In the exciting world of cannabis consumption, we’re spoilt for choice. As fellow cannabis enthusiasts, we’re here to help you navigate through the options. In this article, we’ll break down the differences between dabbing and vaping to help you decide which method is best for you.
Dabbing and Vaping: The Lowdown
Dabbing and vaping have been around for some time, but they’ve gained popularity as cannabis has become more widely accepted. With this growing interest, many are curious about these unique methods of consumption.
Both dabbing and vaping involve inhaling vapor rather than smoke, so what sets them apart?
Dabbing
Dabbing requires a dab rig, which functions similarly to a bong. Instead of burning raw flower, users vaporize cannabis concentrate using a glass, quartz, or metal “nail” or “banger.” A butane torch is used to heat the nail to the ideal temperature for vaporization.
Key features of dabbing include:
- Uses exclusively cannabis concentrates
- Involves a banger, nail, or e-nail
- Vapor passes through water and filtration systems (percolators)
- Traditional rigs don’t allow precise temperature control (e-nails do)
Vaping
Vaping uses raw material (dried herb) or concentrates (oils/e-liquids). Vapes come in various shapes and sizes, but they all perform the same function. Simply pack your device and take a pull.
Key features of vaping include:
- Available as a desktop or portable device (vape pen)
- Utilizes dried herb or concentrates, depending on the device
- Vapor doesn’t pass through water but may pass through flavor-retaining chambers and channels
- Allows for a high degree of temperature accuracy
Dabbing vs Vaping: A Comparison
Although both dabbing and vaping involve vaporization, the experiences are quite different. The main distinction lies in the consumed material, affecting flavor, the high’s quality, and more.
Below, we outline the significant similarities and differences between dabbing and vaping.
Cannabis Material
The critical difference between vaping and dabbing is the material used. Dabbing exclusively uses concentrates or “dabs” – cannabis extracts created by concentrating resin from the plant’s trichomes. As a result, concentrates are pure, powerful, and flavorful.
Concentrates come in various forms, including:
- Shatter
- Wax
- Live resin
- Sauce
- Rosin
Vaping, on the other hand, uses dried herb and/or concentrates. Some devices handle ground bud exclusively, while others (like disposable vape pens) come loaded with oil concentrate. Some can handle herb or oil with specific add-ons. For dried plant material vapers, the experience resembles traditional smoking without combustion. Hitting a vape pen filled with oil feels closer to dabbing.
Temperature
When smoking cannabis, combustion is required to inhale its constituents. With vaping or dabbing, the material is heated until cannabinoids and terpenes reach their boiling points, far below the combustion point.
Temperature ranges for dabbing and vaping are similar but vary. Low-temperature dabbing occurs between 157°C and 232°C. However, some individuals dab at temperatures up to 371°C, closer to combustion. Dabbing is less accurate in achieving a specific temperature since a blowtorch is used. E-nails, which heat the nail to a specific temperature using electricity, are an exception.
With vaping, the temperature range is typically between 157–221°C, especially for dried herb, although some concentrate-oriented devices exceed this maximum. Many modern vaporizers offer customizable temperature settings, allowing users to focus on specific cannabinoids and terpenes.
