At Herb, our staff might have seen more bongs, collectively, than just about any other workplace in the world. So when we say that the High Rise Bong of the coolest water pipes we’ve ever seen, you can trust that it’s an educated opinion. This Gravity/Water bong hybrid isn’t just a bunch of gimmicks though. It’s a modern, innovative, and luxurious take on the classic gravity bong, making it one of the most impressive pieces of hardware we’ve ever seen.

For many of our readers, the idea of a gravity bong might conjure up memories of hastily cut 2-liter bottles, buckets of water, and an awful plastic taste stinging the back of your throat. When we first heard about the product around the office, there were a few traded stories. Most involved a shudder, a laugh, and more than a few tales of being uncomfortably high.

The High Rise Hybrid Gravity Bong sets out to rehab the image of the gravity bong, updating an admittedly effective method for the modern cannabis consumer.

The High Rise Bong uses the same principles we’ve become familiar with years ago. The clear glass draw tube is lifted while simultaneously lighting your herb. Using negative pressure, the smoke is pulled down through the one-way valve, dubbed “The Riser Valve”. Then, it is cooled before entering the lungs by a large-capacity ice water chamber. Thick, wobbling, smoke-filled bubbles race to the top of the piece, before bursting and unleashing the milky clouds into the expanding space. It all sounds a bit poetic, but to see it in action is a thing of beauty.

Temperature and smoothness were common concerns for our testers when hitting bongs of any kind. Pulling the smoke through such a large volume of water, though, offers far better filtration than your standard perc bong. To make things even smoother, we added a ton of ice. “I don’t typically enjoy bongs,” one of our testers told us, “but that was super smooth.” No harsh, hot smoke, and definitely none of the awful plastic burning you remember from those soda bottle rigs.

Another of our testers also expressed she’s not the biggest fan of bongs. “They’re too hot, the smoke is way too harsh on my lungs and then I end up coughing and getting way too high,” she told. After clearing the High Rise’s chamber, there wasn’t a cough to be had. If anything, the smoke effect is similar to that of a vaporizer, only with cloud density way beyond the capabilities of any vape.

The bowl on the High Rise can pack a decent amount of herb, but you don’t have to worry about it blazing through your supply. When we tested the High Rise, our team was thrilled to get three full draws out of just 0.3 grams of herb. And these were no lightweight hits. The High Rise’s creators, Jeff Bebee and Nathan Tuters, warned us that their product would destroy our tolerance, and lived up to the hype. Two hours after clearing the chamber, the team was still feeling the effects.

The whole team agreed, this is the perfect party piece. Co-ordinating the different elements of the pipe while lighting it up took one or two attempts to nail down, our testers enjoyed the little bit of teamwork involved. It’s easy to imagine taking turns ripping a few clouds during a party or a group hangout. “I can imagine inviting a few friends over to watch a movie or the game, and taking turns to hit this during the intermissions.”

Yet, even those who prefer not to share are in excellent hands with this piece. While we loved passing the High Rise around, this bong is simple enough to use during a solo session. It is perfect for those looking for a substantial home piece that you can easily count on after a long day at work. Not to mention, this glassware is beautiful to boot.

Even when you’re not using it, the High Rise is a nice-looking bong. Made from 5mm borosilicate glass, it eschews anything tacky or kitschy for a clean, modern look. It’s even a little understated. As understated as a 3ft bong can be, at least. You also don’t have to worry about it starting to look grimy over time. We had no issue taking apart the device, giving it a quick wipe down, and then soaking the smaller pieces in alcohol to complete the cleanup. After a full day of testing, the High Rise looked as good as new.

Everyone who got a chance to try the High Rise was nothing but impressed — even the typically bong averse. The smooth hits were potent but never overpowering, and nobody left without commenting on how flat-out cool this bong is to use. The memories of homemade gravity bongs have been swept aside by the High Rise, a perfect modern bong.