Dry Herb Essentials: 5 Ways to Transform
Your Dry Herb Experience

DRY HERB ESSENTIALS:

You finally have your flowers and now the real fun begins. But how can you ensure you’re getting the most out of your herb? What do you need to enjoy some fresh dry herb? We’ve got some tips for you on the best accessories and essentials needed to truly appreciate your herbal bouquet.

5 WAYS TO LAUNCH FRESH FLOWER TO PEAK PERFORMANCE:

1. CRISP-CUTTING GRINDERS

2. HIGH QUALITY PAPERS

3. PORTABLE PIPES

4. TOP SHELF BONGS

5. SUPER-SMART VAPES

#1 CRISP-CUTTING GRINDER

Time to rise and grind! However, we’re not talking about coffee beans if you catch our drift. To really make some nice clouds, you’ll need to grind your flower to perfection. When would you need a grinder? Anytime you’ve got a pipe, rolling paper or vape to fill! Boo has several fantastic grinders that’ll get the job done, but first, you might be asking, why do I need to grind my beautiful flowers?

Why do I need a grinder?

1. Ground up herbs fill your pipe or vape more efficiently than when flowers aren’t ground.
2. Taking it back to science class: finer material creates more surface area to roast, giving you a more powerful rip with greater flavor.
3. Large pieces could clog your pipe; ground material lets air flow for a smooth, even rip. No more wasted material hidden inside big chunks.

Pipes and vapes alike will appreciate a quality grinder for intensely smooth inhales.

Can you still smoke without a grinder? The answer is yes, but we don’t recommend it! Important ingredients from flowers can transfer to your hands while breaking up your herbs, leaving you with some sticky fingers and an underwhelming sesh. You could use regular scissors, but this tends to waste your flower and it ends up just about everywhere but your pipe. For the most potent clouds, use a grinder.

One tip for using a grinder: think of your flower as raw fish to be used in a sushi. You wouldn’t want to eat sushi that’s prepared days in advance--fresher is better. The same goes for your flower: if you grind your herb too early, you might find it dries up and loses flavor. The grinder is good to act as a solid storage container for pre-cut material up to a day in advance, unless you've upgraded to the Herbsaver Dry Herb Storage Grinder which seals your flowers in for freshness.

If you’re working with a water pipe, we love the Santa Cruz 4 piece herb grinder, as it will keep precious joints from clogging up too soon.

For our vapers looking for a grinder, you can’t go wrong with the Flowermate Grinder, which you can place directly into your Flowermate Vaporizer for a smooth cloud session.

#2 HIGH QUALITY ROLLING PAPERS

You’re on your grind, your flowers are ready--what now? For those on the go or who have forgotten their vape or pipe, Boo recommends always carrying around some extra rolling papers for when the feeling hits. (You can even use them as spare blotting papers!)

Why use rolling papers? It’s the most affordable and old-school option. No need to worry about charging, cleanup or what all the fancy buttons mean. Just make sure you have some practice rolling; it is an art (there are even rolling competitions). Try some tips a tray and a sleek doob tube to make it your own.

The Top 3 Benefits of Rolling Papers:

1. They’re cheap: a basic pack is only $2.99 and can last you weeks, if not months.
2. They're easy to transport: slide a few papers in your wallet or even behind your smartphone, and you’ll always be prepared.
3. Artistry: Show off your rolling skills to your friends with your paper expertise. Or keep it simply luxurious with 24-karat gold Shine papers.

For our more experienced rollers out there, we know how particular you are with brands. Choosing the right rolling paper is similar to choosing the right-fitting shoe: the quality, size, materials and style all influence your decision. In fact, many people will only use one brand of rolling paper their entire lives. And yes--your fellow rollers will probably judge you on your paper choice.

Made of hemp, rice or wood pulp, knowing the materials behind your rolling paper will help you get a sense of what you need. You can also purchase rolling papers in different sizes depending on how much flower you want to pack in. For those looking for a tried-and-true rolling paper beloved by all, you must try RAW rolling papers from Spain. Some argue there’s no other option for finding a place to lay down your herb.

