpiece. The bubble straw attaches to your vaporizer instead of the standard stem, then you can just turn on your vape and start vaping. We also have bubble straws for the Crafty and the Mighty, the ArGo, and other vapes as well.
There’s also a variety of other products, like the BubbleMax for the Arizer Solo 2 or Air 2, this is a pretty substantial water tool which will give you a whole bunch of cooling. The Reaper Mini Bong for DynaVaps or the Baby Bong XL for the DynaVap are the easiest ways to add water cooling to your DynaVap. We also have Mini Bubblers for the Crafty/Mighty or for the Pax 2/3.
TWO-PIECE SYSTEMS
The second category is two-piece systems, where you put an adapter on the vaporizer, and that adapter slots into a water tool. Two-piece systems are usually more expensive and you are dealing with more physical parts, however they enable you to use larger volumes of water which allow for the maximum possible vapour cooling.
When using a two-piece system, the first thing you will need is an adapter for your vaporizer. In general, you are going to need a specific adapter for each vaporizer. Some vape brands do have standard dimensions between their devices, but in most cases it's not going to be the type of deal where you can buy a single glass adapter and use it on all your vapes, it needs to be sized specifically for the dimensions of each device. There’s a glass adapter that we sell for the Air 2 and the Solo 2, one for the Crafty and Mighty, one for the Rogue and Fury Edge, and the DynaVap.
With some adapters, like the one for the Fury 2 and the Solo 2/Air 2, you load the flower directly into the adapter, and then place it in your vape. For other adapters like the one for the Pax 2/3, you load the vape like normal, and then put your adapter on top of that.
Adapters typically come in either a 14mm or 18mm joint size because most water tools take one of these sizes, but we also sell universal adapters which will work in a 10mm, 14mm, or 18mm water tool. If you don’t know what water tool you will be using then a universal adapter is always a safe bet, but if you are going to use it with a specific water tool then you can simply purchase a 14mm or 18mm adapter, depending on the joint on your water tool.
One caveat to this “each vape needs its own adapter” thing - you can also use something like the Sneaky Pete Master Adapter which will function with a lot of different vaporizers. It’s not going to have the same precise fit as an adapter designed specifically for your vaporizer, but it certainly is a lot cheaper because you can use it with many different vapes.
TECHNIQUE DIFFERENCES
With a one-piece system, first you need to fill up your water tool. If it's the self-regulating variety, hold it under a tap for 10 seconds, turn the tap off, and let it automatically drain to the proper water level. Inhale through it to pull all of the water into the reservoir, and then you'll want to leave it to dry out for a bit. If you put it straight onto your vape without allowing it dry there may be little droplets of water in parts the tool other than the reservoir that could drip into your vape or onto your flower. So it's best to give it some time to dry or you can also help dry it quicker with a q-tip.
For other pieces you typically fill from one end or the other, and either blow air or gently tap to force the water through or out of the piece. With smaller water tools, you do not want to put in too much water. If you do, then you have to inhale super gently or else you’re going to get water in your mouth, so just fill it up to the proper level and try not to overdo it. If you’re using a larger water piece, you have much more flexibility with the fill level, but make sure you test it both with the vaporizer on the water tool and then as you remove it. If you inhale with the same ferocity as you remove the vape, you are going to end up drinking water with almost any water tool.
Once you have the proper water level set, you can go ahead and turn your vaporizer on at the temperature you normally use, or you can go 10°F to 30°F higher than that without really noticing it thanks to the added cooling of the water tool. If you normally vape at 370°F, try it all the way up at 400°F, you'll get more vapour production this way.
When you are using a water tool you should inhale steadily and gently. Don’t hit it like you’re using a combustion set up in a bong; slow and steady will give the air a chance to thoroughly pass through your material so it can produce the most vapour. Once you remove your vaporizer, though, inhale hard so you can completely clear the water chamber in one go, otherwise it can get harsh.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
Some people wonder if there's a reduction in flavor or effects when using a water tool. The internet is full of conflicting arguments on the matter, but overall I feel that you will get a slight reduction of flavor and effects when using water tool. It doesn’t make sense that vaping through water would somehow increase the flavor and it’s the same with the active components of the flower, it's logical to assume that some of it will be contained in the buildup you’ll eventually see on the inside of the water tool after many sessions. That being said, I don’t find either of these reductions to be particularly noticeable, and the removal of heat and harshness from the vapour as well as the additional enjoyment I get from my water set-ups makes the minor flavor and effect loss a worthwhile sacrifice.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I hope this guide vaping through water has given you some info and insight as to why I vaporize through water so often. If you haven't tried it with your current vaporizer I implore you to do so. If you ever find your vape too harsh, before you consider buying a new vaporizer, try your vaporizer with a water tool and you may find that it improves the vapour enough to enhance your enjoyment and save you the cost of buying a whole new vape.
Check out VapeNorth.ca and SneakyPeteStore.com to find the vapes and accessories you see me use in my videos, and be sure to visit our review section where you can find all of our video & written reviews.
Thanks so much for reading guys I really appreciate it,
Keep it green, keep it sneaky!
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