Dry Herb vs Oil Concentrates vs Wax: Which one to choose?
Vapes might have had a slight lull due to the controversies regarding e-cigarettes but the CDC estimates that there are at least 9 million people who vape on a regular basis.
While this may seem tiny, it’s allowed for a small industry to expand massively, offering people a large variety of products to choose from. From dry herb vapes to oil concentrates and wax vapes, people can choose how they want to use loose-leaf in a safer and healthier manner.
Each type of vaping method has its benefits, and we’ll be describing them in detail. Either way, whichever method you wind up choosing will be a good one!
The Best Way To Consume Marijuana
With so many ways to use marijuana, what do you choose and why?
It seems everywhere you look; people are talking about marijuana. Whether it’s legalized or still illegal, it’s big news worldwide. So, why is marijuana so popular? We’re living in extremely stressful times, and if it’s there’s one thing that’s great for relieving a little stress, it’s marijuana. However, what’s the best way to enjoy it?
It’s a very personal decision.
Ultimately, the delivery method you choose will suit your personal tastes, preferences, and circumstances. No one can make your decision for you, but in the following article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the different delivery methods and why people choose them.
One of the greatest things about cannabis is that it’s extremely versatile. You can choose from various delivery methods, and you’ll still be able to feel its effects. How? Good question!
Inside all of us is something known as the Endocannabinoid System, or ECS for short. It’s made up of a series of receptors that are spread throughout the body and linked together. Scientists believe that the ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostasis throughout the human body.
Edibles Versus Vaping Marijuana
It can be a little intimidating choosing how you’re going to enjoy marijuana, but once you’ve tried each method, you’ll quickly settle on a favorite.
One of the most popular ways to enjoy marijuana, and the fastest-growing part of the industry, is edibles. There are various edibles to choose from, including cakes, candy, drinks, and just about anything that you can infuse marijuana into.
When you eat a marijuana edible, the cannabinoids (THC and CBD) are broken down by the digestive system before being distributed throughout the body via the bloodstream. It’s a slow-acting, slow-release high that’s going to take 30-minutes to kick in and last anywhere from 4-8 hours, depending on the edibles' potency.
It’s extremely hard to wind back the clock after you get high from an edible, so start off slowly and learn to understand your tolerances before diving in headfirst; otherwise, it’ll be a long couple of hours!
Vaping, on the other hand, is fast-acting, and the effects won’t last long. When you vape fresh marijuana flower, the cannabinoids enter the lungs, where they are absorbed into the bloodstream via the thin tissue in the lungs. It’s then rapidly circulated throughout the body resulting in you feeling the effects almost immediately.
The downside to vaping is that the effects won’t last as long as edibles and will require frequent topping up to stay high. One of the benefits of vaping over edibles is that you won’t have to last as long for the effects to wear off if you have too much.
Vaping Versus Smoking
Both vaping and smoking are fast-acting ways to enjoy marijuana. Cannabinoids enter the lungs in either smoke or vapor before being absorbed into the bloodstream, rapidly circulating through your body. You’ll notice the effects of vaping or smoking within a few minutes.
The high from smoking generally lasts longer than vaping because when you smoke, you consume more cannabis than vaping. However, the high from both vaping and smoking last a lot less time than when you consume a marijuana edible.
One of the biggest advantages vaping has over smoking is that you aren’t inhaling carcinogens from the cannabis smoke when you vape. Although the smoke from cannabis doesn’t appear to be as harmful as cigarette smoke, you’re still inhaling some carcinogens which are known to contribute to a variety of diseases.
Another advantage that vaping has is that it’s a convenient and portable option for smoking marijuana. A small rechargeable vaporizer will easily slip into a pocket and last all day.
Another bonus for vaping is that you won’t have that smokey marijuana smell lingering all over your home, car, or clothes.
Why go for dry herb vapes?
Convenience
Dry herb vapes are very convenient to use. The vaping chamber doesn’t get messy as it does with wax and concentrates, so it’s very easy to clean. Aside from that, there’s not much of a hassle to just...toke.
Waxes and concentrates have a large variety that might make things complicated for some.
So if you prefer to keep things simple, dry herb vapes are for you.
Availability
Dry herb vapes are more readily available in comparison to wax and oil-based vapes, though some vapes do have the option for both wax and dry herb vaping.
The variety within dry herb vaporizers is impressive as well, with many lower-end options having some decent feature lists like variable temperature, wide chambers, etc.
Check out the Best Dry Herb Vapes of 2020
Affordability
Dry herb vapes tend to be quite affordable and versatile purchases and are readily available, which can’t be said about waxes/oil concentrates
While dry herb vapes tend to vary in price quite a bit, even the lower end options tend to have a good range of features.
