Reclaim Catchers 101: Fitment, Function

A reclaim catcher is a small add on that sits between your dab rig and banger, condensing runaway vapor into a little chamber so your rig stays cleaner and you can collect reclaim. In this dabbing guide, the real win is less gunk in your favorite glass, not some magical “free dabs forever” situation.

I’ve been running reclaim catchers off and on for about two years, mostly on my daily driver quartz bucket setups and a couple terp slurpers. They’re not for every rig or every sesh, but when they click, they really click.

What exactly does a reclaim catcher do?

Picture this: you take a dab, you cap it, you get that tasty cloud, and a chunk of vapor cools down in your rig and turns into sticky brown reclaim.

A reclaim catcher intercepts a bunch of that before it hits your rig’s joint and main can. Instead of coating your downstem area and percs, it drips into a catcher chamber, usually a little jar or bulb.

So what do you actually get?

• Cleaner joint and less resin creep down into your rig

• Less frequent deep cleans with ISO and salt

• A reclaim stash that’s easier to grab than scraping a rig like a feral raccoon

How do reclaim catchers actually work (and which designs matter)?

Most catchers do the same basic thing: they create a cooler spot where vapor slows down, hits glass, condenses, and drips.

The design details are where your experience changes.

The common reclaim catcher styles

Drop down (90 degree offset) catchers

These give your banger a little “elbow,” dropping it lower and away from the rig’s joint.

Pros:

• Keeps heat farther from your joint and rig, which I like for long sessions

• Often a little more stable for torching

Cons:

• Adds, especially with big bangers, big carb caps, or a heavy terp slurper set

Straight inline catchers (short and simple)

These sit right between the rig and banger with minimal extra height.

Pros:

• Least weirdness with balance

• Usually the best airflow

Cons:

• Can still crowd your rig’s face if your joint is already close to the can

Jar style catchers (removable silicone or glass jar)

These have a little threaded or ground fit jar that collects reclaim.

Pros:

• Easiest reclaim collection, just pop the jar and go

• Great if you’re actually going to use the reclaim

Cons:

• More seals, more parts, more chances to leak if it’s a cheap one

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Materials you’ll see (and what I prefer)

• Borosilicate glass catcher bodies: Most common, usually affordable, works fine

• Quartz catchers: Harder to find, pricier, handles heat a bit better near the banger side

• Silicone jars: Convenient, but they can hold onto smell and get slick over time

• Titanium parts: Rare on catchers, more common on older school reclaim setups

Between you and me, I’m happiest with borosilicate body plus a removable jar, as long as the ground joints are clean and it seals well. If the jar threads feel crunchy out of the box, it’s not going to get better.

Will a reclaim catcher fit my rig and banger?

Fitment is the whole game. If you mess this up, you’ll end up with a wobbly science project instead of a dab station.

Here’s the checklist I run every time.

1) Joint size: 10mm, 14mm, or 18mm

Most dab rigs and many small bongs used for dabs are 14mm, then 10mm, then 18mm.

Look at your rig joint and your banger joint. A reclaim catcher has two sides:

• One side plugs into your rig (male or female)

• The other side accepts your banger (female or male)

Examples:

• If your rig has a 14mm female joint, you need a 14mm male end on the catcher.

• If your banger is 14mm male, you need the catcher’s banger side to be 14mm female.

Sounds obvious, but people (me, people) buy the wrong gender all the time.

2) Joint angle: 90 degree vs 45 degree

Most dab rigs are 90 degree. Some recyclers and funky heady rigs are 45 degree.

Match the angle or your banger will sit crooked. Crooked banger means puddles, uneven heat, and sadness.

3) Clearance: does it physically fit?

This part gets overlooked.

A catcher adds length and sometimes height. If your rig has a tight joint area, a catcher can smack the can or force your banger into an awkward spot.

I like to measure:

• From the joint to the nearest glass: at least 1.5 inches of free space is comfy

• Total added length: most catchers add 2.5 to 4.5 inches

If you run a big marble set on a terp slurper, give yourself extra room. Those marble stacks love to bonk stuff.

4) Weight and balance

A heavy quartz banger, plus a heavy carb cap, plus a catcher can torque your joint.

If your rig is light or top heavy, you might feel like you’re one bump away from a bad time.

(Yeah, I’m biased. Oil Slick Pad exists because I got sick of sticky tools rolling off the table.)

How does a reclaim catcher change airflow and heat?

Truth is, a reclaim catcher can make your rig feel different even if it fits perfectly.

Airflow changes

Any extra chamber adds a bit of restriction and turbulence. Cheap catchers with narrow internal pathways can feel choked.

Here’s what I’ve noticed from testing:

• Inline catchers usually keep airflow closest to stock

• Jar catchers can add a little drag, depends on the internal tube diameter

• Tiny 10mm setups show restriction faster than 14mm or 18mm

If you like super open airflow, you might hate certain catchers. If you like a slightly tighter pull for flavor, you might actually prefer it.

Heat management near the joint

Catchers can protect your rig joint from getting cooked, especially with long torch sessions.

On my older rig with a thinner joint, I could feel the difference. Less heat soak, less “why does my joint smell like hot glass” vibes.

If you’re using an e-rig or a vaporizer style setup, reclaim catchers are less common, but the same idea shows up as reclaim cups and condensers. Different hardware, same mess.

When are reclaim catchers worth it, dabbing guide reality check?

This is the section people actually care about. So here’s the honest dabbing guide take.

A reclaim catcher is worth it if you check at least two of these boxes.

