Flower concentrates have grown exponentially in popularity and with it, the rise of the dab rig. While it may look similar to a water bong, dab rigs function quite differently. One of the main differences is the need for additional pieces of equipment and higher temperatures to achieve the perfect vaporization. Carb caps are an essential accessory that allows you to dab at lower temperatures to keep terpenes and cannabinoids intact and achieve flavorful, dense vapor with the least amount of waste.
What is a carb cap?
A carb cap is one of the many necessary accessories needed to dab concentrates. Both glass dab rigs and e-rigs (essentially all devices with a banger) use a carb cap. They are carburetors for your rig, but instead of managing the air and fuel intake like a car, it controls the air and vapor. If you’re asking yourself, “what does a carb cap do?” You’re not alone. It is an often overlooked piece of dabbing gear but it makes a world of a difference when it comes to the quality of each dab. Carb caps are often made from heat-safe borosilicate glass and come in a variety of styles and designs, so it’s easy to find one to match your setup. These glass pieces look like a top you’d play with as a kid and have a hole on the top. They are placed right over the open part of the banger to improve heat retention and airflow through the banger and down into the rig to your lips. The result is a tasty, large, and smooth dab that truly gets the most out of your concentrates. Carb caps make low temperature dabbing a lot simpler and ensures that all of the wax or oil is used up in each dab and nothing goes to waste. When it comes to heat retention, think of it like grilling on a barbecue or baking with the oven door closed vs the oven door open. Yes, you can cook with the grill open, but it wastes heat and won’t eat what’s inside evenly.
Why is it called a carb cap?
Dab carb caps are called this because they’re carburetors for your rig, which is shortened to “carb.” It caps off the open top of the dab nail or banger to control the airflow and retain heat for longer periods of time, which is needed for low temp dabs. Carb caps are specifically designed for dabbing concentrates and aren't needed when using a pipe or water bong to smoke dry herb. With a pipe, the airflow is controlled using a hole on the side of the pipe, also called a carb. Airflow in a glass bong is simply controlled by removing or replacing the bowl. Dab nails need to reach cherry red hot temperatures and should never be touched or removed.
Are carb caps needed?
While it drastically improves the quality of your dabs, carb caps are not an essential part of your setup. It is possible to dab and use your dab rig without a carb cap, but you’ll quickly find that you’ll use a lot more of your expensive flower concentrates since some will go to waste each time. You’ll also notice a drastic change in the quality of your dabs. Without a carb cap your vapor will not be as thick and flavorful. Is it necessary? No. But it should be at the top of your list after securing a dab rig, especially since they are relatively cheap compared to other dab accessories. Since it’ll allow you to utilize all of your concentrates and reduce waste, carb caps quickly pay for themselves. To summarize, some of the benefits of using a carb cap for bangers include:
- Tasty, more flavorful dabs
- Denser and larger milky white plumes
- Better airflow through the rig
- Improved heat retention
- Dab at lower temperatures
- Retain more cannabinoids and terpenes
- Never have to deal with all those wasted dabs again
- Easier cleanup since there’s less wax leftover in the dab nail
Different types of dab carb caps
While all carb caps for bangers work in the same way and improve the quality of your dab sessions, there are a few different types of carb caps for sale. Each style has their own advantages, but above all, be sure to choose the right sized dab carb cap that corresponds with the nail size used in your setup.
Carb cap materials
Just like bangers, carb caps are also made in a number of different materials, all with their own advantages and disadvantages. Most carb caps are made with borosilicate glass, quartz, or titanium, though ceramic carb caps and heat-safe silicone are also popular. We’ll break down the differences between each so you can figure out which is best for your dabbing setup.
- Borosilicate glass - Borosilicate glass is of the highest quality, heat-resistant, and the most durable type of glass used for smoking accessories. With glass, you’ll have an endless number of designs to pick from. You can find everything from what looks like a beautiful piece of art to a glass carb cap topped with your favorite animal. Glass is a great conductor of heat, but it does lose heat quickly and doesn’t distribute heat as well as other materials on this list.
- Quartz - While not the best at retaining heat, quartz carb caps are still the most common type used by the 710 community and are more affordable than titanium and ceramic models. Quartz is tasteless and produces clean, pure dabs that are full of flavor. While they are still prone to breaking and cracking, they are much more durable than glass carb caps.
- Heat-resistant silicone - Some people are skeptical of silicone, but quality silicone is safe and heat-safe. Not only can you drop a silicone carb cap over and over but never break it, silicone also creates a very good seal over the top of dab nails so not even a little vapor or heat escapes. A silicone carb cap will work just the same as any other material on the list, but without the risk of cracks and breaks (just don’t lose it). Available in several styles and colors, a silicone dab cap is usually one of the more budget-friendly options you’ll find.
