We love hyping the portability and convenience of the Focus V CARTA e-rig but it often lends to a question from people who’ve never experienced the battery-backed e-rig for themselves: why not just use a dab pen? We recall life before CARTA and even had our own wax pens we’d use when on the go. They’re undeniably convenient and discreet. But there’s a reason we weren’t content with our dab pens… multiple reasons, actually. Here’s why, more often than not, we’ll reach for the Focus V CARTA e-rig over our favorite dab pen.
Flavor Comparable to a Classic Rig Experience
The current market for dab pens runs the full spectrum of quality from cheap, disposable options that will do in a pinch to high end state-of-the-art models. In our experience, none of these can match the Focus V CARTA in flavor preservation. Our e-rig stands closer in size to a traditional glass mini dab rig than it does to the pocket-sized wax pen and much of that design choice is to provide an experience that’s comparable to that of a classic oil rig.
Many dab pens use metal mouthpieces for added ruggedness and feature glues that, while not toxic, contribute to less-than-desirable flavor contamination. When you kiss the CARTA glass top, you’ll receive a potent, flavorful potpourri of tasty terps without any chemical aftertaste.
Satiny Smooth Pulls
Some wax pens can offer surprisingly smooth pulls but none that can compete with the silkiness of CARTA. A lot of this is due to the glass top that crowns each CARTA. The compact design of the dab pen doesn’t allow for water filtration, so diffusion has to be achieved through engineering with very little space. While no CARTA model will fit in your pocket, its handheld design allows enough engineering room to serve up the kind of crisp, satiny hits that outclass any dab pen.
The Choice for Cloudy Day Connoisseurs
For some people, a sesh doesn’t mean much without some powerful plumes. If you like to keep things cloudy, there are some higher end models of dab pens that can accommodate, but you need to be careful that you’re not actually crossing the line into combustion. The diminutive size of a wax pen puts limitations on its heating element whereas CARTA operates much more closely to the controlled precision of an e-nail.
Exact Temperature Settings Most wax pens offer temperature presets that get you in the general vicinity of where you want to be. If you want a dab pen that can match your preference to the single digit, you’re definitely going to be shopping at the highest end of the pricing spectrum. If you’ve downloaded the free Focus V app, you’re likely aware that CARTA temperature settings can be dialed in down to a single digit. So, while some top shelf dab pens can match the precision of CARTA, none can beat it.
Customizable Style
Dab pens are all about keeping things discreet which means they can be sleek, but lack something in personality. Even the most sophisticated models are too understated to make any bold impressions. The CARTA e-rig features an instantly recognizable, fashionable design available in eye-catching limited edition models (like the current Helios edition) as well as vibrant permanent fixtures courtesy of our line of Laser Edition models with built-in LED lights and frosted glass tops. But the base models are just the beginning.
Glass artisans are trying their hands at heady glass tops specifically designed for CARTA compatibility. We even took a look recently at some of our favorite glass tops, crafted by artisans specifically with the CARTA e-rig in mind. Today, custom CARTA glass has its own corner of the market, allowing fashion-forward e-rig enthusiasts opportunities to fashion their CARTA e-rigs into unique extensions of their personalities.
The Hassle of Cartridge-Based Dab Pens
While several dab pen models allow you to load concentrates directly into their chambers, some are still dependent on specific cartridges which can result in a limiting experience. As if having to work within the confines of cartridge compatibility isn’t bad enough, you’ll also find that the wax offered in cartridges is often diluted. When combined with a sub-standard atomizer build, you run the risk of leftover wax getting burned and inhaled with your next hit. CARTA’s design couldn’t be more different, allowing you to load up whatever concentrate you want without having to worry about cartridge compatibility. You can even purchase an affordable dry herb atomizer to bypass concentrates completely if you’re in that kind of mood.
The CARTA e-rig was designed to scratch some itches the average dab pen just couldn’t reach, but we still acknowledge there’s a time and a place for the wax pen. They’re pocket-sized, discreet, and lightweight so on those rare occasions when these qualities are the foremost in our minds, we’ll still reach for our dab pens. But most of the time, our thirst for flavor, performance and style find us choosing CARTA. But hey… we might be a bit biased.