Walk into any smoke shop today and you’ll be overwhelmed by options. Bongs range from $20 gas station specials to $1,000+ artistic centerpieces. But somewhere in that vast middle ground sits Thick Ass Glass (TAG)—a brand that’s carved out a reputation for doing one thing exceptionally well: making durable, functional glass that actually performs better than the competition.
Since 2013, TAG has been quietly building a loyal following among smokers who care more about how their glass functions than how it looks on Instagram. Their secret? An almost obsessive focus on engineering, material quality, and refusing to cut corners—even when it would save money.
I sat down with TAG founder Brian Handschuh to talk about what really makes a quality bong, why the industry has gotten so caught up in thin glass and flashy designs, and what consumers should actually be looking for when they buy a piece.
Dhruv Patel: Brian, thanks for taking the time. Let’s start with the obvious question—your company name is pretty direct. Where did “Thick Ass Glass” come from?
Brian Handschuh: laughs Yeah, we’re not subtle about it. The name came from the core problem we were trying to solve. When we started in 2013, the market was flooded with these beautiful-looking pieces that would break if you looked at them wrong. 3mm, 4mm glass that felt nice and light but couldn’t survive actual daily use.
I’ve always been particular about the things I buy—maybe it’s the German in me—but I can’t stand poorly designed products. So the name was intentional. We wanted people to know immediately what we’re about: thick, durable borosilicate glass that’s built to last.
DP: You mention borosilicate specifically. For readers who might not know—what’s the difference between that and regular glass?
BH: Huge difference. Borosilicate is lab-grade glass, the same stuff used in scientific equipment. It’s designed to withstand extreme temperatures and impact. Most cheap bongs use soda-lime glass, which is what your drinking glasses are made from. It’s fine for a cup, but terrible for something that’s going to experience heat stress and get handled daily.
Borosilicate has a much lower thermal expansion coefficient, which means it doesn’t crack as easily when exposed to temperature changes. When you’re lighting a bowl, that glass is going through rapid heating. Cheap glass develops stress fractures over time. Borosilicate? It just handles it.
But here’s the thing—it’s not enough to just use borosilicate. You need thick borosilicate. Our beakers have bases up to 12-16mm thick. Most competitors are running 3-6mm bases. That difference is the difference between a piece that lasts a decade and one that breaks in six months.
DP: That’s a significant difference in material. Does that drive up the cost substantially?
BH: It does increase production costs, but not as much as you’d think. The bigger cost is in the engineering and time. Thicker glass is harder to work with—it takes longer to heat, requires more precision in the welds, and demands more skilled labor.
But we refuse to cut corners. During the past few years, many brands resorted to producing thinner, smaller, lower-quality glass in higher quantities. We had that same option—reduce costs, increase margins. But every cost reduction results in a noticeable decline in product durability and function.
When you pick up a TAG piece, you feel it immediately. They’re heavy. Even our small pieces are solid. That weight isn’t just about thickness—it’s about stability, reinforced joints, and proper engineering.
DP: You keep mentioning engineering. Talk to me about that. What does “engineering” actually mean for a bong?
BH: leans forward This is where it gets interesting. Most people think a bong is simple—tube, bowl, water. Done. But there’s so much more going on if you want it to function properly.
Take our super slit diffusers. These are time-consuming and difficult to produce compared to regular slit counts. Without high-density slits, the function can be heavily degraded. Each slit needs to create the right size bubble for optimal diffusion. Too few slits? Harsh hits. Too many with poor design? Excessive drag.
We also focus on maintaining glass thickness in welds, which most producers ignore. That connection point where the downstem meets the base, or where the joint attaches to the tube? That’s a stress point. Cheap producers let the glass get thin there because it’s easier. We maintain thickness throughout, which makes production harder but results in joints that don’t crack.
Same thing with our custom super-thick joints. We could save weight and production costs by making thinner joints, but that leads to weaker products that survive fewer impacts.
DP: It sounds like you’re constantly fighting against what would be easier or more profitable.
BH: nods Exactly. There are so many corners that could be cut in glass production. We prefer to choose the best possible design outcome over the easiest production method.
Look, I’ve spent years engineering and testing glass, obsessed with finding the perfect balance of function, durability, and design. When someone buys a TAG piece, they’re getting the result of that obsession—not just a product that looks good in photos.
DP: Let’s talk about the market. Where do you see the industry right now?
BH: Honestly? It’s a mess. You’ve got these extremes—cheap gas station bongs that break immediately, and then $1,000+ “heady glass” pieces that are more art than function. Both have their place, but there’s this huge gap in the middle for people who just want quality, functional glass at a fair price.
The problem is that marketing has overtaken engineering in a lot of brands. They’ll spend more on Instagram ads and influencer partnerships than on actually improving their products. You get beautiful photos of thin glass with mediocre percs, and consumers don’t know any better until it breaks.
DP: So how does someone who’s not an expert tell the difference between quality glass and marketing hype?
BH: Great question. Here’s what to look for:
First, glass thickness. Ask about wall thickness and base thickness. If they can’t tell you, or if it’s under 5mm, walk away. Our beakers are 9mm walls with 12-16mm bases. That’s the kind of spec you want.
Second, joint strength. Look at where the bowl connects—is that joint reinforced? Does it look substantial? Weak joints are the number one failure point.
Third, percolator design. Not all percs are created equal. Some are purely decorative. A well-designed perc should provide smooth diffusion without excessive drag. If you’re pulling hard and getting very little smoke, the airflow is poorly engineered.
Fourth, weight. Pick it up. Does it feel substantial? A quality piece should have some heft to it. If it feels light and delicate, it probably is.
