Name: K1 and Headband Mixed 73-Micron Bubble Hash

From: Colorado Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Type: Bubble hash made from a mix of K1 (LA Confidential x Durban Poison) and Headband, extracted via 73-micron screen and pressed thinly

Price: $30/gram

Grade: B+ (amongst water-extracted hash samples)

Consumption Methods:  Essential Vape, glass bong with titanium screen, and glass pipe with titanium screen

Visual: (8.5/10)  This was a very pretty and unique-looking hash, reminding some of our reviewers of the super-thin “pancake” hash that is common in Amsterdam.  It had swirls of reddish-brown color with some sandier shades, but looked almost uniform when inspected with the microscope, showing an even red-brown color and almost no visible signs of particulates.  We didn’t expect it to be malleable at all, but especially if lightly heated, it was more elastic than brittle and was very easy to work with.

Aroma: (8/10)  A light, floral, fairly standard hash aroma was all that was detected from a distance, but as the sample was disturbed, it released a much more pungent yet “cool”-smelling combination of cleaning products and lemon that definitely brought to mind Headband.  A hint of woody cedar-like smells came out when disturbed as well, adding to the fresh-smelling package.

Flavor: (8/10)  There was some disagreement here, which may have come from the differing methods of consumption for our staff.  The reviewers who smoked the hash through a bong or pipe with titanium screen didn’t enjoy the flavor as much as the one who used an Essential Vape.  The first hit was enjoyed by all though, with a pungent citrus-pine taste that lingered on the lips.  Beyond that, the taste went downhill quickly, producing the standard smoky hash taste, which our expert said normally comes from residual moisture trapped inside the product; in this case, likely due to the pressing technique used.

Consumption: While this sample was called “bubble hash”, there was no bubbling going on when the flame was put to it, only some slight surface sizzles and a bit of melting.  We were disappointed in the melt quality and though we couldn’t see any particulate or plant matter via microscope, it was clear that this sample could’ve benefited from a more through post-extraction wash or higher quality fresh (as opposed to dry) trim.  The chalk outline-like residue left behind in the Essential Vape also showed that the sample wasn’t totally pure.  Despite that, the smoke was fairly smooth yet expansive, only causing a lot of coughing during big hits, especially with the Essential Vape.

Effects: As soon as we coughed, we felt the power of this sample, but it built in potency over the first 30 minutes or so, reaching its real peak at between 30 and 45 minutes.  A near-immediate mental uplift as well as an increase in pressure that hit the brow, eyes, and crown of the head served as notice of its overall potency and the Sativa side of this med.  Beyond the initial effects, there was a little bit of disagreement as to the functionality of the effect, with one reviewer who consumed a fairly high dosage struggling to concentrate at times and feeling most comfortable zoning out on the bed listening to music.  The other reviewers, however, felt almost unaffected mentally and were able to function normally in tasks, whether they were more active or sedentary.  It was moderate potency overall for a hash sample, leaving us able to function but still providing numbing body relaxation.

Duration: 2 hours medicinal-level potency, 3+ hours overall duration

Overall: The effects and appearance of this strain said A-level meds to us, but once we really got into the nuts and bolts of the extraction and especially the bubble quality, we were a little disappointed and saw room for improvement.  Had the flavor that was present on the first hit or two been present for longer into the experience, the bubble quality could’ve almost been forgiven, as we were very impressed with the first hit.  We liked this sample overall though, as it was a suitable daytime extract that had a strong dose of potency to start, but released us to a productive and mostly clear-headed state.  With some improvements to the process, this hash has potential to be extremely unique and enjoyable.

Headband Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From: Karmaceuticals

Grade: A-

Type: Sativa-dominant hybrid, this appears to be the 707 Headband, which is Sour Diesel x Master Kush x OG Kush

Price: $43/8th

Appearance: (8/10)  This Headband sample came in the form of a rather intimidating nug with a lot of heft and sound structure.  The texture was very dry, though making the sample seem much bigger than it was weight-wise.  The typical open Sativa structure with columns of stacked calyxes formed the basis of most of the bud, with not much leaf matter remaining.  We did find a couple of tiny seed pods developing, but they were not large enough to affect the experience.  The quality trichome coverage, preservation, and harvest timing showed care and patience by the grow team.

Aroma: (8/10)  This is definitely a Diesel-tinged Headband, especially before being ground up — it was very pungent in the jar, almost more than it was when handled.  The mix of fuel, skunk, spice, and rubber retains its pungency until it settles a bit, when the aroma changes to more of a soft, herby presence.