Here at AirVape, most of our vapes are dry herb vapes ranging from the sub-$100 price point to up to $300 with all the bells and whistles.
Vaporizing Herb
- Step 1: GRIND
Use a three-layer grinder if you are an advanced vaper and you would like to vape at very low temperatures. Remember, fine grinding means, you must be extra careful not to overheat the herbs.
Use a two-layer grinder, if you just want to keep it simple and you are beginner or advanced. it doesn’t matter! Either way, you should grind your herbs for easy heating.
- Step 2: PACK
Now, you can pack the chamber. With conduction vapes you should grind the herbs finely enough to be able to spread it evenly across the chamber.
In the case of convection, you can go a bit coarser but in neither cases should you pack the chamber excessively tight as to block the flowing of air.
- Step 3: PUFF
Close the vape (put the mouthpiece back on or close the chamber) and turn it on. It is recommended to start at a lower temperature. Marijuana vaporizes best between 338°F - 410°F (170°C and 210°C).
Why you should skip dry herb vapes?
Strength/intensity of high
Wax and concentrates can be a lot stronger, and we mean a lot stronger than dry herb vapes. Most wax and oil concentrates tend to be extracted from loose leaf and, as the name suggests, is concentrated to make it stronger than how it is naturally, by getting rid of impurities and other compounds that get in the way.
Subjective “lack of high”
Taking things further, some people have reported not feeling high at all or feeling a very mild high when using a dry herb vaporizer. This could be due to a low-temperature heat being used, which leads to a less potent high, but some people do seem to be immune to vaping, in which case vaping overall might just not work for you.
Benefits of Oils
Vaporizing Oil
Vaping oil involves heating the oil and inhaling it through a vaporizing device like a vape pen or an e-cigarette. Commonly referring to CBD oil or THC oil.
When people vape, they consume concentrated marijuana. It seems to be a much more potent than smoking. In other words, you’ll get more high from vaping than from smoking.
There are pre-filled cartridges and empty tanks to fill up with your favorite e-juice or wax.
Let's see how it's done:
Huge improvements in battery life/heat systems
Oil-based vapes have made huge strides in improving the battery life of a vape along with temperature regulations in the vape chamber
Oil-based vapes tend to be the perfect middle ground. This wasn’t the case a few years ago when oil-based vapes had poor battery life, poor heating systems that led to uncomfortable and questionable highs (and aftertastes).
However, oil-based vapes have come a long way since then, with vast improvements to the vapor chamber and the heating mechanism and how much battery these bad boys pack.
The Benefits of Using a THC Vaporizer Pen
When I first looked at the benefits of using a thc vape Pen, I was not sure if it was a vaporizer or not. So, I researched the term to see what it meant and realized that it was only an electronic device that heats the oil in the reservoir then is breathed in through the mouthpiece.
I decided to give the vaporizer a try after reading about the benefits of using a thc pen.
After my first experience with the vaporizer, I knew that this was going to be a great way to enjoy all the wonderful things that the herb has to offer without having to smoke the herb.
My second experience with the vaporizer was much more pleasant than my first experience. This time, I opted to buy the Thc Vaporizer Pen instead of the Thc Vape Pod.
Since I am now able to enjoy the incredible benefits of using thc vaporizers, I highly recommend picking one up today.
If you are still on the fence about using a vaporizer, I urge you to give them a try today. You will never regret your decision. There are tons of benefits that you will enjoy by using a vaporizer instead of smoking. I recommend picking up a thc vaporizer pen for your own home today. You will surely enjoy all of the benefits that they offer.
More potent high
Vapes used to be considered pot lite at some point in the beginning: not anymore. Not only is it safer than using a pipe or a joint, but it’s also very, very strong when using the right kinds of oils.
This is because manufacturers of the oil tend to extract cannabinoids and remove adulterants/additional stuff from the oil, which makes the THC/CBD content a lot higher. However, it’s important to note that this is with purer oils and cartridges, which are rather difficult to find.
Variety
You can find a large range of oils based on CBD and THC content, of course, but also on the basis of other things like flavors, aftertaste, terpenes and refillability.
Some people like thicker oils while some like thinner ones. There’s tons of choices and it also allows people to experiment a bunch and see what works best for them.
Convenience
Vape pens can be carried anywhere and everywhere unlike joints or bongs and they’re much more odor-free and healthier than conventional smoke based forms of loose leaf.
