Cold Start Dabbing: How to Cold Start Dabs

Cold start dabbing flips the typical process on its head. You don’t heat your banger to the perfect temperature and then drop your concentrate in while inhaling. Instead, you put a dab in the banger and then heat it up from room temperature while inhaling, watching as the extract starts bubbling and vaporizing in real time.

We’ll weigh the pros and cons of cold start dabs below and show you how to enjoy your concentrate this way. Because there’s no better way to enjoy the flavor of your extracts than cold start dabbing. 

Find the perfect dab rig and quartz banger for this approach at Badass Glass today!

Key Takeaways

• Cold start dabs reverse the traditional method: load your extract, then heat it up.
• This is a form of low-temp dabbing. It preserves more terpenes for better flavor.
• You may think you’re being less efficient with your extract with a cold start dab, but that’s not actually true.
• Using a high-quality quartz banger is key to cold-starting dabs. Thick bottoms are better.

What is a Cold Start Dab?

You’ll also see this referred to as “reverse dabbing.” Whatever you call it, the process is actually more intuitive than the normal way to dab. You load your concentrate into the banger at room temperature. Then, you cap the banger and torch the bottom, slowly but surely vaporizing the good stuff while inhaling. Most people start inhaling once they see the extract bubbling.

In case you weren’t aware, the traditional approach to dabbing is the polar opposite. You heat the banger to temperature first. Then, you scoop your concentrate, load it into the banger, and begin inhaling. This is fine for a lot of people. But getting the temperature just right is tricky. Cold start dabs involve less guesswork. You know you’ve heated the dab enough when you see it bubbling up. 

Pros and Cons of Cold Start Dabs

We’re not here to tell you cold start dabbing is inherently better. Only you can decide which approach makes the most sense for how you like to enjoy your concentrate.

Pros

• Better flavor: This is the easiest way to go about low-temp dabbing, which preserves terpenes that would get destroyed by high heat. 
• Less waste: A lot of concentrate gets scorched at higher temperatures before you actually get to enjoy it. Cold starting your dabs maximizes the good stuff.
• Easier on your throat: In addition to improving flavor, cold-start dabs are less harsh to inhale.
• Simpler timing: No need to mess around with a timer or guess at heat. Start inhaling when you see bubbles.
• Cleaner banger: You never really get the banger red hot, so there’s less charring. Keeps the banger pristine with a quick cotton swab after each dab.

Cons

• Smaller clouds: Don’t expect the same thick vapor you’d get from a high-temp dab. That’s not the point here, though.
• May need to reheat: You might not get all the concentrate vaporized on the first go. Especially if you take bigger globs. That’s fine. You can finish the dab with a second pass. 
• Better suited to softer concentrates: Think budder, live resin, rosin, etc. Harder textures like shatter or diamonds take a little longer to melt, so you’ll have to torch them longer.

What You Need For Cold Start Dabbing

The list of gear is essentially the same for cold start dabs as it is for normal dabs: 

• A good dab rig
• A quartz banger (ideally with a thick bottom)
• A carb cap
• A dab tool for loading concentrate
• A butane torch
• Your concentrate of choice

You don’t have to go out and get anything new if you’re already a dabber just looking to try something a little different. The only thing that changes is the order of your steps.

How to Cold Start Dabs: Step-by-Step Guide

If you already know how to hit a dab rig, then trying cold start dabbing is super simple:

• Step 1: Load your concentrate with your dab tool. Start with just a small amount of concentrate so you can get the hang of this method. Put it in the bottom of the banger at room temperature. Ideally, in the center of the banger floor for even melting.
• Step 2: Place your carb cap on top before you start heating. This traps heat and creates the necessary low-pressure environment for low-temperature vaporization.
• Step 3: Aim your torch at the bottom of the banger on a low to medium flame. Keep it moving in slow circles to evenly distribute heat. You don’t want to deal with hot spots.
• Step 4: Watch for bubbles. You should see them forming after around 10-15 seconds of applying heat. The concentrate will begin melting, and then you can put the torch aside (after turning it off, of course). 
• Step 5: Slowly draw through the rig while rotating the carb cap to direct airflow across the concentrate. You’ll get less vapor per pull due to the lower temperature. So, a slow, steady inhale gets the most from each dab. Think sipping rather than chugging.
• Step 6: Swab the banger while it’s still warm. A cotton swab gets any remaining residue out to prevent buildup from affecting flavor on your next session. 

There’s a little caveat between steps 5 and 6. You can reheat the banger if you don’t think your first cold start vaporized all the concentrate in it. Heat it up again and go in for round two. Because the banger is probably still warm, you may only need to heat it for 5-10 seconds this time.

Upgrading Your Arsenal For Cold Start Dabs

Like we said earlier, you don’t have to go out and get a whole new setup for cold start dabbing. However, you may find that it’s worth upgrading a few key components. 

What Bangers Are Best?

There are so many different types of dab bangers. Really, what matters most for cold start dabs is how thick the quartz is. Extra quartz at the bottom of the banger will hold heat longer and distribute it more evenly. This helps the concentrate melt uniformly, so you’re not wasting.

We actually have a Cold Start Banger ($31.60) that’s purpose-built for this approach. Give it a look and see if it’s right for your dab rig. 

Should You Use an Insert?

Inserts are small quartz cups that sit inside your banger. Learning how to do cold start dabs with one of these is a little different. You actually load your concentrate into the insert, and then put the insert in your quartz banger. Then you heat that up. 

You get more control over temperature because of the thermal separation. This also makes cleanup easier since you just clean the insert instead of the banger itself. 

Do You Need a Whole New Rig?

There’s never a bad time to spoil yourself with a new dab rig! You don’t need one, but be honest - do you want one? If so, spoil yourself at Badass Glass! Check out some of the mini dab rigs we carry. These are a better fit for cold start dabbing because the vapor has less distance to travel before reaching your lungs. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cold start for dabs?

This means loading concentrate into a room-temperature banger and then heating it up. It’s the reverse of the traditional dabbing method. 

Are cold start dabs wasteful?

No, but people think they are. On the contrary! You waste less concentrate than high-temperature dabs. You gradually vaporize material instead of scorching it on contact.

Do cold start dabs get you higher?

Not inherently. The effects depend on the concentrate itself, not the heating method. A lot of people find that low-temp dabbing, which is what this approach really is, actually leads to less pronounced effects - but that’s a trade-off flavor chasers are more than comfortable with. 

What is the best banger for cold start dabs?

A thick-bottomed quartz banger. We have many of these dab nail types if you need an upgrade.

Closing Thoughts on Cold Start Dabbing

All that’s left to do now is try cold start dabs yourself and see what the hype is all about! You might find it’s not for you - or, you could discover your new favorite way to dab. Get started today.