Concentrate or Dry Herb - The Best For You

Concentrate or dry herb is one of the many questions consumers make when checking out new products. Do you want an entirely new rig with a banger, e-nail torche a butane? Or do you want a simple, easy-to-use pocket vaporizer for dry herb? Well, this guide is here to give you a brief example of what to expect. 

Dry Herb/ Flower

By and large, the most common method for smoking is with dry herb/flower. From the ancient days of hunter-gatherers, the use of smoking dry flower has been a staple of our culture. "Flower" is the most traditional way of inhalation. It isn't necessarily the plant material that gives you the euphoric feeling, but it IS the sticky substance that the leaves produce (we will go into that in more detail later). 

You have a wide range of versatility when you choose this method. From rolling a joint, or blunt to using a 4-foot bong, the devices that you can use are almost endless. Heck, you can even pull a full-on "Johny Appleseed" by poking a couple of holes into an apple and using that. 

While the industry is constantly moving forward, and percentages are going up, you will rarely find a strain that goes above 30% CBD. A good middle ground is in the low 20% range. 

One of the benefits of using "flower" is the flavor profile. Regular flower can have a higher terpenoid profile,  this is done through the drying/curing process. Notice, how when you pick up a bag of your favorite strain-it has a distinct smell? That is due to the terpenes that the plant produces. The drying/curing process brings out the best aromas for the plant, and you can distinctly smell if the product you bought has limonene, myrcene, linalool, or any other terpene. By vaping dry herb you can feel the full spectrum of effects. 

Concentrates/Dabs

While the traditional method has been by far the most popular, new and increasing technologies have led to extraction methods. This leaves 98-100% CBD from the plant without any of the plant material. While this gives you nothing but the concentrated material, it also comes in far smaller containers vs dry herb. Don't let this steer you away, it's just basic economics. 

If you are looking to try concentrates for the first time. It's a better idea to go into it knowing you need VERY little to get you where you want to go. While you may be able to pack a bowl with some dank flower, doing the same thing with pure concentrates will blast you off to "Cheese World". 

Concentrates might not give you the best flavor, but they can pack a punch. If you are looking for heady rips, then these are definitely the way to go.

While the terpenoid profile can get lost in the extraction process, new technologies are advancing to help maintain the structure of everything that you will be inhaling. In a short time, these technologies will be developed to give you the same optimal performance as any other vaping product.

How To Vape Dry Herb

Vaping dry herb is easy. Most dry herb vaporizers have a simple design that allows you to pack your product in the same fashion as a bowl. Simply grind your herb and place it inside the chamber. From there, turn the battery on. In many cases, a dry herb vaporizer will allow you to adjust the temperature settings for you to have the perfect balance of what you are looking for. 

The best settings for vaping dry herb are between 315-400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

How To Vape Concentrates

Concentrates were designed for vaping. Even with traditional methods, you would heat up glass, titanium, or ceramic bangers, then you would drop a spoon full of that golden honey into it. Once the concentrate was loaded up, you could then place a banger to restrict airflow and keep the banger well heated. The process took quite a bit of effort, but nowadays, electronic vaporizers are becoming an easier solution. Also, check out our article on "cold starting".

With an electric vaporizer, you have the same customizable options that you would have with a flower vaporizer. One of the best functions is the ability to choose between your favorite type of nail. You have quartz glass, ceramic, and titanium to choose from! Instead of just a screen attached to a convection heater for flowers, you can still customize your electric rig any which way that you want!