Chillums
Chillums, sometimes referred to as "one-hitters", are phenomenal travel pipes that are extremely user-friendly as they only contain two parts. Generally they are a small straight glass pipe, with a mouthpiece on one end and a bowl on the other. Since there is no carb, all the smoker has to do is pack their dry herbs, light the materials, and inhale from the mouthpiece. The most portable style of glass pipes available, chillums are straightforward, easy to use, and are amazing for you on-the-go smokers out there.
The history of chillums starts a long time ago, back to at least the 1700's, in places like India, South America, and Aftrica. Made with bamboo and larger than today's chillums, they were used for spiritual occasions and holistic rituals. Chillums became popular in the United States during the period in which the counter culture movement was gaining traction. Starting around the 1960's in the Greenwich Village of New York City and San Francisco, chillums were found to be a quicker alternative to rolling jays or smoking out of bongs.
The chillums of today are not made with animal horns but they do come in multiple materials, with the most common being glass. You can still find artistic spirits in these pipes because of their various shapes. Although they can be simple looking, every chillum has its own characteristic to make it unique. Some can be frozen, to give every hit from your one hitter an icy cool finish. Others have a glass loop attached so they can easily be worn around your neck as pendant. This can come in clutch when at a festival or camping in the wilderness. The portability of them make them a valuable smoking tool for any level smoker.
Chillums should be a part of every smoker's arsenal. The size and convenience of a chillum makes it a very valuable asset. Most chillums can fit in a pocket or a small purse. The obvious attraction for using chillums is the simplicity. With only two holes, one used for the mouthpiece and the other is the bowl, a chillum is as simple as it gets when it comes to smoking your dry herbs. Simply pack the bowl end full of ground up herbs then light up. Chillums are the most direct way to smoke your herbs, with no carb holes and direct airflow. They do their job easily and obviously are on the inexpensive side. Just because they are small in stature does not mean they are brittle as some chillums are made with thick, American glass like the Shotgun Shell Chillum from Empire Glassworks.
Speaking of the Shotgun Shell Chillum from Empire Glassworks, these straightforward one-hitters do not need to be plain in appearance. Themed glass chillums are all over the market and contain some adorable and unique adaptations. This is where the perfect smoking gifts can be found, as chillums are useful but will stay under most gift limits. An example of one is the Mathematix Bowling Pin Chillum. This could be the ultimate present for the smoking bowler you know in your life. Know someone who likes to smoke in public but is not interested in vaporizers? Take a look at the Cigarette Bat from us at DankStop. The Cigarette Bat looks just like a real cigarette and fits in most dugouts. It is perfect for smoking while driving if you do not want to bring any extra attention to yourself. It even comes in different lengths to fit your dugout properly.
Most chillums have a small, sleek nature but some can take it even further. The 1 Hit Chillum with Rubber Mouthpiece is barely two inches long yet has a rubber mouthpiece and unscrew-able bowl. This high grade aluminum top has threads to keep your herbs safely inside the chillum. It does not get much tinier than the 1 Hit Chillum with Rubber Mouthpiece, supporting the convenience and secrecy added with using chillums. You can hide this pipe almost anywhere without having to take it apart at all. That useless pocket located at the top of your actual front pocket that can fit about a few coins? Yep this little guy can fit in there snugly.
If you are not worried about size, there are larger options, resulting in a process closer to a steamroller or hand pipe. Monkey Pipe has created a line of products that take chillums and give them some additional assets and room. Made out of hardwood with aluminum coverings and tools, the Jet Pal for instance includes a large storage area to the side of the pipe. One of the main reasons pipe makers have strayed away from wooden pipes is the fact they burn when exposed to a lot of fire. The Jet Pal comes with a swivel lid with a metal ring that protects the rim of the bowl from burning. This kind of pipe is great for people who like the design of a chillum but like a standard, hand pipe style bowl.
Although these glass pipes are usually made with high quality glass, it is natural to be a little skeptical about the overall durability of something so small. The Pyptek Prometheus Nano Chillum is the answer to any strength concerns. Between the thick, borosilicate glass tubing and an airplane-grade aluminum exoskeleton, which comes in your choice of color, this futuristic pipe is every clumsy smoker's dream. Pyptek follows this model with all of their glass pipes, including spoon pipes and steamrollers. You will have to really try to break this Pyptek mini hand pipe.
Chillums are not just for smaller brands anymore either. Huge names like Grav Labs have invested in the smaller glass pipe market as well. They have a very interesting twist with the Shot Glass Taster. The glass pipe has a chillum on the side of a shot glass. Now you do not even have to separate your herbs from your drink! It has never been easier to indulge in both at the same time. If a huge glass maker like Grav Labs is making it, that means its not a fad; they are here to stay.
So there you have it. These small glass pipes have made quite the mark on smoking society in the best ways. Do not miss out on such an innovative but simple part of smoking culture.
