Plenty of smoking devices are there for cannabis enthusiasts in the industry today. Glass devices are the most popular smoking pieces among all. We know glass pipes, glass bongs, chillums, one-hitters, hookahs and everything is available in glass material. As usual this glass also has different forms. And it is also tricky or crucial for smokers to decide which piece to buy. So you need to know about the type of glass that your bong or pipe is made of. If you’re a stoner you may hear about several types of glass smoking devices such as Soft glass, heady glass, scientific glass, etc… You may also know about Borosilicate glass bongs and pipes. This is the most popular type of glass out there today.  But soft glass was the beginner in the glass industry. Now let’s know some differences between Soft glass and Borosilicate glass.

Soft Glass

It is the original glass appearing in its most basic form. Soda-lime glass is another name of the soft glass. As said above soft glass is beginner glass material in the glass market. They’re led to the rise of other glass types also. And they are the main reason behind the growth of the glass industry. Soft glass is an ideal material for glass blowing artist because it is best to use in artistic endeavours. It is malleable and can carry vibrant colors even after the piece has set. So glass blowers can craft intricate sculptures or ornate glass bongs easily with the soft glass. Also there is no need of much heat to work soft glass. As well as it is it is less expensive and readily available. But it doesn’t have much thermal resistance whereas borosilicate glass has more resistant capacity. And it is is relatively durable at only normal temperatures. However, soft glass consists of about 90% of the glass used in the world, including most windows, dinnerware, lighting products, and, well, beer bottles and glasses!

Borosilicate Glass

It is a strongest glass material that contains boron trioxide which allows for a very low coefficient of thermal expansion. Hence it will not crack under extreme temperature changes like regular glass. So it’s durable and this durability made it so popular. Borosilicate glass is used to blow bongs, pipes and bubbler pipes. 15% of boron trioxide in it makes it thermal shock resistant. And so it is ideal for crafting long-lasting glass pieces. This resilient material is used in the creation of scientific glass. Scientific glass pipes have simple, clean aesthetic and sturdy designs. Unlike soft glass Borosilicate glass does not convey vibrant colors.

Borosilicate glass is mechanically stronger and harder than soft glass, also it is more chemically resistant to acids. Another thing is borosilicate glass can be shaped into vacuum insulated vessels. With much lower coefficient of expansion borosilicate glass is the most durable glass on the market today. So they’re best in making long-lasting bongs whereas soft glass has shows high artistic value in glass blowing art. At the end, decision is only taken by the user himself that which glass type he want, whether he need a simple designed functional borosilicate glass bong or a  aesthetic soft glass piece. Both have their own benefits, so choose your favorite one!