How to Pack and Smoke a Bowl

At some point during your cannabis smoking career, you’ll probably have to smoke a bowl. Learning how to pack a bowl is the first step in consumption 101 that newbies and veterans alike can benefit from. Here’s a rundown on how to pack a bowl of weed for both personal smoke sessions and parties along with some tips and tricks for smoking bowls. 

What is a bowl? 

A bowl is an essential part of any type of smoking pipe, whether that’s a spoon pipe, Sherlock, chillum, bubbler or bong. They were adapted from traditional tobacco pipes and are similar to them with a few minor differences. The bowl is the part of the pipe where you pack your weed. The pipe itself is made up of an airtight channel that delivers the smoke through a mouth piece. Weed pipes also contain a carb that helps regulate the airflow in the pipe.  

Weed pipes are made of all sorts of materials with the most popular being glass. You can find weed pipe online, in gift shops, and at any tobacco store or head shop marketed as tobacco pipes. They come in all different types of designs, shapes, and sizes. Some are more complex than others, but they all essentially function the same way.

If you’re new to smoking weed, start with a spoon pipe. It’s named as such after its shape. They’re small, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive, making them a great option when you’re first learning how to pack and smoke a bowl.  

Things you’ll need for packing a bowl 

You’ll need a few different materials to smoke weed out of a pipe. For starters, you’ll need a bowl, some weed and a lighter. If you want to avoid using a butane lighter, a lot of people will use hemp wicks, which help maintain an even burn and don’t add that gassy flavor to your weed. You can also use glass wands, which are heated to a point where they can vaporize your bud on contact. 

You may also need a metal screen for your pipe. If your pipe has a large hole at the bottom, a screen can help prevent you from sucking bits of burning cannabis into your lungs and clogging up your pipe. They’re very cheap and widely available at head shops or online. But if you ever catch yourself without one, you can use a screen from a faucet head or twist a paperclip into a coil. You should avoid using anything like aluminum foil or mesh window screens for pipes though. These materials are usually coated with materials that are dangerous to inhale. 

Last but not least, you’ll need a grinder. Grinding your weed helps maximize airflow when smoking a bowl and can make your experience smoother by allowing for an even burn. You can use a grinder, a pair of scissors, or even your fingers. But you’ll need to break your herb down before packing it into a bowl. 

How to pack and smoke a bowl of weed in 5 steps 

Packing a bowl is the first step to smoking a bowl. Here’s how to get started and follow through in 5 easy steps. 

1. Gather your materials— you’ll need weed, a grinder, a lighter, and your pipe. 
2. Grind your weed coarsely in a grinder. Take care not to grind it up too fine or your bowl won’t hit properly. You might even end up with scooby snacks. 
3. Place a screen at the bottom of the bowl to cover the hole, and start placing your ground-up weed on top. If you don’t have a screen, you can use a larger piece of weed to cover the hole without clogging it. 
4. Finish packing the bowl with the rest of your weed. Start lightly at the bottom with a denser pack towards the top. This helps to maintain a nice burn without clogging the pipe. 
5. Cover the carb, light the bowl, and inhale. You can release the carb when you’re ready to clear the bowl and pass it to the next person. 

Why packing your bowl properly is so important 

Packing your bowl properly is vital for your overall smoking experience. Improperly packed bowls can be a waste of weed. They may burn unevenly or have a gross taste. Further, packing your bowl too loosely can leave you at risk for sucking your entire bowl through the pipe and wasting it entirely while also making you cough on scoobs that you want to avoid breathing into your lungs. Aim for a good medium-dense packing technique and follow the tips below for best results. 

Tips for smoking a bowl 

Since smoking a bowl is a social experience, it’s important to bring your best materials and practice proper etiquette. Here’s a quick breakdown

• Use a borosilicate glass pipe. It stays cool, it’s easy to clean, and it’s less likely to break when it’s dropped by accident. 
• When you pack your bowl, make sure everyone gets a green hit. Corner the bowl when you light it, and pack it deep enough for multiple heads. 
• If it’s just you and one other person, only pack enough weed for one hit, and repack it with another hit for the next person. 
• Whoever provided the weed for the bowl gets to choose who smokes it first. 
• If you’re using a unique type of bowl or a different pipe, make sure people know how to use it before you pass it. 
• Don’t pass someone a cherried or cashed bowl. 
• Never pocket the lighter. Pass it with the bowl. 
• Take turns re-packing the bowl with your own weed.