The ice pincher is the last travel point for the cannabis smoke to travel through before reaching the mouthpiece. The ice pincher allows for ice to be added and held right above the water chamber. This serves as an extra cooling agent to allow your smoke to hit the ice and cool down before entering your lungs. A slitted downstem (all downstems have slits or holes) functions as a water diffuser which helps cool hot smoke down as well as filter out any cannabis ash or residue from being inhaled. Without one, smoke will be harsh and may even cause irritation in your lungs. Downstems can come in different designs and styles but all have the same function.
The design of glass bongs and water pipes has only gotten more elaborate with time, and is now looked at as an art. You can get almost anything you want in the way of color or design. Make sure you get something you like, something that represents you and something that will enhance your overall smoking experience.
There are lots of reasons why you should use a water pipe when smoking marijuana or other burnable herbs. To use a bong, you ignite herbs with a lighter or another instrument. The smoke from the ignited herbs then goes down through a tube glass pipes into water, which is stored in a bong’s base. However, a robust water pipe hides inside the Puffco Cupsy Bong! Flipping the mouthpiece reveals a bowl for your herb, and the Cuspy Bong even features a storage compartment for your bowl.
An essential feature to check for is what type of joint is on the downstem of your pipe. Most beakers have 45º fittings, many straight tubes, and inline perc pieces with a 90º joint angle. If you’re interested in the aesthetic or style of glass bongs, you might not find anyone better. That’s partially because GRAV Labs employs glassblowing experts (over 30 in total).
Bongs were initially made from bamboo, but people began transitioning to ceramic and glass bongs throughout time. Bongs quickly became a popular choice for smoking dry herbs because they cool and filter the smoke with the end goal of making each vaporizers bongs hit easier on the lungs. Bongs also allow for larger, more satisfying pulls and can give an added head rush effect compared to other methods of smoking. While a bong might resemble a hookah, or shisha, they are in fact not the same device.