My Favorite Strains: 818 Headband

Upon seeing a new number in front of one of my favorite strains, Headband (usually seen as the great 707 Headband),  I knew I had to try it, and I am glad to say, the 818 does not disappoint.

‘818’ comes from the San Fernando Valley telephone area code, and the area in California where one of her parents was created. 818 Headband is bred by Cali Connection and is a cross of SFV OGK IBL (San Fernando Valley OG Kush, Inbred line) x Sour Diesel.

707 on the other hand is Sour Diesel x OG Kush (and then back crossed again with OG Kush to level off and stabilize — note this technique is different than the one I will soon describe) and is bred by DNA Genetics. Here is where it can get a bit confusing though. If 818 Headband is also known as “Sour OG,” is it possible that 707 is also referred to as such elsewhere, and will this start to confuse other weedists and cannabis consumers?

Because, if SFV OGK is a daughter strain of SFV OG (which is a phenotype of OG Kush itself) that is basically crossed with Afghani, the crossing lines can start to also blur there if no attention is paid to details. This is now proving that genetic lineages and phenotypic crosses need to be studied more and understood so that the true quality of the medicine produced by such breeding practices can be preserved as well. Nonetheless, Kush connoisseurs seem to try to keep the lines as clear as possible for us to enjoy.

Because of 818 Headband’s back crossing, she becomes a 60/40 sativa dominant hybrid strain, and carries both sides of the effects pretty well in a balanced manner. I mentioned that she comes from an ‘IBL,’ which stands for an “inbred line.” This is also an important and rare quality this particular strain has, meaning it is a pure or true breeding line of genetics.

Instead of finding a different strain that has the desired qualities or back crossing (as noted above), a very similar strain is used to breed a more homogeneous or identical nature to the offspring. This often results in losing healthy qualities in the plant, but once bred back with the similar offspring, the offspring will be more healthy with the redundancy in desired traits achieved, and reducing the guess work of what phenotype you’ll grow next.

With that said, 818 Headband is simply stunning in her appearance, with a nice covering of amber trichomes popping off the darker green leaves beneath. Her pistils (or hairs) are of a pale, dark brown, and not the normal fiery red. Overall, she looks like what her genetics state she should — like a Kush mixed with Sour D.

Her scent and flavors also follow suit like ducks in a row. Pine, earth and diesel — with hints of lemon on the exhale. 818 also offers that nasal tingle or burn that comes from the zesty earth and diesel combination. And in small notes here and there, a subtle scent of floral patterns can also be identified.

Her effects are what give her name power, the swift kick to the forehead — aka the “headband effect,” with an uplifting cerebral high, paired nicely with a mellow body stone. Overall, 818 Headband left me feeling happy, carefree and relaxed in my body for quite a few hours, enough so that I passed up a smoke session a few hours later. I recommend her for day time use (mostly just because she is that enjoyable and you should be awake and ready to use her up), and a must try for all the weedist Kush lovers out there.