With 4/20 long designated as the annual holiday of cannabis, another date on the calendar has gained momentum in the post-legalization era: “7/10 Day” (intended to read as “oil” backwards). Also known as “Dab Day,” July 10 honors cannabis in its purest form. Imbibing in concentrates, extracts and oils is hardly a new method of consumption — in fact, it’s said to have been around (in some form) as early as the 1940s.

According to Merriam-Webster in a 2018 “Words We’re Watching” post, it is “the act of heating a sticky oil or wax of concentrated THC extracted from cannabis and inhaling the vapors.” To newcomers, the lexicon alone — from blow torches, nails and carb caps to rigs, bangers and mats — is pretty intimidating. But cannabis companies are increasingly designing products to make the entire process more user-friendly, with its reputation becoming deservingly less illicit.

Getting high, for those who want it to, can mean getting higher. Dabbing cannabis in any form is often criticized as having a stronger potency than smoking a joint, drawing health concerns as the popularity and accessibility continues to grow. But Green Dot Labs, the leading brand of concentrates in Colorado and the first company to focus solely on cultivation for its eponymous line of extracts, encourages the consumption of its products at lower temperatures “to maximize the taste and sensory experience without inducing excessive psychoactive effects.”

Whether you are a concentrates connoisseur or you’re curious about exploring a whole new world of weed, here, High Country breaks down the terminology* and shares a curated list of dabbing discoveries to take your next session to the next level.

GLOSSARY

Bubble Hash

Bubble hash is a cannabis concentrate comprising countless trichomes,
or resinous glands, that have been separated from the plant using ice water, agitation and a sieve. Its name come from the way that it bubbles when exposed to flame.

High Country pick: Dadirri Extracts Strawberry Cookies Bubble Hash, $39, dadirriextracts.com
Shop local: High Q, highqrockies.com

Budder/Batter

One of the many consistencies for cannabis concentrates, identified
by its malleable texture that looks and feels like cake frosting. Not
all budder looks the same, and the appearance depends on the starting material and methods of extraction.

High Country pick: Green Dot Labs Fuzzy Navel Budder, $45, greendotlabs.com
Shop local: Roots Rx, rootsrxstores.com

Live Rosin

The process, as well as the resulting concentrate, that is extracted from fresh cannabis plant material that was not dried or cured. This method is used to retain the terpenes that are lost during the drying and curing process. Products that have been extracted using the live process — freezing the cannabis plant material and extracting it — have been associated as the most high-quality and flavorful concentrates due to the amount of terpenes.

High Country pick: 710 Labs Banana Pie Live Rosin, $60, 710labs.com
Shop local: Best Day Ever, bestdayevercannabis.com

Oil Cartridge

A pre-filled container of cannabis oil or concentrate designed for use with a vape pen. “Carts” are offered in multiple formats, from 510-threaded cartridges that twist onto a battery to pods that magnetically snap into place. Pre-filled vape cartridges built with ceramic tanks run less of a risk of ruining the flavor, as they do not rely on a wick or metallic coil to vaporize the oil.

High Country pick: Willie’s Reserve Redheaded Stranger CO2 Distillate, $65, williesreserve.com
Shop local: Roots Rx, rootsrxstores.com

Rosin

The resulting concentrate when heat and pressure are applied to the cannabis plant. Rosin is a desirable technique because its concentration doesn’t require the use of external solvents. It can also be used to turn lower-grade hash into a concentrate that can be dabbed.

High Country pick: 710 Labs Persy Sauce, $90, 710labs.com
Shop local: Best Day Ever, bestdayevercannabis.com

Shatter

A brittle, glasslike cannabis extract with a tendency to snap when handled. Shatter is named for its breakability and is favored for its ease in handling while dabbing. It requires long, delicate purging cycles to properly remove all solvents used in the manufacturing process.

High Country pick: Green Dot Labs Tahoe OG Shatter, $24.99, greendotlabs.com
Shop local: Green Dragon, greendragon.com

Sugar

A term used for any concentrate that has a similar consistency to wet, sappy sugar. They’re not uniform in nature and typically have colors ranging from a bright yellow to a deep amber. Sugars are also typically enhanced with small crystals of THCa that create a more granular texture and enrich the flavor and aroma of the dabbing experience.

High Country pick: Summit Concentrates NYC Diesel Sugar, $24.95, summitstrains.com
Shop local: The Green Solution, tsgcolorado.com

Water Hash

A cannabis concentrate formed by sifting the trichomes of the cannabis plant in the presence of ice water. Ice hash, (commonly referred to as ice water hash, bubble hash, or wet sift)
is typically dabbed, but can also be used to add potency to flower. Ice hash should bubble when smoked.

High Country pick: LoCol Love Peach Sorbet Water Hash, $60, locol-love.com
Shop local: The Green Joint, thegreenjoint.com

Wax

Heat and pressure with no additional agitation is the key to premium
wax. This process results in the best retention of the terpenes, flavor and highest quality final product.

High Country pick: Kush Masters Peachy Williams Wax, $30, kushmasters.com
Shop local: The Green Joint, thegreenjoint.com

*Definitions edited from WeedMaps

ACCESSORIES

Higher Standards Heavy Duty Rig

Engineered specifically for the water filtration of concentrates, this durable, medical-grade borosilicate glass rig has been handcrafted for powerful, reliable performance, and features a quartz banger for optimal flavor transfer. With slits on its diffused stem that create fine bubbles for a smooth draw, the Heavy Duty Rig boasts superior airflow and an airtight seal. $180, gethigherstandards.com

G Pen Roam

Seamlessly combining design with advanced technology, the G Pen Roam preserves the experience of traditional dabbing while on the go. Optimized to the user’s preference, it heats up within seconds to deliver the best flavor. $249.95, gpen.com

Puffco Peak

This sleek, smart device unlocks the true power of concentrates, providing the purest expression of the potency, flavor and effects of the cannabis plant. As one of the most efficient and clean dabbing devices on the market, there’s also a minimal learning curve. $379.99, puffco.com

710 Labs Pen

The most potent vaporizer pen and pod combo is also the cleanest; 710 Labs only uses medical-grade materials with no chance of heavy metal effecting the cannabis concentrate you’re consuming. 710 Labs pods are sold separately (locally at Best Day Ever) and formulated with a high-terpene fraction of its proprietary live resin extract. $20, 710labs.com

Katie Shapiro can be reached at katie@katieshapiromedia.com and followed on Twitter @bykatieshapiro.