Buzz
If you're new to cannabis and gearing up to celebrate your first 4/20, you might mistake dabbing for an outdated dance move. Outside of the cannabis community, dabbing remains relatively unknown. However, as cannabis becomes more mainstream, the culture and benefits of dabbing are quickly gaining recognition, contributing to its growing appeal. For those unfamiliar with it (and I'm sure many of you are), let's break down the basics.
Heating a chunk (or, for lack of a better word, a 'dab') of cannabis concentrate using various methods and inhaling it: that’s what people are calling 'ripping a dab.' It’s one of the most popular ways to consume cannabis, with some of the most dedicated fans, and it's definitely something worth exploring yourself.
What are concentrates?
A dab isn't the same as sprinkling sticky hash or kief-like concentrates onto a bowl; those contain too much chlorophyll and plant matter to be used in the same way as dabs. Instead, you'll want concentrates like butters, waxes, sugars, sauces, and other purer forms of cannabis concentrate. Dabbing starts when you heat a quartz bowl, known as a banger, to a high enough temperature to vaporize the concentrate you place inside.
It’s the plant materials from hash and weed flower that create all that ash, smoke, and resin. In contrast, a well-heated dab almost disappears, leaving only a slight residue. This happens because dabs contain fewer components, mainly just cannabinoids and terpenes. Dabbers tend to keep their tools as clean as possible for this reason—the goal is to savor the plant's expression in a single, potent hit, much like taking a shot of hard alcohol in terms of ritual and strength.
Khalid Al-Naser, product head for Raw Garden, a vertically integrated cannabis brand known for its concentrates, shares some important tips. “The first and most important thing to know is that, as the name implies, these products are concentrated,” he explained in an email. “That means you'll be inhaling smoke or vapor, which results in a much more intense experience.”
So what exactly is a dab?
Some dabs are small, quick hits, and others are... much larger. Depending on the size of the dab (or 'glob'), you might be inhaling hundreds of milligrams of THC in one session. This can be too much for some consumers.
Dabs offer powerful, rapid, and smoke-free vapor bursts that are perfect for medical users, particularly in situations where smoking or eating cannabis is not an option. They’re also discreet to some extent. Traditional dab rigs resemble regular glass bongs, but modern electronic dab devices are much smaller and portable.
Al-Naser highlights the contrast between a bong hit and a dab: 'When you consume flower material, you get a low-potency smoke,' he explains. 'However, when you dab, you’re vaporizing a complete range of psychoactive cannabinoids and aromatic compounds that work together to produce a potent vapor, often leading to a much more intense experience.'
This means you can enjoy a small, mild hit or take in as much as an entire joint’s worth of flower in a single dab. 'This is an advantage for those seeking a more consistent and potent high or those wanting to consume less smoke or vapor,' Al-Naser states.
Different Dab Types
Now that you’re familiar with the basics of dabbing, let's dive deeper into the various methods for heating concentrates. Dabbers who use rigs and torches, or electronic nails to heat their concentrates, belong to the 'hot dab' category. In this process, the rig's bowl (called a banger) is heated to the desired temperature—usually not very precise, especially when using a blowtorch—before the concentrate is dropped in with a metal or ceramic tool. The banger is then capped with a glass cap, which helps swirl the vapor around in the hot chamber and release its effects.
For those who have a natural apprehension about flames, cold start dabs offer a less daunting option. With this method, you place the concentrate before heating it, so there's no need to get your fingers close to a dangerously hot bowl.
Jessica Redenbo, a representative for Ispire, a company that manufactures electronic dab devices, explains that fear is what sparked the development of their product line. 'Our founder visited the U.S. and saw people using blowtorches for concentrates and realized that safe, accessible dab methods were lacking,' she shared with Mytour via email. These user-friendly devices, which were previously absent from the dab community, are now making the practice more approachable for beginners and helping to diminish the stigma surrounding cannabis culture by reducing another entry barrier.
Tech innovations like those from Ispire simplify cold start dabs. 'The heating is precise and fully adjustable to the user's preference,' Redenbo stated. 'Load your concentrate, and you can hit the device while it heats up to your chosen temperature, ensuring you get the full flavor and effects from the terpenes, which each have different optimal burn points.'
Cold start dabs can be a controversial topic—there’s a saying: 'waste to taste.' It means to fully enjoy the natural terpenes in cannabis, you need to use a lower temperature, which may leave more residue. Flavor enthusiasts, like Al-Naser from Raw Garden, prefer this method. 'I dislike hot dabs,' he confessed. 'With a cold start, it’s easier to tell when you’re hitting the right temperature, which usually results in a smooth, quick hit.'
Other things to consider before you dab
Electric devices make it easier to target precise temperatures for each concentrate, and they are far more portable. Selecting the right temperature for your concentrate depends on both knowledge and preference. Some brands may offer a suggested range, particularly for vape cartridges, but dabbing can be more of a personal choice—so don’t hesitate to ask your budtender for advice. 'Research your concentrate and its terpenes, then look into their burn-off temperatures,' Redenbo recommended. 'This will guide you in setting your device to the ideal temperature for the perfect hit every time.'
The terpene profile of a concentrate is typically listed on the COA (certificate of analysis), which indicates what compounds the lab has found in the sample. Depending on the state, cannabis products may have different labeling requirements. If you're unsure, check the brand’s website or consult a strain library to identify the primary terpenes and their optimal consumption temperatures. You can also rely on your nose—limonene smells like lemon, humulene has the scent of hops, and many other terps have familiar aromas from daily life.
A major rule: Don't overdo it.
The key concern with dabbing, aside from handling a torch, is potency. Dabs are intense, and some people (even adults, though dehydrated) have passed out from too strong a hit. It's important to weigh your dab tool before and after scooping your concentrate, so you know the exact amount of cannabis you're about to consume. This helps in calculating the THC dosage based on the total THC content indicated on the packaging. That’s the advantage of using the metric system.
