How Vape Pens, Wax Pens, and Dab Pens Can Capture the Bong Market

The cannabis consumption market is a battleground of innovation, tradition and shifting preferences. For decades, bongs have reigned as the go-to choice for experienced users seeking powerful, water-filtered hits that deliver an immediate and robust high. However, the rise of vaping devices—specifically vape pens, wax pens and dab pens—has disrupted this dominance, offering a modern alternative that’s steadily eroding bong market share. These portable, tech-driven tools have gained traction among veterans for their convenience, discretion and perceived health benefits, posing a direct challenge to the traditional bong experience. In this in-depth analysis, we’ll explore how vape pens, wax pens and dab pens can capitalize on their strengths to further encroach on bong territory, while addressing how the bong industry might fight back. Tailored for seasoned users, this piece dives into professional strategies, market dynamics and competitive positioning—leaving basic explanations behind.

The Current Landscape: Vapes vs. Bongs

Before outlining how vaping devices can seize bong market share, it’s critical to understand the current state of play. Bongs, with their glass construction and water filtration, have long appealed to users who value ritual, potency and the tactile satisfaction of a big hit. Yet, their market response has softened as vaping devices—led by vape pens for dry herb or oil, wax pens for concentrates and dab pens for precision dabbing—gain momentum. Here’s why vapes are already winning ground:

1. Convenience and Portability

Vaping devices are inherently user-friendly. A vape pen slips into a pocket, requiring no water, no setup and minimal cleanup compared to a bong. Wax pens and dab pens, designed for concentrates, streamline the dabbing process, eliminating the need for a torch or bulky rig. This portability aligns with the fast-paced lives of modern users, making bongs feel cumbersome by comparison.

2. Health Perceptions

Combustion, the core of bong use, produces tar and carcinogens that even water filtration can’t fully eliminate. Vaping, by heating cannabis or concentrates to release vapor without burning, offers a cleaner inhale—a selling point for health-conscious veterans. Whether it’s a vape pen for flower or a wax pen for shatter, the reduced harm narrative has shifted perceptions, casting bongs as a less enlightened choice.

3. Discretion

Bongs are loud—both visually and audibly. The bubbling water and plumes of smoke draw attention, limiting their use in public or shared spaces. Vapes, especially sleek dab pens, produce minimal odor and vapor that dissipates quickly, offering stealth that bongs can’t match. This discretion appeals to users navigating legalization’s social nuances.

4. Technological Edge

Vaping devices have embraced innovation. Temperature control on a vape pen lets users target specific cannabinoids, while wax pens and dab pens offer precise heating for concentrates, preserving terpenes and potency. Bongs, despite percolators or artistic designs, remain rooted in analog simplicity, lacking the dynamic appeal of tech-driven vapes.

5. Market Growth

The vaping industry is booming—projected to hit $207.85 billion by 2031 (Verified Market Research, 2024)—fueled by constant product releases and aggressive marketing. Bongs, while still a staple, struggle with stagnation, giving vapes a momentum advantage.

How Vape Pens, Wax Pens and Dab Pens Can Encroach on Bong Territory

To fully capture bong market share, vaping devices must amplify their strengths while targeting the specific needs and preferences of experienced bong users. Here’s a strategic roadmap:

1. Target Bong Users with Hybrid Appeal

Many bong enthusiasts crave the intense, full-spectrum high that combustion delivers—a sensation vaping can struggle to replicate at lower temperatures. Manufacturers of vape pens and dab pens can bridge this gap by developing high-output models that mimic bong-like potency. For example, a wax pen with a powerful ceramic coil could deliver concentrate hits rivaling a bong rip, marketed as “bong power in your pocket”. Highlighting this potency can lure veterans seeking a familiar experience without the glass.

2. Expand Concentrate Compatibility

Bongs have adapted to the concentrate trend with dab rig attachments, but wax pens and dab pens own this space. By offering versatile devices compatible with a range of extracts—wax, shatter, budder, or live resin—vape makers can position themselves as the ultimate concentrate companion. Promote the ease of loading a dab pen versus rigging a bong, emphasizing efficiency for users who dab regularly.

3. Enhance Flavor and Efficiency

Terpene preservation is a vaping superpower. A vape pen with adjustable temperature settings can unlock nuanced flavors that bong combustion destroys, appealing to connoisseurs who prize strain profiles. Similarly, wax pens extract more active compounds from less material, offering cost savings over the flower-heavy bong method. Marketing should frame vapes as the sophisticated choice for flavor chasers and budget-minded veterans.

4. Innovate for Ritualistic Appeal

Bongs thrive on ritual—the packing, the lighting, the bubbling. Vapes can counter this by adding tactile or sensory elements. Imagine a dab pen with a haptic feedback system that vibrates to signal optimal heat, or a vape pen with a modular design for customization. These features could replicate the hands-on satisfaction bong users crave, blending tradition with tech.

