Cannabis concentrates are becoming a staple to the marijuana industry. With marijuana use increasing around the country, more people are aware of “dabbing” or “dabs” With 7/10 around the corner to celebrate marijuana’s “OIL” products such as wax, shatter,  hash oil, and live resin. Whether you're a newer consumer or an old-school consumer being introduced to the term dabbing, you may have questions.

Dabs come in several different sizes, shapes, and ultimately, forms. Dabbing can reference many kinds of THC concentrates; from shatter to live resin. But today, we’re going to look at my favorite concentrate known as a wax dab.  

The Titular DAB

A dab can essentially be seen as the measurement to which people dose out their marijuana concentrates. Depending on their consistency, these marijuana concentrates are also commonly referred to as wax, shatter, live resin, etc. These kinds of concentrates are heated on a hot surface, a banger/e-nail, and then inhaled through a bong-like device known as a dab rig. The term has been used for about a decade or so. 

Dabs are made by pouring butane over marijuana. This process allows the THC to leave the marijuana plant and dissolve into the butane leaving a gummy, somewhat solid product that contains high amounts of THC.

What is This?! Wax Made From Bees?!

Wax, despite its name, is not made from beeswax. This type of marijuana gets its name from the concentrate’s texture and appearance. Varying between being relatively gooey being incredibly brittle; wax has an opaque appearance that appears throughout.

Depending on moisture, temperature, and techniques used to extract wax; the concentrate can take on many different forms in the outcome. When the wax is a gooier wax, that tends to be a budder. The other end of that breeds consistencies like crumble.

Different Types of Wax

BHO - Butane Hash Oil, extracts various cannabinoids. Extracting wax, using BHO, is a way to cultivate leftover parts on the marijuana plant remaining after trimming; like leaves or stems. This is why it's cheaper and easier to find.

BUDDER - Considered the cleanest and most wanted wax concentrate. Budder closely resembles butter you would put on toast. Budder is smooth in texture and a highly potent concentrate often hitting 90% THC potencies.  The process is a difficult one due to the process requiring strenuous whipping during the extraction process.

CO2 - solvent-free and tends to be pricey. Produced without toxins, while retaining terpene flavors. Extraction is pricey due to needing specialized equipment. But delivers in terpenes and cannabinoids.

CRUMBLE - Crumble is made from BHO. Crumble is made during the process of purging oil in a large vacuum oven. In the process, the extraction develops a soft consistency but maintains an extremely brittle consistency which can crumble when being prepared. Crumble is a favorite for vaporizers.

PHO - Propane Hash Oil, is an extraction method using propane instead of butane. Everything else is pretty much the same. Some people prefer it because it can be made into a pretty good budder (kind of creamy/buttery concentrate) with vigorous whipping. Experienced PHO makers note that, depending on the strain, it’s possible to get more terpenes and fewer residuals by using propane.

WAX -  Resembles honey which is where it gets its name. Wax concentrates have a very high content of THC and other cannabinoids (much higher than regular buds or trim runs) and need to be handled carefully. If you’re not used to vaporizing something so potent, the best advice I can give you is to start slow.

How To Dab That Concentrated Wax

Unlike smoking a bowl, you are going to need a specific set of tools. Tools that will make any wax concentrate cower in fear of you.

TOOLS:

• Dab rig - A small, bong-like smoking apparatus 

• Nectar collector - A straw-like smoking device

• Vape Pen - Concentrate vaporizer

Some consistencies of concentrate are easier to consume using all the various ways. Brittle/crunchy concentrates, like shatter, are easier to smoke when dropped onto a hot banger. It’s also worth noting that the higher the temperature you burn the nail, the much more harsh your smoke will be. When temperatures remain lower, the more flavor and cloud production.

When using a Nectar Collector, specifically designed trays/dishes are a must. These kinds of products are made out of glass, quartz, or silicone. After putting a small dab onto the container, blowtorch the tip of the collector. While heated, drag the hot nail across the wax while sucking through the mouthpiece. 

Health and Dabbing Wax

Dabbing wax is arguably one of the healthiest ways to smoke marijuana, although there haven't been too many studies quite yet. For us, it is a bit lighter on the throat and lungs (depending on how hot you prefer to dab).

Benefits of Dabbing

Cannabis enthusiasts will find some advantages to dabbing if they maintain clean and tested products. Dabbing is known for its quick onset time and lasting powerful effects on the user. For those who deal with chronic pains, use dabbing as a guaranteed way to obtain swift, effective bodily relief.

