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The UPG traditional bowl
If you have ever been in a hookah bar in Russia or the Czech Republic, you have probably run into the UPG. In those countries people smoke almost exclusively with traditional bowls, and the UPG is widespread there. The name stands for Upgrade Form, but everyone just calls it the UPG.
With us it has been one of the best sellers among the hookah bowls smoked with a smokebox for years. For €14.99 you get a bowl that counts as standard equipment in Russian bars.
The key facts
- Traditional bowl from Russia, made in a pressing process
- Fired at 1100 degrees, height approx. 8.4 cm
- A 12 g depot, which makes it very economical
- Unglazed, but the pressing process means it barely bleeds
- Built for use with a smokebox, priced at €14.99
What sets the UPG apart
The bowl is made in a pressing process rather than shaped freely by hand. That largely closes the porous structure of the clay. It is the reason the UPG is unglazed and still barely bleeds. In the years we have sold it, no bleeding example has come across our desk.
At a 12 g depot it is one of the most economical bowls there is. A 25 g tin of hookah tobacco gets you two sessions.
Good to know: bleeding means molasses soaks into the pores of the clay and comes back out on the outside after longer use. It happens more often with unglazed bowls, and on the UPG the dense material largely prevents it.
How to pack the UPG
If you have only smoked a phunnel so far, a traditional bowl will take you a few attempts. With a little practice it is no art though.
The main thing: do not press the tobacco down. It should sit loosely in the depot so the draw stays free. Pack it too tight and the pull gets heavy, and the tobacco burns in the spots where the heat cannot escape.
Which attachment fits?
The UPG is classically smoked with a smokebox, which is what it is built for. At first glance it looks like the box does not fit, because it overhangs the rim. That is correct as it is. All that matters is that the slots the hot air is drawn through sit over the tobacco depot.
Aluminium or stainless steel is up to you. Aluminium is friendlier for beginners, because the heat is easier to dial down. If you want to run the UPG with plenty of heat, take stainless steel. Aluminium foil works as well, though it is uncommon on this model. A chimney attachment does not fit.
Our tip: the ONMO HMD is the smokebox that most often goes out together with the UPG here. Price and performance line up, and for this bowl it is plenty.
What you need alongside it
Besides the UPG you will find the rest of the kit in the hookah shop: bowl packing accessories such as pokers and forks, bowl grommets for a clean fit, and hookah charcoal. On tobacco, Holster is a good match, and on charcoal the brands Cocobration and Zauberwürfel run best with us.
The UPG in the shop
UPG Multihole Bowl: a 12 g depot, unglazed, made in Russia. The classic among traditional bowls.
UPG UPG Multihole Bowl View product FAQ: UPG hookah bowl
What makes the UPG hookah bowl special?
It is one of the most widespread traditional bowls anywhere, very economical at a 12 g depot, and cheap with it. The pressing process makes the clay dense even though the bowl is unglazed.
How much tobacco fits in the UPG?
12 g. A 25 g tin gets you two sessions.
Where is the UPG made?
In Russia, in a pressing process and fired at 1100 degrees.
Can I use the UPG with an HMD?
Yes, that is what it is built for. The smokebox may overhang the rim, all that matters is that the slots sit over the depot. Aluminium foil works too, a chimney attachment does not.
Does the UPG bleed?
In our experience practically not, even though it is unglazed. The pressing process largely closes the pores of the clay.
Who is the UPG suited to?
To you, if you already have some experience and want an even, intense session. Coming from a phunnel, packing it will take you a few attempts.