Asking this question out loud may sound odd to bystanders, and maybe that’s the real reason you googled it and ended up here.

Well, we would love to help, as we know for a fact that lighting up your herb exclusively with the heat from that big burning ball of gas in the sky is definitely a possibility.

There aren’t many reasons to do it, though, as it will prove to be more finicky and time-consuming than a regular lighter or a butane torch, but you can’t deny its cool as hell and ultimately will serve to prove your resourcefulness and stoner survival skills.

So, whether you lost your lighter while on a hike or just want to document the feat for clout, here are our tips for lighting a bong with the sun:

What if we told you a smoking device works just like a bong lit with a magnifying glass and the sun? Meet the Trident.

Made by Hitoki, the brand leading the way in the world of cannabis combustion technology with their revolutionary laser technology, this smoking device will heat up just as if you were using the sun.

Not only is this method a healthier alternative for your lungs, but it also highlights the natural flavors of your bud, giving you an elevated experience that even the most experienced smoker will relish.

You probably know this trick from back when you were a kid. If you use a magnifying glass, you can concentrate sunlight down to a single spot with enough heat to burn some of your herbs.

We don’t know why you’d be packing a magnifying glass instead of a lighter, but we aren’t the ones asking questions here.

First, the conditions must be appropriate for a stunt like this. You’ll want a clear and sunny day; noon works best as it will provide abundant sunlight. Start by probing with your magnifying glass, get the angle right so that the sunbeams converge in a single spot.

Pack your bowl full of herb (the drier, the better, in this case) and get it under your magnifying glass; align it with the hotspot, and it should start smoking in no time.

As soon as you sense combustion, take a long and gentle hit. The combination of heat and oxygen should get your weed blazing, completing the solar hit experience.

Well, you will need some sort of substitute, something else capable of concentrating sunlight. A Fresnel lens is the first that comes to mind; they are cheap and come in small, portable presentations.

They do the job just as well, if not better, because they are specifically designed to concentrate or diffuse light beams.

There are crazier substitutes out there, though. If it’s a clear day in the middle of winter and you just must use the sun as a lighter, ice could do the trick.

The ice must be clear for this to work, meaning no dirt, impurities, or air bubbles inside. For this, try boiling the water before you freeze it. It will also be easier if the ice is spherical or as close to spherical as possible.

You will probably have to fidget more with this method than with a magnifying glass before you get results, but we admit the results could be remarkable enough to warrant the efforts.

As crazy as it seems, we have also read about people taking a solar hit using a condom. They fill it with enough water to get a spherical shape and align it with the sun to get roughly the same effect that one would achieve with a magnifying glass.

You have to use a clear and smooth condom for this, so colored and ribbed won’t work.

Besides clout or overcoming the absence of a lighter, there are a few benefits to using the sun as a lighter.

The first one is purity; if you’re overly concerned about contaminating your weed with lighter fluid fumes or butane gas, solar hits can make a difference, as the only thing burning will be the herb, you’ll get unmatched purity.

They also minimize carbon footprint from smoking; although the effects are quite negligible by themselves, we guess you could make a case for this being a cleaner alternative to lighters.

If you use a magnifying glass or Fresnel lens to light your weed, you will also be set for life with a single one. They are much less likely to get stolen than a lighter, and they do not require refilling or replacing parts, so one will have you set for life.