Taste: (7/10)  The taste was slightly less pungent and harder to pin down than the smell, but one reviewer got a nearly identical fuel + rubber + chem quality as the smell, bringing to mind a darker and less citrusy Sour Diesel.  Other reviewers struggled to pick up much of a taste, just getting a hint of the fuel along with a more floral note.  The smoke itself was rather smooth on the throat but expanded readily, causing a bit of coughing at times.

Effects: While this one didn’t have the traditional vibrating headband pressure around the forehead/temples, it did have quite a bit of cycling face pressure and warmth.  More than that though was the buzzing energy that had us feeling at times racy and jittery — it aided in our internal motivation and creativity, but might be a little anxious for patients who suffer from those issues.  After about 1.5 hours, we felt the bottom drop out to a large extent, dropping us from the cerebral peak to a much more sedate and lazy comedown.  While mental faculties were completely intact at all times, the early motivation was gone and drowsiness set in.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Mood elevation, energy at first, ocular/cranial pressure fluctuations, relief of moderate stomach issues, mental relaxation as well as physical relaxation late in the duration.

Overall: For our staff, the experience that this strain provided was almost a prototypical Sativa, with a major uptick in mood, energy, and creativity to start, and a relaxing, slightly drowsy second half.  The smell and taste were both certainly above-average, with a package of Sour Diesel-like aromas and tastes that lovers of the more acrid side of the cannabis spectrum will certainly enjoy.  Lasting and nicely potent to start, we like this Headband as a late daytime or early evening med, as it served to jumpstart us at first, but had us ready for relaxation and sleep afterwards.

Headband Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From: Alternative Wellness Center

Grade: A-

Type: Sativa-dominant hybrid, unknown/debatable origin

Price: $45/8th, $40 for patients

Appearance: (8/10)  This was a rather solidly-built Headband compared to some of the long-calyxed wispy ones we’ve seen in the past.  While the stout structure was nice, it seems to have been mechanically trimmed or otherwise roughly-handled, as quite a few trichomes were missing heads.  There were no signs of stress like seeds, yellow leaves, or hermie flowers, but the harvest was slightly early (only a scant number of ambers).  Still, it was an attractive-looking and frosty sample.

Aroma: (8.75/10)  The highlight of this strain, the aroma was a very distinct sharply spicy citrus with a slightly sweet and musky fennel-like background after grinding.  It lacked the fuel found in many Headbands, but we actually like this better overall — reminded us of a Mexican Sativa in both smell and effect.

Taste: (8/10)  Much like the smell, but with more of a skunky and fuel twang to it, the taste was mostly citrus-pine sharpness.  As it burned down to the end of the bowl it became rather harsh, and it was very expansive the whole time — not one for people who can’t deal with coughing.  Take very small hits at first to get used to it…  The final ash was a medium gray, showing that it could’ve used a more thorough flush.

Effects: Like most Headbands, this one started quickly and with a variety of head and eye pressure, though this one was less ‘headband’ and more ‘baseball cap’ in terms of location.  Ears ringing, heavy breathing, tight lungs, and rushy mental energy furthered the Sativa-dominance of the strain.  The eyes were rather red for some reviewers but clear for another — either way, they were heavily medicated, feeling slightly dry and burning.  The mental energy bordered on frantic, though it could likely be channeled into productivity if necessary.  After the bulk of the effects passed around 2 hours it shifted gears to a slightly more relaxing state, with the eyes becoming more tired and the mental energy more focused.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Energy, ocular attention, mood elevation, some relaxation as it wore on, and possible migraine relief (lots of cycling head/eye pressure).

Overall: Headband is definitely a connoisseur strain rather than one for beginners — it has a tendency to get rather rushy early on, which could be overwhelming for those struggling with anxiety.  That buzzing energy also seemed to aggravate back tension at times, but that eased up towards the end.  This was a very cerebral strain, causing moments of spacing out and flighty thoughts — not very productive, more mental gymnastics than anything.  The damaged trichomes and slightly early harvest seemed to hurt the overall potential, while the flush could’ve also been improved.  This one is recommended for veteran patients who appreciate highly Sativa meds that provide mental uplift.

Headband Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From: Colorado Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Grade: A-

Type: Sativa-dominant hybrid, the real Headband is an unconfirmed lineage clone-only strain also known as “Original Diesel”… the “707 Headband” is (Sour Diesel x OG Kush) x Master Kush

Price: $50/8th

Appearance: (8.25/10)  While the loose structure and signs of stress (hermie bananas, some yellowing on leaves visible) indicated that this plant may not have reached its potential, the sample we received was extremely frosty and had plenty of visible amber trichomes, even with the naked eye.  The color overall was a healthy bright green with pale peach-colored pistils.  It was slightly wetter than we normally like but still burned fine, and we always like the distinct foxtailed structure that Headband shows.  Great harvest timing on this sample, probably 25% amber-headed trichomes.