#3 PORTABLE PIPES

The flowers are ground and you’re ready for a serious sesh. To make the most beautiful smoke trails, it’s time to pack your flowers into a pipe. Which one, you may ask? We’ve got quite a collection of pipes guaranteed to take you to the next level.

3 Perks of A Portable Pipe:

1. Convenience: Carry them anywhere you go. Perfect for road trips, travel and ready for any adventure.
2. No prep needed: just sprinkle in your crisp cut herbs and light it up!
3. Strength: some say these a stronger hit than a vape.

What are the advantages of smoking from a pipe instead of using rolling paper? Ask yourself this question: are you stressed when expected to perform advanced origamiand make a swan with your rolling papers in front of your friends? With pipes, there’s no need to for nimble finger dexterity as you might find with paper. Just pack and smoke!

Are there any differences between a pipe and vape for enjoying your herb? Some say a pipe could be stronger, but we haven’t heard of any problems enjoying a vape as well. However, we do guarantee you can’t find vapes as cool as our avocado pipe or chicken leg pipe for the carnivores out there. Find all of our food-themed and specialty dry pipes here.

One thing we love about both pipes and vapes is their size: you can easily keep them in your purse or backpack to have a smoke session on the go. This feat isn’t so easy with a water pipe.

#4 TOP SHELF BONGS AND WATER PIPES

These kings of the smoking world may not be discreet, but why should they be? If you’re lucky enough to own a bong, show it some love and proudly smoke your flowers with it. These massive pipes use water to help you get the most out of your herb.

3 Benefits of a Bong:

1. Safety: Cleaner hit as inhales are filtered through water before it gets to you.
2. Potency: Smoothness and power give you an intense, condensed rip every time.
3. Ease of use: just pack your flowers and voila!

Why use a bong instead of a pipe? Bongs, also called water pipes, yield a much nicer flavor. You can also get pretty high in the clouds with bongs, especially when you’re using one of our larger bongs. Be careful kids--make sure you have plenty of snacks on hand with this one.

One last thing about bongs: although they’re beautiful pieces of art and design, they might not be the best option for first-timers. Experts love the smoothness and potency of bongs, but they do require some practice. Pull in a more experienced friend or YouTube your way to victory, but remember--don’t give up! We also have a handy guide to bongs for beginners to check out.

#5 DRY HERB VAPORIZERS

If we could mix the ease of a pipe with the smoothness of a bong and the convenience of rolling paper into one, it would of course be a vaporizer. Some might say this little electric pipe is the way of the future for us flower children.

3 Benefits of A Vaporizer:

1. No smoke: A vaporizer producers vapor--not smoke! It likely won’t irritate your airways as much.
2. Easy to use: Power it up, let it heat your flowers for a minute, then puff away.
3. Portable and convenient: Most vapes are so small they can fit in your back pocket.

Why should you vape your dry herb? For starters, it doesn’t burn your flower, so your herb will last longer and maintain its fresh, natural flavor. Additionally, for all of our asthmatic or otherwise body-conscious flower lovers, there’s no actual smoke produced from a vape that could irritate your airways.

Another difference between vapes and pipes is that you don’t need to light up--the vape will heat the herb internally, all you have to do is make sure it’s charged. Remember though: not all vapes are made for dry herb, so make sure to double check before you purchase that it’s a dry-herb or dual function vaporizer. If you're not sure what you like -- check out our Guide to find the features that suit your personal vibe. As of now, the PAX 3, Firefly 2, and Davinci IQ are dominating in portable dry herb vapes, while the Volcano and Silver Surfer Vaporizer take the lead for at-home vaping.

Generally, vapes are great for techies and those who want to stay ahead of the trends: you’ll find the latest technology in vapes, designed to take you and your flowers as high as possible. For all the control freaks out there, we think you’ll prefer vapes too: you can control the precise temperature of your flower, ensuring everything is well-maintained.

Now that you know the best ways to enjoy your flowers, what are your favorite dry-herb accessories?