DP: You mentioned your Made-to-Order service earlier. Tell me about that.
BH: Yeah, we’re really proud of MTO. We soft-launched it in early 2021. The concept is simple—you can request any variant you want from practically any item on our site. Different colors, logos, specific percolator configurations, custom sizes.
Production glass brands like ours historically couldn’t offer this because we need high production quantities per variant to achieve reasonable pricing. But we figured out a way to make it work. For years, customers had been asking about specific out-of-stock models or requesting color options we hadn’t offered. Now they can get basically any piece in any variant.
It’s more labor-intensive for us, but it solves a real problem. Not everyone wants the same thing, and we want to give people what they actually want—not just what we decided to mass produce.
DP: What’s been the response to that?
BH: Overwhelming, honestly. Turns out people really appreciate being able to customize their pieces. It reinforces what we’ve always believed—consumers are smarter than brands give them credit for. They know what they want, and they’re willing to pay for quality if you deliver it.
DP: Let’s talk price points. TAG sits in that mid-range—not cheap, not luxury. How do you think about pricing?
BH: I don’t believe in overpaying for things. If I buy something expensive, it better be built to last, function flawlessly, and justify every cent.
Our pieces typically range from around $70 to $500. Compare that to the market—you’ve got $20 pieces that break in a month, or $1,000+ pieces where you’re paying for brand name and artistic value more than function.
We’re transparent about what affects cost. Better materials? Higher price. More complex percolation? Higher price. Custom work? Higher price. But we’re not adding markup just because we can.
A $300 TAG bong that lasts 10 years is cheaper in the long run than replacing a $50 bong every few months. That’s the math we want people to understand.
DP: What about the “heady glass” market—those artistic, high-end pieces?
BH: Look, I respect the artistry. Some of those pieces are incredible works of art, and they belong in that luxury category. The problem is when brands use artistic value to mask poor function.
You’ll see these gorgeous pieces with intricate designs that hit terribly. Too much drag, poor diffusion, fragile construction. They look amazing on a shelf, but they’re not actually good smoking devices.
We’re not in the art business. We’re in the functional glass business. Our pieces aren’t the flashiest, but they work better. And honestly? There’s beauty in perfect function. When a bong has dialed-in airflow and smooth, efficient percolation, that’s beautiful to me.
DP: You’ve mentioned Reddit a few times. What’s the community feedback been like?
BH: smiles Reddit keeps us honest. The glass community there is knowledgeable and they don’t pull punches. We’ve gotten great feedback about durability and function. People appreciate that we use reinforced joints and maintain glass thickness throughout the piece.
One story that always sticks with me—someone posted about their house getting broken into. The thieves threw their TAG piece in a bag with jars and other items. After the fight, they found the bag, and despite being thrown around with all that stuff, the piece was completely fine. That’s the durability we’re building for.
We’ve also gotten great feedback about our customer service. We actually call people if we notice their order might have compatibility issues. Like if someone orders an 18mm stem with a 14mm bowl, we’ll call to make sure they know those won’t fit together. Little things like that build trust.
DP: What do you think is the biggest misconception consumers have about bongs?
BH: That they’re all basically the same. People think, “it’s just glass and water, how different can they be?” But the difference between a well-engineered piece and a cheaply made one is night and day.
Airflow matters. Percolation design matters. Glass thickness matters. Joint strength matters. These aren’t minor details—they’re the difference between a piece you love using for years and one that frustrates you until it breaks.
The other misconception is that expensive always means better. Not true. Some $600 bongs are all hype. Meanwhile, a well-made $200 piece with proper engineering will outperform them.
DP: Where do you see TAG going in the next few years?
BH: We’re constantly trying to improve each product. We value customer input because it helps us achieve that. Innovation in glass hasn’t stopped—new percolator designs, better diffusion techniques, stronger reinforcement methods.
We’re also expanding our educational content. The more people understand what makes quality glass, the better decisions they make. That benefits everyone—good brands succeed, bad brands have to improve or fade away.
And we’re refining the MTO system. Making it easier to customize, expanding the options available. The goal is to get as close as possible to giving every customer exactly what they want.
DP: Any advice for someone buying their first quality piece?
BH: Start with a medium-sized beaker—12 to 16 inches. It’s the sweet spot between portability and function. Get a 14mm joint, which is the industry standard and gives you the most accessory options.
Don’t cheap out. A $100-150 piece from a quality brand will serve you infinitely better than a $30 piece that breaks. Think of it as an investment.
And ask questions. Any reputable brand should be able to tell you glass thickness, joint type, percolator specs. If they can’t answer basic questions about their own products, that’s a red flag.
DP: Last question—what’s the one thing you wish more people knew about glass?
BH: pauses That thicker really is better. I know it sounds obvious given our name, but people still gravitate toward thin, light pieces because they look more delicate and refined.
But that delicacy is a weakness, not a feature. You want heavy. You want thick. You want something that feels substantial in your hand, because that substance translates directly to longevity.
We’ve been saying this since 2013, and I’ll keep saying it: we’re committed to the pursuit of perfection. While others cut corners, we reinforce them. That’s the TAG difference.
About Thick Ass Glass
Founded in 2013, Thick Ass Glass (TAG) specializes in engineered borosilicate glass smoking accessories. Based on principles of durability, function, and value, TAG has built a reputation for thick-walled bongs, dab rigs, and accessories that prioritize performance over aesthetics. The company offers a Made-to-Order service allowing customers to customize nearly any piece. For more information, visit thickassglass.com.
As Editor-in-Chief of Southwick News, Dhruv Patel combines his background in computer science from UC Berkeley with his Stanford journalism training to pioneer innovative approaches to digital news delivery.
