GRAPHIC DOWNSTEMS

The Graphic Downstems by What You Need are decorative replacement downstems for glass bongs and water pipes, built for smokers who want real diffusion and a little art in the mix. They’re all borosilicate glass with printed graphics, so you’re not just upgrading function—you’re upgrading the whole look of your piece. Available in multiple lengths and joint sizes, they slide into a wide range of setups and turn harsh pulls into smoother, more controlled rips.

Why You’ll Like It

• Level up your piece’s look — Printed graphics turn a plain bong into something that actually matches your style.
• Smoother, less harsh hits — Precision-cut diffusion at the tip helps break up smoke for a cleaner pull.
• Tune the way your piece hits — Different lengths let you dial in how much water your downstem sits in and how airy or chuggy your function feels.
• Easy swap for broken stock stems — A simple way to bring a tired bong back to life without buying a whole new piece.
• Borosilicate durability — Made from lab-style glass that handles daily use and routine cleans better than cheap soft glass.
• Mix and match across your collection — Multiple size options mean one order can refresh more than one water pipe if they share the same joint spec.

Best For

Graphic Downstems are made for people who already have a favorite bong or tube, but want it to hit better and look less generic. If you’re the type who actually cares what’s on the coffee table during a sesh, this is an easy upgrade. They also make a great choice if you rotate between a couple of pieces and like keeping a spare stem ready instead of retiring a pipe when the stock downstem finally taps out. If you’re building out a full station, they pair nicely with a solid nonstick dab mat to keep any water drips and resin off your table.

How to Use It

Pick the correct joint size and effective length, slide the narrow end of the downstem into your bong’s joint, and seat it snugly — that’s it. The key detail is how far the tip of the downstem sits in the water: you want it submerged enough that all the slits or openings are under the surface so you get full diffusion. Too shallow and you’ll lose function; too deep and your piece may feel a little chuggier.

Once it’s in, you use your bong exactly how you normally would, but you’ll notice the difference in how the bubbles stack and how the pull feels. If you’re running a full concentrate setup with a banger on top, keep the joint and stem on a heat-safe accessory tray or pad when you’re not hitting it so you’re not setting hot glass down on random surfaces.

For cleaning, let everything cool down, pull the downstem out carefully, and soak it in isopropyl alcohol until the resin loosens. Rinse with warm water and let it dry completely before you drop it back into your piece.

Specs

Fit & Compatibility

Downstems are all about two things: joint size and effective length. Joint size has to match your bong’s female joint (commonly 14mm or 18mm). Effective length is the measurement from the ground glass shoulder (where it stops at the joint) to the very tip that sits in the water. Matching those two numbers means your stem seats properly and diffuses right where it should.

These Graphic Downstems are designed to play nice with most standard glass water pipes that use removable downstems, as long as you choose the correct option. If you’re building out a kit from scratch, they work well alongside unbreakable setups like our silicone bongs and rigs for those times when glass isn’t ideal.

Tips for Getting the Right Size

If you’re replacing a broken stem, line it up against a ruler and measure from the ground glass shoulder to the tip — that’s the number you want to match. If you don’t have the original stem, gently feed a pencil or straw straight down the joint until it taps the bottom of the water chamber, mark where the shoulder would sit, and measure that distance. When in doubt, going just a bit shorter is usually safer than overshooting and slamming the tip into the base of your bong.

Once your stem is dialed in, you can focus on the rest of your setup — things like proper flower or concentrate storage in heavy-bottom glass jars and packaging will do more for flavor than any fancy logo on the neck of your piece.

FAQ

• How do I know which joint size to order?
  Most glass bongs use either 14mm or 18mm joints. If you still have your bowl or banger, that can tell you the size: a 14mm male piece fits a 14mm female joint, and same with 18mm. If you’re unsure, you can compare the opening to another piece you know the size of, or ask your local shop to measure it for you before grabbing a downstem online.
• What’s the “length” referring to on a downstem?
  Length refers to the effective length from the ground glass shoulder to the tip — not the total glass top-to-bottom. That’s the part that actually sits inside the bong and reaches into the water. Matching that measurement is what keeps the slits under the waterline and gives you proper diffusion.
• Will this work in my beaker bong and my straight tube?
  As long as both pieces use the same joint size and need a similar effective length, you can swap the same Graphic Downstem between them. Just make sure the tip isn’t hitting the base of one or barely touching the water in the other. If you’ve got multiple pieces and want backup parts, it can be smart to standardize around one size.
• Can I use this with a dab rig setup?
  Yes, if your rig uses a removable downstem and the joint size matches. Just remember you’re still responsible for the banger or nail on top; the downstem’s job is only to pull smoke or vapor through the water. Pair it with quality tools from our dab tools lineup to keep your concentrate side of the setup dialed in.
• Is the graphic going to fade or peel?
  The art is printed onto borosilicate glass and designed for regular use, so it won’t just wipe off during normal cleaning. Avoid metal brushes or anything overly abrasive, and stick to isopropyl alcohol soaks and rinses. That keeps both the glass and the graphics looking good longer.
• How should I clean it without breaking it?
  Let the piece cool, pull the downstem straight out while supporting the joint, and soak it in isopropyl alcohol until the resin loosens. Rinse with warm water and let it dry fully before putting it back. To avoid clinking glass-on-glass while drying or storing, keep spare stems in a padded case or even a spare storage container so they’re not rolling around in a drawer.
• Do these work with silicone pieces?
  Many silicone bongs use glass downstems in standard sizes, so as long as your silicone piece has a glass or sized-downstem port that matches, you can absolutely run a Graphic Downstem in it. If your current silicone piece uses a fixed stem or a proprietary shape, you’ll want to stick with a model that accepts standard removable downstems or look at swap-friendly options in our broader smoke shop products lineup.