Water pipes & bongs
by Hemper
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The Shark Rig is a 7-inch borosilicate glass water pipe from Hemper that turns your smoke session into a proper deep-sea encounter. Built from 3 mm thick glass with a built-in downstem and 14 mm male joint flower bowl, this shark-shaped rig filters and cools each hit through water percolation — delivering noticeably smoother draws than a dry pipe. It's the kind of piece that sits on your shelf looking menacing and hits like a dream.
Novelty glass gets a bad reputation — and honestly, sometimes it's deserved. Plenty of themed pieces sacrifice function for looks: awkward mouthpiece angles, flimsy joints, glass so thin you could sneeze and crack it. The Hemper Shark Rig dodges those problems. At 3 mm wall thickness, the borosilicate glass is sturdy enough for regular use without feeling like you're handling a Christmas ornament. It's not the thickest glass we carry (some scientific-style pieces run 5 mm or more), but for a themed rig at this price point, 3 mm is solid and more than adequate for tabletop use.
The built-in downstem does the heavy lifting on filtration. Water sits in the belly of the shark, and your smoke travels through it before reaching the mouthpiece — stripping out particulates and cooling the vapour on the way up. The result is a hit that's noticeably less harsh on your throat compared to a standard dry pipe. If you've ever coughed yourself inside out on a straight glass chillum, you'll appreciate the difference immediately.
And then there's the look. The shark silhouette is unmistakable — dorsal fin, tail, the lot. It's a conversation starter, a display piece, and a functional water pipe rolled into one. We've sold plenty of themed glass over the years, and the ones that stick around are the ones that actually work well. This one does.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Hemper |
| Height | 7 inches (approx. 18 cm) |
| Glass thickness | 3 mm |
| Material | Borosilicate glass |
| Joint size | 14 mm male |
| Bowl included | Yes — 14 mm flower bowl |
| Downstem | Built-in |
| SKU | HS2615 |
We see two types of people reach for themed rigs. The first: collectors. They've already got a clean scientific beaker for daily use and want something with personality for the shelf — something to pull out when mates come over. The Shark Rig fits that role perfectly. At 7 inches tall it's compact enough to display without dominating your coffee table, and the shark shape genuinely looks good behind glass (the cabinet kind, not the smoking kind).
The second type: gift buyers. A shark-shaped bong is a far more memorable present than a generic straight tube, and the included bowl means the recipient can use it straight out of the box. No hunting for compatible accessories. We've wrapped more than a few of these for birthdays.
One honest note: at 7 inches, this is a smaller rig. That's fine for personal sessions and keeps it easy to store, but if you're after massive clouds and heavy filtration, you'll want something taller with a percolator — a beaker bong in the 30-40 cm range will give you more cooling power. The Shark Rig is best for flavour-forward, moderate hits rather than lung-busting rips.
Glass rigs taste best when they're clean — residue buildup kills flavour and makes every hit harsher. Change the water after each session. For a deeper clean, pour coarse salt and isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) into the chamber, cover the openings with your palms or cling film, and shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds. Rinse thoroughly with warm water afterwards. The built-in downstem means you can't remove it for separate cleaning, so regular maintenance matters more here than on rigs with removable parts. Once a week is a good rhythm if you're using it daily.
Complete your setup: grab a set of pipe screens to keep ash out of the downstem, and a decent grinder for an even, consistent pack. If you want a carrying solution for this piece, a padded smell-proof bag keeps it safe between sessions.
The built-in downstem is both a strength and a weakness. It keeps the design clean and eliminates the risk of losing a separate downstem piece, but it also means if the internal stem ever chips or cracks, you're replacing the whole rig rather than just a component. Handle with care — don't tap it against the sink when emptying water.
At 3 mm thickness, this isn't the piece to toss in a backpack for a festival. It's sturdy enough for home use on a table or shelf, but treat it like what it is: glass. Borosilicate is more heat-resistant and durable than standard soda-lime glass, but it's not indestructible. Compared to a silicone bong, you're trading durability for vastly better flavour and a proper smoking experience.
It uses a 14 mm male joint, so any 14 mm female bowl will fit. The rig comes with a 14 mm flower bowl included, so you're sorted out of the box.
As shipped, it's set up for dry herb with the included flower bowl. You could swap the bowl for a 14 mm female banger or nail to use it as a dab rig, but at 7 inches tall with a basic downstem, it's really designed with flower in mind.
For a tabletop piece, yes. 3 mm borosilicate handles normal use and temperature changes well. It won't survive a drop onto tiles, but no glass rig will. Keep it on a stable surface and you'll be fine.
Enough to submerge the downstem opening by about 1-2 cm. Do a test pull without lighting — if water hits your lips, pour some out. You want steady bubbling without splashback.
Coarse salt and 90%+ isopropyl alcohol, shaken inside the chamber for 30-60 seconds. Rinse with warm water. Do this weekly if you're a daily user — you can't remove the downstem for separate cleaning, so staying on top of it matters.
It's one of the best themed pieces for gifting. The shark design is instantly recognisable, it comes with a bowl so nothing extra is needed, and the 7-inch size makes it easy to wrap. We've sold loads of these around the holidays.
Last updated: April 2026
