trust me, the $40 ones barely hit and aren't even worth $10.  $300 for a single hose is pretty steep, but i can tell that the crafstmanship is super nice.  i built a four hoser out of a lamp, a vase, and some plumbing supplies.  its the best hitting hookah i've ever had, better than a single hoser.  i spent like $40 building it, but it took me 6 hours and i had a real hard time finding shit for it.  best investment i've ever made.