Cannabis Talk
Shatter vs Live Resin vs Hash: What’s the Difference?
Nov
Shatter, live resin and hash are all cannabis concentrates. Each one collects the resin of the cannabis plant into a smaller, stronger form than dried flower, but they are made in different ways, and that changes how they look, feel and smell. Here is how the three compare, using what is on our menu right now.
What they have in common
The resin in cannabis is made in trichomes, the tiny, sticky glands that cover the flowers and leaves. Trichomes hold most of the plant’s THC and its terpenes, the compounds that give each strain its aroma. Every concentrate starts by separating that resin from the rest of the plant. The difference is how it is separated and what is done with it afterwards.
Because the resin is concentrated, all three hold much more THC per gram than dried flower. A very small amount is used at one time. Health Canada advises new and occasional cannabis users to avoid extracts such as hash and shatter, because higher amounts of THC can increase impairment and the risk of serious adverse effects.
Shatter
Shatter is a solvent extract. Dried cannabis is washed with a solvent, usually a hydrocarbon such as butane, which dissolves the resin. The solvent is then purged out, and the resin sets into a thin, smooth sheet that is amber to gold in colour. When it is cool it is hard and brittle and snaps cleanly, which is where the name comes from. As it warms up it softens and becomes easier to bend.
On our menu, shatter comes in Pineapple Bang, Pink Death, Mystic Magic, Greasy Runtz, Creamsicle, Pink Gas and Terp Slush, each in 1g and 7g sizes.
Live resin
Live resin is also an extract, but it is made from plants that are frozen right after harvest instead of being dried and cured first. Drying and curing take time, and some of the plant’s terpenes fade along the way. Freezing the fresh plant keeps more of them, so live resin usually smells closer to the living plant. It is usually softer than shatter, with a sticky, sauce- or sugar-like texture rather than a hard sheet.
On our menu, live resin comes in Forbidden Fruit, Dosi Mango and Watermelon OG, each in 1g and 5g sizes.
Hash
Hash, or hashish, is the oldest of the three. It is made without solvents: the trichomes are separated from the plant by sieving, by rubbing, or with ice water, and the collected resin is then pressed into a block or ball. Depending on the method and how it is pressed and cured, hash ranges from light blonde to reddish brown to almost black, and from crumbly to soft and pliable.
On our menu, hash comes in three types: red Lebanese hash, a traditional pressed style with a reddish-brown colour; black hash, which is dark, dense and soft; and white hash. Sizes run from 7g to 28g (1oz).
Side by side
| Shatter | Live resin | Hash | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made from | Dried, cured plants | Fresh plants frozen at harvest | Trichomes separated from the plant |
| Method | Solvent extraction, then purging | Solvent extraction, then purging | Sieving, rubbing or ice water, then pressing |
| Texture | Hard, glass-like sheet that softens when warm | Soft and sticky, sauce- or sugar-like | Pressed block or ball, crumbly to soft |
| Sizes on our menu | 1g, 7g | 1g, 5g | 7g to 28g |
How people use them
Shatter and live resin are usually vaporized, with a dab rig, an electronic dab device or a vaporizer made for concentrates. Some people add a small piece on top of flower in a joint or bowl. Hash is usually warmed slightly and crumbled into a joint or bowl, alone or mixed with flower, or used in a vaporizer made for concentrates.
If you do use them, start with a very small amount and wait to see how it affects you before using more. Higher-strength cannabis products carry greater risks than lower-strength ones. Don’t mix concentrates with alcohol, and never drive or operate machinery after using cannabis.
Storing concentrates
- Keep shatter and live resin in their original containers or wrapped in parchment paper, in a cool, dark place. Heat and light soften shatter and change its texture over time.
- Wrap hash in parchment and keep it in an airtight container, so it doesn’t dry out or pick up other smells.
- Store all cannabis out of sight and reach of children and pets, ideally in a container that locks.
Which one should you choose?
It comes down to how you prefer to consume cannabis and which texture and aroma you like. If you vaporize and like a clean, glassy extract, shatter is the classic choice. If aroma matters most to you, live resin keeps more of the fresh plant’s terpenes. If you prefer to roll or pack a bowl, or like a traditional, solvent-free product, hash is the one to try.
Same-day concentrates delivery in Durham Region
All three can go in one order, together with flower or anything else on the menu. Orders typically arrive in 2–3 hours, every day from 10am to 9pm (11am to 9pm on Sundays). Prices are regular prices with no sales; every order earns Compassion points instead. Fees and free-delivery amounts for each zone are on our Durham Region delivery page. You must be 19 or older to order.
