Some pipes impress you because they look super cool, and there are some pipes that impress you because they get you super high. Today’s post is about a pipe that does both, because who says you can’t be useful and fun to look at?
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If you’ve never heard of it, the GRAV Labs Helix 3-in-1 Multi-Bubbler Pipe is one of GRAV’s most popular creations and my new favorite way to light up. It’s three high-quality Grav pipes in one intuitive device – switch out the heads and turn it into an upright bubbler, a spoon bowl, or a taster if you like to dab.
The Helix includes a small plastic clamp that attaches the bowls to the Venturi Chamber. This is what makes the Helix so great: when you pull from the mouthpiece, smoke fills the three-holed chamber, creating a tornado-like swirl that cools the smoke before you inhale. Some of the tastiest hits I’ve taken in my pot-blogging career have come from the Helix bubbler, which uses downstem diffusion and water filtration to cool it even more.
Design Quality/Ease of Use
The Helix is made of 4mm borosilicate glass and sits upright regardless of which head you’re using. The bubbler and spoon both have feet so you can set it down on the table without worrying about broken glass. Even with the taster attachment, the chamber is weighted to keep it from rolling when you’re done passing it around.
Speaking of passing it around, it fits nicely in the palm of your hand and is surprisingly easy to maneuver. For something that comes in multiple pieces, there’s nothing clunky or awkward about it like I’ve experienced with some novelty pieces (RIP Herbert, my cute but impractical elephant pipe). GRAV is purely utilitarian, and I’m here for it.
One downside for me is that with the spoon attachment, I can’t see the bowl over the chamber without tilting it to an awkward position. I like to smoke by cornering the bowl, which is harder to do when you’ve got a blind spot.
Smoking Quality (AKA how high will the Helix get me?)
GRAV’s slogan is “find your higher self.” They make it no secret that they want you to get LIT and that’s exactly what’s going to happen with the Helix. This is not a setup for micro-dosing. This is for thick clouds of smooth smoke that have been cooled with water filtration and swirled with outside air before hitting your lungs. Heavy veteran smokers may want something less filtered and denser – if that’s you, put a piece of tape over one (or more) of the chamber holes to reduce the airflow. You won’t get the cool swirl but you can customize your hits even more with this method.
The taster attachment is made for use with concentrates, but it’s sized so you can also pop a joint in the tip to give it the Venturi effect when you smoke. The fun with this thing is endless.
Maintenance/Cleaning
Another nice detail about the Helix is that it has a lot of empty space, which means fewer places for residue to sneak through and hide. To clean it, I put the pieces in a plastic bag with some salt and 99% isopropyl alcohol, shake and let it sit for a couple of minutes, then rinse it clean with hot water.
The most “difficult” piece to clean is the bubbler because of the attached downstem, but all it needs is a slightly more persistent rinse under hot water to loosen any leftover junk.
The Verdict
If it wasn’t already obvious, I love this thing and will probably be using it all summer long (except while traveling). It’s been my daily driver since arriving in the mail. Get your Helix setup from Smoke Cartel here.
Have you tried the Helix? What’s your favorite GRAV Labs product?