Free tracked shipping at $150 — $150.00 to go · Canada only

← Gas Gang Journal

Shatter vs Diamonds vs Distillate: Picking Your Extract

Shatter vs Diamonds vs Distillate: Picking Your Extract

Extracts menus can list shatter, diamonds and distillate side by side without explaining what separates them. If you’re not sure which to buy, here’s how they actually compare on texture, flavour, potency and ease of use.

Quick answer

Shatter is a stable, glass-like slab that’s easy to handle; diamonds offer concentrated potency with strong flavour from surrounding terpene sauce; and distillate is the cleanest, most neutral option — the right pick depends on what you value most.

Texture and handling

S

h

a

t

t

e

r

b

r

e

a

k

s

c

l

e

a

n

l

y

a

n

d

i

s

e

a

s

y

t

o

p

o

r

t

i

o

n

w

i

t

h

a

d

a

b

t

o

o

l

,

m

a

k

i

n

g

i

t

t

h

e

m

o

s

t

b

e

g

i

n

n

e

r

–

f

r

i

e

n

d

l

y

t

o

h

a

n

d

l

e

p

h

y

s

i

c

a

l

l

y

.

D

i

a

m

o

n

d

s

a

r

e

c

r

y

s

t

a

l

l

i

n

e

a

n

d

o

f

t

e

n

s

i

t

i

n

l

i

q

u

i

d

s

a

u

c

e

,

w

h

i

c

h

c

a

n

b

e

m

e

s

s

i

e

r

t

o

w

o

r

k

w

i

t

h

b

u

t

d

e

l

i

v

e

r

s

m

o

r

e

f

l

a

v

o

u

r

p

e

r

d

a

b

.

D

i

s

t

i

l

l

a

t

e

i

s

a

t

h

i

c

k

,

s

t

i

c

k

y

o

i

l

t

h

a

t

‘

s

t

y

p

i

c

a

l

l

y

p

r

e

–

l

o

a

d

e

d

i

n

t

o

c

a

r

t

s

o

r

p

e

n

s

r

a

t

h

e

r

t

h

a

n

d

a

b

b

e

d

l

o

o

s

e

.

Flavour differences

D

i

a

m

o

n

d

s

g

e

n

e

r

a

l

l

y

c

a

r

r

y

t

h

e

s

t

r

o

n

g

e

s

t

t

e

r

p

e

n

e

f

l

a

v

o

u

r

o

f

t

h

e

t

h

r

e

e

b

e

c

a

u

s

e

t

h

e

s

u

r

r

o

u

n

d

i

n

g

s

a

u

c

e

p

r

e

s

e

r

v

e

s

s

o

m

u

c

h

o

f

t

h

e

p

l

a

n

t

‘

s

o

r

i

g

i

n

a

l

p

r

o

f

i

l

e

.

S

h

a

t

t

e

r

s

i

t

s

i

n

t

h

e

m

i

d

d

l

e

,

h

a

v

i

n

g

g

o

n

e

t

h

r

o

u

g

h

m

o

r

e

p

r

o

c

e

s

s

i

n

g

t

h

a

n

l

i

v

e

r

e

s

i

n

–

b

a

s

e

d

p

r

o

d

u

c

t

s

b

u

t

l

e

s

s

r

e

f

i

n

e

m

e

n

t

t

h

a

n

d

i

s

t

i

l

l

a

t

e

.

D

i

s

t

i

l

l

a

t

e

i

s

t

h

e

m

o

s

t

n

e

u

t

r

a

l

,

s

o

m

e

t

i

m

e

s

n

e

e

d

i

n

g

a

d

d

e

d

t

e

r

p

e

n

e

s

f

o

r

f

l

a

v

o

u

r

.

