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As new states push to legalize cannabis use for adults there are now more ways than ever to consume marijuana, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a cooler way to light up than with the Hitoki Trident.
Simply put, the Hitoki Trident is a bong that uses a laser as its combustion process — that's right, it's a freaking laser bong. Is it a little ridiculous and over-the-top? Yes. But the Trident also delivers on its promise of providing a unique and smooth smoking experience that feels like it's from the future.
What is the Hitoki Trident laser bong?
The product is the brainchild of brothers Jack and Joe Tran. Joe told me that he dreamed up the idea of using a laser after smoking a joint and thinking about those cheap dollar store lasers toys he and his brother used to buy as kids. But this is no dollar store bong. The Trident is sleek and modern and more like a piece of art. While typical bongs from blown-glass have always been considered a work of functional art, the Hitoki Trident feels a little more mature.
That's right, it's a freaking laser bong.
The Trident arrived on my doorstep in a small reusable box, and it sort of resembled the packaging that comes with a really fancy bottle of whiskey. The corner of my box was a little smashed, but the packaging was secure enough that the Trident was undamaged. As per the instructions, I immediately plugged in the bong to the supplied USB-C charging cable and returned less than two hours later to a fully charged device.
The whole vibe from Hitoki is to create a more sophisticated smoking experience, and the company is not shy in putting that message forward. The inside of the box is inscribed with the words "Elevate yourself," "Elevate your surroundings," and "Elevate society." Along with the tools and accessories necessary to use the Trident, a grinder plate about the size of a credit card with the letter "E" etched into it was also included in the box. (Previously the device was known as the Saber, and the company called itself Elevareco before rebranding to the Hitoki Trident.)
Getting started with the laser bong
Along with the device itself, the box also includes a charger, a silicone hose with a mouthpiece, and a poker. After charging the device, set up is pretty simple, but you'll want to watch this video Hitoki has on its YouTube page that describes how you unscrew the water reservoir, as well as how and where you load your flower into the small chamber.
The Trident operates like other vapes on the market, and it only has one button on the top to operate it. Pushing the button five times turns the Trident on and off, and this is a great safety feature for keeping the device out of the wrong hands.
The power button on the top glows different colors depending on which temperature setting you want, pressing the button three times cycles between those temperatures. Blue is the hottest temperature intended for "essential oil infused blends." Green is the medium setting and is supposed to be used for "fresh herbal blends." And finally red is the lowest setting and is ideal for "dryer looser blends and for better taste," according to the instruction manual that came with the Hitoki. (You can also use the Trident as an aromatherapy device, but I did not test out that function.)
If I'm being picky here this was a little confusing for me as I typically associate the color red with the hottest temperature, but cycling through the temperatures is easy enough and there are only three so my stoner brain quickly adjusted.
You have two choices for actually firing the laser once you choose the temperature setting. Hold the power button and give the laser a moment to heat up, or tap the button twice and the laser will fire for nine seconds. If you choose to hold the power button, the laser will shut off after nine seconds as to not overheat the device.
But before you start firing lasers into your weed you need to load the device with flower and fill the lower chamber with water. This is a bong after all. The top of the Tident has a satisfying interlock that clicks when you open and close it. Considering this is a relatively high-powered laser capable of igniting things, this is a necessary and welcome feature, and the laser will not fire unless the "FDA standard interlocks" are properly closed.
On the side of the Hitoki there is a warning label that has the following message:
DANGER CLASS 4 VISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN AND INTERLOCK DEFEATED AVOID EYE OR SKIN EXPOSURE TO DIRECT OR SCATTERED RADIATION.
There is also another warning sticker on the device that has a red DANGER label before it. "Only use smoking material and water as defined by the manufacture. Dangerous laser reflection can occur from misuse."
Simply put: Don't fuck around with the laser.
Thankfully the Hitoki has a "laser shield" surrounding the combustion chamber and small window where you can see the laser fire, which will protect your eyes from the laser as long as the device is locked. This allows you to actually see the laser fire, which is really cool. Overall that has been has been my impression with the Trident laser bong — it's just really cool.
Loading the water
The acrylic base for the bong unscrews to allow you to add a small bit of water to the reservoir that will ultimately help cool the smoke and vapor before you inhale. It was somewhat difficult to unscrew and it made a terrible noise once I tightened it back up, but ultimately I see this as a positive because bong water is one of the grossest things on planet earth, so I can appreciate a bong that keeps the water contained.
