Why does that one cost three-hundred and fifty dollars when an identical one goes for less than thirty dollars? Why is all of the China stuff twenty bucks when American quartz goes for hundreds? Are there differences and what do I need to efficiently consume thca rosin? Is it worth spending hundreds of dollars on something I already bought for thirty bucks? The glass and quartz questions are endless with nowhere to turn...
A Short History of Brands
Like the infamous Roor, who introduced everyone to "glass-on-glass" fittings standard today, and my Philly favorite, Illadelph, Mothership took the game to a whole new dimension, incorporating mathematical concepts to invent pretty much every style of dab rig made today. Otherwise, the glass industry turned to modern art for its pricing and structure with glass artists selling their works for tens-if not hundreds- of thousands of dollars.
Now the heady industry is fueling modern glass art, providing an endless list of new colors and options only available thanks to the demand of Headie enthusiasts and functional glass makers world-wide. There's probably more money spent on glass than the plant it's meant for... (or maybe not).
Name Brand Quartz
While we believe Puking Beagle is accredited with the first banger designs, Quave and the QCB, or "Quave club banger" really cemented this style of banger and their brand on the hash industry. They make some of my favorite quartz in the traditional shape. Quave combined with Mothership to craft @binarybangers at a hefty price.
Toro, who invented the Terp Slurper, makes some of the most desirable quartz in the game. They remain sold out, however. Joel Halen glass is my go-to for quartz carb caps. That's right, quartz carb caps, as they're usually made from borosilicate glass. Between the perfectly shaped circle of the cap and its long narrow snout (for added pressure build-up during inhalation), it makes for the perfect carb cap.
Who is Your Favorite Quartz Brand?
Quave
Toro
Evan Shore Bangers
Victory Glassworks
Shout-out to Evan Shore Bangers who makes some awesome quartz as well, hailing from my home turf near Philadelphia, PA. Long Island Quartz is another East Coaster and Grass Labs was a recent favorite. While decent, Highly Educated is a brand I would no longer recommend and Eternal quartz just seems to always be overpriced. DCS is relatively affordable at times also. One of the most recent quartz brands, Victory Glassworks, makes some of the best and cheapest bangers/slurpers currently available. Many have turned to Victory for affordable, reliable, U.S. made quartz.
Cheap Quality
Luckily, there are a couple brands doing some quality work for prices that actually reflect cheap imports. Brands such as Victory Glass-works, have a line of production quartz for highly affordable prices. Evan Shore Bangers and his infamous “Titty Bangers” go for just over fifty bucks and are of the highest quality materials at the lowest possible price. I trust Evan more than most...
There were a few others but as the industry evolves some have fallen off while better options have appeared. If you plan to go with generic quartz, just make sure everything fits together as snugly as possible and it's wise to thoroughly inspect each piece before purchase as the generics can have some serious variance from one piece to the next.
(AFM, or Alien Flower Monkey quartz falls under this more affordable category, although I do not have experience with their products. Same is true for the banger supply company. Feel free to comment on these brands below).
U.S. Quartz Vs. Imports
There's been a lot of talk about American quartz versus "wherever-quartz," as though being American makes a mineral better. While there are various qualities of quartz, its difficult to find or notice a consistent difference in anything from heat retention to flavor. In fact, cheap generics often have crazy heat retention when new and lose it quickly with daily use. Regulations, code, and other aspects of American bureaucracy could in theory lead to more consistent results, better work environments, etc, however when it comes to function and quality, a trusted U.S. source is good to come by.
As far as regular quartz, I can find little difference in flavor from one to another. For our usage and the best hash and rosin on earth, quartz is quartz and serves one purpose, heating the hash. Quartz doesn't make flavor, but good hash sure does.
Terp Slurpers/Blenders Versus Traditional Bucket Bangers
Initially we steered away from terp-slurpers and blenders, but today, the traditional quartz banger is no longer in our use. Even and especially for ice water hash dabs, the slurpers and blenders make it much easier to successfully achieve great dabs. The chance of burning the hash lessens thanks to the movement and gravity involved.
The Slurpers/Blenders even allow us to raise temperatures slightly on huge rosin dabs with little to no burning. The upward spinning vortex these style of bangers create allow much more room for error when dialing in your dabs. Just make sure you have a bead or two for optimal airflow and a top cap. No more wiggling directional carb caps in circles, the slurper does all the work for us.
Concluding
However, the traditional Banger shape isn't fully dead. They remain the most practical option for certain set-ups, usually including an E-Nail. With an E-Nail, a rope and coil wraps around the banger bucket, making for perfectly temped dabs every time. It really depends upon your set up, experience, and typical use to decide which one is right for you. Either way, when you're dropping #chronicbomb dabs from Quantum Exotics, you're going to have an amazing day.
One Love.
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