Downstems are those long, tubular pieces that you see going from the bowl of your bong, bubbler, or rig into the water to diffuse the smoke into the water. Basically, they just carry the smoke from your bong bowl over into the water chamber and act as a transitory piece. Your downstem can affect the level of diffusion as well as how quickly the hit is cooled. There are many different options available to choose from to create a unique experience.