How to Smoke Dabs? Best Ways? With or Without a Dab Rig

Cannabis concentrates, or “dabs” as they are more commonly known, are steadily gaining popularity in today's market.

Luckily, You can smoke waxy dabs in numerous ways, including: On a dab rig or e-rig, Using a nectar collector, With a dab pen or even added to a joint.

Taking a dab effectively and safely usually requires a few key steps, so we'll break down some of the simplest and easiest methods to dab even if you don't have a proper rig.

Learning how to smoke dabs may seem daunting at first, but it'll comes easily once you read about it.

What are Dabs?

Dabs are hits of potent cannabis concentrates.The name comes from the fact that you usually only need a small dab of concentrated extract in order to feel its effects.

Whereas the THC in bud-form marijuana ranges from a 15% average to over 30% THC, dabs range from an average of 50% to over 90% THC.

With the help of a solvent like butane or carbon dioxide, the THC and other cannabinoids are extracted, resulting in a sticky, oily texture.

There are various forms of dabs, but the most common ones used for dabbing are shatter, budder, crumble, wax, Butane Hash Oil (BHO), and solventless extracts like rosin.

What is Dabbing? and the Benefits

Smoking dabs, also known as dabbing, has gained significant popularity in recent years.

This concentrated form of cannabis offers a potent and powerful experience for those seeking a more intense high.

1. Better Tasting

A dab rig doesn't produce any chemicals. Therefore, it adds nothing to the concentrate. This purity means the vapor created when dabbing weed tastes better, making it more enjoyable for many people.

2. Healthier

Since dabbing doesn't create smoke or add extra materials, it produces fewer carcinogens. The vapor is healthier to inhale.

Also, extracts contain a lot less plant material, so you're inhaling more cannabinoids and less resin.

However, it's important to note that this is only true if done correctly. If you dab at too high of a temperature, you can produce some bad stuff. So, you want to make sure your process is right.

How to Smoke Dabs with a Dab Rig? Step by Step Guide

Of all the different ways to smoke dabs, dab rigs are the preferred method. You have the option between either a standard dab rig setup or an e-rig (electric dab rig).

A standard dab rig is used to vaporize your cannabis concentrates without the need for combustion.

You can find all kinds of fancy setups, but these units tend to offer the same components: a chamber for water filtration, a mouthpiece to inhale, a nail to heat the dabs, and a Carb cap to encapsulate vapors.

Using a butane torch is typically an essential part of dabbing. The torch is used to heat your nail so that you can melt your oil and vaporize your concentrate. Luckily, now there are E-Nails instead.

The heat nail turns your concentrate into a vapor full of cannabinoids when placed upon it.

As you inhale from mouthpiece, the vapor is drawn through your dab rig, usually through a water chamber, and inhaled into your lungs.

Step 1: Add water to the Chamber

Add water to the chamber, and check the level by blowing into the stem.

You should be able to make the water bubble without effort. If the water splashes back into your mouth, empty a bit out.

Step 2: Heat the Nail

Insert the dab nail into the rig. Use your torch to heat the banger until it gets red.

You want to apply the torch to the outside and bottom because that's where you'll load the concentrate.

If you're using an e-Nail, set it between 311-388 degrees, depending on the type of cannabis you're smoking.

3. Let the nail cool

Wait 30-45 seconds for it to cool down once the banger is hot.

If it is too hot, it will scorch your cannabis concentrates, and that's not how you do dabs.

You can use your watch or phone to time it to maximize flavor.

4. Apply the dab to the nail and inhale

Apply the wax onto the banger with your dabber and slowly inhale it through the mouthpiece.

Rotate the dabber tip on the hot banger to avoid wasting any wax stuck on it.

Use a long, slow inhale because most of the concentrate doesn't vaporize instantly.

If you have a carb cap, you can quickly place it over your nail after adding your dab. Experiment with adjusting your carb cap as needed to keep an ideal temperature.

6. Clean the nail

Once finished inhaling, Q-tip the nail to remove any excess residual concentrate from the nail.

How to use an e-rig to smoke dabs?

The electric dab rig works in essentially the same fashion as a standard dab rig with one major advantage: the device uses electricity to heat the nail so you don't have to heat it up manually by torch.

One of the perks of an e-rig with an e-nail is the fact that you get greater control over temperature.

