Resin vs. Rosin

Live resin and live rosin are forms of full-spectrum extracts – AKA a concentrated form of cannabis that includes all of the oils, cannabinoids, and terpene profiles of the plant. Some of these can be lost in other forms of concentrate processing, which is where full-spectrum gets its name from.

While there are a few sub-categories of resins and rosin, for the most part. they’ll all look a rich golden yellow and have a honey-like consistency.

So, what makes them ‘live’?

You might be used to the term ‘dry herb’, and that stems from the curing of your cannabis flowers. In the past, cannabis concentrates were made from dried leftovers to get the maximum efficiency from the plant, but in modern times there’s new technology to better utilize freshly harvested plants, and this is where we got these forms of rosin and resin.

  • They are both made from cannabis plants harvested that are immediately frozen in nitrogen and processed shortly after.

The ‘live’ in rosins and resins comes from the fact that they are processed without any drying. The drying process is a necessary step to make the herb smokable, but with concentrates, this is not needed.

How is live resin made?

Unlike live rosin, the resin is made using solvents to help the extraction process.

Carbon dioxide, butane, or propane are combined with the frozen plant material and then placed into a vacuum chamber to remove the solvents. The result is a very potent form of concentrate that is full of cannabinoids and terpenes, with very little plant material contaminant.

This is another difference to know between hash and these concentrates because the green of low-grade hash is a sign of high plant material even though the THC content is quite high.

When you first open your container of live resin, you might be blown away by the sheer amazing smell of it all. This however is just a result of all of the terpenes being so concentrated. Because you get the full spectrum of the plant, you’ll also be getting something known as an entourage effect, which helps to boost your high and medicinal effects of your cannabis.

The smell and flavor of live resin might blow you away at first!

scooping concentrates with puffco hot knife

Octane Live Resin

How is live rosin made?

The main difference is that live rosin is made without the use of solvents.

The process starts with the cannabis plant being refined into bubble hash through the use of ice water and layers of fine filters to get a form of naturally processed hash. Once this collected form of the cannabis plant has been fully refined and dried out, it can then be put through a rosin press to form a layer of light yellow goo of amazingly pure and natural plant concentrate.

The result

When you end up with your small jar of live rosin, you’re getting an almost pure form of your cannabis plant and the smell and results are amazing. You’re going to get a naturally high percentage of THC, but also of terpenes and cannabinoids that would have not been otherwise lost through solvents like in shatter or wax. People often describe the high as pure, long-lasting, and somewhat similar to consuming an edible.

terp pen xl how to use

Diesel Live Rosin

Live Resin Vapes

Considered full-melt concentrates, a majority of the live resin and rosin will be evaporated as it is heated.

With joints, you’ll commonly see a few drops spread across the joint to give the experience a bit of a kick as you consume it. Unfortunately, as you heat concentrates, a lot of the terpenes are going to be destroyed in the process, and as well will create harmful smoking off-gasses.

While traditional dab rigs are a good start, they are not without their faults as temperature regulation is harder to control and hits can be scalding on your lungs and throat.

The true best rosin and resin experience is via electric dab rigs in my opinion.

loading the puffco proxy

These are more powerful than wax pens and will have more surface for the vapor to cool down on, as well as always having an integrated water bubbler which makes the experience more fun as well as further refines the vapor you inhale.

Best E-Rigs for Live Resin and Rosin

#1 Dr. Dabber Boost Evo 

The Dr. Dabber Boost Evo is the closest thing to a torch and dab rig experience because the design is made to emulate the experience as the vapor pathway from your dab is quartz to glass, just like on the old school experience. It also features a comfortable bubbler and six pre-set temperatures, however, I do recommend sticking to the lower side of things so that you can truly get to fully experience the entourage effect and full spectrum of your cannabis.

Sit back, relax, and let your mind be blown. 

While the manufacturing quality isn’t as good on the exterior of the unit thanks to cheap rubber and plastic, the bubbler and atomizer combine for the best overall experience of the vapor from your live resin or rosin and can’t be matched in my opinion.

dr dabber boost evo HD photo

#2 Pulsar Sipper E-Rig

The Pulsar Sipper has a unique design for an E-Rig for the fact that it has an air pump and captures your vapor before you inhale it. Featuring a bubbler above the vapor holding tank, once the vapor chamber is full, you’ll be able to remove the glass from the battery base and ‘sip’ away on your stored vapor cloud.

Featuring four voltage settings and a 510-threaded quartz atomizer, running the sipper at a low voltage is going to churn up some of the best vapor quality known to mankind when you’re using it with resin or rosin.

Let the Sipper do all the work, and then take your cup of deliciousness and enjoy the high! 

With the Sipper, you’ll also have the option to use the same air pump feature with 510-Thread Cartridges so that you can choose any kind of cart you want and experience their vapor in a smoothness that a vape pen can’t quite give you. Because of the sleek design and cooling effects of the Sipper, it earns the #2 spot on our list to use with rosins and resins.

pulsar sipper how to use

#3 Focus V Carta 2

Hands down my favourite E-Rig has to be the Focus V Carta 2. Coming included with a large 3D ceramic chamber, the Carta 2 has the ability to milk vapor from its chamber longer and more effectively than its competition. With full smartphone app integration, you’ll have a ton of control over your session and how you want your rig to perform.

FOCUS V CARTA 2 CARB CAP USAGE

Stick to low temperatures for live resin and live rosin!

In my opinion, you don’t want to smash your resin or rosin with too much heat unless you really insist on it.

If you’ve paid this much for your concentrate, you might as well try to use it properly and get the maximum entourage effect as possible. If you don’t know, the entourage effect is what’s going to amplify the normal effects of your THC and terpenes into one relaxing package. The slower and even extraction style of the Carta 2 atomizer is going to allow you to get this maximum effect to your benefit, all while you enjoy the amazing flavor of your vapor.

Honorable Mention – G Pen Connect 

The G Pen Connect is a unique E-Nail that offers the chance to use any native 14mm Glass Bong or Bubbler for a unique dabbing experience. Also coming with 10mm and 18mm sold separately accessories, you’ll be able to use more pieces of glass because of the banger style of ceramic atomizer that it uses. If vapor cooling is more your thing over everything else, then definitely consider the Connect with a cool piece of glass like the 14mm Mega Globe Whip Bubbler

For those that miss the dabbing banger experience!

For those that prefer to fiddle with their sessions, the Connect is a great way to have fun and figure out what their perfect session looks like. While it might not offer as good of flavor as the other E-Rigs on this list, it performs solidly and the ceramic chamber is easy to maintain.

g pen connect with 14mm globe whip bubbler

Final Thoughts

There you have it folks, the best ways you can enjoy your live resin and rosin. Because of the pricy extraction process and full spectrum entourage effect, it’s important that you use the best extraction methods possible in order to get the best results.

While there really isn’t a discernable taste or quality in vapor when being vaporized, vaping temperatures are low enough on the Best Electric Dab Rigs to prevent tar or other harmful substances from being released when compared to smoking it in a joint.

My picks are customer tailored to provide super chill sessions with good air paths that are going to give you full terpene profiles and a lot of fun as well!

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