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Complete Guide To Dabbing

  • Writer: Amanda Stead
    Amanda Stead
  • Sep 10, 2021
  • 5 min read

Updated: Sep 11, 2021

Over the last decade, dabbing has taken the cannabis industry by storm. Dabbing concentrates was at one time only for the most dedicated stoners, but now it's firmly entered the mainstream. There are so many different concentrates to choose from, such as budder, live resin, shatter, sauce, and much more. On top of that, there's a vast range of cannabinoids to dab, such as Delta-9 THC, CBD, and Delta-8 THC. Now you might be wondering--what exactly is dabbing, how does dabbing work, and what's the difference between concentrates? No matter whether you're a beginner or an expert, you're sure to learn something by continuing to read below.


What is Dabbing?

Dabbing is the process of making cannabis concentrates and vaporizing them in either a dab rig or a dab pen. The reason that it's called dabbing is because you only need a little dab of concentrate to feel the intensely potent effects.

That's the reason why people love dabbing, and no other form of cannabis consumption can compete with the strength and potency of dabbing.


What's a Dab Rig?

A dab rig is the most iconic piece of dabbing equipment, and it looks like an ordinary bong. The major difference is that a dab rig has a quartz or ceramic nail or banger instead of a bowl.


Instead of heating the concentrate, the nail or banger is heated to extremely high temperatures. Once hot enough, a dab of concentrate is instantly vaporized once it touches the nail or banger. From there, the vaporized cannabinoids are inhaled directly into the lungs.


What's a Dab Pen?

A dab pen is for those who want to have a portable dabbing experience. Dab pens, also known as wax pens, look a lot like e-cigarettes or vaporizers.



The only difference is that a dab pen usually has an exposed atomizer with coils or a ceramic chamber that gets super hot. The coil or chamber heats up the dab for dabbing on the go—no dab rigs or blow torches necessary.


How Do I Start Dabbing?

If you want to start dabbing, then you'll need a few essential tools. First and foremost, you'll need to get your hands on either a dab rig or dab pen. To get the real dabbing experience, we recommend going for the dab rig. However, a dab rig requires a few essential items.


First, you'll need a dab rig with a nail or banger. Then you'll need to get your hands on a blow torch to heat the nail or banger.

You'll need a metal or glass dab tool to put a dab into the superhot nail or banger.

Last but not least, you'll need some high-quality cannabis concentrate. To dab, you need to heat your nail up until it's red hot, let it cool for a minute, and then put the dab on it with your dab tool. The concentrate will instantly vaporize as you inhale the dab.


What's the Best Temperature for Dabbing?

The ideal temperature for dabbing falls between 350-600°F (176-315°C). However, the temperature you vape at plays a big role in how the dab tastes and feels.


Dabbing at a lower temperature of 350-400°F (176-204°) is excellent for getting flavorful, terpene-packed dabs. From 500-600°F (260-315°C), you'll get clouds of vapor but less flavor.

Anything above 600°F (315°C) and you'll have thick, smoky clouds, but most of the flavor will be lost.

An increasingly popular way of dabbing are e-rigs and electronic nails. Traditionally, it's time consuming and difficult to get set-up and to get the ideal temperature for dabbing. These desktop vaporizers and portable e-nails bypass the need for a blow torch, and allow for the full rig water-filtration experience without the hassle.


There are several different types of smart rigs and vape attachments for rigs to choose from, with both quartz and ceramic heating elements as well.



What Concentrates Can I Dab With?

Although there's a wide range of concentrates, the most popular are three types known as shatter, budder, and live resin. However, there are other types, such as crumble, rosin, and terp sauce.

The reason why there are so many different types of concentrates is because of the extraction process. A different extraction process results in various kinds of cannabis concentrates.

Shatter

Shatter is a type of cannabis concentrate that looks like a slab of hard candy. Usually, shatter is a brittle and transparent piece of concentrate that's gold or dark brown in color, with just a slight bit of stickiness to it.

Because it's not sticky or gooey, shatter is an incredibly easy extract to handle and is an excellent concentrate for beginners to start out with. Cannabis connoisseurs, on the hand, usually complain that shatter is a bit plain tasting because it does lack terpenes.


Budder (Wax)

Budder concentrate takes on the form of a waxy, sticky substance, with the consistency of butter—hence the name. Budder is popular among all types of dabbers because of how easy it is to handle.

Budder can look brownish or radiate a light golden color. On top of that, budder is incredibly terpy, and dabbing it at a low temperature will provide incredible flavor.


Live Resin

Live resin is the cream of the crop when it comes to cannabis concentrates. Live resin is created by extracting flash-frozen cannabis plants, which retains all terpenes, cannabinoids, flavonoids, and essential oils.

The result is an almost runny concentrate that is chock-full of terpenes and cannabinoids. Once you dab live resin, you'll have a hard time going back to other concentrates.


What's the Difference Between Delta-9 THC, CBD, and Delta-8 THC?

Besides the many types of concentrates, there are also different types of cannabinoid concentrates.

Delta-9 THC

The most common type of cannabis concentrates you'll find are delta-9 THC concentrates. These concentrates are usually just called THC concentrates, and they can be found in legal and medical dispensaries around the country.

Many of these concentrates are either pure delta-9 THC or a full-spectrum concentrate that includes CBD and other cannabinoids.

These dabs are the strongest you'll find, and one hit will elevate you to a level you never thought possible.

CBD

CBD dabs are a little more niche but can be purchased mostly nationwide. Although CBD doesn't make you high, some people feel relief from a high dose of CBD.

You can find live resin CBD with terpenes, as well as pure CBD isolate dabs. Both usually have a very small amount of delta-9 THC in them.

Delta-8 THC

Delta-8 THC has become extremely popular lately because it's a less-intense version of delta-9 THC. However, it might seem counterintuitive to take a hefty dose of delta-8 THC.

The thing is, delta-8 THC dabs provide a very clear, uplifting, and functional high compared to delta-9 THC. With delta-9 THC, there's always a risk of becoming too high or too paranoid, but that's not the case with delta-8 THC dabs.

On top of that, delta-8 THC dabs are available across the USA, unlike delta-9 THC


Get the Best CBD and Delta-8 THC Concent

If you're eager to start dabbing, you may find that getting delta-9 THC concentrates isn't possible due to your state's cannabis laws. Luckily, CBD and delta-8 THC concentrates are available for purchase in most states.


Now all you need to do is find CBD or Delta-8 THC concentrates from a reliable and reputable company. Luckily, Simply Crafted already produces the best CBD and delta-8 THC concentrates on the market. These concentrates are produced as live resins, so you're going to get incredible flavor and effects.


On top of that, each concentrate is tested, so you know you're getting safe and potent concentrates. If you're ready to start dabbing, then look no further than CBD or delta-8 THC concentrates from Simply Crafted.

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Cannabis, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles (LPHEs), and hemp-derived consumer products can cause impairment by affecting mood, thoughts, perceptions, coordination, and decision-making due to the psychoactive compound Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Ingestion (Edibles, Beverages, LPHEs) | Onset: 30 minutes to 2 hours | Peak Effects: 3 to 4 hours | Duration: Up to 12 hours (Residual effects up to 24 hours) | Adverse effects: Due to delayed onset, there is a higher risk of accidental overdose (THC poisoning). Symptoms of Over-Consumption (THC Poisoning): Excessive sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, slurred speech, severe anxiety, panic, or paranoia. In rare cases, temporary psychosis (hallucinations).


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