There are Many Ways to Ride the Vapor-Waves
In the Golden Age of Vaporizers, cannabis enthusiasts are discovering new ways to enjoy their favorite recreational (or medicinal) plant. Written by Lucas Indrikovs.
There’s been a longstanding debate on the efficacy of vaporizing cannabis, whether it be flowers or concentrates, but many have adopted this consumption method in recent years. There are benefits to vaporizing dry herbs or concentrates. It activates more terpenes and cannabinoids in your materials, so it tastes better (yum!), and it can be more cost-effective because you don’t have to use as much product to feel the effects you’re seeking.
With the rise of the PAX Era and Puffco Peak, concentrate pens and electronic dab rigs are more widely available than ever before. With the increasing popularity of dry herb vaporizers like the Volcano Hybrid and the Solo 2, cannabis enthusiasts are discovering new ways to enjoy their favorite recreational (or medicinal) plant.
Before we get into some of our favorite vaporizers, we should go over a few basics:
Conduction vs. Convection Heating
Conduction heating is when your herb or concentrate is in contact with a heated surface (or oven) and vaporizes at a specific temperature through direct heat. Convection heating uses an indirect heat source (like a forced stream of hot air) until vaporization occurs. One method heats your materials, whether you’re using the device or not, and the other only heats the materials when you’re actively inhaling.
Dry Herb vs. Concentrate
Dry herb vaporizers are designed to consume plant materials like the sweet, frosty nugs you’ll find at March and Ash. Concentrate vaporizers (or electronic dab rigs) are used solely for concentrates like terpy rosins, budders, and shatters, which you’ll also find in abundance at March and Ash. Some vaporizers considered “dry herb vaporizers” can also be used with concentrates, but they don’t typically perform at the same level as a Puffco Peak Pro.
Here are five of our current favorite devices for dry herb rips and electronic dab tokes.
Storz and Bickel Volcano Hybrid
In the world of dry herb vaporizers, few devices have had the lasting impact of Storz and Bickel’s Volcano convection desktop vaporizer. The classic Volcano hit the scene over 20 years ago and blew people away with its chunky, potent, tasty vapor and a form factor that would make Captain Picard green with envy. This thing looks like it belongs on an alien spaceship, and it transports you to the cannabis cosmos with the press of a button.
After 20 years of innovation, Storz and Bickel have gifted us space cadets with the Volcano Hybrid. Using both convection and conduction heating through their proprietary double helix heat exchanger, the Volcano Hybrid delivers even more complex vapor than its predecessor. The vapor produced is jam-packed with terpenes and cannabinoids, while allowing users to personalize their experience with the device.
Terpenes and cannabinoids boil off at specific temperatures, and the Volcano Hybrid can deliver bright, energizing highs or immobilize you in a couch-lock trance thanks to single-digit temperature control. There are so many options to customize your experience with the Volcano Hybrid.
You can use the whip or a balloon. You can vape natively or condition your vapor through a water pipe. You can crank up the temp to 446 degrees Fahrenheit for a sleepy daytime stone, or as low as 104 degrees. If you're anything like us, you’ll have a ball discovering your ideal setup.
For a whopping $700, you can experience the sheer joy of a bespoke and effortlessly replicated ritual every time you turn on this device.
PAX Era
Ask your buddy to name any popular cannabis brands, and chances are, they’ll know this one. PAX has become a household name since entering cannabis culture in 2012, thanks to founders James Monsees and Adam Bowen. After releasing their quintessential dry herb vaporizer (which has seen three iterations since 2012), James and Adam decided to shift their focus to the up-and-coming concentrate vape industry.
The PAX Era concentrate vaporizer is deceptively simple for how genuinely innovative it is. Its sleek, rectangular form factor looks like a fancy case for your Zebra Stripes gum or a breathalyzer made by Apple. Inside the device, however, are complex, patented temperature controls that guarantee your concentrate will be tasty from beginning to end.
All PAX Era vaporizers are manufactured using food-grade components and are held up to medical standard testing, which means you’ll have zero contaminants or dangerous chemicals mixing in with your top-shelf cannabis concentrates.
Check out all the PAX Era vapes and pods available in our shops to experience an on-the-go cannabis adventure that would make Indiana Jones envious.
Arizer Solo 2
If there’s one aspect of dry herb vaporizing that immediately grabs your attention, it’s the flavors you experience from the herb you load into the device. Gone are the days when portable dry herb vaporizers make your cannabis taste like burnt popcorn. Welcome to the new age!
The Solo 2 by Arizer, based out of Canada, is the go-to gadget for many vaporists who want to experience the pure flavors that cannabis flowers can offer. How often have you purchased a strain based on the flavors or terpene profiles just to be let down by the taste when combusted? If your herb is supposed to taste like blueberries and cheesecake, it will taste like a blueberry cheesecake in the Solo 2.
Thanks to the hybrid heater (conduction and convection) and an all-glass vapor path, the Solo 2 produces some of the tastiest, terpiest vapor this side of the Mississippi. With precise single-digit temperature controls, 3-hour long battery life, and customizable settings, the Solo 2 is sure to offer a unique experience for every strain in your arsenal.
Puffco Peak Pro
Until recently, dab connoisseurs haven’t had many options in how to consume their top-shelf shatters, budders, rosins, and the like outside of the typical dab rig and torch. And unless you bake creme brulees during your off time, those dab torches can be pretty intimidating.
Concentrate consumers, new and old, have been in need of more user-friendly, straightforward devices that will let them enjoy their concentrates without the need for a stopwatch and a prayer that your dab won’t be hotter than Hades. Welcome to your new dab life powered by the Puffco Peak Pro.
Based out of Los Angeles, Puffco introduced the Peak Pro electronic dab rig in late 2020 and took the cannabis world by storm. Their technological advancements like app-enabled controls, wireless charging, and real-time temperature control guarantee that you are in the driver’s seat during every sesh.
For a newbie in the dab scene, the Puffco Peak Pro offers an effective, repeatable method to enjoy the wonders of cannabis concentrates. For the dab aficionado, this device provides a supreme level of customization and control to personalize your perfect hit.
Dynavap M
If you don’t feel like relying on batteries to ensure a quality sesh any time of the day, the Dynavap M may just be the perfect vaporizer for you. Dynavaps are battery-free, torch-powered vaporizers that have been engineered to deliver potent vapor whether you’re consuming concentrates or cannabis flowers.
Considered one of the best dry herb vapes under $100 in the vaporist community, the Dynavap M offers a high-quality portable vaporizer experience for as low as $75. Pair that with a small torch lighter (or any heat source, really) and an 1/8th of top-shelf cannabis, you’ll be flying the friendly skies for the foreseeable future.
The Dynavap’s bowl holds just .10 grams of flower, so it’s technically a microdoser, but don’t let the small amount fool you. This thing can pack a punch with the swiftness of Bruce Lee and the power of Mike Tyson.
With the Dynavap M, you get out what you put in. If you have some righteous herb, you’ll get some righteous vapor, and we have plenty of righteous herb at March and Ash!
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