THC & CBD vape pens are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to consume cannabis, and for good reason— they’re easy to use, discreet, and offer a great way to try out a whole range of brands, vape cartridges, and strains. While most vape pens look similar, there are subtle differences between them that can impact your overall vaping experience.
Here’s are three questions to answer before buying a cannabis vape:
- Do I want a disposable vape pen that I simply discard once it’s empty?
- Would I prefer a reusable vape pen that lets me replace empty vape cartridges with new ones?
- Or would I like a refillable vape cartridge that I can reuse and refill with your own concentrates or cannabis oil?
These questions will help ensure that you get the perfect vape pen for your needs the first time around, and this article will guide you through everything you need to know.
How Do Vape Cartridges Work?
A vape cartridge (aka “cart” for short) is a single-dose glass vial that contains either a gram or half a gram of cannabis concentrate. Most carts use cannabis oil (like CO2 oil), but others use THC distillate or other cannabis concentrates like sauce or live resin.
Each cartridge has a small heating element that vaporizes the concentrate. This heating element is powered by a small battery, which is where the pen part of the vape pen comes in.
Some vape cartridges only work with certain brands, like Pax Era Pods or Airo Pro carts. Others have the standard 510-thread, which means they work on most vape batteries but won’t work on proprietary brands. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to commit to a certain brand or whether you want to go your own way.
Most cannabis extracts contain a lot of THC, and only require a small amount to deliver the same kick as a joint.
Making one gram of THC concentrate can take anywhere from 4—6 grams of flower, depending on how strong it is. If you’re prone to anxiety after large quantities of THC, shop around until you find one that you can enjoy, or just start low with a few puffs before going for more.
Luckily, just like with traditional cannabis buds, vapes come in a variety of THC-to-CBD ratios so that you can find the perfect fit for you. There are even CBD-dominant carts if you’re looking for the therapeutic benefits of cannabis without the high.
What’s In Your Vape Cartridge?
Distillate or CO2 Oil
Cartridges are filled with different kinds of cannabis concentrate, with distillate and CO2 oil being the most common. While distillates usually contain only pure cannabinoids, CO2 oils often preserve some of the terpenes of the strain, which means it will have some flavour of the original strain, while distillates are tasteless.
There are many people that like the flavour of terpenes and find distillates to be bland and boring.
Terpene Infusions
Some manufacturers add terpenes back into their distillates to improve the viscosity and to add some flavour.
There are several ways to mix terpenes back into a distillate. During the distillation process, terpenes fractionate off earlier, and manufacturers can collect them for re-adding. This process renders a very similar product to CO2 extractions, both in terms of viscosity and taste.
Did You Know About CBD-Only Vape Cartridges?
Many people are turning to cannabis as a health supplement, and they tend to dislike the psychoactive effects of weed. Some vape cartridges will have different THC-to-CBD ratios, ranging from 1:2 all the way to 1:20 or even lower.
These cartridges are popular among the wellness crowd who want the therapeutic benefits of weed without the buzz.
Full-Spectrum Extracts
The full-spectrum extract contains the full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes found in the original cannabis plant. While full-spectrum oils are less refined than distillates, they have unprecedented depth and complexity.
How Do Vape Pens Work?
Vape pens heat the concentrate until it turns into a vapour, which results in a smoother inhale without the harmful chemicals in traditional smoke.
Vape pens are getting more popular due to several factors, including:
- Ease of use: Unlike rigs, you don’t need any setup or specialist equipment. Instead, you can just put in a cartridge and smoke away.
- Portable: Vape pens are tiny and fit perfectly in your pocket. You can even pack a couple of cartridges for multiple vapes during the day.
- Discreet: Best of all, vaping produces a lot less smoke and smell than joints, making the process more discreet. If you enjoy smoking in public (or in the office, we don’t judge!), you’ll enjoy the convenience of a vape pen.
Types of Vape Pens
Even if you’re an experienced weed connoisseur, you may find navigating the waters of vape cartridges a little tricky. But it’s not that bad, just be sure to keep the following information in mind to avoid disappointment.