Drawbacks of Oil
Maintenance
Maintaining an oil based vape can become a tedious and drawn out process that diminishes the convenience of vaping significantly
Vape pens are an absolute chore to take care of, particularly when you’re using refillable cartridges. A weekly clean is a must when using regularly, and that’s aside from having to fill up the cartridge again and again. Throwaway cartridges do exist but they’re not particularly good for the environment, so we wouldn’t want you to indulge in that.
So-so battery life/temperature control
While battery life and temperature controls for oil-based vapes have improved significantly, there’s still a long way to go to make sure it’s consistently usable. Much like the battery life in our smartphones, the process takes a while but eventually, it gets there. To be sure, there are several vapes, even in our catalog, that have great battery life. Just had to put it out there.
Difficult to find high-quality oils
Finding high quality, unadulterated oils for a more potent and smooth high is a difficult process because most vape oils are mixed with other oils to make it thicker/flavorful, etc
While oils for your vape are pretty easy to find, finding good ones is a task and then some because most oil and cartridge manufacturers tend to mix THC and CBD oils with fillers and thickeners that make oils less potent (and poorer in quality), leading to a mellow and easy high rather than a potent and strong one.
The addition of Vitamin E acetate as a thickener in vape juices, both in CBD/THC along with nicotine based solutions is one of the main reasons which led to bans in states in the country and in some countries in the world. Vitamin E acetate is used for dermatological issues.
Anyway, getting back to the point. This suits people who are specifically looking for a mellow experience, however, people looking for stronger, potent highs ought to try wax based vapes, which is what we’re talking about next.
How to Vaporize Wax?
Not to be confused with candle wax, of course, wax concentrates for loose leaf tend to be extracts in a more solid form. These usually need specific types of vapes, however, as mentioned before, some dry herb vapes also double as wax vapes.
They’re really potent
Dabs (not this kind) are very, very potent and tend to deliver a fantastic experience for people looking for stronger and better highs
These bad boys will skyrocket you to another planet because wax concentrates are pretty astonishingly strong and they’re usually much stronger than even the purest of oils.
Strong flavor
Dry herb might be king of the flavor department, but waxes come pretty darn close to how a strain of marijuana would taste and smell like. And since it’s extracted and the heating process for wax (or dab pens) is different, the resulting flavor is a lot more earthy and somewhat smokey despite being vapor.
Cool, isn’t it?
Vaporizing wax
Vaping wax or shatter is a common practice amongst marijuana users. Wax and shatter are slightly different. Shatter is translucent while the wax is...waxy, sticky, and not translucent. They are both concentrated marijuana. Created from dry herbs and contain high amounts of THC and CBD.
Vaporizing wax involves some kind of device to heat up the wax like a bong, a portable vaporizer or a vape pen. The method is the same as using an oil vape pen or a herb vaporizer.
What is THC WAX?
THC wax or Marijuana wax is a potent cannabis extract. Depending on their consistency, these marijuana concentrates are also commonly referred to as Dab, Shatter, BHO.
Dabs are made by pouring butane over marijuana. This process allows the THC to leave the marijuana plant and dissolve into the butane leaving a gummy, somewhat solid product that contains high amounts of THC.
Smoking Dabs are not a new way of consuming marijuana. It's been with us more than a decade now and it has many benefeits over regular weed smoking.
Benefits of dabbing
When it comes to dabbing versus traditional use of marijuana, dabbing is actually more chemically cleaner because cannabis concentrate is free from plant matter, which means that it is also free from harmful carcinogens that are a by-product of plant fiber smoking.
The rest (Variety over convenience though)
A large variety, tons of flavor and absolute convenience. Does it get better than this?
It’s convenient and the sheer variety it offers is much better than oils. There’s crumble, shatter, resin etc, all of which sound exactly like they look. Dabs are also very convenient. Who woulda thunk?
How about them dabs drawbacks?
Expensive
We’ve left aside the cost of buying a vape because they’re an investment. But waxes are not only tough to find, but they’re expensive as well. For many, the high price tag justifies itself, but for some, dry herb or oils provide a similar experience while being cheaper. It’s up to personal preference really.
Difficult to maintain
If you thought oils are difficult to maintain, you’ll see how bad it is when you buy a dab pen. Frequent cleanings still make things only slightly better, so taking utmost care of your baby is really important. In many situations, replacing your wax coils might be necessary as well, unfortunately.
Dab pens are somewhat in a nascent stage of development, so it makes sense that some of it’s problems are deal-breakers. However, with time and/or if you’re willing to spend a little more than usual on a vape, you’d be surprised at how well a dab pen just might be.
Regardless of what you choose, going with any type of vape is always a lot better than using conventional smoking methods because of how much healthier vaping is, the variety it offers, the long term affordability, and the absolute convenience and discrete nature of it. I mean, what’s not to like?