- Titanium - If you’re accident prone and want dab accessories that will last, look no further than a titanium carb cap. The material is extremely durable and nearly indestructible, but that’s not the only reason dabbers choose titanium for nails, carb caps, and dab tools. A titanium carb cap made from grade 2 or grade 3 titanium will heat much quicker and retain heat better than a ceramic or glass one and does not release any byproducts. For less waiting between heating and cooling cycles, titanium is the way to go. The only negative aspect is that this material does typically cost more than the others.
- Ceramic - Many smokers dab with a ceramic carb cap, though it’s not the most popular material, mainly due to the lack of styles and designs that can be done with it. Ceramic is amazing at retaining heat but takes a while to heat up (usually around 30 seconds) and is thought by some to produce the best tasting dabs, though that’s up for debate. Critics of ceramic carb caps say that it can break easily from heat stress if accidentally heated.
Carb cap styles
Standard carb cap
This classic style is sometimes referred to as a UFO carb cap and works great for nearly all types of dab rigs. A good dab cap for beginners, this type of carb cap has a flat piece in the center with a rounded end that goes inside the dab nail and a handle on the top for grip and removal during the session. Standard carb caps come in many different designs and materials and are often the most affordable style sold at the smoke shop.
Bubble carb cap
As the name suggests, bubble caps are round and look like a bubble of glass. This specific shape sits tightly against the flat top of a quartz banger to effectively seal in heat and vapor for improved vaporization throughout the entire rip. Bubble caps have two hollow glass tubes or stems that extend from each end of the bubble to fashion the carb. Since it’s round, the shape lets users easily move and rotate the bubble carb cap, which helps move the wax or oil around the base of the banger. This practice is called chasing and improves vaporization and the quality of the dab.
Directional airflow carb cap
The innovative design of a directional carb cap allows the smoker to have better control over the airflow because of the small, angled stem that extends off the bottom. This carb cap style has one or more holes that redirect and transfer air within the banger and cap. To direct the airflow, dabbers will move around the directional carb cap using the top stem to point the air towards the sides of the banger instead of the bottom, which stirs the concentrate around the entire heated bottom for more even and quicker vaporization.
Carb cap dabber
If you know anything about the bud community, you’ll know that multi-use accessories are highly sought after because who wants to purchase three separate tools when they can have all three in one. A carb cap dabber is a dual-use essential accessory that’s a carb cap and dab tool in one! That means one less piece of equipment to own and carry around. A dab tool, also called a dabber, is an instrument used to maneuver and pick up a single dab and place the sticky stubborn concentrate into the banger. A carb cap dabber will often be made of titanium and will have the removable dab tool sticking out of the top.
Spinner carb cap
Spinner carb caps are extremely trendy right now and for good reason! These cool carb caps use the latest technology and design to create a vortex-like airflow within the banger, which is typically created by a twisted pattern of grooves on the inside of the cap. The little tornado of wind moves the wax or oil around the inside of the heated banger for more effective vaporization. Spinner carb caps are often complimented with terp pearls, also called dab pearls, which are little balls that are thrown into the banger. They will spin around with the vortex airflow to further mix up and move around the wax when taking a rip. There’s several types of spinner carb caps including dual spout spinner caps, carved coin spinner caps, and OTP spinner caps. These three varieties of spinners use different methods to force the air into a tornado-like motion. A spinner is a good carb cap for anyone who wants to upgrade their dab setup or seasoned wax lovers who want to try the latest and best accessories.
How to use a carb cap
If you already know how to use a dab rig, a carb cap is just another step in the process. If not, don’t worry. Using a carb cap is simple. Just follow this step-by-step guide:
- Heat the dab nail as usual and wait for it to drop to the optimal temperature before adding your prepared dab to the bottom of the banger.
- Immediately cover the banger by placing the dab cap over the opening on top.
- Create more effective airflow by spinning or twirling the bubble carb cap or directional carb cap. If you have a carb cap that has a flat bottom, you can achieve this by slightly lifting it up and tapping it to increase or decrease airflow. Spinner carb caps create this type of moving airflow on their own, so if that’s the style you have, you can skip this step.
- Just like when removing a bong bowl to clear the water bong, remove the dab cap so you’ll be able to clear the entire dab rig in one large inhale.
How to clean a carb cap
One of the most annoying things about dabbing is the clean up. Too much sticky build up interferes with airflow and taste, resulting in dabs that aren’t up to par. Luckily, carb caps are one of the easier parts of a dab rig to clean. For easy cleaning, regularly wipe down the outside of the carb cap with an alcohol wipe and dip a cotton bud in isopropyl alcohol to remove gunk from the inside. Stubborn residue in hard to reach areas can be removed easier when heated up for a few seconds with a dab torch, but don’t forget that it’s hot and can burn you! If you’ve been lazy and haven’t cleaned it in a while, no amount of scrubbing with a cotton bud will get everything out. Instead, place your cool carb cap in a sealable plastic bag filled with alcohol and let it sit overnight or for at least two to three hours. The build up should be loosened and easy to pick off so that your cute carb cap will be as good as new!
