Water pipes & bongs
by Hemper
The Blue Whale Bong is a themed glass water pipe from Hemper that filters smoke through a built-in showerhead percolator for noticeably cooler, smoother draws. Shaped like a cartoon blue whale — complete with tail, fins, and a cheeky spout — it's one of those pieces that sits on a shelf looking like a novelty ornament until someone fills it with water and sparks the bowl. Available in two compact sizes (6.5" and 6.25"), it's built for daily sessions without hogging your entire desk.
The difference between the two variants is minimal — we're talking a quarter-inch. The 6.5" version (HS2396) sits just slightly taller, giving you a fraction more water volume in the base chamber. The 6.25" (HS2397) is marginally more compact. Functionally, both hit the same way. If you're choosing between them, go with whichever shape or colour variant catches your eye. Neither is going to outperform the other in any meaningful way.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | Hemper |
| Material | Glass (borosilicate) |
| Height (variant 1) | 6.5 inches / approx. 16.5 cm |
| Height (variant 2) | 6.25 inches / approx. 15.9 cm |
| Percolator type | Showerhead |
| Joint type | Standard female joint |
| Use | Dried herb |
| Design | Blue whale novelty shape |
| Includes | Bong, removable bowl piece |
Complete your setup with a proper grinder — evenly ground herb burns more consistently in a bowl this size. A set of pipe cleaners or small bottle brushes will also save you grief when it's time to clean out the percolator chamber. If you're after a different aesthetic, have a look at the rest of Hemper's novelty bong range for more conversation starters.
Most novelty bongs look fun and hit like a toy. The showerhead percolator inside this whale changes that equation. Water gets forced through multiple small slits at the base of the downstem, breaking the smoke into dozens of tiny bubbles. More surface area in contact with water means more cooling and more filtration before the smoke reaches your lungs. The result is a draw that feels noticeably less harsh than a straight-tube piece of the same size.
At roughly 16.5 cm tall, this isn't a party centrepiece — it's a personal-use piece. That's actually a strength. Smaller bongs are easier to handle, quicker to clean, and less likely to get knocked off a table by someone's elbow. The compact size also means less stale smoke sitting in the chamber between hits, so each pull tastes fresher. We've found that pieces under 20 cm tend to deliver more flavour per hit than their taller counterparts, simply because the smoke travels a shorter distance and spends less time cooling to the point where terpenes dissipate.
The honest limitation: glass novelty bongs are inherently more fragile than a simple beaker or straight tube. The whale's fins and tail are decorative extensions of the glass body, and they'll be the first things to chip if you're careless. Treat it like what it is — a glass sculpture that you smoke out of — and it'll last. Toss it in a backpack and you're asking for trouble. A padded bong bag is worth the investment if you plan to travel with it.
We've handled a lot of Hemper's novelty line over the years — the cactus, the pineapple, the avocado. The Blue Whale is one of the better-executed ones. The glass feels solid in hand, about the weight of a full coffee mug, and the showerhead perc is properly functional rather than just decorative. You can hear the percolation — a satisfying fizz when you draw — which tells you the slits are doing real work.
Compared to a basic beaker bong of the same height, the Blue Whale filters noticeably better thanks to that showerhead. Compared to something like a Blaze Glass percolator bong, it trades build-quality robustness for personality. If you want the smoothest possible hit and don't care about aesthetics, a dedicated scientific-style piece will outperform it. But if you want something that makes people laugh, sparks a conversation, and still delivers a genuinely smooth smoke — this whale punches above its weight class.
One thing to watch: the bowl piece is small. That's fine for solo sessions, but if you're sharing with more than one other person, you'll be repacking constantly. Consider keeping a pre-ground stash ready.
The showerhead perc sits at the bottom of the downstem and has multiple small slits cut into it. When you inhale, smoke is forced through these slits and broken into many small bubbles. More bubbles means more smoke-to-water contact, which cools and filters the smoke before it reaches your mouth. It's one of the most effective percolator styles for a bong this size.
The novelty shape makes it slightly trickier than a straight tube. The whale's body curves mean you can't just run a brush straight through. Use a combination of coarse salt and isopropyl alcohol — pour both in, cover the openings, and shake vigorously. The salt acts as an abrasive. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Do this after every 3–5 sessions to keep the percolator slits clear.
Fill until the water sits roughly 1–2 cm above the showerhead percolator slits. You can test by inhaling gently without lighting anything — if you get water in your mouth, pour some out. If you don't hear bubbling, add more. Getting the level right takes about 10 seconds of trial and error.
Out of the box, no — it comes with a standard dry herb bowl. You'd need to swap the bowl piece for a banger or nail that fits the joint size. That said, a bong this small isn't the best choice for concentrates. You'll get better flavour and efficiency from a dedicated dab rig with a recycler function.
About a quarter of an inch — roughly 6 mm. Both use the same showerhead percolator and the same whale design. The size difference is negligible in terms of performance. Pick based on whichever variant is in stock or appeals to you visually.
It's borosilicate glass, which handles heat well but doesn't love being dropped. The decorative fins and tail are the most vulnerable points. On a stable surface it's fine — just don't store it near the edge of a table or try to travel with it unprotected. A padded case or even wrapping it in a towel goes a long way.
Last updated: April 2026
