Comprehensive Dynavap Guide for Newbies to Get Started

 

Dynavaps can seem daunting at first as they are quite different from any other type of vapourizer available in the market. There are a large number of Dynavap devices to choose from and unlike electronic vapes that you can just turn on and use, Dynavaps require a little more effort from the user. Luckily, getting into the Dynaverse is not as complicated as it seems.

Picking the Right Dynavap

There are five main Dynavap devices - B, M, Omni, Vong and the BB.

• The B: The B was released in 2022 and replaced the M as Dynavap's entry-level offering. It has a stainless steel tip and condenser, and a silicone body. It uses the standard Captive Cap that all Dynavap devices from 2021 onwards come with. The B's tip is at a permanent half-bowl setting, which means that it holds half the amount of herb as the rest of Dynavap's devices. While the others give you the option to reduce the size of the bowl by half, the B only has a half-bowl.   
  
  
• The M: The M is probably Dynavap's best-selling model as it was the most affordable device before the B's release. It is made of stainless steel and is more compact than the other options. It’s an amazing and complete device by itself but it lacks some of the fancy features that the Vong and Omni have. The M is still a solid option for beginners as it is not too expensive, feels sturdier than a B and has a full bowl (that can be set to a half-bowl if you wish).
  
  
• The Omni: Dynavap calls the Omni its ‘flagship’ device. It’s made completely of titanium as opposed to stainless steel, which means that the Omni’s tip clicks faster and is also ready for the next round quickly. The Omni has a longer body with an adjustable condenser that allows you to use the device without covering the air port manually. The Omni is for those who are convinced by the B or M’s abilities and wish to upgrade to an improved experience. The Omni costs way way more than an M.
  
  
• The Vong: The Vong is a titanium-and-wood Dynavap that is designed to fit natively with 10mm and 14mm bongs, unlike the M and Omni which need an adaptor. While the Vong has a Titanium tip, it is not the same as the Omni’s titanium tip. Dynavap claims that the Vong’s tip is optimized to provide the best experience with bongs. The Vong also has an adjustable air port which can be closed partially or completely. It is priced closer to the M than the Omni. It seems that the Ti-wood Vong will eventually be phased out in favour of the Vong(i) which is fully Titanium and has interchangeable sleeves.
  
  
• The BB Series: The BB series of Dynavaps come with glass stems containing beads, and a stainless steel tip. Glass provides superior cooling than metal and the beads inside the BB stems further help cool down the vapours. The BB mouthpiece also fits natively with bongs, eliminating the need for an adaptor. The downside is that glass is fragile which makes the BB series the least durable Dynavaps. There are 3 BBs - BB3, BB6 and BB9, where the number corresponds to the number of beads. The BB9 is listed under Glass in the Accessories section of the website so it seems you can't buy it as a standalone device.

If you want to buy a Dynavap but find them too pricey, try to look online for deals on used devices.

Picking the Right Torch: Single Flame vs Multi Flame

A single-flame torch is recommended for most newbies. Popular brands are Eagle, Aomai and Honest. Keep multiple torches on hand because they tend to break frequently.

Why single flame? Single flame torches heat the device more slowly. They also make it easier to control the temperature by heating the cap at a specific location (explained in detail later).

Dual, triple and quad flame torches heat up the cap and tip much faster. This can lead to uneven heating if your technique is not perfect. Delivering more heat quickly also increases the possibility that you may burn the bud if you heat past the click. On the other hand, single flame lighters will struggle to work in windy conditions so a multi-flame lighter needs to be part of your kit for outdoor use.

What Do You Need to Get Started?

The most basic Dynavap set-up consists of three things:

• Dynavap B or M
• Single-flame or dual-flame torch
• Bud

Check out Dynavap's "Welcome Kits" to find the most affordable way to experience the magic of Dynavap. Welcome kits come with a Dynavap device, torch and case, and are priced low. All you need more is some bud. 

Yes, You Should Get an IH

Dynavaps are heated externally, which means that you can use any heat source to get the cap to click. After torches, the second most popular way to heat up Dynavaps is using induction heaters (IHs). Good IHs are ridiculously expensive ($150+) but they immensely improve the experience. No torch can match the convenience and consistency of an induction heater. In my opinion, an IH should be the first big upgrade in your journey into the Dynaverse.

The good news is that you could build an IH yourself if you have the willingness. Check out r/inductionheaters (removed).