Aroma: (8/10)  This was a typical Headband — it produced a very sharp fuel-heavy stank that had notes of leather, cleaning product, rubber, and limes.  There was basically nothing sweet in this smell at all, it’s all acrid and stinky smells that made the pungency well above-average.  If you really like Diesel-style aromas (as one reviewer does), this one’s right up your alley… we can’t exactly call it appealing though because it’s so musky and acrid.

Taste: (7.5/10)  Not as pungent as the smell, the taste was less fuel-heavy, offering more of the pine cleaner and a bitter citrus that reminded us of a gin and tonic.  There were notes of soil in there too…  The smoke itself was relatively smooth and the expansion was present but not overwhelming — not a cough-inducing strain really, which is a positive in our book.  The final ash was a light flecked gray, showing that it had seen a good flush.

Effects: Rushing energy, face pressure fluctuations (yes, the classic “headband” feeling was in effect here), and strong ocular attention started this one off.  It carried a rushy start, with some tinges of anxiety and a sense of not really knowing what to do with one’s self — but the mood was elevated in a major way, borderline euphoric at times.  There were bouts of lapsing concentration, but overall it was fairly functional and focus could be held if needed.  A bit of a philosophical bent at times, with old memories and thoughts coming up readily — it also had definite creative impulses, thanks in large part to all the pent-up energy.  Like many heavy Sativas, it came with a downturn towards the end that had us feeling a bit drowsy, but nothing too bad.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Strong ocular attention, mood elevation, energy, creativity, pain masking (especially nerve pain), and some appetite reduction properties.

Overall: This was another very solid example of Headband from CAM — we’ve seen this strain several times and it never disappoints.  It seems that we’ve yet to see it perfectly “dialed-in” though, as the minor stresses seemed to take a toll on the potency figures.  However, that wasn’t felt much in the experience, as it was plenty potent to start, really the only knock was that it dwindled heavily around the 1.5 hour mark.  The smell and taste were both as was expected with the strain — pungent and enjoyable for those who like acrid, fuely strains.  This one is best used for a boost of energy and motivation, which can turn into a scatterbrained almost anxious state at higher doses.  Recommended mainly for moderate to experienced patients who can handle some of the anxiety this rushy and energetic med may cause at times.

Headband Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From: Colorado Alternative Medicine

Grade: A-

Type: Sativa-Dominant Hybrid, (OG Kush x Sour Diesel) x Master Kush

Price: $50/8th

Appearance:  (7/10)  Blend of greens with coral-colored pistils, this sample had only a passable manicure, with some barely frosty leaves left on.  Trich formation wasn’t as dense as some strains but was above-average to the naked eye.  Moderate density and perfect dryness, with mostly clear–cloudy trichome heads.

Aroma:  (9/10)  This one has the true Headbank stank — fuel, skunk, sour citrus, pine… these are the main smells that fly out of the bud when it’s touched or ground-up.  A very impressive Headband!

Taste: (7/10)  Soil and fuel were the main tastes going in but it had a strange vegetal taste on the exhale.  The taste quality dwindled heavily towards the end and the final ash was a bit murky and dark gray, indicating a possible flush issue.  Still, when the taste was present, it was a solid Headband that was rather smooth on the throat.

Effects:  Open, clear (yet buzzing with medication) eyes, a burst in creativity, and vibrating energy throughout the body are the hallmarks of this Headband.  Strongly cerebral in the areas of creativity, motivation, and a general racing of thoughts, this strain is great for the daytime and especially creative pursuits (moreso than detail-oriented ones).  There wasn’t a ton of the traditional ‘headband’ feeling, but there was a definitely presence at the top and back of the head, but it was mostly in the eyes.  It finished with a definite energy and positive, motivated feeling… we really enjoyed this one.

Duration:  Medium-Long, 2 – 2.5 hours

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Energy, motivation, clear-headed, mood elevation, anti-anxiety, anti-depression, vision seemed sharp.

Overall:  We were especially pleased with the effects of this Headband, but the smell (and to a lesser extent) the taste were both nothing to sneeze at.  We loved how motivating and clear-headed the strain was, especially during this time of year where it seems there’s always something to do.  This would be especially great for creative types such as musicians and artists — you don’t want to ever sit still but it was never ‘racy’ or uncomfortable.  With a nicer trim and a more thorough flush, this would compete with the best Headband around.