Potency considerations

A

l

l

t

h

r

e

e

c

a

n

r

e

a

c

h

h

i

g

h

T

H

C

p

e

r

c

e

n

t

a

g

e

s

,

b

u

t

d

i

a

m

o

n

d

s

o

f

t

e

n

e

d

g

e

o

u

t

t

h

e

o

t

h

e

r

s

b

e

c

a

u

s

e

t

h

e

c

r

y

s

t

a

l

l

i

z

e

d

T

H

C

A

i

s

s

o

c

o

n

c

e

n

t

r

a

t

e

d

.

T

h

a

t

s

a

i

d

,

p

o

t

e

n

c

y

v

a

r

i

e

s

b

y

b

a

t

c

h

a

c

r

o

s

s

a

l

l

e

x

t

r

a

c

t

t

y

p

e

s

,

s

o

i

t

‘

s

w

o

r

t

h

c

h

e

c

k

i

n

g

t

h

e

s

p

e

c

i

f

i

c

l

i

s

t

i

n

g

r

a

t

h

e

r

t

h

a

n

a

s

s

u

m

i

n

g

b

y

c

a

t

e

g

o

r

y

.

Best format for beginners

I

f

y

o

u

‘

r

e

n

e

w

t

o

d

a

b

b

i

n

g

,

s

h

a

t

t

e

r

‘

s

s

t

a

b

l

e

t

e

x

t

u

r

e

m

a

k

e

s

i

t

t

h

e

e

a

s

i

e

s

t

t

o

m

e

a

s

u

r

e

a

n

d

h

a

n

d

l

e

.

I

f

y

o

u

‘

d

r

a

t

h

e

r

s

k

i

p

a

r

i

g

a

l

t

o

g

e

t

h

e

r

,

d

i

s

t

i

l

l

a

t

e

i

n

a

v

a

p

e

p

e

n

f

r

o

m

t

h

e

<

a

h

r

e

f

=

“

/

p

r

o

d

u

c

t

–

c

a

t

e

g

o

r

y

/

v

a

p

e

–

p

e

n

s

/

“

>

v

a

p

e

p

e

n

l

i

n

e

u

p

<

/

a

>

i

s

t

h

e

s

i

m

p

l

e

s

t

e

n

t

r

y

p

o

i

n

t

i

n

t

o

e

x

t

r

a

c

t

s

.

Best format for flavour chasers

A

n

y

o

n

e

w

h

o

c

a

r

e

s

m

o

s

t

a

b

o

u

t

t

a

s

t

e

o

v

e

r

c

o

n

v

e

n

i

e

n

c

e

u

s

u

a

l

l

y

g

r

a

v

i

t

a

t

e

s

t

o

w

a

r

d

d

i

a

m

o

n

d

s

,

s

i

n

c

e

t

h

e

t

e

r

p

e

n

e

–

r

i

c

h

s

a

u

c

e

d

e

l

i

v

e

r

s

a

f

u

l

l

e

r

s

e

n

s

e

o

f

t

h

e

s

t

r

a

i

n

t

h

a

n

e

i

t

h

e

r

s

h

a

t

t

e

r

o

r

d

i

s

t

i

l

l

a

t

e

.

B

r

o

w

s

e

t

h

e

c

u

r

r

e

n

t

<

a

h

r

e

f

=

“

/

p

r

o

d

u

c

t

–

c

a

t

e

g

o

r

y

/

e

x

t

r

a

c

t

s

/

“

>

e

x

t

r

a

c

t

s

m

e

n

u

<

/

a

>

t

o

s

e

e

w

h

a

t

‘

s

a

v

a

i

l

a

b

l

e

i

n

e

a

c

h

f

o

r

m

a

t

.

Frequently asked questions

Which extract is strongest?

Potency varies by batch, but diamonds often test highest due to their concentrated crystalline structure.

Do I need a dab rig for shatter?

Typically yes, though some people add small pieces to a joint or bowl instead.

Questions about an order? Email sales@gasgangcanda.co and a real person replies within 24 hours, Monday to Friday.

Key points