Water Pipe Guide

Here at Climax, we understand that buying a water pipe is a HUGE decision!

For many, it is a luxury that they might be adding to a collection, while for others it might be a necessity they have to save months and months for.  

Whatever the reason, we want every single person that makes a purchase from Climax Smoke Shop to LOVE their item.  

We have 5 stores that are open every day of the week (Downtown location is open 9am-midnight!) that you can call to ask ANYTHING or even better - stop by and handle some pipes before you commit to buying! Or you can email Support@ClimaxSmokeShop.com with ANY questions, comments or concerns you may have!!


To help even further, we have created This Page to help you decide!

Whether you're a beginner buying their first piece, or a connoisseur adding a piece to their collection, we hope you can pick up some tips and tricks that will help you make your decision!


What makes a "Good" Water Pipe?

Unfortunately, there are a LOT of factors that can go into the decision making process.  And to make it even more difficult, most of them are based on very personal opinions... You see, there are thousands, if not MILLIONS of different shapes, sizes and colors of water pipes to choose from on the market nowadays, and almost all of them are, really great pieces! They are all held to such a high standard that sometimes it just comes down to how the pipe "feels in your hands" - for these people we recommend coming into our shops so you can do just that!!!


Here are our Most Important Deciding Factors:

 

  • Size-

    • I know it might sound silly, but bigger isn't always better.  
    • Sometimes you want a small volume inside the chamber to keep your smoke really dense, maybe your tiny piece is full of percolators that break up the smoke into something smoother than Han Solo in the '70s.
 

  • Price-

    • Unfortunately, we are all restricted somewhat by price. 
    • Having said that- we HIGHLY recommend saving and investing in something you love.
    • I suggest waiting even a few months longer to get a pipe that you will love for years and years. 
    • Too many times I've seen somebody settle for what was "cheap" because they wanted it "Now" and then weeks, sometimes days or even hours later they get bored with it and want something better because they realize the lesson we all have to learn eventually - you get what you pay for!
    • We base our prices off of what our products are selling at all over the market.  
    • We can assure you that we strive to bring you the best prices on everything.
 

  • Function-

    • "Function" just refers to the way that the pipe breaks up the smoke.Most pipes that are made nowadays contain Percolators but the most Classic style is a Downstem.
    • A "Percolator" (for those that aren't familiar) functions to break up the smoke into bubbles.  Simply put, the more bubbles, the smoother the hit will be.  
    • The more bubbles you have, the more surface area of smoke that is exposed to the water.
    • More surface area will also allow the water to more effectively pull carcinogens out of the smoke.
    • There is more Percolator information below.
 

  • What do you prefer smoking?

    • Do you like dabs or dries?
    • C rigs usually contain a male joint, where dry herb pieces contain a female joint.
    • While this should be considered, we do offer adapters from every size to every size and joint style, so you don't have to worry about being stuck with one or the other!
 

  • Scientific Vs. Artistic-

    • Scientific pieces usually contain a lot of sophisticated percolation and are typically more "sturdy."
    • Artistic or "Heady" pieces are typically more creative, using many different colors and textures to convey different things.
    • Heady pieces can actually contain really creative and unique percolators!
 
Here are some of our most popular Percolator Styles:
  • DownStem:
    • Very simple, consists of a tube that brings smoke down through water, releasing it at the bottom so it can filter through the water.
  • Tree:
    • Looks like tree branches.
    • Basically consists of multiple short downstems that are all placed in a cylindrical formation and fused at one end.  Another downstem is inserted in the center, so the smoke can travel up from the base and into the arms of the "tree".
    • Usually contained in a separate chamber from the downstem.
  • ShowerHead:
    • Looks like an upside-down showerhead when smoke travels through it.
    • Very effective. 
    • Consists of many slits around a circular center, allowing the smoke to evenly flow.
    • Great combination of diffusion and airflow. 
  • HoneyComb:
    • Looks like a honeycomb!
    • Basically a disk with a lot of holes drilled into it.  
    • Each hole lets smoke through, one tiny bubble at a time, resulting in a LOT of diffusion!
    • Will require more frequent cleaning, as the holes can be so small they clog easily.
  • Fritted Disk:
    • Comes from a laboratory-based gas cleaner.  
    • Is essentially crushed up pieces of glass that are fuzed together into a "Disk."
    • Holes can be microscopic, only microns thin!!!
    • A LOT of diffusion- even more than a honeycomb!
    • Will create a very smooth hit, but will need to be cleaned on a very regular basis!
  • Miscellaneous (Creative):
    • There is a growing number of artists and companies now that choose to not play by the rules!
    • These pipes are among some of our favorites!
    • It is nearly impossible to categorize them!
    • Nearly all of them have their own strange names, given by their creators.
    • Most are completely unique pieces of work and art!

Please let us know if we can add anything else to this page to make your experience more enjoyable!