Terp Pearls: Your Comprehensive Guide to Dabbing for Maximum Flavor & Effects
The tools and techniques used to take a dab have certainly evolved over the past decade or so, with interesting innovations ranging from complex electronics to relatively simple borosilicate or quartz accessories – and now, Dab Beads or Terp Pearls.
Over time, people who enjoy dabs came to realize that vaporizing their oils using a nail or other hot surface creates lots of smoke and makes it difficult to taste the flavor or feel the full effects.
Those who prefer low-temp dabbing soon found how difficult it was to time their hit while the temperature was still in the ideal range. Even with an e-nail, it often seemed as though a true low-temp dab would leave behind half-vaped residue that required a cotton swab to clean out. What a waste of product!
Dab Beads and Terp Pearls are designed for those who want to vape their Top Shelf Dabs till the very last drop and save on flavor. It’s pretty incredible that it took us so long to figure out this technology, but better late than never! With terp pearls you’ll be able to get the most use out of your dabs and not have to worry about wasting any product.
WHAT IS A TERP PEARL
Terp Pearls, also called Dab Beads or Banger Beads, come in many forms. They can be made of different materials and sizes – like these millie encased boro pearls!
Although you can find a number of brands that sell them, most of these products are generally the same in terms of function.
Most Dab Beads and Terp Pearls are shaped as spheres or thin pills, and they’re frequently made out of heat-resistant borosilicate glass (clear, color, heady, or millies), quartz, SiC (Silicone Carbide), ceramic, sapphire,.or ruby for their attractiveness and durability.
HOW DO A TERP PEARLS WORK
Once you stop heating your dab nail or quartz banger, it immediately starts to cool off–doesn’t it? Even though higher quality bangers do a better job of evenly distributing and maintaining heat, some sections of the dabbing surface will always cool down faster than others. Terp Pearls fix this problem in an extremely efficient way.
Use a torch to heat up your banger with one or two pearls inside (note: some pearls can melt or can be thermal shocked – continue reading for more special care instructions). After it cools down to the ideal temperature, take your dab as normal using a carb cap with good airflow. The pearl(s) will help retain heat and vaporize more oil starting at the same temperature.
If you want to get the most out of your beads, use a bubble cap, directional flow carb cap, or spinner cap to move them around the nail. By doing this, not only will they help distribute the heat from surface they’re travelling on, but also move the oil around so it hits the hottest spots and vaporizes more completely.
If using a spinner cap, your Terp Pearls will really come to life, spinning rapidly around the dabbing surface of your nail or banger.
WHICH TERP PEARLS SHOULD I BUY
Terp Pearls and Dab Beads are available in a variety of materials, each with its own price tag. With budget in mind, here is a closer look at the Pros and Cons of each type to help you make an informed decision.
Borosilicate
Clear glass Terp Beads are not the best option in terms of heat retention, but they are still able to provide added surface area and movement for more efficient vaporization of your oil. Keep in mind that all boro glass can melt or change shape under intense heat, such as the direct flame from a torch, so take caution when cleaning your Terp Pearls.
Ceramic
Though ceramic dab beads or terp pearls boast similar heat retention to quartz, some aficionados argue that they deliver more robust flavor. Much like a ceramic dab nail, terp pearls made from this material can be challenging to clean and are potentially the most delicate of all materials on this list. They cannot torch cleaned as they will likely break; rather, users should allow them to completely cool down for safekeeping which presents difficulties in keeping them sparkling clean.
Quartz
The main benefits to using quartz instead of boro are improved heat retention and more accurate flavor representation. They’re also highly resistant to thermal shock, so you can go directly from the dabber to the iso without having to worry about breakage. That being said, I would still recommend waiting for them to cool down a bit before submerging in any liquid as that will speed up chazzing. You can torch clean quartz too, but again, that will make it chazz quicker.
Sapphire & Ruby
Be careful when cleansing your Terp Pearls or Dab Beads made of sapphire and ruby. If they’re still hot or warm, don’t submerge them in iso alcohol as this might trigger a thermal shock that could break or damage your Terp Pearl. Similarly, touching it with the direct flame from a torch might also create a shock that risks damaging or breaking it. Just like borosilicate,ruby Dab Beads or Terp Pearls can melt if put under enough sustained heat; so use gentle heat instead, reliable tweezers, and a dry swab for best results.
SiC
Silicone carbide is an industrial-grade material that has been used for over 100 years in a variety of applications. In recent years, however, it has become popular among dabbers for its thermal conductivity and resistance to thermal shock. Terp Pearls are small spheres made from silicone carbide that have metal-like appearance. They can be easily cleaned with a torch flame or alcohol wipe.
Shinju
The Shinju Ceramic Terp Pearls are made from a haut-quality ceramic material that can withstand extreme heat. They offer the best of all worlds with their ability to be cleaned quickly and easily back to like-new condition. The same material is used to make premium chef’s knives, which stay sharper longer than traditional steel blades. This durability definitely carries over to Dab Beads and Terp pearls made from this super-ceramic. Unrivaled heat retention caps off the list of reasons why we love this type of Terp Pearl.
SIZE MATTERS
The size of your quartz banger, glass dab rig, and carb cap setup is arguably the most important aspect after you’ve considered all the other factors.
The most common sizes for sphere-shaped Terp Pearls are 4mm, 6mm, and 9mm. You will also find some that are shaped more like a long piece of candy (think Good n’ Plenty) or a pill.
We have various sizes to fit different types of quartz bangers, nails, and dabbing surfaces.
4mm
Terp Pearls are best used with battery powered dabbing devices, such as the Puffco Peak. These handheld and portable devices typically have a smaller than usual built-in cup or surface for dabbing. Its miniature size requires a miniature carb cap, which is where Terp Pearls come in – they fit perfectly into the small space.
6mm
Though it may be controversial, we believe that the 6mm Terp Pearl is the best size for “standard” size quartz bangers. This pearl seems to preserve terpenes and keep quartz clean regardless of whether they have a 10mm, 14mm, or 18 mm joint.
9mm & Shaped
The oversized versions of what is described above are ideal for those of you who need to vaporize large quantities at one time. Perfect for big ol’ 30mm bangers or the newly popularized Terp Slurper, this will become your new go-to rigs. If using a Terp Slurper, you will need a pill and a 9mm pearl. The pill goes inside the taper and the pearls sits on top of the taper acting as kind of like valve – regulating how much hits your piece when It really is fun to watch and is extremely effective for vaporizing huge globs!
With so many ways to take a dab, it can be hard to pick which one is right for you. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. In this guide, we’ll show you the best Terp Pearls for your specific tastes and needs. Whether you love intense flavors or big rips, we’ve got you covered.
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Benefits of terp pearls
If you want to have an optimal dabbing experience, it’s important to maintain proper temperature and heat distribution. While terp pearls might take some getting used to, they are definitely worth the effort as they can help you make the most out of your dabs.
If you don’t have terp pearls, your concentrate will end up in a puddle in one corner of the banger. The beads help to evenly distribute the heat and vaporize the material more fully.
The “terp pearls” method not only allows you to create bigger clouds of smoke, but also enjoy more flavor. This happens because more terpenes are vaporized at one time. In addition, they are enjoyable and fun to watch.