Carta V2 Portable Electronic Dab Rig

The Carta V2 consists of three parts: the borosilicate water attachment, the base unit, and the atomizer. It comes with a concentrate atomizer plus a titanium and quartz bowl to choose from. The water attachment holds considerably more water than the Peak’s water piece, and it really helps with cooling down the vapor.

You also get a carb cap, two 18350 batteries that you can swap out yourself, some tools, and a charging cable. The entire unit is about 7” tall and heavier than it looks with the plastic finish. I’m not big on the two-tone design, but there is an all-black model that I think is much better looking. There is also a Carta V2 phone app coming soon.

Using the Carta V2 is as easy as can be. Click the button five times to start it up. It vibrates (that’s the haptic response) and displays its battery life. Then it goes into standby mode, ready to dab when you are. To heat up, just press the button once and the base unit will heat to your last temperature setting. To change the temperature, single clicks allow you to cycle through the options from 500°F up to 842°F. As your Carta heats up, the lights flash blue. When ready, it vibrates again, and the lights stay solid green until the cycle’s over.

The bowl can handle large amounts if you want a big dab. When you’re done and want to stop the heating cycle, just press the button five times or long press. This shuts down your Carta. There’s an automatic turnoff feature to save battery life, which is a feature missing from the Puffco Peak. There’s also a $30 dry herb atomizer available for the Carta V2 which is a unique feature in a portable e-rig. I found it vaped herb most consistently when one load was vaped for one cycle; any more than that was a little uneven. This won’t replace a standalone dry herb vape, but it’s still a nice option for the price.

I found the Carta best at what it was made for: vaping concentrates. The extra water vs the Puffco Peak makes the hits smoother in general. If you want to go big, turn it up to the highest temperature and load up a monster slab. The Carta can handle it. I prefer to use the titanium bowl at temperature setting two (630°F) or three (770°F).

The Carta feels like a solid device. It weighs more than you’d expect for its size, and the glass is thick and sturdy. The atomizers seem to be more reliable than the Peak’s based on customer feedback and my experience is similar; my Carta hasn’t failed me once. I’m not big on the two-tone plastic, but there is an all-black version that I think looks more premium. Either way, it does feel and behave like a more premium device.

The strongest point is the price. It’s only $249.97 USD ($324.97 CAD) compared to $380 USD for a Peak and $400 USD for a Dr Dabber Switch. With the Carta V2 being so much more affordable and just as (if not more) capable than its competition, we’ll probably see an answer to the Carta sometime soon.