Fill the water chamber with water to the desired level.

Turn the electric dab rig on and set the temperature.

Wait for the heating element to reach the desired temperature.

Apply the concentrate to the nail.

Inhale the vapor through the mouthpiece.

Turn off the electric dab rig and let it cool down.

How to Smoke Dabs without a Dab Rig? 6 best Alternative Ways

Dabbing has become a modern day phenomenon and with that the means and methods of dabbing has also evolved.

Essentially, smoking a dab involves heating the concentrate to its vapor point and then inhaling those vapors to take in the collaboration of cannabinoids and terpenes.

So, as long as you follow a few simple pointers, there are several ways to smoke dabs without a rig.

1. Use a Nectar Collector

Nectar collectors or dab straws are perfect for quick and easy dabbing. These simple and affordable devices make it easy to dab precise amounts and get strong hits.

Nowadays nectar collectors can be classified into two major categories: traditional nectar collector and electric nectar collector.

The former, as its name suggests, use traditional means of heating up and vaporizing your select wax concentrates.

The latter, on the other hand, uses electricity to bring the heating tip to vaping temperature allowing you to consume your materials.

Nectar collectors use heated tips that one dips into a wax jar or a wax container. All you need is a good butane torch or just push the button!

How to use a nectar collector to smoke dabs?

Firstly, lay down your wax oil or concentrate on a heat-resistant surface, glass or silicone is the most used surface.

Then heat the tip with a butane torch until it is super-hot.

For low temp dabs, waiting for 7-10 seconds is important so that the tip cools down.

When you are ready to dab, press the tip of the nectar collector slowly against the concentrate laid on a dab mat or within the dab jar.

You can take the hit by letting too much vapor escape or without pressing it too hard.

2. Vaporize through a Dab Pen

Dab pens, also known as wax pens, are small and portable devices that are used to consume concentrates such as wax and oil.

They are becoming increasingly popular among cannabis consumers because of their convenience, discretion, and ease of use.

Dab pens are battery-powered and use a heating element called atomizer to vaporize concentrates, making them a healthier and more efficient alternative to traditional dabbing methods.

How to use a Dab Pen to smoke dabs?

To smoke dabs with a vape pen, make sure to load the appropriate amount of concentrate into the pen's chamber, activate the heating element, and inhale the vapor.

3. Roll it in a Joint

If you prefer to roll a blunt or a joint, do that!

After you place your weed and are ready to roll, top it with some of your favorite oils.

This can even burn flowers and dabs while you are smoking your joint!

4. Drop it in a Bong Bowl

This method is fairly simple and straightforward.

Topping a bowl (parts of a bong or hand pipe) with dabs is exactly what it sounds like.

Fill up your favorite bowl with your best flower and then proceed to crumble or drizzle your favorite concentrate right on top.

When you light the bowl, the wax burns into the flower creating a wonderful vaporization and effect.

5. Hot-Knife Method

In the earlier days of dabbing before all the modern technology started to make its way into the dabbing world, people would dab by method of hot knives.

This is the act of heating a butter knife over a hot stove and placing your dab on the hot knife or in between two hot knives, and inhaling the vapor produced.

This method is a little tricky because you can burn yourself easier and the dabs may be hotter and harsher.

In addition, This can be a pretty wasteful, however, since it will quickly dissipate in the open air. You can deal with this by inhaling the smoke through a straw, a funnel, or the top half of a plastic soda bottle.

6. Healthstone

A healthstone is a specially designed stone that you can place in the bowl of a bong or in a standard pipe.

The healthstone is porous, so the smoke from the fired dab travels through the stone, through the pipe or bong, and out through the mouthpiece.

You simply add the stone to your bowl, heat your healthstone to the right temperature, add your dab, puff, and enjoy.

Conclusion

Smoking dabs or Dabbing is faster and more intense than any other method of consumption cannabis buds.

If you're looking for immediate relief or a fast, intense high, dabbing is the best way to consume.

Dabbing is worth learning how to do it the right way, and with some practice, it's easy to do.

We have provided a thorough list of all the different ways you can smoke dabs. Whether you prefer dab rig or somthing else, you have all the options in one place.

So get your dabs, devices and have some fun. Always prioritize safety.

Remember to start with small doses and gradually increase as needed, as dabs are highly concentrated.