more Terp pearls (also known as banger beads or dab pearls) are one of our favorite accessories. If you don’t know about them or don’t use them, here is an overview of why we think you should consider adding them to your daily set up.
Terp pearls are another innovative accessory that helps to achieve low-temperature dabs. Essentially, terp pearls are little spherical balls that retain heat and spin inside your banger to spread around the oil, helping you achieve a tasty temperature with little waste. Terp pearls can be used in a majority of all banger styles including traditional buckets, auto-spinners, terp slurpers, etc.
Types of Terp Pearls
There are several different styles, varieties, materials, and shapes of terp pearls. Terp pearls often range between 4-8mm. Smaller sizes are more commonly used with portable rigs such as the Puffco, whereas 6mm and up is a standard size for using with traditional quartz bangers.
If you a set up with multiple different size pearls, it is probably a terp slurper set which have a different and more specific function
Materials
Terp Pearls are available in several materials, each with their own pros and cons. Traditionally, terp pearls were only really made out of synthetic ruby and sapphire (aka. synthetic corundum) due to their superior heat retention qualities. However, now there are several different materials available at various price points.
Borosilicate or glass terp pearls are rising in popularity due to the ability to use different colors and millies. With the increased demand for terp slurper accessories, glass marble sets (or slurper sets) are almost all made out of borosilicate. In contrast to other materials on this list, glass is cheaper, more shock-resistant, and has moderate heat retention properties.
Synthetic Ruby and Sapphire provide the best heat retention for the cost. The only downfall is ruby pearls are subject to thermal shock so make sure to mindful to not submerge in cold alcohol when hot or heat up too quickly.
Gilson Opals are actually our personal favorite in part due to arrays of flashing colors, creating beautifully functional aesthetics. Although opals do not retain heat as long as ruby or sapphire, they still serve their purpose—and look damn good doing it.
SiC or Silicon Carbide is another material that has been around for a while but isn’t as widespread. SiC has incredible thermal conductivity properties (80x greater than quartz) and is shock resistant. Additionally, the material is literally bulletproof so you can’t break it accidentally nor can you heat it up too much as it is impossible to chazz.
Other Materials: There are also several other kinds of lesser-known or newly emerging materials such as D-Nail’s Diamondium, a proprietary material with insane thermal conductivity–but it comes at a price. We are sure we see several more materials in the coming years.
Shapes
Terp pearls are traditionally round or spherical– hence the name. However, there are several shapes of “terp pearls” now available from diamonds, mushrooms, pills/pillars, etc. Some people more aptly refer to these various shapes as “inserts” and essentially they exist for the same reason as terp pearls. Whatever you choose, just be mindful of how the shape wil function in your banger. For example, a diamond or mushroom is not going to spin like a sphere would in your traditional banger, conversely pills/pillars are more appropriately designed to work with terp slurpers and similar banger styles
Although some shapes aren’t as functional, they still help retain heat and disperse the concentrate for the optimal terp tasting experience. Plus, everyone has preferences and may perfer one shape over another.
If you are new to terp pearlin’, we recommend sticking to the basics.Try out some borosilicate, ruby, or sapphire terp pearls to see if you like it. Although the plethora of accessories and trends can be overwhelming, using terp pearls is really quite easy.
Steps:
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- Prior to heating your banger, place 1-2 terp pearls into your quartz
- Heat up and let cool as normal
- Once you’ve reached your desired temperature and add your product
- Place your carb carp or equivalent (ex. marble)
- Enjoy your tasty terps
One of the best and intriguing parts of terp pearls is their ability to spin. When paired with the right type of carb cap or top marble, the pearls quickly spin in a circular motion. Not only is this beautiful to watch, but also extremely functional as the motion is evenly dispersing your product so that it doesn’t burn, providing the optimal terp tasting experience.
However, even without the right carb cap (ie. a spinner cap), terp pearls are still useful to retain heat and stop oil from puddling on the bottom of the banger.
Ideally, we recommend pairing terp pearls with a spinner cap for an amazing terp tasting experience. We recommend cleaning your quartz and terp pearls after every dab as it will increase the life of your nail and deliver the best-tasting terps.
Although it may seem like a lot of work, try to get into a routine of cleaning your accessories.
Have Questions or Need More Info?
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, are confused, or just want to learn more. We are here to help.
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