You might be an experienced smoker looking for something new to try. Maybe you’ve always been into concentrates but haven’t been confident in what dab essentials you need to have to have a solid start.
When it comes to dabbing there are essentials to any kit. These pieces are going to make your dabbing experience more productive and will be easier on you in the long run. You don’t want to be substituting proper pieces for makeshift ones, so it’s important to know exactly what is required with dabbing and make sure you have it all on hand when you get started. We’ve got a nice list of dab essentials for you here, so take a look and tick it off as you go along collecting your stuff.
Dab Rig
First things first, you can’t get very far without this essential piece. You might know this by the terminology "oil rig" instead of "dab rig". Both terms refer to a water pipe that is the foundation of enjoying concentrates.
Dab rigs come in all shapes and sizes: just like any other water pipe. In order to find one you like, you have to think of who you are as a person enjoying concentrates. There will be a piece out there that speaks to you.
Whether it’s a huge and intricate piece looking to start conversations or small and basic enough to get the job done, you can find it at TAG. Of course, the size and where it’s made is going to influence the cost of your new toy. One of the things you can be assured of with Thick Ass Glass is that it won't be easy to break your new rig. This glass is THICK!
Since the dab rig forms the base of your hobby when it comes to legal concentrates, you should look at investing more than $50 into it. Remember: this is going to be with you for a long time. Unless you expect dabbing to be a fleeting hobby, don’t be afraid to put some money where your mouth is.
Nails
We’re not talking about the things that grow out of your fingers or what you use to keep two pieces of wood together. No, nails in this sense refer to the thing that you will apply your concentrate to and then heat the hell out of to get the vapor.
Nails come in various materials like quartz, ceramic, glass and titanium. The material your nail is made out might influence the taste of your concentrate, so be careful when you’re deciding what to use.
If you plan to be, or already are, a serious dabber it’s probably a good idea to stay away from glass nails. While they are beautiful, they can’t take being heated to the high degree you need for concentrates on a regular basis. This means they’re prone to breaking and that’s just a whole mess itself. Ceramic is more durable, but still fragile.
If you’re a casual dabber, you might want to go with glass. If you’re making this a more serious commitment, then we suggest quartz or titanium.
Another alternative to all of this is the e-nail. This is recommended for people who know what they’re doing. The e-nail plugs into a socket and heats up directly: you won’t have to use a torch at all. (We’ll get into torches and why you need them next.)
When it comes to e-nails there is a serious and potentially dangerous side to pay attention to. E-nails start heating up as soon as you plug them in. That means these little puppies are hot all the time. This can lead to burnt fingers or singed furniture so handle with care. Some of them do have a safety feature where they’ll turn off if on for too long or the temperature is too high. So be careful!
Torches
Now that we’re done scolding you like a bad teacher, let’s talk about torches. This is exactly what is sounds like: a torch fueled with butane that will heat up your nail and transform your concentrate into sweet sweet vapor. You point the flame of this sucker right on the nail to heat it up and suck back that vapor. Be careful not to inhale the fumes of the butane and try not to heat up your nail in the same spot every time. This can degrade the nail and cause it to work improperly. Also, it’ll make your concentrate taste like garbage if you don’t use it properly.
Dab Rag/Mat and Silicone Jar
Okay, these are on the list just to keep your house from becoming a sticky mess. The mat will protect whatever furniture you set your dab rig on when you’re enjoying a session. When we say sticky, we’re not talking something simple like bubble gum. Think something sticky and oily that will ruin whatever it touches right from the get-go. So while it's not absolutely necessary to have a mat, it’ll just keep your life from being a cleaning nightmare.
Same with a silicone jar. Dabs are sticky so you want something that will allow you to easily remove it to apply it to the nail. You can use a glass jar for this if you really want to, but you might miss out on some bits because glass is a lot harder to scrape off of.
Dabber
Now for the last, yet obvious, piece that you’ll need. This isn’t really optional, as you are going to need something to pick up the concentrate and add it to the nail. This dabber by TAG offers not only titanium construction, but also a big carb cap. We really don’t recommend using fingers or anything else that is liable to burn and hurt. The dabber is also referred to as a wand and comes in materials like quartz, titanium, ceramic and glass. It’s up to you what you want to use but titanium is going to be the most reliable.
The Power is in Your Hands
Literally. It’s up to you what pieces you get to add to your dab essential arsenal. Pick what you think will be the most functional and consider how much dabbing you think you’ll actually do. Have fun with it! This is an expression of your personality. Run with it.