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What are frit hand pipes? 6 frit glass pipes to consider
Frit hand pipes are the simplest and most user-friendly way to get high. Whether or not you knew they had a name, these small, seemingly indestructible glass pieces are synonymous with stoner culture, especially in one’s formative years. There’s a pretty good chance the first thing you ever smoked out of was one of these colorful and affordable pipes.
The name comes from the small pieces of colored glass — called “frit” — that are melted on the inside of the pipe, adding an additional layer of reinforcement to the glass and making it more durable than its single-pane counterparts. Frit pipes come in an endless array of designs and color combinations and rarely cost over a hundred dollars — even for the really, really cool ones.
Accessible, functional, and nostalgic AF, these are the perfect pipes for throwing in a backpack, stashing in your glove compartment, or simply using around the house.
In honor of this tried-and-true smoking accessory, here are six frit hand pipes to check out right now.
Frit spoon pipe by Grav
This Grav pipe is as basic as they come. Not pumpkin spice basic, but basic in the good, functional way you want a frit glass pipe to be. The two-tone gradient is available in five colors and has an inverted, ash-catching mouthpiece to guard against an unexpected blast of hot ash in your mouth.
This pipe is a well-made, solid option worthy of a gift to others or yourself.
Price: $39.99
Bugs Life Spoon Pipe by Empire Smokes
Here, we see the average frit pipe being taken to the nth degree of magical fairy forest realness. Empire Smokes is known for its fully worked, whimsical pieces, depicting the vibrant ecosystems of our planet and beyond.
This particular ecosystem consists of baby mushrooms, forest critters, and snaking moss, which speaks to the trippers of the world — just like the trees.
Price: $85
Red Alien Head Pipe by Glass Art North West
This pipe puts a freaky spin on the frit genre, bringing a much welcomed alien energy to what can be a stagnant bunch. Handblown in the Pacific Northwest and sold by the artist, this unique pipe comes directly from the glassblower, a medium that has been increasingly marginalized by industrial manufacturers overseas.
Like the others, this pipe is made with heavy borosilicate glass and is ready for a cosmic adventure.
Price: $28
Rasta Theme Frit Gandalf Pipe by Bern Glass
Gandalf Pipes are always a vibe, geared towards the uber-chill homebody smoker who puffs and ponders all day. While they can be a little precarious breakage-wise, this borosilicate glass Gandalf Pipe by Bern Glass is rasta-themed and thick enough to withstand leaving the house.
Price: $72.99
Frit Honeycomb Handpipe by Ascend
This stylized frit pipe is equal parts trippy and mellow. A classic honeycomb pattern on the front adds 3D depth to the small, durable design, making it the perfect festival companion.
Price: $50
Classic Calumet by Jerome Baker Designs
The word “Calumet” refers to ceremonial pipes used by Native Americans, so this pipe by Jerome Baker alludes to the lofty status it holds in glassblowing history.
Jerome Baker rose to notoriety in the 1990s for blowing glass bongs for almost everyone, including Jack Nicholson and Phil Lesh. He also has a bong line with Tommy Chong and is generally a legend in the space. This pipe has been blown in the style of Bob Snodgrass, another legend in the glass blowing world, under whom Jason Harris, founder of Jerome Baker Designs, studied. These cool little pipes come in (almost) every color of the rainbow, finished with black trim and white squiggles.
Price: $25