Glass bongs are popular devices for smoking herb or tobacco, but not all of them are created equal. Some brands, such as RooR, are known for their high-quality craftsmanship and design, while others are cheap knockoffs that can break easily or pose health risks. How can you tell the difference between an authentic glass bong and a counterfeit one? Here are some tips to help you spot the fakes and avoid wasting your money on inferior products.
Check the authentication seal
In 2018, RooR started adding an authentication seal on each of its pipes to combat the counterfeit market. The seal is a unique, tamper-proof bubble tag with an alphanumeric ID and a QR code. To verify if your RooR bong is real, simply enter your tag’s 14-character ID on RooR’s authentication page. If the seal is missing, damaged or invalid, then you have a fake bong.
Check the signature
Every RooR bong should have a signature on it, except for the RooR Tech water pipes. The signature is not a personal autograph by the blower or artist, but an indicator of the specs for each pipe that’s made during production. The signature should have two dots and should not be located above the neck of the bong or near the joint. The logo should also have a registered trademark (®) symbol on it and should not have any extra words or designs. The decal should not pass below the ice pinch either. If any of these rules are broken, then you have a fake bong.
Check the ice catcher
The ice catcher is the part of the bong that allows you to put ice cubes in it to cool down the smoke. An authentic RooR bong should have an ice catcher with three pinches (notches) and it should not be in the middle of the pipe’s neck. It should be lower than that, closer to the base of the bong. If you see a bong with more or less than three pinches or with a high ice catcher, then you have a fake bong.
Check the joint
The joint is the part of the bong that connects the bowl to the stem. An authentic RooR bong should have a glass-on-glass joint, which means that both parts are made of glass and fit snugly together. A fake bong might have a rubber grommet joint, which means that there is a rubber ring between the bowl and the stem to seal them together. This is a sign of poor quality and can affect the taste and smoothness of your smoke.
Check the percolator
A percolator is an additional chamber in the bong that filters and cools down the smoke even more. Some RooR bongs have percolators, but they are only from the RooR Tech line. These percolators are usually simple and elegant, such as showerhead or tree percs. A fake bong might have a percolator that is too complex or flashy, such as a honeycomb or spiral perc. These percs are not only unnecessary, but they can also make your bong harder to clean and more prone to clogging.
Check the price
One of the easiest ways to spot a fake bong is to check the price. RooR bongs are not cheap, they are high-end products that reflect their quality and reputation. A typical RooR bong can cost anywhere from $200 to $1000 or more, depending on the size, model and features. A fake bong might cost much less than that, maybe around $50 to $100 or even less. If you see a deal that seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
Conclusion
Glass bongs are great devices for smoking herb or tobacco, but you need to be careful when buying one online or in a store. There are many counterfeit bongs out there that look like RooR but are actually cheap imitations that can ruin your smoking experience or even harm your health. To avoid getting scammed by these fakes, you need to check the authentication seal, signature, logo, ice catcher, joint, percolator and price of your bong before buying it. By following these tips, you can ensure that you get an authentic RooR bong that will last you for years and give you the best smoking experience possible.
