Dabbing 101: The Insider’s Guide

Dabbing is a practice that many smokers are unaware of. And given the number of abbreviations for anything cannabis related, it’s no wonder to confuse it with something else.

What is dabbing?

Dabbing is the act of consuming dabs. A dab is a concentrated cannabis form consumed via a rig, primarily electronic, also known as a dab pen. It can be in many colors, from yellow to brown and even white. Also, all dabs are challenging and sticky to work with, so be careful.
 

Dabs vs bong – what’s the difference?

Dabs and bongs have some similarities, yet they also have their differences. Firstly, dabbing as a process is similar to smoking a bong – it includes heating, and the dab pen includes a water chamber. But unlike the bong, which has a bowl for the marijuana flower, the dab pen has a nail for dabs.

Dabs require incredibly high temperatures, from 200 to 350 degrees (400-600F), whereas smoking is only 175 degrees (350F).
 

How do people dab?

Disclaimer: If you intend to try it for the first time, having someone near you show you how to do it properly might be a good idea.

First of all, the temperature is key when you want to dab. For example, if the dab nail is hotter than what it’s supposed to be, you will probably cough a lung out, kill the flavor, and scorch the lovely terpenes in the weed.

So, how does it get to”the right” temperature?

Usually, the nail is heated up hotter than it needs to be, and left to cool to somewhere between 285 and 300 degrees (between 545 and 570F), and then they drop the dab in.
 
More specifically, here are the steps:

1. Turn the torch on and start heating the bottom of the nail until the nail starts changing color to red.

2. Once the nail rig is hot enough, let it cool down for about 10 seconds if your nail is made out of titanium and 45 to 60 seconds if it’s quartz. Using a timer is not a bad idea here.

3. When your nail is hot enough with the right temperature, add the dab to the nail and start inhaling it slowly. To get the full potential of the dab, rotate the tool in the nail, so all of the concentrates get off.

4. It is crucial to always cap your dabs. One way to do it is to use a carb cap while covering and uncovering the rig nail so that you regulate the airflow.

 
One thing to keep in mind with dabbing is that unlike smoking the flower that has a very mild potency, from 15 to 25% THC, dabbing is highly potent with 60 to 90% THC, so just a couple of inhales, or even one might be enough.

If you’re trying it the first time, ensure you do it in a comfortable environment where you feel safe since it can lead to more intense effects than you’re used to. It’s also awesome to have people who have dabbed before to show you how to do it properly and safely.