Heady Glass Vs. Scientific Glass: What’s the Difference?
When it comes to taking hits from your piece, not every pipe is created equally. This can be said even when the materials your pipe is made out of are the same, such as glass pipes. While a hand pipe or vape is obviously different than some of its glass counterparts, you may be surprised to learn that the functional benefits of scientific glass and heady glass differ in ways that go beyond their differing appearance.
Scientific glass can generally be classified into recognizable shapes and forms, such as a beaker or recycler, but heady glass is far more complex. No matter what you’re smoking, it’s important to understand the way that each design affects the performance of your piece. Here’s a quick breakdown on how heady glass and scientific glass differ.
What is heady glass?
Named for its high concept nature, or headiness, heady glass is as much a work of art as it is a piece to smoke with. As a category, heady glass encompasses pieces like bongs, dabbers, and dab rigs. The common denominator, regardless of the form, is that a piece of heady glass is colorful and intricately sculpted from experienced glass blowers. This means that many pieces are truly works of art, as no two pieces are completely identical.
What is scientific glass?
Scientific glass is designed around lab equipment like straight tubes and beakers. It is generally thicker than heady glass and almost always clear. The heaviness of the glass it is made from makes a piece of scientific glass ideal if you are concerned about breaking your pipe. Scientific glass is always being tweaked and improved, and this type of precision can make the experience of smoking from scientific glass consistent and smooth. Another benefit of scientific glass is the ability to house multiple percolators and more complex percolators than other pieces may be able to accommodate. For smooth filtering and cool hits, scientific glass is the way to go.
Which is better?
Now that you know about the differences between scientific and heady glass, you’re probably wondering which one is better. Ultimately, this is a subjective decision, although there are some objective facts to consider as you mull your decision over.
If you’re looking for a great way to upgrade your smoke session, it’s hard to go wrong with the artistry provided by heady glass. Similarly, if you are frequently smoking socially with others, a great piece of heady glass can be a mind-expanding conversation starter. Functionally, heady glass is quite comparable to scientific glass, although depending on the intricacies of your pipe, you may be making sacrifices in terms of percolation options. That said, if you’re after a real statement piece, you can’t go wrong with heady glass.
If you’re on a budget and need a more economical option, purchasing a piece of scientific glass may be the better route to take. You may also get more out of your pipe if you choose scientific glass and value a smooth, cool hit each time you smoke. It should also be mentioned that replacing broken components of your scientific glass pipe will be much easier than replacing a piece of heady glass, particularly because of their complexity.
Smoking from glass pipes is a great way to show off your own personality when it comes time for a smoke session. For this reason, many people prefer the intricacies of smoking from a piece of heady glass. While you can technically get more precision out of a piece of scientific glass, it’s hard to imagine not wanting to make a statement with a one-of-a-kind pipe. Ultimately, your budget and personal preference will come into play when choosing between the two, but you can’t really make a mistake in terms of functionality, so don’t be afraid to be bold!