How To Dab: Your Ultimate Guide

Are you tired of rolling joints and packing bowls? Are you looking for an efficient, high-tech way to consume your cannabis? Look to dabbing.

If you’re wondering how to dab, or want to know what dabbing is in the first place, keep reading. We’ll break down everything you need to know, from making your own dabs to what equipment to buy.

What is a Dab?

Dabs are a concentrated amount of cannabis, and are available in multiple forms. Dabs are formed by extracting THC and other cannabinoids from cannabis. Because of this extraction process, dabs are extremely potent.

Dabs are around 90% THC, so they pack a punch. Don’t worry, you can’t overdose on dabs! But you may experience some brutal couch lock after your first hit.

The process of smoking dabs is very different from your usual cannabis consumption. You use a crystal or quartz nail to portion off your dab, then heat the bowl of a dab rig with a butane torch. Then inhale the steady stream of vapor coming your way.

Dabbing has become popular in the last few decades. We’ve come from knife hits of homemade hash to top-level wax and high-tech rigs. But why do people love dabbing so much?

Benefits of Dabbing

The biggest benefit of dabbing is that it gets you really high, really fast. Many people with chronic pain tout dabs as their primary method of pain relief. Dabbing is not only fun, it’s efficient!

Even though wax and concentrate are more expensive than bud, you’ll save money because of its potency. Instead of having to smoke through half your stash to get high, you can use tiny dabs to stay stoned longer.

In addition, dabs are more pure and therefore easier on the lungs. Since you’re not actually setting the dab on fire, you are not inhaling any carbon or plant matter. Just pure, sweet, THC.

The demand for concentrate and dabs has also lead to an increased emphasis on innovation in the cannabis industry. THC-slingers are finding new, exciting methods to give you your best high.

Everything You Can Dab

We’ve been using “dab” to refer to any concentrated material you take in via a dab rig. But dabs come in a few different forms, all of which are similar, but have a few crucial differences.

• Shatter: made by extracting from the cannabis flower, shatter is a brittle substance that has a high amount of cannabinoids to complement its THC content.
• Oil: THC oil usually has a consistency similar to honey, making it better for dabbing than CBD oil; however, both can be dabbed!
• Concentrate: technically, all of these are concentrates, but pure THC concentrate takes a form similar to shatter, but more viscous.
• Resin: pulled directly from cannabis plants, resin is extremely potent but runs more expensive due to the difficult extraction process.
• Wax: the most popular choice for dabbing, wax is THC concentrate whipped into a more pliable substance.

So, which type of dab is right for you? That’s largely a matter of availability and personal preference. Check with your local dispensary owner and see what they offer.

Read Also: (How much does a pound of weed cost?)

How to Use a Dab Rig

Alright, let’s get down to business. How do you dab? Do you really need to invest in a dab rig?

For the ultimate dabbing experience, yes. However, if you already have a bong, you can find a dabbing attachment that will transform your pipe into a rig. This apparatus is called a nail, and looks like a flat-bottomed bowl.

The nail is made of quartz, crystal, or ceramic. This way it can withstand high heat.

You’ll need a dabbing tool, also known as a wand or dabber. These little tools look similar to a flat screwdriver, with a thin flat end. Your dabber is what you will use to not only portion off your concentrate, but to place it on the nail.

Last, you’ll need a butane torch. Yes, a torch. A Bic lighter is not going to cut it, and here’s why.

Read Also: (What Strain Should I Smoke?)

How to Dab

The first step to dabbing is heating the nail until it is white-hot. Fire up the torch and hold the nail over the flame until it begins to glow white (unless it’s ceramic, in which case, it will not glow). Take your portion of concentrate and press it to the bottom of the nail.

Your concentrate should immediately begin turning to vapor. The process will be incredibly fast, so be prepared! Some nails even come with a cap to prevent excess vapor from escaping.

Now, the good stuff: how to take a dab. Inhale as much as you can, scraping the dabber around to get all the concentrate off. You may have to reheat the nail if you hesitated or portioned off too much concentrate.

There you go! Taking a dab requires a little more prep work than just hitting a bong, but it’s worth it. Cannabis concentrates are truly the future.

Dabbing CBD

If you’re not looking to take in too much THC, or want to pair it with CBD, you’re in luck. Dabbing CBD concentrates is becoming steadily more popular.

There are a few forms of CBD concentrate you can find as well. CBD concentrates can come in wax or oil, just like other cannabis concentrates.

But you can also find pure CBD isolate crystals which are perfect for dabbing. The process of dabbing CBD is identical to dabbing THC, so don’t hesitate to try it! When used in conjunction, CBD and THC have very powerful effects on the mind and body.

Go Forth and Get Stoned!

Hopefully this article answered all of your questions about how to dab. Whether you’re a die-hard dab pen user or a rig enthusiast, you’ll enjoy taking in pure THC or CBD. Your dabs will leave you feeling blissful and sophisticated.

For more cannabis news and information, check us out at 420 DC. We’re a team of DC-based cannabis enthusiasts who have made our passion into a career. For more advice, news, and recommendations, check out our blog!