If you’re new to the wonderful world of dabbing, you probably have a few questions about all of the different working parts that help make your dabs less wasteful and more flavorful. One of the most important tools of the trade is your carb cap, which helps swirl concentrates around in your banger and ensure more even heating. Here’s everything you need to know about carb caps, why they’re important, and how to use them.
What is a carp cap and why do you need one?
Carb caps are small caps made from quartz, titanium or ceramic that fit on top of your nail or banger. They are designed with small holes that help improve the airflow in your rig, making for a better intake. They’re used to “cap” your nail or banger and prevent your dab vapor from escaping, but they also improve the way air spins around in your nail. They make for better suction as you pull from the rig, but also circulate your oil to ensure complete vaporization and even heating. Even heating, circulation, improved intake, and leak prevention all contribute to better flavors from your concentrates and fuller hits from your rig, making carb caps a vital part of your dabbing setup.
While you can get away without using a carb cap, you’re going to want one if you want to avoid wasting your dabs to the air or the banger itself. Dab caps restrict airflow to the dab itself, helping to keep your banger warm for longer and reducing air pressure in your rig. They make a huge difference in the quality and the quantity of vapor from your dabs.
Different types of carb caps
As we mentioned, carb caps are typically made with titanium, quartz, or ceramic. Quartz carb caps are best for most intents and purposes since they’re durable, heat-resistant, and easy to clean. Titanium carb caps are the most durable, but they tend to get way hotter than quartz and are susceptible to leaching metallic flavors into your dabs. Ceramic caps are flavorless and heat resistant, but they’re by far the most fragile.
But aside from the material they’re made from, they come in a few major styles:
1. Disc carb caps
Disc caps have a flat bottom that sits flush with the top of your banger. It’s full of slotted channels that create a mini vortex in your banger as you pull air into the chamber. This design allows them to move concentrates around within the banger without manual twisting and tend to work best with large bangers, bigger dabs, and electric nails.
2. Spinner carb caps
Spinner caps, also known as directional carb caps, feature one or two holes that redirect air through the nail as you manually twist the cap. This helps stir the concentrates in your banger, distributing your oil evenly without the use of a dab tool.
3. Bubble caps
Bubble caps take on a ball or bubble shape that includes a stem and a hole at the top and the bottom. They work like spinner caps, but because of their round shape, they fit snuggly in most bangers, including slanted ones. They work great with big and small dabs, circulating the concentrates through the nail evenly to help you leave behind less waste.
How to use a carb cap
Carb caps are all used pretty much the same way, so whichever style you choose should be aesthetically pleasing. Select a carb cap that will work with whatever type of nail you’re using and match it in both material and size. If you’re taking larger dabs, you’ll probably prefer bubble caps, and if you’re using an e-nail, you’ll likely prefer a disc cap.
If you’re using terp pearls or inserts with your banger, you’ll want to opt for a cyclone carb cap. Cyclone caps are made with channels for the air that push your concentrates around more strongly than other styles, making them the best choice for moving those heavy pearls around. At the end of the day though, consider how the cap will spin your concentrates in the nail, if you’re using accessories, and if you like the way it looks.
Check out this awesome guide from Yo Dabba Dabba on how to use a carb cap.
Once you’ve got your cap picked out, all you need to do is heat up your banger to the ideal temperature, and apply a concentrate. Once the concentrate is dropped in, place the cap on top of your nail or banger and inhale. If you go for a spinner or a bubble cap, you will have to spin the cap around manually for best results. When you’re done, clean your nail with a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol, and dunk your carb cap into some iso. You can also hit it with a cotton swab.
