Benefits of Dabbing vs. Smoking

Now that smokables are more readily available, you have more options than ever to find your toke of choice. Your consumption method will affect your overall experience, whether you choose flower, concentrates, or a little of both.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to consumption methods. It all depends on what you're looking for in a smoke sesh. Concentrates have all of the good parts of the natural plant without any hazardous smoke. But, you can vape flower as well.

That's why there are glass pipes and rigs designed for every smokable under the sun, and MJ Arsenal is here to tell you everything you need to know to get the most out of your products.

Benefits of Using Dab Rigs

When choosing between a flower pipe or dab rigs, you first need to decide what you want to get out of your sesh. Are you looking for the best taste possible? Do you want to keep the amount of smoke produced minimal? There are pros and cons to each option, so let's start by considering the benefits of dabs and dab rigs when compared to smoking flower.

Benefit #1. Dabbing is Cleaner

When you smoke a bowl full of flower, you're going to have a lot of excess residue baking onto the insides of your piece.

Over time, this build-up can alter the flavor of your products, leaving you with less pleasant hits. And if you're getting tar inside your pipe, that means you're getting a little bit inside your throat and lungs, too—which could even lead to chronic bronchitis and lung damage.

Concentrates are designed to be purer and thus easier on the human body. The extraction process leaves only terps and dab oils behind, leaving out the remaining plant matter found in flower. On top of that, dabbing uses vaporization instead of combustion. 

This prevents the production of tar and other harmful byproducts from smoke. While there's still ongoing research into the health risks associated with vaporization, many users report a smoother, less harsh experience with dabs.

Benefit #2. Dabbing is More Efficient

Because concentrates are purer, they're more effective at delivering terps and other ingredients in smaller doses. For those who are new to concentrates, a little bit of extract goes a long way towards providing immediate relief.

A standard dab is roughly the size of a grain of rice. 

That's all you need to get a nice, full puff, and you'll be surprised at how much oil bubbles up in your bucket when you drop in your dab. With flower, you've got to pack your bowl pretty densely to get more than a couple of good hits.

Benefit #3. Dabbing is More Discreet

For some users, the smell of smoke is an instant mood-killer. Depending on where you are and who you're around, it may not always be welcome or acceptable.

Concentrates are your best bet for discreet consumption if you're not in a location conducive to smoking. A little bit goes a long way without producing the telltale smell of lingering smoke. Additionally, vapor disperses much faster than smoke and has a much more subtle scent. It won't stick to your clothes all day, and it won't linger in your hair, on your clothes, or in the air around you.

Benefit #4. Dabbing Retains More Flavor

When you smoke flower, there's a lot of waste. You've got the leftover plant matter and ash to deal with, and that can affect the taste of your product. The combustion process itself can cause some of the more volatile terpenes to be destroyed. 

Different terpenes have different boiling points, and some will be lost through the burning process. With dabbing, terpenes are vaporized rather than burned. This way, the flavors are preserved, and the natural taste of the original terpene profile shines through. 

Even though the plant material has been stripped away, concentrates help you get closer to the true taste of your particular plant than through combustion. There's no flavor from residual solvents like how you can taste the ash and tar with traditional smoking.

The right dab rig amplifies these flavors even more. Try vaporizing high-quality terps with a miniature dab rig for the best flavors. Less air in the rig means more potent flavor, so that's why MJ Arsenal builds mini dab rigs for those who want to take their dabs to the next level.

Benefit #5. Dabs are More Portable

It's hard to carry your flower with you, but dabs are small and can be carried discreetly. They don't produce a strong smell, especially if sealed tight in a small container. On the other hand, flower is bulky and noticeable in a pocket or bag. And you can often smell it through bags and plastic containers.

If you know what you're doing, dabs are a quick way to get where you're going. On-the-go dabbers who don't want to waste time packing bowls and dealing with lighters don't have to worry about that. You can use dab pens to make dabbing safe for on-the-go use.

Benefit #6. Dabs Last Longer

Since it only takes one small dab to feel the full effects of concentrates, you'll get more for your buck. Smoking flower will get expensive quickly, especially if you enjoy it with friends.

By comparison, concentrates are more cost-effective because they last longer. A little bit goes a long way, so you can stretch your product much further than its flower counterpart.

When you're dabbing correctly, you should get at least ten dabs out of a gram of wax or oil. When you're smoking plant matter, a single session can consume far more material than a dab sesh.

Benefits of Using Water Pipes

Dabbing certainly has its advantages, but so do traditional water pipes. There are tons of potential benefits to water pipe use. Here are just a few:

Benefit #1. Filtering the Hit

If you're using flower, water pipes are an absolute must. They allow you to cool down that smoke-intense hit so that it's easier to take into your lungs. Water filters out some of the harsh toxins in your smoke before they reach your mouth and throat, resulting in less lung irritation.

Water filtration is the best way to take your dabs as well. Without a water pipe or any type of filter, you're going to feel those harsh effects on both your throat and lung tissue.

Benefit #2. Cooling and Moistening

Water pipes go a long way toward cooling down your smoke, but the level of moisture they add is impressive as well. Water acts as a humidifier when you're smoking flower through it, adding moisture back into the air.

This moisture is soothing, since smoke can dry out your throat. It also helps keep your lips from drying and cracking which is a welcome side effect for flower enthusiasts—especially in cold winter months.

Benefit #3. Sharing with Friends

Dabbing is great, but the setup required for dabbing makes it less conducive to sharing with a circle of friends. You can't easily pass a rig or torch lighter around without burning somebody's fingers, and using a dab tool is complicated for beginners. 

If even one or two people in your group haven't used a dab rig before, it can be intimidating—exactly the opposite of the experience you're going for. Water pipes are more accessible to newbies who are familiar with how traditional glass pipes work. Instead of reheating and reloading a hot nail for each hit, you can load a single bowl of flower and pass it around easily.

Benefit #4. In-a-Pinch Smoke Sessions

You never know when you're going to get a craving for a toke. Sometimes, you need it right away. Water pipes make quick smoke sessions possible since they don't require as much setup or prep time.

A single dab can take 2-3 minutes, whereas a quick and savvy smoker can typically load and puff on a couple of hits in under a minute. A water pipe can be a lifesaver if you want to blaze fast and don't have your rig on hand.

Conclusion

There's no one-size-fits-all type of smoking or dabbing method, so it comes down to your preference. Dabbing is great for people who want to take advantage of the most efficient experience possible, but flower is better suited for casual sharing. 

Whether you prefer flower or dab, make sure you have a water pipe handy. You'll benefit from its cooling and moistening effects when using any consumption methods. A miniature dab rig made of borosilicate glass is a great way to stick with your oil and wax while still benefiting from water filtration.

MJ Arsenal's entire line of mini dab rigs is crafted from borosilicate glass, and every rig comes with a premium quartz bucket designed to excel with concentrates. If a water pipe is more your speed, each premium borosilicate glass water pipe includes a compatible flower bowl attachment.

And if you want more choices, we also offer a line of blunt bubblers and vape bubblers for even more creativity and versatility. So get your ideal new rig today.