When properly made, dabs can be a product that’s much easier on the lungs than a typical cannabis flower. When smoking, burnt buds create resin which isn’t great for your lungs. Concentrates tend to destroy most unwanted resins while providing terpenes and other helpful cannabinoids into your body.

Dangers of Dabbing

Now for the bad news. Dabbing is, in fact, more dangerous than normal for the average smoker. To those unfamiliar with dabbing, heating a banger with essentially a flamethrowing lighter may appear dangerously off-putting. Though as tech moves forward, devices like an e-nail are eliminating the use of crazy torches. And trust me, I’ve burned many things (including my actual body) that I most certainly didn’t want or intend to.

Deals on Wax In Denver

The Lodge has two dispensaries locations in downtown Denver.

Current deals on WAX are:

• 8gs of White Moose WAX or SHATTER for $90

• Full Spectrum Diamonds for $15
   

Herbs 4 you is located in the Capitol Hill Area.

Current deals on WAX include:

•  16 carts for $253

Chronic Therapy has a location in Wheat Ridge and Cortez.

Current deals on WAX include: 

• 8 grams of silver tier Wax or Shatter for $120

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I originally picked up the Oura Portable Dab Rig from our local smoke shop a while ago. It was my first smoke toy and product to review. I liked it because it looked like it was so easy even a crazy Squirrel could use it. Boy was I wrong!

The smoke shop owner walked me through how to use it. How to dissemble it (which seemed pretty easy) and clean it. It all appeared too good to be true.

Pros:

• Cool Design
• Water Chamber
• Size
• Lifetime Warranty ("All Parts")

Cons:

• Touch Sensor "Button"
• Replacement Coils/Atomizer
• Hard To Clean

In A Nutshell

I will admit, the first few weeks I had this unit, when I wrote my original review, I really loved it. It wasn't wow worthy but it did get 4 out of 5 stars. Then reality hit when my first coil stopped working and I had to buy a replacement.

The first time it happened I was a little miffed that it cost $39.95 plus shipping to replace. Then when another stopped working 30 days later, no matter how much I cleaned the quartz crystal cup, it frankly bristled my fur! The third time, well , let me just say this, there hasn't been a fourth time. This unit has been sitting gathering dust ever since. With an unused coil sitting next to it.

The one "button" control seems like a great, easy idea but it can be a bit of a learning curve. The "button" is a touch sensor that tended to be a little on the fickle side for me. For whatever reason my thumb worked better than other fingers. I think I prefer more traditional buttons that you can feel work.

It's 5 touches to turn on and off. 3 touches to change temperatures (3 times for each change to cycle through the various temps) and 2 touches to start or stop a 60 sec session. Unit will automatically shut off after 4 minutes which is a nice feature because I almost always forgot to shut it off manually.

The way you hold this vape unit it is easy to accidentally end a session. Usually that was the only time the touch sensor consistently worked, when I didn't want it to.

The manual could use some improvement too. Nothing in the manual documents that when this unit starts flashing, that's indicating an active session is in process. When it started flashing on me I assumed I broke the dang thing and it was spazzing some sort of warning. Usually flashing means error! Not with Oura, flashing means working, go figure!

There is conflicting information on what can be used in vaporizer. Smoke shop and product reviews say only concentrates like wax, crumble, shatter or pull-n-snap. Website from manufacturer says concentrates and oils. Email response from customer service was extremely fast: "the Oura works with ALL concentrates".

The hole in the glass needs to line up hole in the base. There are no markings on the glass that helps you line up these holes or to check to make sure they are still aligned correctly, if the glass accidentally gets turned (which is easy to do).

It comes with ceramic and glass bowls. There is no documentation on why the two different bowls. I think it's just a personal preference on which you like to use. I know my Lookah Seahorse *which I LOVE and still use a year later, with only ONE coil replacement* offer both too.

Included is a carrying pouch, usb charger and wall plug. This unit seems to last a long time on a single charge but it also takes a long time to recharge it. I was told to let the battery completely drain before recharging the unit, so I don't keep it plugged in between usage. The company stands behind a lifetime warranty for all parts, which doesn't include their expensive coils.

This could honestly be a great product if it was redesigned. The reason I think the coils burn out fast is the atomizer top doesn't really snuggly fit over the crystal basket. This allows for concentrate to get on the outside of the basket which then gets to the coil. Then when it gets to the coil the basket is almost superglued to the it.

No matter how much I cleaned it between usage I could not prevent this from happening. It didn't mean squat how careful I was putting my dabs into the quartz either, it still go onto the coil. I finally gave up and that's when I found the Lookah Seahorse--and I haven't looked back. Two out of five stars, Oura.

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