You dab often, like daily driver often

If you’re taking 2 to 6 dabs a day, your rig gets dirty fast. A catcher stretches the time between deep cleans, and that alone can justify $20 to $60.

Less cleaning means you actually use your favorite glass more. Wild concept.

You run expensive concentrates (especially rosin)

Rosin is pricey in a lot of places in 2026. Losing vapor to reclaim feels extra annoying.

A catcher won’t “save” everything, but it can reduce how much ends up coating your rig. You’ll see the difference if you keep your temps reasonable.

You hate cleaning tight percs

Some rigs are gorgeous but miserable to clean. Complex recyclers, tiny slits, multi chamber pieces.

If your rig is the kind you have to shake like a maraca with ISO to get clean, a catcher is basically a sanity purchase.

You’re building a cleaner dab station

If you already keep your tools organized, a reclaim catcher fits that vibe.

A simple setup I like:

• Dab tray to corral tools and caps

• Wax pad or concentrate pad for loading

• Silicone dab mat under the rig to catch sticky drips

• Q tips, ISO, and a little container for used swabs

If you want to dial in that whole routine, check out the Oil Slick Pad posts on building a dab station and picking the right dab pad for your desk setup.

When I skip reclaim catchers

But honestly, I don’t always run one.

I usually skip a catcher when:

• I’m using a super tall, heavy terp slurper setup that already feels tippy

• I’m traveling and want fewer breakable parts

• I’m chasing max airflow and the catcher makes it feel tight

• I’m using a beater rig that’s easy to clean anyway

And yeah, reclaim can get gross if you ignore it. Old reclaim smells like burnt popcorn and regret.

How do you install, use, and clean a reclaim catcher?

This part is easy, but doing it “kinda wrong” can cause little annoyances that add up.

Install steps (takes 30 seconds)

1. Make sure everything is cool and dry.

2. Seat the catcher into your rig joint with a gentle twist. No grinding.

3. Seat your banger into the catcher the same way.

4. Check that the banger sits level.

5. Give it a light wiggle test. If it rocks, fix it now, not mid dab.

Using it without making a mess

If it’s a jar style catcher, don’t let the jar overfill.

Once reclaim gets up into the airflow path, your pull gets worse and it can bubble or spit. Ask me how I learned that one. Loudly.

A good cadence for heavy users is emptying the jar every 3 to 7 days, depending on how hard you go and what you dab.

Cleaning routine

For the catcher body (glass):

1. Warm water rinse to loosen gunk.

2. Soak in 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol for 20 to 60 minutes.

3. Rinse with warm water.

4. Air dry fully before reinstalling.

For silicone jars:

• Warm soapy water works, but they can keep a smell

• A short ISO soak can help, but check the manufacturer guidance

• If it stays funky, I replace the jar. Life’s short.

If you want a deep cleaning playbook, our “how to clean your dab rig fast” post pairs perfectly with running a catcher, because you’ll still clean your rig, just less often.

External rabbit holes that are actually useful:

• CDC guidance on safe handling of isopropyl alcohol and ventilation is solid if you’re cleaning in a small room.

• If you want the nerd details on glass durability and thermal shock, borosilicate manufacturers like SCHOTT publish material specs that explain why sudden temperature swings can crack pieces.

What should you buy in 2026, and what should you avoid?

I’m not going to pretend every reclaim catcher is the same. Some are clean and functional, some are wobbly mystery glass.

Here’s how I’d shop in 2026.

Quick buying checklist

• Match joint size and gender on both ends

• Match angle (90 degree or 45 degree)

• Prefer thicker glass and clean grinding on joints

• Avoid super narrow internal tubes if you like open airflow

• If you run heavy bangers, keep the catcher compact

Price tiers that feel realistic right now

Budget Option ($15 to $25)

• Material: Borosilicate glass

• Style: Simple inline or basic jar

• Best for: Newer dabbers learning what they like

• Expect: Minor airflow change, sometimes rougher joint grinding

Mid Range Option ($25 to $60)

• Material: Thicker borosilicate, better joint finish

• Style: Jar catcher or drop down with decent clearance

• Best for: Daily dab rigs, people who hate cleaning

• Expect: Better seal, better stability, fewer annoying leaks

Premium Option ($60 to $120+)

• Material: High quality glass or quartz components, cleaner machining, sturdier jar system

• Style: Compact designs that balance well with slurpers and big buckets

• Best for: Heavy users with nicer glass who want less gunk and less risk

• Expect: Smoother fit, better airflow, less “fidgeting” to keep things aligned

A couple things I personally avoid

• Catchers with super tall profiles on small rigs. Too tippy.

• Cheap threaded jars that feel gritty. They seize up with reclaim and then you’re wrestling it.

• Catchers that force your banger too close to the rig’s can. Heat plus glass contact is a breakup waiting to happen.

If you want to go deeper on pairing gear, the Oil Slick Pad blog has good reads on terp slurper setups, choosing a dab tray, and picking a silicone dab mat that actually stays put.

The vibe check: should you run one?

If your dab rig is always dirty, your joint is always crusty, and you’re tired of cleaning like it’s your second job, a reclaim catcher is a very chill upgrade. If you’re super picky about airflow or you already have a perfectly simple setup that stays clean, you might skip it and never miss it.

For me, reclaim catchers earned a permanent spot on at least one rig, especially during heavier weeks when I’m rotating live resin and rosin and don’t feel like bathing my glass in ISO every other day. And yeah, they fit right into a tidy dab station with a dab pad, a concentrate pad, and a reliable spot to set hot tools.

That’s the dabbing guide truth: reclaim catchers are not mandatory, but the right one can make your whole routine feel easier, cleaner, and a lot less sticky.