Airy vs Chuggy, Why does it matter?
Airy and Chuggy describe the feeling of the pull you experience when using the glass. This is a matter of personal preference. If you have never tried a CH tube or similar, and do not know where to start, I suggest getting a Recommended or Most Popular one to start. This allows you to get a foot in the door to understand where it lies on the chart, as well as how and why the kind of pull matters. An airy one would have generally a lighter, smoother draw with both smaller forming bubbles and harsher smoke. As where a chuggy one will generally have a deep glug to it, with more effortless smoke, also generally seen with larger forming bubbles near the inlet of the perk. For me, its a make or break for a piece, I personally only enjoy the chuggy pieces. However, I know so many people who are quite the opposite and prefer airy pieces. Note: (Triple Perks + Drain), and the (Barrel Variations) have A LOT of function, thus making them lean more towards the airy side, yet still have absolutely effortless smoke due to the perk setup.
As for Impact of smoke, don’t you just want the least harsh? Well the answer is not so simple.
There are some that have effortless smoke, and may not be a good choice for a daily driver piece. Yet some have too much function, so although they are effortless, you may lose both flavor and effect. Sometimes tasting the terps is the best part about smoking and some tubes can take that away. The double customs fit right in the sweet spot, where they are nearly effortless and yet still have tons of flavor. With that said, Singles have the most flavor, as where the 1.5 perks are a great addition to the singles when you want just a little bit more function, yet not as much as a double. Some factors such as being easier or harder to clean, as well as some that are too intricate to travel with can affect which is best for you, so it is all personalized and to preference of how you like to use your glass. Lastly, simply because it has a harsher impact doesn’t make it bad, as there are people who are fanatics of that style as well.
Tubes | Airy, SemiAiry, Both, Semi Chuggy, Chuggy | Impact of Smoke 1(Harsh) – 5(Effortless) |
Natty Buoy (Most Popular) | Chuggy (Most) | 4 |
Natty Beacon (Recommended) | Chuggy (Least) | 4 |
Natty Barnacle | Chuggy (Middle) | 3 |
Net Down | Semi Airy | 1.5 |
Net Up | Airy | 1 |
Beacon (Recommended) | Semi Chuggy | 3.5 |
Musket (Recommended) | Both | 4 |
Compass | Chuggy | 3.5 |
Snub Musket | Both | 3 |
Net to Buoy | Semi Airy | 4.5 |
Compass to Buoy (Recommended) | Semi Chuggy | 4.5 |
Compass to Beacon | Semi Airy | 4.5 |
Compass to Barnacle | Both | 4.5 |
Beacon to Buoy | Both | 4.5 |
Beacon to Barnacle (Recommended) | Semi Chuggy | 4.5 |
Beacon to Beacon | Semi Airy | 4.5 |
Triple Perk + Drain | Both, depends directly on bottom perk. If Natty bottom perk it becomes Semi-Chuggy. | Always 5 |
Downstem 360 Slitted | Semi Airy | 2.5 |
Downstem 1Up 2 Down Slitted | Both | 3 |
Downstem Vertical Gridded | Airy | 4 |
Downstem 180 Slitted (Recommended) | Semi Chuggy | 4 |
**IF downstems gridded, slightly more airy. | If Gridded, -0.5 | |
Barrel Variants | If Bottom Perk Natty = Both, Non Natty Bottom Perk = SemiAiry | Always 5 |
Optional Features | ||
HF Natty | Maximum Chug | 5 |
HF Snub | Maximum Chug | 5 |
(1.5) 3 Pinch | Adds Slight Chug | +0.5 |
(1.5) 6 Pinch | Adds Slight Chug | +0.75 |
(1.5) Restriction | Adds a lot of Chug | +1 |
Dry Catch | Becomes Slightly more Airy | +0.5 |
Drain | Becomes Slightly more Airy, due to continuous function see bottoming out in FAQ for more info. | +0.5 |