Bong Base: Round or Angular?

May 17, 2023 Nick Ottinger
Weed Wissen

Now that we've cleared up the last question about the actual shape and size of your bong, let's move on to a topic most bong buyers simply ignore. Yet the quality of the base is crucial for how long your bong will last. This is especially interesting with most acrylic and aluminium bongs, where the base can usually be swapped out. Below we'll explain why doing exactly that can be a smart move.

The base: round vs. angular

What speaks for a round base? Besides its even contact surface, the circle stands out for its stability. There's no weaker side where the bong could tip over more easily. Especially with evenly shaped bongs, the round base is the top choice for maximum stability.
What speaks for an angular base? The angular base, usually hexagonal, is the second common option. Especially with unevenly shaped bongs, a hexagonal base can be considerably more stable than a round one. So think carefully about which base shape best matches the bong shape you've chosen.
Besides these two standard shapes there are further designs, such as triangular bases or belly bongs with no separate base at all. Before buying a bong, consider carefully whether such a base, alongside its looks, also offers the stability you need for the way you intend to use the bong.

Special case: the push-fit base

On many acrylic bongs the base can be swapped out. As standard they usually come with fairly light plastic feet. Here two good alternatives come into play:
Metal bases. These hugely improve the stability of the mostly lightweight acrylic bongs, because they create a low centre of gravity.
Bases made of rubber. Like metal, they're heavier than the standard plastic feet. On top of that they're usually far more slip-resistant, which helps stop the bong from toppling over.
Careful! These bases come in different sizes, so make sure a base fits the bong you've chosen before you buy!

Author: Nick Ottinger

For almost 10 years, the person behind this author has been part of the Headshop team and knows the products, trends and developments in the scene like no other. He shares this knowledge in our blog posts: honestly, practically and always with the aim of keeping you up to date – without any marketing fluff, but with genuine experience. The name Nick Ottinger isn’t his real name, but a pseudonym… however, the expertise and passion for weed behind it are absolutely genuine.