PRODUCT TEST | Do alternative pipes deliver medicine better?
Legalization of medical marijuana in Missouri means that soon, we’ll have options for different types of cannabis – whether concentrates, edibles, or vapes, but some of us prefer to smoke flower. When it comes to smoking, you have a lot of options in front of you in terms of pipes. With innovations in the design and creativity of pipe manufacturers, our choices are seemingly endless.
Let’s cover the basics – there are a handful of pipe types that many are familiar with: chillums, spoon pipes, bubblers, bongs, and one-hitters. This list isn’t exhaustive and we haven’t even mentioned how many cannabis users have devised ingenious smoking apparatus out of apples or other household staples.
Chillums and one-hitters are quick and easy ways to smoke, especially for those who are only planning on a few hits. They’re straightforward, and usually don’t require guidance or instructions. Bongs are the way to go for those who truly want to get giant hits and aren’t even remotely interested in or worried about portability, and the use of water makes for a cooler smoke. Spoon pipes likely have the largest following in the category as most people have at least one of these and they’re easy to use and are usually sold everywhere from convenience stores to headshops, and thousands are available on the magical Google machine.
Unfortunately, the downsides to smoking flower include the urge to cough, a burning sensation inhaling hot smoke, and of course, the residue left behind on both the pipe itself, as well as in our bodies. Technology and lifestyles among cannabis consumers continue to force pipe designers to rethink and retool, constantly looking for new or different benefits that smokers will find appealing. For this product comparison, we asked 2 companies to participate in a product review piece. We tested the Genius and the Journey 4 and both devices were well made and cleverly designed.
Most importantly, each is for a smoker looking for a different set of benefits, and they aren’t competing for the same consumer.
The GENIUS
We’ll start with the Genius. The Genius targets the smoker who is looking for a cooler smoke, without the need for water and a bong. The design team at Genius touts their dimpled interior as a way to clean and cool the smoke and compare the dimples inside with the same principles as the indentations on golf balls. This pipe looks nothing like what you would typically expect, and that’s one of the greatest selling points about it. Sleek and clean, with a stainless steel cover plate, this pipe is sexy. Upon arrival, the Genius was in a black box and contained the pipe, a package of screens, and a velvet drawstring bag for storage.
When you get into the heart of this pipe, it’s impressive to see what engineering exists – the stainless steel cover plate slides like a dream and the magnets that keep the pieces of the device together are strong and sturdy without being awkward. Open the pipe and you can see those highly spoken of dimples that are purported to cool the smoke. You can see by looking that the smoke does have to travel over the dimples to reach the mouthpiece, and we loved how easy to clean the dimples and the exterior was.
While there was a brochure that came with the Genius, we’ve learned over time is that when you try out a new piece, there’s a learning curve and this device was no exception. The magnetic sliding cover was easy to operate, but without watching the video on the website, it wasn’t as intuitive as one might think on discovering how to use this little beauty.
After unpacking and preparing to do a test run, we were excited to use this one, it’s just so darn modern looking! We can follow directions and using the knowledge and visuals from the product videos, it was easy to slide open the pipe, load it up, and prepare to test. The instructions mentioned curbing the instinct to suck in the smoke, and instead to simply inhale. Using finely ground flower is important for this pipe was important to us when testing because the bowl is extremely shallow and it’s easy to spill when packing it until you get used to the slider being a lid. The practice helped us get past that bump and it was easy to use. The makers suggest that users either move the slider so that the little “man” cutout is over the bowl to light, and then you can easily slide it closed, instantly snuffing out the fire and preserving your product.
We found that using this pipe, the smoke IS cooler, and produces a smoother smoke. Is that a result of the dimples or the design? Most likely. We are hesitant to make a judgment on whether or not this is a “healthier” smoke, mostly because we’re not scientists and while the design has logical points that would lead to cooler, smoother inhales, we’re not qualified to say that makes it healthier.
For someone who takes a few hits and calls it a day, this pipe can be packed and thrown in a pocket or bag. It keeps your cannabis flower secure and there was never a fear of damage if we dropped it and it was extremely easy to clean. We believe the ability to clean this so easily does contribute to making for a healthier experience. A cotton ball, moistened with hand-sanitize or alcohol (or even vodka!), and a quick wipe down mean even the laziest pipe owners have no excuse to not keep it clean.
In the interest of full disclosure, this pipe doesn’t hold very much in its shallow bowl, so if you’re planning to take it with you and you want to share with others, you’ll need to take more flower with you in a separate container. One important thing to mention – this pipe does require screens. While they generously include several with purchase, you’ll want to keep screens in mind after you start wearing them out after prolonged use over time.
Genius is available at their website and there are other benefits to purchasing there – they offer Karma Kodes, which are a component of their loyalty and rewards program. At $89.95, this pipe isn’t inexpensive, but if you’re looking for a smoke that is cooler without having to use water, a device that looks more like a pen case than a pipe, and an alternative to easily shattered glass, this could be the right pipe for you.
The Journey 4
The Journey 4 is the latest version of the now widely known Journey collection. It is completely covered in silicone on the exterior and has a metal interior. This version has the widest frame and deepest bowl available in these little and discrete devices. Journey markets and brands their pipes as “no screens, no spills, no problems.” Visit the website for the Journey products and you’ll see that this product has undergone positive design changes over their previous versions and we liked to see the continuous innovation. Incidentally, if you visit their site today, they also offer a new item in the product line, the Keo Disc, which we’ll have to take a second look at as we’re intrigued!
The packaging and directions for this pipe were no fuss, and minimal. The Journey is solid and has the basic shape of a spoon pipe, but the addition of the silicone coating around the exterior was a real benefit for those of us who tested that aren’t necessarily known as graceful, and there was no worry about burning fingers on hot metal.
The bowl is wide and deep for a metal pipe, but as mentioned previously, there’s still a learning curve when trying this out. It’s easy to overfill the bowl and when sweeping the cover over, spillage was inevitable the first few times. However, the magnet that holds the pipe’s pieces together is strong and if you’re someone looking for portability, this is a great option. The petite size makes it easy to slip inside a pocket and your choice of red or black, the simplicity is a benefit for those who care little about fancy artwork.
The quality of the smoke is what users would expect from a glass spoon pipe, although we found that using metal instead of glass did result in a slightly smoother inhalation and feel. Like the Genius, the Journey has a metal cover that allows the user to instantly snuff out their fire and preserve their product for the next time they feel ready for subsequent hits. Also, like the Genius, this pipe is a breeze to keep clean and is easily disassembled. The manufacturer recommends cleaning this device every 4 empty bowls, and a cotton ball makes it easy to quickly wipe down and reload.
When it comes to convenience and taking a bowl to go without fear of spilling or breakage, coupled with the affordability of around $40, this pipe is worth the investment. This is a great choice for the no-nonsense smoker who has a busy schedule and isn’t terribly concerned with lifestyle statements via their gear.
The Journey 4 is available via the company’s website and they warn to purchase directly from them, as there are apparently many knock-offs available via other channels.
We’d love to hear more about your preferred pipes – are you happy with your current model? Have you found a game-changer?