How to know what carb cap to buy
Carb caps come in tons of different designs and heat-safe materials such as glass, quartz, ceramic, or titanium, each with their own unique advantages. Certain materials are more durable or produce clean dabs with no added flavor, while others may have better heat retention properties. Even cheap carb caps need to be crafted from heat-resistant materials that can withstand the high temperatures required for dabbing. There are also several different carb cap styles to choose from including your standard carb cap, bubble carb cap, directional airflow carb cap, vortex carb cap (also called a spinner), or a 2-in-1 carb cap dabber. Directional airflow and vortex styles are believed to produce some of the best dabs due to their precision airflow control. Many tokers looking for unique carb caps are focused on the looks, but be sure that it also functions like a dream.
FAQ
What is a carb cap?
Carb caps are a specialized piece of equipment for a dab rig used by those who partake in cannabis concentrates. Short for carburetor, a carb cap allows the smoker to control the heat of the smoking material by regulating airflow, thus controlling the size of each dab. They aren’t needed for bongs and pipes used by flower lovers since airflow is controlled by a hole on the side or by removing the bowl. When dabbing, the carb cap is placed on top of the banger to retain heat and restrict airflow until it’s removed and the user takes a dab.
Why is it called a carb cap?
A carb cap or carburetor cap is used for airflow on a banger. It's called a carb cap, which in turn is short for carburetor cap.
What are the benefits of using carb caps?
While it’s possible to take a dab without using a carb cap, every 710 connoisseur will strongly advise against it. If you want to get the most out of your concentrate with huge dabs that are flavorful each and every time, you absolutely need to be using a carb cap. These are just a few benefits of using one:
- Low temp dabbing - Dabbing at the lowest temperature possible ensures that the potency and flavor is retained. It’s also more comfortable on the throat and lungs. The only way to achieve these beautiful globs (large dabs) is with a carb cap.
- Retain heat - Adding a carb cap ensures the banger and smoking material will be hotter for longer, giving you enough time to take a dab and reducing waste.
- Regulate airflow - Reducing the amount of air inside a banger by covering it with a carb cap creates a vacuum that helps to evenly turn concentrates to vapor. Less vapor is lost into the air and instead gets inhaled.
- Larger, smoother dabs - The above three points all add up to one enormous advantage, being able to produce larger, more comfortable dabs that are potent and flavorful. Essentially using a carb cap will give you a better overall experience and are well worth the cost.
- Less wasted concentrate - Better heating, more contained vapor, and more bang for your buck.
What is the best material for a carb cap?
There are several types of heat-resistant materials used to craft carb caps, each with their own set of advantages and drawbacks. If you’re looking for cool carb caps, try an eye catching design or opt for a less used material to give your rig a unique look. Either way, most smokers end up matching the materials of their carb cap to their banger or domeless nail.
- Borosilicate glass and quartz - Both of these materials are believed to produce some of the cleanest dabs. Quartz is very quick to heat up, saving time.
- Titanium - Drop it, toss it in your backpack, a titanium carb cap can take a beating and live to dab another day. However some smokers say it can give the dabs an occasional metallic tang. While taking longer to initially heat up, titanium is much better than glass and quartz at retaining heat.
- Ceramic - Believed by most to produce the best tasting dabs around, ceramic is also more durable than glass or quartz, making it a great option. Ceramic also has exceptional heat retention.
How to use a carb cap
Carb caps are cheap and very simple to use, especially if you already know how to dab with a rig. Prepare your dab as usual by heating up the banger until it’s cherry red and letting it cool down to the optimal temperature. Add a single dose of concentrate to the bottom of the hot banger using a dab tool and immediately cover the top of the banger with the carb cap to keep the vapor and heat inside. Control the amount and direction of the airflow by tapping, spinning, or slightly lifting the carb cap depending on the style you own. When you’re ready to take the dab, remove the carb cap and clear the rig.
Is the shipping and packaging discreet?
Nothing is as scary as having your mom or grandma find out that despite having your act together, you’re actually a giant stoner (omg, the horror!). Lucky for you, you won’t need to worry when ordering a carb cap, dab rig, or vaporizer with PPPI. Our shipping and packaging are discreet as can be. Each order is packaged right here in Dallas, Texas using plain boxes and mailers and most orders go out the very same day! In addition, we use an unassuming business name on your credit card statement and shipping label that doesn’t give out any hints as to what it is. Not only will you be puffing away with your new dream setup in no time, your nosy landlord, roommate, or siblings won’t have a clue about what you’re up to during your free time. Just remember to open the windows and air out your room before they get home.