5. Leverage Portability as a Lifestyle Fit

Portability is vaping’s ace. Push vape pens as the go-anywhere alternative to stationary bongs, ideal for travel, festivals, or discreet home use. Wax pens and dab pens can target outdoor enthusiasts or urban dwellers with limited space, positioning them as practical upgrades for seasoned users tired of lugging glass.

6. Price Positioning

High-end bongs can cost $100-$500, while a quality vape pen or wax pen often ranges from $50-$150. Highlight this affordability, especially for entry-level models, as a low-barrier switch for bong users. Offer premium dab pens with luxury finishes (e.g., titanium or matte black) to compete with artisanal bongs, appealing to collectors who value aesthetics.

7. Build a Community Narrative

Bong culture has a strong communal vibe—passed around at gatherings. Vapes can tap into this by promoting shared experiences. Develop multi-user vape pens with detachable mouthpieces or host vape-centric events to rival bong circles. Social media campaigns showcasing wax pens in action could foster a new subculture, drawing bong loyalists in.

8. Educate on Health Benefits

Amplify the health angle with data-driven messaging. Studies suggest vaping reduces exposure to harmful byproducts by up to 95% compared to smoking (Earleywine & Barnwell, 2007). Position dab pens and vape pens as the evolved choice for long-term users, contrasting them with bongs’ dated combustion roots.

9. Collaborate with Influencers

Partner with cannabis influencers who bridge bong and vape communities. A veteran reviewer testing a wax pen against a bong on YouTube could sway opinions, showcasing real-time comparisons of potency, flavor and ease. This grassroots push can penetrate bong-centric circles.

How Bongs Might Fight Back

While vapes hold the upper hand, bongs aren’t defenseless. To stay competitive, the bong industry could adopt countermeasures that challenge vape pens, wax pens and dab pens. Here’s how they might respond:

1. Hybrid Innovation

Bongs could integrate vaporization tech—a glass piece with a vape chamber that filters vapor through water, combining bong smoothness with vape cleanliness. This could steal thunder from dab pens, offering a familiar form factor with modern twists.

2. Health-Focused Upgrades

Advanced filtration (e.g., carbon layers) could reduce bong smoke’s harshness, narrowing the health gap with vapes. Marketing this as “next-gen bong tech” might retain users wary of vape pens battery reliance.

3. Portability Push

Compact, spill-proof bongs or collapsible designs could rival wax pens for portability. A travel-ready bong with a discreet case might appeal to users who find vapes too clinical.

4. Potency Play

Bongs excel at delivering massive hits—a strength vapes struggle to match. Emphasizing this raw power could keep veterans loyal, framing vape pens as “lightweight” by comparison.

5. Sustainability Angle

Glass bongs are durable and eco-friendly, unlike disposable vape cartridges. A campaign highlighting this could sway environmentally conscious users away from dab pens.

Case Study: Lookah’s Vaping Advantage

Lookah, a key player in both bong and vape markets, is well-positioned to drive this shift. Their vape pens (e.g., Lookah Snail) offer affordability and simplicity, ideal for bong users testing the waters. Their wax pens and dab pens, like the Seahorse Pro, cater to concentrate fans with precision heating—direct competition for bong dab rigs. By amplifying these products’ potency, portability and flavor, Lookah could accelerate the vape takeover, targeting bong enthusiasts with tailored marketing.

The Future: Vapes as the New Standard?

The trajectory favors vaping. Vape pens, wax pens and dab pens are poised to dominate as cannabis consumption modernizes, leveraging technology, health trends and lifestyle fit to outpace bongs. Yet, bongs retain a niche—potency-driven veterans and collectors won’t abandon them entirely. The vape industry’s challenge is to convert these holdouts by offering uncompromising power and personalization, while bongs must evolve or risk relegation to nostalgia.

For experienced users, the choice isn’t absolute. Many already dual-wield, using a dab pen for convenience and a bong for intensity. Vapes can win by positioning themselves as the versatile default, relegating bongs to occasional use. With strategic innovation and targeted outreach, vaping devices can solidify their conquest of the cannabis hardware throne.

Conclusion

The rise of vape pens, wax pens and dab pens signals a seismic shift in cannabis consumption, challenging bongs’ long-held dominance. By amplifying portability, health benefits and technological sophistication, vapes can capture bong market share, appealing to seasoned users with potency and precision. Bongs, however, aren’t out of the fight—innovation and nostalgia could keep them relevant. For now, vaping devices hold the edge, reshaping how veterans engage with cannabis—one discreet, flavorful hit at a time.