The world of cannabis consumption has evolved dramatically since it began to enter the mainstream in the 60’s. In fact, many elements of the industry and culture would be unrecognizable to a time traveler from decades past. THC diamonds? $600 gravity bongs that look like something out of Star Wars? Legal cannabis dispensaries?!? Needless to say, the cannabis community has come a long way since the days of ditch weed and doobies as the only options available for an aspiring aficionado.
While there are more consumption options available than ever before, there is one piece of paraphernalia that has stuck to its roots, and has been the go-to smoking solution for generations: the tried and true one hitter.
“What is a one hitter?” you may ask. In its simplest form, a one hitter (aka a chillum, bat, or taster) is a small pipe with no bells or whistles. A receptacle for your herb at the end of a tube. That’s about it. No carbs, no water. While the one hitter has evolved over the years and there are now premium options available, at the end of the day one hitter pipes have generally stayed true to their roots.
As far as this author is concerned, the one hitter is a perfect pipe. While I have bongs, bowls, vapes, and enough rolling papers to last through the apocalypse (I like to be prepared), I always find myself coming back to the good ol’ one hitter. Here are three reasons why I firmly believe that a one hitter is the perfect pipe:
Durability
Have you ever broken a piece of glass that you love? You’re out back smoking your brand new bubbler that you’ve fallen in love with. You already named it and everything. Then, you set it down and forget about it. You turn around to do something, and then you hear it. That unmistakable sound of glass cracking on concrete. Not only is your new piece gone forever, but now you don’t have anything to smoke out of either.
One hitters are tough. Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a single person breaking their one hitter. You’d probably have to really try to break it, and even then you may still have a hard time. A good, solid pipe is essential to have in your toker tool kit. Some brands like the SilverStick even make their pipes out of alloy. You’re not breaking that bad boy any time soon.
Portability
Yes, the 6 foot bong is fun and hilarious. But have you ever tried taking one on a hike? I can’t say I have, but I imagine it isn’t ideal in that use case. One hitters, however? You’re good to go! Slip it in your pocket, a dugout, or a leather case and you’re ready to rock. You’ll still have room for your lighter, keys, and all that good stuff.
Simplicity
Sometimes, less is more. It’s fun to have a pipe that is a work of art, but sometimes those are better served for special occasions. Introducing a first time or inexperienced friend back into cannabis? Everyone can understand a one hitter. Just pack it and light it up, man! A no-nonsense pipe is essential, and is ultimately all you really need.
There you have it - three reasons why one hitters are the perfect type of pipe. I agree that there are certain situations where you’d want another type of consumption method available. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to consuming cannabis. That being said, the one hitter is a tried and true device that has survived and has been passed on for generations of weed lovers. If you ask the neighborhood dads what they use to smoke, it's probably a classic one hitter and dugout combo. If you’re thinking about expanding your repertoire and adding another device into the mix, make sure you have a quality one hitter that you can enjoy for years to come!
