Overview
The ROOR bong has its roots in the late 1980s, created by glass blower Martin Birzle. A modern line of hand-blown water pipes, the ROOR brand has built its success on a strong foundation of intelligent design – combining sleek, minimalist form with unprecedented functionality.
Construction
ROOR bongs separate themselves from conventional acrylic and glass bongs in that they are constructed completely of the purest scientific grade borosilicate glass - no rubber components are used in the joints, (as mentioned to the contrary in this node), at least as far back as I'm aware. Rubber expands and contracts quite a bit over time, gradually deteriorating, and as such, is prone to creating an uneven seal. ROOR's method of creating glass-on-glass joints guarantees a comparatively even, air-tight seal, capable of withstanding the tests of time and the tests of a good session.
Furthermore, with glass available as thick as 7mm throughout the pipe, damage from the introduction of extremely hot water, or the occasional knock on the table/sink/etc. (a frequent, if not unavoidable consequence of regular use and cleaning) is hardly a concern. This added material undoubtedly adds to the cost, but then, quality always does have its price, and many would agree that when taking all the advantages of owning a fine ROOR water pipe into consideration, that price is extremely reasonable.
Not that I’d ever actually … I mean … I couldn’t afford …
ROORs are made in a variety of sizes, ranging from 24cm to 55cm in height, and 31mm to 67mm in diameter. They come in two form factors – erlenmeyer (resembling, of course, an erlenmeyer flask) and cylinder (with a straight tube and flattened, saucer-shaped base). While the Erlenmeyer has more air and water capacity than a cylinder of relative size, the cylinder allows for a quicker, often denser toke – ultimately, one’s preference regarding form is entirely that of personal taste, as neither design is inherently “better” than the other. In addition to bongs, ROOR also manufactures a series of handheld water pipes, all abiding by the same intelligent design principles as their larger counterparts – the lowest end pipe a pocket-sized piece only 17cm tall, and the flagship pipe an arching 25cm-tall, cleverly designed piece, aptly named the "Flying Vergoldet”.
ROOR's are manufactured in the US and Germany-–the US-made pipes can be purchased at many American headshops, while the German-made pipes can be found around Europe, namely Germany and the UK. A select few retailers exist in the UK that will allow for the sale of German-made ROORs in the US, which are of undoubtedly higher caliber than their American cousins, and considerably less expensive. After having smoked a variety of US and German ROORs, the quality of the German-made bongs can be easily seen as superior, observable not only in the smoothness of operation, but also in the strength and precision of glass blowing. This being said, any ROOR, US or German-made, is a fine investment for the herbal connoisseur, as one can easily take pride in owning a pipe that resides in the upper crust of smoking apparatus, enthusiastically recognized by heads across the globe.
Some information gathered from the following websites:
- www.roor-bongs.co.uk
- www.roor.de