Dab Tools

Dab tools have really made it easier to use your concentrates. Long gone are the days where getting smoking was a simple affair. All you really needed was quality herb and some rolling paper or a pipe. While you might miss how simple and straightforward it might have been back then, there's a big payoff in the current transformation.

Concentrates are making large strides in innovation and effectiveness along with efficiency. Rolling and smoking simply won't do anymore and dab accessories are starting to lead the way. Especially when alternatives such as dabbing exist to revitalize the entire experience altogether. This is why dab tools and accessories are required now.

Why You Need Dab Tools?

As awesome as dabbing sounds, you're going to need a set of basic dab tools and accessories to get you started. Having these dab tools in your arsenal makes it a whole lot more convenient for you. Some of the items listed down below are also mandatory for anyone who's looking to dip their toes into the world of high-end dabbing accessories. 

Materials:

Before anything else, it's important to get acquainted with the most commonly used materials utilized in every dab tool. Each material has its own unique strengths and weaknesses so it's vital to know what's what in order to discover the gear best suited for you.

Glass

Glass has always been the go-to material for pretty much everything smoking related since time immemorial. It's easy to find/purchase, inexpensive and comes in a large variety of shapes, sizes and designs to tickle your fancy. Unfortunately, glass is one of the worst materials to use in any dabbing rig as it really doesn't have any benefits aside from its lower price point.

Its most notable drawback is that glass breaks too easily from being heated up to high temperatures. This is something that's a no-no in dabbing where the nail has to be heated up to a point where it can vaporize your concentrate. For first-timers or beginners, you might be tempted to pick up the cheapest basic dabbing rig which will no doubt be made out of glass. Just keep in mind that you'll be getting your money's worth out of that purchase especially when compared to performance and durability of the materials listed below.

Titanium

The most durable material for a dab tool is titanium. It can definitely take a beating even when exposed to high temperatures from your torch. Titanium dab tools have a decent ramp-up time when heated. They usually require only 15-30 seconds of heating up before its ready. Titanium nails are accessories that are practically impossible to break and can only be damaged when subjected to maximum abuse.

Now, this might not come as a surprise but titanium is the most expensive out the three materials. It can merit a serious investment on your part. Titanium nails also need to be seasoned prior to use as heating it up without seasoning will have a strong tendency to affect the overall flavor of the concentrate for the worse.

On the other hand, titanium nails have excellent heat retention properties, making it a lot easier for you to control the temperature of your dab.

Quartz

Considered to be a good median between glass and titanium price-wise, quartz nails heat up the fastest requiring only 5-15 seconds of torching before its ready to go. While not quite as durable as titanium, quartz has a strong upper hand when compared to the fragility of glass and as long as proper heat application is followed, you really won't have to worry about breaking a quartz glass banger when heating it up.

Another great quality of quartz is its consistently viewed as the material which delivers the best flavor from all dabbing accessories. This makes it the most popular option of all three. Unlike titanium nails, quartz glass bangers are ready for use straight after purchasing and don't require any seasoning at all.

Different Tools for Dabbing Accessories

Bangers

Usually crafted out of durable quartz or glass bangers have been the go-to weapon of choice for most dabbers as they are easy to use and easy to find. When choosing a glass banger, it's important to take note of the joint connection. If your water pipe rig has a narrow joint opening, you'll most likely need a female glass banger. If the joint of your rig has a wider open bore diameter, a banger with a male joint should be the way to go.

As popular as bangers are for their ease of use and excellent performance, there are those who aren't impressed with the aesthetics of your average glass banger as the visual design can be quite reminiscent of dab tools. This is why some turn to titanium or ceramic nails instead for their much improved and more modern look.

Nails

Titanium or ceramic nails might look like a chess piece straight out of your favorite sci-fi flick. This is a feature of the dab accessory that partly contributes to its looks over your typical glass banger bowl. While metal dab nails generally work in the same fashion as a banger, they do have a slightly higher learning curve thanks to the narrower opening that can potentially let some smoke/vapor escape and therefore end up being wasted.

A strong point for titanium nails though is that they are highly durable and even withstand drops to the floor so if you think yourself a rather clumsy or careless individual, a titanium metal dab nail just might be the right dab tool for you. While ceramic nails aren't as durable as their titanium counterparts, they do offer a much better experience flavor wise as titanium has the tendency to produce a metallic taste when not seasoned properly.

Dabbers

If you have love smoking concentrates, a dabber or a dab wand is a must have dab tool if you intend to truly enjoy vaping your concentrates as they make transferring your concentrates to the heated dabber nail a lot easier. Again, there is quite the number of choices available when selecting a dabber. Stainless steel, glass, titanium, and quartz are the most commonly used materials used with quartz being the most popular thanks to its much-improved flavor production qualities as well as titanium for its inherent durability.

A variety of tips are also available to select from and choosing which tip to get is usually determined by which types of concentrates you intend to use. Ballpoint tip dabber tools are easy to use especially when paired with sticky oils. Shovel type dab wands are also available and are perfect for those who like to use bigger portions of concentrate for much larger and stronger hits. Alternatively, a flat tipped dabber tool is a great all-around dab tool thanks to its ability to scrape up and collect a large variety of concentrates.

Nectar Collectors

A great alternative or accompaniment to a regular dabbing rig, nectar collectors are smaller, handheld versions of their bigger brothers. Basically, a nail/banger and water pipe rig setup all compressed into a much more portable gadget, perfect for those who'd like to dab on the go. Nectar collectors are also a popular option for small groups or gatherings as it can be easily passed from person to person, unlike a regular stationary dab rig.

Usage is similar in comparison to that of a dab rig except that instead of dipping the dabbing tool into a heated nail vs banger, the heated dabber nail at the end of the nectar is dipped into a small ceramic or quartz bowl containing the shatter. One downside to using a nectar collector is that it might not be as efficient compared to when using a quartz or glass banger as some residue will inevitably be leftover in the bowl.

e-Nails

One of the constant gripes that everyone has to deal with when dabbing is the need to frequently heat up the banger or nail before a dab. The solution to this is an e-nail that uses a continuous electrical current to deliver a steady supply of heat to the nail for no-frills dabbing. They are also considered a self heating dab rig. A big advantage with these is that temperature control becomes a trivial affair as the e-nail basically does everything for you so you won't have to worry about hitting a dab that's too hot or too low in temperature.

On the downside, however, anything electronic always has a shelf life and there'll always be prevalent reliability issues when using an e-nail down the line. Another con is battery life; you'll always need to be within reach of a powered USB port if you want to keep an e-nail operational. This alone makes it a less viable option for those who are always on the go.

Carb Cap

If you're dabbing with a domeless nail, a carb cap is an invaluable dab tool to have as this simple looking widget is pretty effective at restricting airflow to your water pipe. Why restrict air flow you ask? For better temperature control of course and inevitably better flavor of course. With a carb cap placed over your nail, airflow becomes a lot more restricted, increasing the flavor output of each hit. Introduction of cold air is also lessened meaning that the nail retains heat for a lot longer and you won't have to resort to high temperatures (and potentially destroy some of those flavorful terpenes) to get a satisfying hit.