Material Matters
While all terp pearls must withstand the incredibly high temperatures reached within a dab rig, there are still a few material choices you'll want to consider.
- Quartz: Just like quartz bangers, quartz pearls are one of the most common terp balls. They are durable and heat-resistant.
- Borosilicate: Looking for something slightly cheaper, borosilicate glass is the same material used for scientific equipment. It's affordable but less heat-resistant than other materials.
- Ceramic: Like the dish set in your kitchen cupboards, ceramic terp pearls have excellent heat retention, making them highly effective at reducing puddling, but they are slightly more fragile than quartz.
- Shinju Ceramics: If you can find Shinju pearls, this specialty Japanese ceramic offers 300% greater heat retention over conventional ceramics. It's also easy to clean.
- Ruby/Sapphire: Yes, it's true you can use precious gems like rubies and sapphires to drive more flavor. Typically lab-made, these materials are stunning accessories but more expensive and often more fragile than other options.
Size Considerations
Terp pearls range in size, anywhere from 3mm all the way up to 20 mm. If you are lucky, your dab rig brand may already have terp pearl size recommendations, but otherwise, it's based on the size of your banger and any additional accessories you are using (like inserts and caps).
The general rule of thumb is smaller pearls for smaller bangers, but some experimentation may be needed to perfect the airflow with size and quantity combinations. Here is a guide to help you get started:
- 3mm Terp Pearls for 20 mm Bowl
- 5mm Terp Pearls for 25 mm Bowl
- 8mm Terp Pearls for 30 mm Bowl
Single vs. Multiple Pearls
In most people’s bangers, you’ll find one or two smaller pearls (under 4mm). With the right setup, multiple pearls create more momentum and contact for better vaporization than just a single pearl spinning around.
Larger pearls, 8mm and above, typically don't leave much room for adding more than one, but again, this all comes down to experimenting with your own setup.
Other Shapes
While smooth, spherical pearls make up the vast majority of the terp ball world, you may find other shapes that pique your interest as you shop around. For example, look for long pill-shaped terp pearls if you have a terp slurper dab rig. And for style points, what about tiny handmade rubber ducks, oval pandas, or diamond-shaped glass pearls?
Getting Started: How To Use Terp Pearls
Dabbing remains a highly personalized experience, from the type of concentrate you use to the types of dab accessories and the session temperature.
But are there any specific rules on how to use terp pearls? If you choose to introduce a few terp balls into the banger, there are a few fundamentals you'll want to review first.
1. Determine Rig Compatibility
Overwhelmingly, terp pearls are used in dab rigs. Most conventional rigs are compatible, but you will definitely want a carb cap and ideally a spinner carb cap. This ensures proper airflow and locks in the ideal spinning action.
And of course, if you are working with a terp slurper-style setup, you'll want to get the appropriate pearls: oval, pillar, or pill-shaped.
Some concentrate vape devices also incorporate terp pearls, but this is on a device-by-device basis. Refer to the user manual to see if your device is compatible or if any terp pearls have been built into the chamber.
2. Play with Timing
When do you add the terp pearls? Before or after you've heated the nail? Before or after you've added the concentrate? This is where personal preference starts to dictate timing. Every dab-lover has their own routine, which also applies to the pearls.
Some people heat them alongside the nail, while others throw them in once it cools down. You might even see people stick the pearls into the sticky concentrate to add the pearl-laden dab all at once.
3, Experiment with Temperature
This is one area where the concentrate you choose, the desired effects, and even your rig will dictate temperature. The ground rules are that lower temperatures protect the most volatile terpenes, producing more flavor and interesting effects, while higher temperatures deliver more potency and intensity.
Need an example? If you explore Hometown Hero's THCA Diamonds with Live Resin, the activation temperature for THCA is 220°F. This is the minimum temperature required to get that THCA-to-THC transformation you're looking for. But there is always room to turn it up and down a few degrees to either side, to see how it impacts flavor and experience.
4. Witness the Whirl
How do you know your pearls are working? On the inhale, you'll see a smooth, uninterrupted spin around the inside of the nail. In the best-case scenario, they should be moving so fast that they start to blur together, although size and shape will affect this a bit.
The faster the movement, the better, as this will mean more effective and efficient heat distribution and vaporization, ultimately leading to little waste and deliciously flavorful inhales.
5. Don’t Forget To Clean Your Terp Pearls!
Just like your dab rig requires regular cleaning, so do your terp balls. Cleaning regularly, ideally between each session, is sanitary but also helps isolate the delicious flavor profiles of every dab.
But depending on the durability of the pearl material, you'll want to wait until the rig cools down before you swab the inside of the banger with an isopropyl alcohol drenched cotton swab. Glass beads, in particular, are prone to cracking with a sudden hot-to-cold temperature drop.
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Terp Pearls
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