With so many of us unable to visit our families for the holidays last year, we can only imagine this December will have an added intensity for those planning a trip home. An easy way to take the edge off that travel stress is a solid portable dab rig. But since not all portable rigs are created equally, we’re compiling a list of our favorite 5 portable dab rigs to bring home for the holidays. You can think of how to explain the CARTA to your great aunt later… let’s get started!
Sweeten Up Your Holiday with the Kandypens Oura
Kandypens are a brand known for their visual flare and their take on the e-rig, the Kandypens Oura, makes no exception, offering a full array of exotic colors suitable for the most stylish of your customers. But fashion doesn’t take you far in the world of portable dabbing without function so fortunately the Oura can hold its weight around some of the heavy hitters in the e-rig game. For customers that like their clouds extra thick, the Oura can deliver some powerful plumes on its highest heat setting. It’s also one of the few e-rigs on the market that currently offers pass-through charging, though this feature is only accessible after around 10 minutes of standard charging. Since Kandypens’ major strength has always been its style, you’ll find a lot of customers interested in its gorgeous glowing light ring built into the base as well as its vibrant and diverse colorways and customizable options including gourd-shaped colored glass tops. A less obvious but absolutely major part of the Oura’s appeal is its lifetime warranty on all parts, including glass! That should give the travel-wary some confidence!
The Price is Always Right with the Xvape Vista Mini 2
While not all of your customers are going to be “spare no expense” aficionados, everybody still wants quality. For customers that don’t want to break the bank but still want some bang for their buck, the Xvape Vista Mini 2 is easily one of the most attractive portable dab rig options. First and foremost, it’s about half the price of the leading e-rigs on the market. This typically raises the red flags but Xvape beautifully balances a stunning level of quality with the low price point. The Vista Mini 2 has a rugged pressure-fit atomizer making it a perfect portable rig for the more turbulent holiday travels. This kanthal wire-based coil is positioned out of the vapor path which lends to smooth and flavorful hits that are, again, surprising for such a low priced piece. There are loads of features that will leave you feeling that the price tag is an accident such as wireless charging capabilities and excellent battery life. But one of the best things about the Xvape Vista Mini 2 is its unique sense of retrofuturistic style. From its Lost in Space robotic chic to its ultra-secure transparent carb cap, you’ll have trouble finding another e-rig with this kind of kitschy personality.
Hibernate with the Focus V CARTA
It’s pretty much a given that the Focus V CARTA is going to be brought up anytime we mention portable dab rigs. But with its battery-powered portability, we’d be messing up if we didn’t consider the CARTA the MVP for holiday jetsetters. Seriously, if a blizzard knocks out your power for days, your only hope for e-rig enjoyment is a CARTA and a solid supply of 18350 batteries. Since this is actually a possibility, the CARTA is the official smart rig for winter hibernation. Even setting travelling aside, this remains our most popular selling smart rig and who are we to argue with the will of the people?
“Her Name is RIO and She Fits Right in Your Hand…”
Portability doesn’t count for much if a part fails on you. Fortunately, that’s not something users of the Stache RIO have to deal with much. Since this is a purely mechanical portable dab rig, it doesn’t require batteries or an atomizer but instead relies on a built-in butane torch. Sure, you’ll need to keep that butane supplied, but that’s a lot easier to get at your in-law’s country house in the middle of nowhere during the holidays than a new compatible coil. Since the RIO relies on a quartz banger similar to what you’d use with a standard glass dab rig, there’s no tricks to loading it and you can expect your portion sizes to be more or less the same. Some people refer to the RIO as a cold start rig for how beautifully its design works with cold start techniques, producing flavorful clouds comparable to your favorite glass piece but with a highly durable resin base that makes it an ideal travel companion. It’s no wonder we run out of these as fast we can get them in!
It’s HAMR Time
It’s almost impossible for the Octave HAMR to escape comparisons to the Stache RIO, but it’s clearly its own thing. Still, we’re going to indulge in the parallels. When compared to the smart rig niche of portable dab rigs, the HAMR has much more in common with the RIO with the most obvious similarity being that they are mechanical dab rigs whereas the other rigs on our list are electric. But both the HAMR and RIO make fantastic portable dab rigs for those who prefer cold start techniques with outstanding flavor. One of the biggest differences between the HAMR and RIO is the ability to disassemble the HAMR, making it perfect for stashing away in those tiny zippered compartments of your luggage. Seriously, you can go straight Tetris with a HAMR! While some users may prefer the simplicity of the RIO since it comes pre-assembled (and, if all goes according to plan, stays that way) some users may prefer the HAMR come cleaning time. That’s because disassembly always lends to easier cleaning. There are other notable differences such as the HAMR’s finger banger and the design of its glass top bubbler, but the results are largely comparable to the RIO, even if a different path is taken to get there. And given the popularity of the RIO, that’s not a bad thing at all.
It can be a challenge trying to stay relaxed when reconnecting with the family, but a portable dab rig can do wonders for reducing the seasonal anxiety. The 5 options on this list are more than up for it, so make sure to keep your shelves stocked with these travel buddies. They might just be the Christmas miracle somebody needs!