If you want to purchase one, popular options include the Ispire Wand, VHB Carbon/Mini, KoilBoi and others. Dynavap sells their own IHs too, called the Apollo and Orion which are rebranded third-party heaters. The general sentiment among owners seems to be that they’re good but not great.

Copper Wrap / Simrell FMJ

Sometime in early 2022, probably inspired by a device called the Vestratto Anvil, Dynavap users started experimenting with wrapping their Dynavap caps with copper wire. The copper acts as a 'thermal battery' or thermal mass that retains heat for a long time, allowing the user to clear out a Dynavap bowl in one heating cycle.

One more major advantage of the copper wrap is that it enables the cap to be heated up without spinning. The user just has to hold the flame at a point till the cap clicks. This makes copper wraps a good alternative to induction heaters. There's also the cosmetic advantage of the cap remaining unblemished as the flame never touches it directly. 

Austyn Simrell who sells third-party Dynavap stems and accessories under the brand name Simrell Collection (r/SimrellCollection) created the Simrell Full Metal Jacket (FMJ). It is a copper jacket that works in the same way as DIY copper wraps. 

Several users have brought up concerns related to inhaling copper fumes but the consensus seems to be that wrapping the cap in copper is safe. No adverse effects have been reported so far even though there are many users of DIY wraps and the FMJ. Dynavap themselves have hinted at producing their own version of a Copper Cap. 

Learning Curve

Be patient when you get your first Dynavap. It takes some time to master the heating technique that works best for you and your bud. You may go through an initial phase of ‘not getting high’, especially if you have never vaped before. Practice your heating technique for at least a month; by then you should be able to get high as a kite with your device.

If you can taste the herb while taking a hit and the leftovers in the bowl are medium to dark brown after a few heating cycles, that means it is working. You don’t necessarily need to see clouds. That being said, Dynavaps are cloud machines so if you aren’t getting any clouds at all then your technique needs improving.

It is also important to use the right method to inhale the vapours. You should be taking slow pulls lasting at least three to five seconds. This results in better cloud volume and also allows cool air to be mixed in.

Grinding the Herb

You can load little chunks into the bowl directly but it’s recommended that you grind the herb for even extraction. A coarse grind is preferred over a fine grind to allow air flow. The Brilliant Cut Grinder (BCG), Santa Cruz Shredder and Flower Mill are popular grinders.

Adjusting the Bowl

If you are a light user or microdoser, you can adjust the bowl so that it holds less bud. The bowl size options depend on which model tip you have. Older models don’t have the option as far as I know. Refer to this video on Dynavap’s Youtube Channel to know how the feature works: How to use the Adjust-A-Bowl Feature | The Snap

The Dynavap B's bowl is half-size by default and therefore does not require adjusting.

Packing the Bowl

There are multiple ways in which you can pack the bowl. The first is the ‘straw method’ where you cover the air port of your device and use it like a straw to pull herb into the bowl.

The second method is the finger packing method, where you just load herb into the bowl and pack it in gently with your finger. This ensures that the bowl isn’t packed so tightly that it restricts air flow.

If you want to maximise the amount of herb that you can fill in the bowl, use a pen to force bud into the bowl. A super tight pack can lead to uneven heating due to less heat reaching the center. Therefore, packing too tightly can be inefficient and counterproductive. You might be better off doing multiple back-to-back bowls.

Tighter pack = More bud = More heating cycles = Longer sessions

Heating the Cap

Heating the cap properly is the most important thing you need to learn. Watch this video to know the basic technique: How to use the VapCap | DynaVap

Make sure that you don’t immerse the cap into the flame. You want only the heat from the flame to reach the cap, not the flame itself. It might take a good 25-30 seconds for the cap to click with a single flame torch. This will give you pretty good rips with a lower chance of burning the herb.

If the cap clicks but you get no vapour, it means the cap has clicked too fast. Try lowering the flame and/or moving it further away.

After a while, when you have this technique down, start aiming the flame lower on the cap. This will cause the cap to click at a higher temperature and you will get thicker clouds. The reason that you shouldn’t start directly with this method is because it presents a higher chance of burning the bud.

Using the Airport

You can fly using your Dynavap without going to the airport, if you know how to use the airport. The airport is the 'finger hole' on the stem and it is important to note that the airport is not a carb. It allows for cool air to be mixed in with the vapours. By controlling the airport, you can control the density of the vapour that you inhale. Keeping the airport closed will result in dense vapour when you take a pull, versus 'fluffy' vapour when you leave the airport partially or fully open.

