Getting High in Big Sky

The culture is shifting. You can feel it. As legalization takes root in more and more places, the full measure of what we mean when we say “cannabis culture” is beginning to reveal itself in some truly beautiful and surprising ways. It’s here — in a place beyond close-up pictures of trichomes, impossibly high THC levels and dab rigs — that you’ll find Dangle Supply Company, the industry’s first company committed exclusively to the timeless joys of consuming cannabis in the Great Outdoors.

Based in southwest Montana, in the buzzy and adventure-minded community of Bozeman, Dangle is getting quite the good rep simply by making great outdoor gear and having plenty of fun along
the way.

“Grown-ups want nice, well-designed things that will last,” says Adam Sklar, Dangle Supply Company’s co-founder. “And grown-ups also like to laugh. No one’s more surprised than us that we’re having success. It was a total accident to end up here.”

Indeed, the origin story behind Dangle is a bit hazy. Started by a couple of bicycle nerds as a private joke back in 2018, Dangle is now a full-blown brand with a line of elegant titanium bongs and pipes purposefully built for adventure. With stockists all over the world, collabs with fashion and beer companies of international renown and a formidable social media presence that’s the absolute apex of laugh-out-loud, PG-13 stoner humor, Dangle’s success is no accident.

If their website and various media channels are to be believed, the company was actually started in 1969 by “Mr. Dan Gullbongs,” a passionate cyclo-tour enthusiast who happened upon a rogue set of metallurgist monks in the Swiss Alps back in the mid-20th century. It was there that Dan learned the dark arts of making titanium tubes, a skill that he quickly parlayed into making water pipes that fit his preferred lifestyle of casual cruising, bicycles, car camping and nature. As the story goes, Dan then turned the company over to his son, one “Danny Gullbongs,” a boy with a natural-born penchant for business. And Dangle Supply was born — a company that lives and thrives at the intersection of weed and having fun in nature.

But “Danny” is actually Adam, a professional bike builder and longtime titanium wizard. And “Danny Jr.,” another main character in the Dangle backstory courtesy of their in-house myth-making, is Colin Frazer, a fellow co-founder, artist and graphic design professor at the California Institute of the Arts. In truth, the duo started Dangle as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the exploding popularity of bike-packing (going camping via bicycle) and the tradition of clipping gear to yourself or your bike frame (dangling).

“Adam made ten bongs at first [as part of the joke] and we figured we’d have a good laugh giving them away to friends,” Frazer says. “Like, this is the most ridiculous thing you could dangle type of joke. But we actually sold them, so we made 100 more. And we sold those out in a day. It sort of took off by itself from there.”

But the success isn’t just an internet fluke. Certainly, Sklar and Frazer stumbled upon a gaping hole in the market where cannabis consumers and outdoor recreation meet. In fact, they say that Dangle is primarily an outdoor company, one that reflects the new realities of cannabis culture in an increasingly legal landscape. There’s also the fact that they just make great stuff. Have a session with their “Big Ripper” or toss fully loaded “Lettuce Wrap” in your bag for a day in the backcountry and it quickly becomes clear that Dangle is much more than a well-executed joke; it’s form and function balanced with a designer’s eye and a cannabis lover’s mind. Bomb-proof elegance that gets the job done and keeps it mellow along the way.

And then there’s Ty, the face of Dangle. According to his email signature, Ty Baunghs is the company’s official Operations Manager. But, he’s also their spirit animal.

Bespectacled in large lens, thick-rimmed glasses and blessed with a dark and eye-catching beard, Baunghs is the long-haired, soft-spoken, jeans-and-boots-wearing, humble hero of Dangle’s imagined universe. He goes fly fishing and catches himself dressed as a bong-smoking wild salmon. He strips to his undies and paints himself green before taking a toke in the forest on Earth Day. He makes PSAs for safety during fire season and tirelessly heads up quality control on the bong and pipe divisions.

In actuality, Ty is Taylor Wallace, a Texas-born Renaissance dude Adam and Colin brought on board just as their “little joke” started to grow. Wallace, who runs the beloved Partner Coffee in Bozeman out of the back of a late model Ford Bronco, is a man of many talents. Almost immediately, Wallace helped Dangle streamline its customer support, bring all the company’s order fulfillment in-house and enhance Dangle’s storytelling antics. It was only a matter of time before “Ty” started scheming with “Dan” and “Danny” about how to best showcase the laid back and happy cannabis vibes that are at the very heart of Dangle Supply Company.

“It’s about being able to casually enjoy something,” Ty says about Dangle’s appeal. “For me, that’s a bong rip on a Sunday morning and then into the garage to rebuild my car’s carburetor. I think a lot of people are attracted to that type of energy.”

The Unbreakable Bong

Ever wished you could hook a bong to your carabiner while backpacking through the great outdoors? Well, Dangle Supply Company is ready to make your next adventure more cannabis-friendly. 

Created by outdoorsy types for outdoorsy types, Dangle crafted the perfect indestructible bong to take on the trail. Weighing just 133 grams and clocking in at seven inches tall, the DangleBong Titanium Water Pipe is as easy to carry as it is to use. Simply fill the sleek chamber with water, attach the included 18mm UltraSucc titanium bowl piece filled with the strain of your choosing, and take a hit. Made from elemental, medical-grade titanium and equipped with extra percolation holes, the UltraSucc bowl delivers a super smooth pull every single time. Or if dabbing is more your style, swap the bowl out for your favorite compatible 18mm nail. Also included is one RubbPlugg silicone cap, which stops water spillage when you’re on the move.

From camping and backpacking to cycling, jogging or kayaking, Dangle’s unbreakable, non-reactive titanium pipe is ready to go — no more stressing over fragile glass pipes. They come in a few different colors: the classic raw titanium, as well as blue and orange speckle. These bongs are dishwasher safe, better for the environment, and they can be passed down for generations. Right up there with the head lamp, portable stove and sleeping pad, this trusty pipe will likely be added to your list of essentials when packing for your next outdoor excursion. – Gracie Malley

DangleBong Titanium Water Pipe | $169.42

This story was originally published in issue 44 of the print edition of Cannabis Now.