By Rebecca Victoria Olmos

So you want to try dabbing. You’ve got your rig/torch combo ready, or maybe your new Puffco Peak all charged and ready to go. But what should you smoke? There’s wax, rosin, shatter, oh my!

All these terms fall under ‘concentrates’ or ‘extracts,’ meaning precisely that: they are concentrated forms of cannabis extracted from the plant through various methods, which give them their unique texture and consistency. Without the plant material attached to them, they can provide users with a more flavorful and potent experience.

Which is better? That’s all subjective. The beautiful part of having access to legal cannabis is that you have a plethora of choices. Below is some knowledge that might help you make the best choice for yourself and your rig. 

Wax– A broad term for all concentrates is ‘wax.’ Technically, it’s a soft waxy concentrate extracted using solvents like butane or hydrocarbon. 

Shatter– Shatter is a hard glass-like consistency. It undergoes the same extraction process as wax. The only difference is that shatter is left alone to harden, and wax is agitated to achieve its softness, according to Leafly. 

Rosin- Rosin is extracted using just heat and pressure, no solvents. You can get rosin by pressing flower or hash. It’s more of a sticky, sappy consistency. 

All of these are dabbable on their own. However, you can enhance the potency of your joints and bowls by infusing them with these concentrates. Wax is malleable and easy to scoop, shatter can be a little more difficult to manipulate but it is known for its high potency and rosin is a pure solventless form of cannabis that some users prefer. All of them will provide high levels of cannabinoids and terpenes for a potent experience.