You must invest in a quality rig if you’re a serious dabber. Rigs come in all shapes and sizes, but the basic components include a nail (domeless or dome), a dabber and a torch lighter. Heat the nail using a mini-torch, then apply your extract with the dabber. Then you inhale the vapor.
Discreet Consumption
A dab rig is a water pipe with a built-in percolator that helps filter the vapor before it enters your lungs. Because a dab rig doesn’t produce smoke, it emits fewer carcinogens than smoking and delivers a smoother high.
A dabbing rig typically comes with a quartz banger-style nail and a dabber. Lighters cannot heat the nail, which must be heated with a blow torch until it is red hot and reaches the right temperature before you can add your dab.
Newer dab rigs often feature e-nails, which can be heated electronically and offer precise temperature control. They can also reduce the need for a blow torch. This allows dabbers to save time and energy while still enjoying the benefits of dabbing.
Safety
Dabbing with a dab rig is significantly safer than smoking traditional cannabis in a pipe or bong. This is due to a variety of reasons, including the use of a torch to heat the nail or dabber instead of a lighter and the ability to monitor the temperature of the nail to ensure it’s never heated too high. Dab rigs also make avoiding exposure to impurities in your concentrate easier. Suppose your cannabis isn’t extracted or manufactured using the best techniques and quality control measures. In that case, you risk consuming residual solvents that can lead to toxic exposure and decreased potency and flavor. Although you can technically turn a regular pipe into a dab rig, doing so can damage your equipment and negatively impact your experience.
Convenience
A dab rig comes with a nail or banger that needs to be heated before dropping in the concentrate. It takes 30 seconds or so for the nail to become red hot. A lighter can’t be used to heat the pin, and a butane torch is preferred since it has a constant flame that maintains a more consistent temperature than a standard propane torch. If you prefer not to use a torch, opt for an electronic dab nail that heats the pins to a set temperature. These are convenient but require more upkeep and maintenance than a regular nail. Consider a dab mat, a padded surface that protects surfaces from dripping dab residue.
Easier Cleaning
Cleaning a dab rig properly ensures a clean, odor-free, and flavorful experience with your concentrate. Without regular cleaning, your rig can develop a biofilm that harbors nasty pathogens like Strep and E coli, which can lead to illness when inhaled during dabs. One of the best ways to keep your dab rig clean is using isopropyl alcohol to remove wax residue and oil buildup. However, if you don’t have access to isopropyl alcohol, you can use coarse salt or acetone (a common nail polish remover found in most drug stores) to clean your dab rig. To clean your rig, pour enough isopropyl alcohol into your dab rig to cover the nail, then add a generous amount of coarse salt. Plug the holes and shake vigorously to get your rig completely clean.
Flavor
If you choose a dab rig with unique inner chambers like a fab egg or double uptake cycle, you’ll experience terpenes in all their natural glory. These specialized components restrict airflow to ensure you inhale the vapor without any unwanted side effects that can happen when inhaling smoke. You’ll also need a nail or banger for your dab rig to consume your favorite concentrates efficiently. Try an electronic track with an electric current to heat the pin to your desired temperature for a more convenient option. A carb cap helps regulate the size of your hits and can also help prevent clogs. A dabber tool resembles a small shovel and is essential for transferring your wax from the container to the heated nail.
