What is an e-Nail?
Wax concentrates are steadily becoming more available and growing in popularity everyday as an alternative to the marijuana plant itself. Throughout this trend, a progression of high-tech vaporizers have come to market to accommodate the use wax concentrates while offering smokers a seamless, and more importantly torchless, dabbing experience. These new vapes were coined eNails, or eRigs, and have quickly become the preferred means for dabbing wax concentrates. eNails & e-Rigs are beginning to replace traditional means of dabbing, delivering the same extra-potent clouds you’d expect from a glass dab rig, in a more convenient & combustion-free device more similar to that of a vape pen.
(the Hyer Big-E Rig with the Higher Standards Heavy Duty Dab Rig)
Portability a is primary factor for the increasing popularity of eNails and e-rigs. Before the eNail arrived on the scene, dabbing on-the-go consisted of having to lug your desktop unit around while hoping to find an outlet in sight, or hauling around your glass dab rig, torch lighter and other dab tools. Not only is the old process inconsistent, but torches and glass dab rigs can’t come close to handling the sheer volume of dabs that eNails can deliver in a dramatically shorter amount of time. Equipped with optimized functionality, these new eNails and eRig vaporizers require little power to operate, last for hours, and deliver more consistent & reliable dabs with precision temperature control.
What’s the Difference Between e-Nails & e-Rigs?
The term e-Nail comes from shortened version of ‘electric nail,’ the nail being the device used on a dab rig to heat-up concentrates. On the other hand, eRig comes from the abbreviated form of ‘electric rig.’ So what’s the difference? Typically, eNails are battery-powered, rechargeable and portable, designed for dabbing on-the-go. E-rigs ordinarily draw their energy from a wall outlet and work by converting your water pipe or dab rig into an electric rig by replacing the existing nail with an electric nail.
However, take all of this with a grain of salt--the two words are oftentimes used to describe the same products. As dabbing continued to grow in popularity, the eNail/eRig industry has responded with the release of more & more advanced units. We can easily differentiate between an eRig like the Hyer Big-E Rig (seen in the introduction) and an eNail like the Dr. Dabber Boost (seen just above), but there’s definitely some crossover with new devices arriving on the scene.
For instance, let's look at the Dr. Dabber Switch E-rig (seen above). The Switch has a battery pack that technically makes it portable, but it is rather large in size more similar to a desktop vaporizer. Like most e-Rigs by definition, the Dr. Dabber Switch plugs into your wall for power, but it is equipped with its own borosilicate glass bubbler so it won't convert your dab rig. So classifying the Dr. Dabber Switch as one or the other wouldn’t do this vaporizer the justice it deserves. The Yocan Torch E-Nail throws yet another curveball into the mix (seen below). The Yocan Torch is battery powered, very compact & portable, but despite being labeled an eNail, this vaporizer only works with your glass water pipe or dab rig more similar to that of an eRig.
The terms, although sometimes synonymous and applied interchangeably, are used loosely and often vary depending on the brand and product. We do our best to differentiate between the two in each product description based on the differences outlined above, but don't let it cloud your judgement. Whether it’s labeled an eRig, e-nail, eNail or e-rig, rest easy knowing you’ll be taking your next dabbing session to an entirely elevated level.
What are the Benefits of Using an e-Nail or E-Rig?
Since the dawn of dabs, dabbers have relied on butane torches, a rather inefficient & imprecise tool for heating quartz bangers and nails. As soon as the torch flame loses contact with the dab rig nail, it begins to rapidly cool. Too hot of a nail and you’re left with a plasticky tasting dab, while too cold of a nail and the dab won’t heat or give off as much vapor as it should. Also, torches require butane refills which can be costly. eNails and e-rigs have effectively eliminated the reliance on the butane needed to power your torch, saving you both time and money. And let’s face it, we all have that friend that probably shouldn’t be trusted with a high-powered torch flame in your family living room.
The single most important factor in terms of enjoyment when smoking wax concentrates is temperature control. Designed to eliminate the need for heating your nail via torch, eNails & eRigs were designed to offer a torchless dabbing experience by using a controller box that delivers heat through a coil directly connected to the nail itself. By doing so, eNails allow for consistent & precise vaporizing with a nail that will stay at a regulated temperature throughout your sesh.
As an added bonus, your nails and bangers will withstand prolonged use before building up dirty/burnt residue thanks to the precision temperature control offered from eNails & e-Rigs that promote cleaner, low-temp dabs (a dab taken between 315°F and 450°F is considered a “low temp dab”). In the past, flavor notes would simply burn off from the higher temperatures of a torch but low temp dabs deliver optimal flavor & potency from your wax concentrates while keeping hits smooth. Low temp dabs have also been proven to allow for fuller effects of your concentrates by promoting a higher presence of terpenes.
Wrapping it up:
E-Nails & e-rigs have a ton of advantages for the modern-day dabber including torchless dabbing, unparalleled temperature control, and unmatched portability. Not ready to give up on your glass bong? Than an eRig is the choice for you. Rather harness the power of desktop-style rips from anywhere you please? Then you’ll probably work best with an eNail. Some people prefer the torch, we get that too. Who doesn’t enjoy letting out their inner pyromaniac from time to time? For those dabbers, we promise there's no plans to stop selling our awesome glass dab rigs & trippy torches anytime soon. For the rest of us however, eNails & eRigs are the future of dabbing and here to stay.
Enhance your dabbing experience today and shop our ever-expanding collection of epic eNails & eRigs sold here!
