Cannabis is becoming increasingly more used. More and more people are turning to various derivatives in order to reach the effects that they desire. Concentrates such as BHO (Butane Honey Oil) have been making their way around and the more popular they get, the more accessories are made for them. However, unlike herbs in the flower form, these wax concentrates aren’t smoked using a traditional lighter and pipe. These types of substances require a pipe known as a dab rig.

What’s a Dab Rig? 

A dab rig is a vaping tool specifically designed to be able to handle the vaporization of wax and oil concentrates. Although there are modifications that can be made to bongs so that they can take on dry herbs as well as oil and wax concentrates, these tools are not the same as dab rigs. Dab rigs often feature specialized designs that allow the vapor to travel throughout the rig in a certain way so that it is cooled before it reaches the individual. An example of this, would be a percolator. This is because of the fact that these bangers or nails have to be heated to very high temperatures. Usually, these bangers and nails are heated using a powerful butane torch, which can heat metal, glass and ceramic nails with ease. Oil rigs will typically be made of glass and will also feature a water filtration system in order to cool down the hot vapors.

Difference Between a Rig vs a Bong

You may have noticed that we discussed the modifications of bongs and the similar nature of bongs and dab rigs earlier in this article. However, bongs and dab rigs need not necessarily be the same device. The main difference between a dab rig and a regular water pipe is that the rig generally comes with a male joint in the stem. It also goes straight up making it parallel with the chamber of the oil rig.

Besides those two, the key differences lie in the functions of the two devices. Bongs are designed specifically to smoke dry herbs. Although they can be modified, they are still bongs. Dab rigs come with dab nails or bangers attached to the equipment. This is supposed to handle concentrates only. Besides this major difference, there are also minor differences, such as the fact that dab rigs are usually smaller than bongs. They’re also usually much more intricately designed than bongs. Bongs for herbs also come with a deep dish bowl. These are some of the biggest differences that differentiate the dab rig and the bong. But frankly, you can make turn any bong into a dab rig, just by sticking a nail in it!

Benefits

When using a dab rig in place of other smoking mediums, there are a lot of benefits that will be experienced. Here are a few of the most notable benefits that you will enjoy when you are using a dab rig.

Temperature

The process that the dab rig uses turns wax and oil concentrates into vapors rather than burning them. Traditional methods of smoking dry herbs typically required the user to set the substance on fire in a process known as combustion. This turned the it into smoke that is then inhaled. The issue with combustion is that it is linked to a variety of negative health effects that make it undesirable. With vaporization, you avoid these negative health consequences and enjoy your concentrates in a much safer manner.

Less is More

Dry herbs often requires you to burn large amounts in order to get a large amount of smoke. Concentrates produce a large amount of vapor without you having to dab a lot of concentrates into your dab rig. In addition, dab rigs tend to be much smaller devices but they still produce quite a bit of vapor. This means that you will get much larger and fuller hits with your dab rig and will get the effects that you are wanting to experience.

Better Taste and Flavor

Concentrates are well-known for their superior flavor experience. While other forms of herbs are meant to be smoked, the vaporization of concentrates allows the full flavor profile to come out. With dab rigs that are designed with concentrates in mind, this means that you are going to be using a tool that was crafted to make sure that these flavor profiles are experienced as they were intended to be. These flavors and smells are often called terpenes.

Less Distinct Smell

Along with the excellent flavor profiles of concentrates, there is also the added benefit of the lack of smell, or less pronounced smell as compared to smoking cannabis. As most smokers know, different herbs have a very distinct odor that tends to cling to clothes. It can make the user smell like the smoke. Concentrates do have a slight odor however they smell less and are much less detectable in comparison to smoking dry herbs. They may also be flavored so that the scent is sweeter and enjoyable. An oil rig can help with the smell, especially if you use a banger which vaporizes in lower temperatures.

As you can see here, the dab rig comes with plenty of benefits that make it a desirable tool for those who are wanting to use concentrates rather than other forms of THC.

Pros

Use Less

Concentrates can be extremely potent. A regular peanut pipe and ground up herbs will generally require users to pack multiple bowls in order to get the desired effects. Dab rigs allow you to vaporize concentrates and get more intense feelings while having to use less. This is a great advantage for those who go through their herbs very quickly and who are looking to cut down on their overall usage.

Save Money

A byproduct of having to use less of your concentrate is that you want will also be saving money in the long run. A good dab rig will last you a long time and will provide you with a great dabbing experience each time that you use it. Unless you are someone who already smokes high amounts of concentrates, investing in a dab rig and switching to concentrates may be a more budget-friendly option. Although dab rigs cost under $100 usually, there is still ways to save money on it.

Cleaner Experience

Using a dab rig gives a cleaner experience when compared to using it in its herbal form. Although buildup will occur on the inside of your dab rig as you use it, this is the only type of mess that you can expect to experience. Gone are the days where you have to deal with ground up herbs, cleaning your bong from residue and clean up the ash after The dab rig makes the smoking process much simpler.

Better Hits

Dab rigs eliminate the harshness that users normally deal with when they are smoking herbs. Heated up herbs can often produce smoke that is harsh on the throat and only gets worse when you find yourself closer to the heat source as you would when you are smoking a blunt or a joint. Dab rigs feature filtration and cooling systems that bring down the heat. This way you can smoke without having to deal with this issue. Although concentrates can be intense, the heat won’t.

Better Taste and Flavor

Since there is water in the dab rig, it makes it easier to taste your dabs. As long as you keep the water clean, every hit will be purified and clean. The taste will be unadulterated as long as you get the temperature right.

Cons

Learning Curve

Not everyone is accustomed to using a dab rig. Some dab rigs feature complex systems that can be very confusing to first-time users. Along with these systems, there is also the issue of learning how to load and vaporize your concentrates. This itself can be enough to deter interested smokers from making the transition to a dab rig.

Not Discreet

While the smell of concentrates are semi-discreet and will prevent others from smelling your smoking sessions, dab rigs are not very discreet or portable tools. This means that, although you can use them while you are at home or if you bring them to a friend’s house, you cannot fill them while you are on the go and use them. The tools that are required to operate a dab rig are also quite large and not the most portable. 

How to Use an Oil Rig

Like we mentioned above, it can be difficult for first-time users to figure out how to operate a dab rig on their own. For this reason, we have compiled a brief guide that will help you to learn how you can begin using a dab rig. Here are the most important steps.

  1. Before you start loading your wax concentrates, it is important that you add water to your dab rig to prepare it for the filtration/cooling process. To see if you have filled it to the right level, try inhaling and see if the water bubbles. If it does and no water leaves the intended area or comes out to you, you will have adequately filled it. Prepare again by seasoning your dab nail.
  2. Prepare your wax by scooping a small amount onto your dabber tool, which is essentially a small tool designed to pick up and place wax concentrates onto your dab nail. Try not to scoop too much unless you know that you are able to handle larger levels of THC as concentrates are known to be very intense.
  3. Set aside your dabber tool and grab your propane or butane torch. Unless you have an electronic nail, you will need to heat the dab nail until it has turned red from the heat. Turn off your torch and give the nail about 45 seconds to cool down enough to start dabbing.
  4. Now, take your dabber and put the concentrate into the nail, making sure to swirl it around in a circular motion as the nail vaporizes the concentrate. Inhale as you do this to begin pulling the vapor through the dab rig.
  5. That’s it! If you feel like you want more, repeat the process to vaporize more concentrates.