How To: Add More Airflow to Your Hookah

Does it feel like you’re inhaling through a coffee stirrer? Are you looking for an easier way to taste your hookah flavors?

Check out these five quick tips on opening up your hookah session.

When you use hookah foil on the bowl, you’re in the driver seat of the airflow. The biggest factor in the foil preparation is the hole punching and it’s a very simple concept to remember. Too few holes will cause your bowl to become hotter than normal by restricting the air from passing through the shisha. A large amount of evenly placed holes will give you a less restricted inhale without the harsh temperature and throat burn. Too many can make it difficult for your bowl to properly heat up, but Tangiers smokers who like a lower heat session enjoy this set up.

The hose that comes with your hookah may not be the best suited for your session. Small hookahs from the MYA series come with leather wrapped hoses, but a minor upgrade to a wider gauge hose will change your session like night to day. Literally.

When we use the word 'gauge' in our descriptions, or blog, it means the diameter for the hose tube opening. Hookah hoses like the D-Hose Resin or D-Hose Aluminum, HookahJohn Knurl, and hoses from Shisha House have wide gauge tubing that makes it easier to pull large clouds of smoke.

Liquid in the base is key to any session and basic water will provide the purest flavor. No matter the size of your hookah, it’s always recommended that you have the water 1-2” above the downstem end. If you don’t have enough water, your inhale will be hot and dry with minimal vibration. Too much water will make it hard for air to pass through the water and cause you to work harder to draw your favorite flavors. This is what we call restriction.

Every hookah bowl has a spire/hole and it’s your job to keep it free of shisha during the prep phase. Pressing the shisha down too hard in traditional bowl designs will make it very difficult for any air to pass through which is why we recommend sprinkling the tobacco inside whenever you’re whipping up a bowl. Yes, there are more shisha pack methods that you may pick up on down the road after you've become familiar with more shisha tobacco brands.

Basically what we’re saying is change your pipe. Not all pipes are created equal because it would be a pretty stale market if they all were identical. Hookahs are crafted to appeal to several different smoking preferences and design desires. You can get a preview of how much restriction will be in your session by looking at your downstem, or you can ask us before making that final decision. Smaller gauge downstems don’t allow a lot of air to pass through without some modifications to the bowl and hose.

Diffusers can help smooth the inhale and reduce rumble but it doesn’t open up the draw. The opposite to this would, of course, be a wide gauge downstem like a Regal, Wookah, or B2 shaft. These hookahs provide a comfortable draw than a tighter configuration and they rank high on the popularity list.

What's your preferred restriction level within your in hookah session, a tighter draw or more open?

Drop a comment below and let us know!

-SmokeorPass