Many cannabis connoisseurs have wondered whether the thickness of glass matters when shopping for a new piece. As it turns out, there are pros and cons to choosing either thick or thin glass. Choosing the right glass thickness is important for one main reason, which is durability. But what makes a piece more durable? The main cause of death for a glass piece is due to dropping it. We’ve all had this happen, and chances are if you’ve broken a lot of your own pipes and bongs by dropping them, it’s because the glass was too thin. Pieces made with thicker glass are always more expensive, but you would pay more for quality, right? If you tend to be more on the clumsy side, it would probably better for you to stick with a thicker glass piece.

There are reasons to go with thinner glass too. Interestingly, thick glass tends to crack more easily when heat is applied to it, which is why some pieces can develop cracks in them. The science behind this is that glass is made up of two layers: and inner layer and an outer layer. When heat is applied to glass the outer layer heats up first and expands, while the inner layer does not. The reason for this is because glass is not a good thermal conductor. Since only one layer is heating and expanding cracks form in the glass, so thinner glass tends to be more flexible. This is much more common with water than fire, so it’s a good thing we don’t use hot water in our water pieces! Some glass cracks more easily than others depending on how much heat is applied to the glass, so there are many different factors at play. If you are using a torch like you would with glass paddles, your glass is probably more likely to crack, than if you are using a lighter.

So, there are pros and cons for using a thicker or thinner glass piece. The trick is to find a happy medium. If you tend to drop your pieces a lot pick a piece on the thicker side, with a good grip to lessen the odds of dropping (those bubbles on your piece are not just for decoration). As far as glass thickness affecting your hit, it just depends on what type of piece you favor. Water pieces are obviously going to give you a much stronger hit than pipes are. Everyone has a preference and through trial and probably lots of error you’ll find what is right for you.

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I tend to drop things more often than not, so I like to go with pieces on the thicker side. What’s your preference? Let us know in the comments!