My preferred technique of using the airport is to keep it fully closed, start inhaling and then fully opening the airport to allow cool air to enter the vapour path.

The Vong and Omni stems, as well as third-party stems like the Simrell MVS, allow you to set the size of the airport to your liking so that you don't have to manually open and close it with your finger. 

Disrespecting the Click (Full Extraction)

‘Respect the Click’ is a mantra that should be taken seriously, but it is not one to live by. To get the most out of your bud, it may sometimes be a good idea to disrespect the click by heating for a few seconds after it. If you know what you’re doing, you can get the biggest possible clouds and your bud will turn a blackish colour indicating that it is fully spent.

Titanium tips are better suited for full extraction as they heat up faster. However, you need to be especially careful while disrespecting the click on a Titanium tip to avoid combusting the herb.

Cleaning your Dynavap

The beauty of Dynavaps is that they can last practically forever with a little love and care. As you use the Dynvavap over several sessions, there will be a build-up of resin in your device's tip and condenser which affects the taste and vapour flow. Depending on your usage, you may want to clean your Dynavap once a month or as often as once a week. You can either collect the resin and re-use it (see next section) or you can just clean your device and discard the resin. 

To clean your device, you will need 99% Isopropyl Alcohol. Dismantle your Dynavap and submerge the parts in the iso completely. You can soak the cap too even though it is not recommended as it can be hazardous to use the cap if iso gets trapped in there. I haven't faced any problems because of soaking my caps in iso as I make sure they are completely dry before use.

Let the parts soak for anywhere from an hour to four hours and stir once in a while. You can try to remove the o-rings if you have nimble hands, but I started soaking the tips with the o-rings on after breaking one too many of them while trying to remove them for cleaning. The iso affects the durability of the o-rings slightly but they will have a long life if you keep them waxed. You can use Dynawax or regular beeswax/hempwax for this purpose. Coconut oil also works.  

After the iso soak, rinse all the parts with water and let them dry for at least a couple of hours. You can reuse the iso for multiple cleans till it becomes opaque. 

If you have combusted a cap and want a quick solution, the alternative is to dip q-tips in iso and just clean the part using those. Be prepared to go through a few q-tips for a complete clean. Rinse with water when you're done. 

If you are a torch user, the cap and tip will get discoloured with use. Therefore, you might want to give them their original shine back. You can do this by using a toothbrush and toothpaste to scrub the parts. For the tip, a few minutes of scrubbing will have it looking as good as new. You will see an improvement with a few minutes of scrubbing the cap too, but it takes a LOT of scrubbing to get it totally clean and it's honestly not worth the effort for me.

After you have cleaned the device, do a couple of dry runs with an empty bowl to make sure that any iso or water remaining in the parts evaporates.

Using the Leftovers

Even the leftovers can be put to good use. Vaped bud is already decarbed so you can eat it directly or use it to make edibles. You will also find considerable resin buildup in the tip, condenser and stem after a few weeks of use. This is basically a concentrate and you can boil the parts in high-fat milk to make ‘stem milk’ that will get you high. Check out r/ABV and r/AVB for recipes!

Exploring the Dynaverse

Dynavaps are modular, which means that parts from one Dynavap device will fit on any other Dynavap to create a Frankenvap. You can buy tips only from Dynavap and there are different models of tips available in Stainless Steel and Titanium.

When it comes to other parts like stems and condensers, there is a mind-boggling range of third-party options. Dynavap also have their own collection of glass stems.

The sheer number of options available are enough to make one’s head explode. To simplify things:

• Stems
• Materials: Stainless Steel, Titanium, Wood and Glass
• Popular Brands: Dynavap, TheRogueWaxWorks (TRWW), Simrell Collection and Mad Heaters. There are too many to list here, honestly. Check out Troy's Mega list of stem makers.
  
  
• Condensers and Mouthpieces
• Materials: Stainless Steel and Titanium
• Popular Brands: Dynavap, TheRogueWaxWorks (TRWW), Simrell Collection
• Worth Checking Out: Dynavap XL Condenser/Mouthpiece Combo, TRWW Cooling Unit, Simrell Collection Performance Kit/Stinger/Vortex/MVS

Resources

The best resource to learn more that I am aware of is Dynavap’s Official Youtube Channel and of course, r/Dynavap

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Got a question that isn't answered in the guide? Drop it in the comments like I drop plans to move out of the couch after a sesh or DM me on Reddit.

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