The instruction manual says to only use a small amount of water and fill it to "the line located near the bottom of the stem to prevent water from being sucked up into the air hose" when you take a hit. But the line is sorta hard to see, and I wish the reservoir where you fill the water had a marking on it so you don't have to guess or go back and forth to get just the right level of water. It's important to note here that the water level really is quite small, which may be confusing for bong users that typically use more water.
Loading the chamber with herbs
One you have the water loaded up you can unlock the combustion chamber and load in your fresh herbs. The ceramic loading chamber unscrews from the device, which is helpful because it is quite small. Hitoki recommends finely grinding your herbs, and to not overpack the chamber for even hits. It also suggests that you use the end of the included poker tool to pack your herbs flat for the laser to hit — but not too tight. This makes more sense once you use the bong, as the laser is, well, a laser, so the area that it combusts is relatively small.
Once the chamber is loaded you need to keep the Trident upright, which is pretty standard for a bong filled with water. Regardless, the laser shoots down from the top of the bong into the loading chambers, so if you tilt the bong too much it is possible for your cannabis to fall out and it will not be combusted.
Smoking your buds
One you figure out the Trident it's actually pretty simple to use. Just tap the button twice and the laser kicks on just a moment later. Other combustion methods like vaping via a heated chamber can be annoying because they take time to heat up, and a huge bonus from using a laser is that it is immediate. No more awkwardly waiting, the Trident immediately lets you pull smoke from the combustion chamber, into the water reservoir, and through the supplied hose.
And speaking of the hose, I absolutely hated it. It's long and awkward, which may be OK for passing it between friends, but ultimately it just got in the way. I found that the hose sometimes pinched where it connected to the bong if held at the wrong angle, creating a kink in the hose which restricted airflow. On more than one occasion the length of the hose caused me to nearly knock over the device.
Hitoki does offer an alternative to the hose on its site in the form of an adjustable silicone mouthpiece for $29.99, but I personally wish it shipped standard with the bong instead of the hose. But while I hated the hose, the seal was tight which I really liked. If you're going to spend nearly $500 on a bong, spring for the additional mouthpiece.
However, Hitoki is currently running a promotion, and the adjustable mouthpiece will ship standard with the device for the rest of April.
The thing about smoking with a laser is how focused it is on the herb, but with a little bit of pulling it's easy to get the Trident to ignite your bud into an ember. I found it best to use the poker and move your bud around a bit to get the most out of your pack. It's easy enough to unlock it and move it around. I got an average of two to three solid hits per bowl, but that's going to depend on how hard you suck, what kind of herb you use, and for how long you're hitting.
The taste and experience
Again, I must reiterate that smoking weed with a laser beam is fucking awesome. It's just a neat experience, but what makes it better is that the hits you get are smooth, and the taste is great. Using a laser for combustion is obviously a relatively new experience for cannabis smokers, and I really can't wait to see how this sort of technology can change the industry.
While some people are used to sucking in butane fumes with their lighters, or smoking with hemp wicks, it was a nice change to get clean combustion and just taste the cannabis. Hitoki likens this this to a magnifying glass.
Smoking weed with a laser beam is fucking awesome.
"The Trident works in a fashion akin to how using sunlight and a magnifying glass is used to burn flowers with a concentrated beam of light," its website reads.
And surprisingly I found the Trident a bit easier to control the pull and hit. You can pop on the laser for just a second or two and slowly puff away once your weed is lit. Bongs can be a bit intimidating for some, and the Trident does not have a traditional carburetor that some bongs have, meaning you aren't going to get steamrolled with an unexpectedly huge hit. While it may seem intimidating, the Tran brothers said that they think the device could be used to destigmatize cannabis use.
Best of all, the battery is pretty powerful. Charging any sort of device is a bummer, but Hitoki boasts 280+ uses "on a single charge." I was unable to drain the battery in the multiple times I used the Trident. As for the charging time, an hour and 45 minutes may seem like it's a bit long, but it's not so bad considering how many uses that delivers.
How much is the Hitoki bong? Is it worth it?
Overall the Hitoki is an amazing device, but smoking with laser beams also comes at a high price. The Hitoki Trident currently is on sale for $424.99, but it's normal retail price is $499.99. If you're feeling extra fancy, there is also a 24k gold Trident for $649.99.
But as I recall the warning labels and laser disclosure on the Hitoki website, do you really want to use a cheap laser?