The market contains many brands and different vape cartridges, and understanding this market is essential to finding the perfect one for your needs. Here are just some of the considerations you should keep in mind while shopping for vape pens on our menu.
Disposables
All-in-one disposable pens (like these disposable pens from Diamond or Haaze) contain the cartridge and the battery, and they cannot be removed or replaced.
But disposable vape pens are ready to go straight out of the box and require no additional maintenance, making them excellent for newcomers.
Simply puff away til your heart’s content and throw it out once it’s done.
Cartridge/Battery Combos
If you’re more serious about vaping, you’ll want to start using a battery and cartridge system that allows you to replace your empty vape carts. The most common cartridge is a 510-thread cartridge that screws into a separate battery.
In most cases, these batteries and cartridges are interchangeable so that you can swap freely between different brands.
You can buy vape kits like this one from Haaze that contains both the battery and vape cart, or you can buy the battery and cart separately. This vape system can be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly since you can keep reusing the battery and only replace the cartridges, such as High Voltage Extracts carts, once they run out.
The only time this isn’t the case is with proprietary brands like Pax Pods. These specially designed systems only work with components of the same system. This type of setup tends to limit your ability to mix and match oils from different companies and is more expensive than its competitors. Still, the systems make up for it in sheer build-quality and quality-of-life features, such as a consumption-tracking app.
Make sure to do your research before you commit to a particular battery/cartridge combo system. For instance, Pax tends to work with many different companies to provide hundreds of different oils from which to choose, ensuring that you don’t feel limited to only several products.
However, since the pods aren’t refillable, they contribute to the ever-growing environmental crisis of disposable pods. This choice will also add to your costs since pods are significantly more expensive than refillable cartridges.
Refilling Your Vape Cartridge
While proprietary cartridges like Pax Pods are single-use only, you can actually refill many cartridges yourself. Refilling your cartridge also allows you to control the type of concentrate you want to use, as well as the strain, THC concentration, and any other factor that’s important to you.
Refilling a vape cartridge is simpler than you might think. Most cartridges have the same construction, and once you’ve done it once, you’ll have the confidence to do it again and again.
The first step is to unscrew and remove the mouthpiece. Since most cartridges have a thread to keep it firmly in place, you can feel like you’re turning to no effect. However, three counter-clockwise turns should be enough to loosen the mouthpiece enough to remove it.
During removal, be sure to pull gently but firmly. Too gentle, and you won’t get anywhere, while too hard, and you’ll end up with a broken cartridge. If the mouthpiece doesn’t seem to budge, give it another counter-clockwise twist and try again.
Once it’s off, it’s time for the potentially messy part.
- Tip: We strongly recommend using a syringe for the refilling process rather than a dropper
Choose your cannabis oil or concentrate and slowly measure out the correct amount for your cartridge. Then use the syringe to drip the oil into the chamber until you’ve dispensed either 1ml or 0.5ml, depending on your cartridge.
You may think that you still have space for more oil, but remember that you still have to put the mouthpiece back on. Overfilling can lead to a sticky mess and wasted concentrate, so it’s better to err on the side of caution.
Screwing together the cartridge is just as easy as unscrewing it. Place the mouthpiece in its proper place so that it’s touching the threads on the inside of the cartridge. Then turn the mouthpiece clockwise three to four times until it starts getting tight. Don’t over-tighten, as that will make your job harder the next time you refill your cartridge.
Recycling Your Vape Cartridges
If you’re environmentally-conscious, you may wonder if you can recycle your vape pen instead of throwing it in the trash. Unfortunately, the answer is ‘no.’ Vape pens and cartridges have many different parts, each made of different materials.
Even clear glass cartridges have metal threading, and very few recycling facilities have the inclination or means to separate the two components. While specialized recycling centers would help, provinces don’t have the resources to commit to such an expensive proposition.
If you’re concerned about the environment, consider using refillable cartridges instead.
Our comprehensive catalogue at BudMail has several different cartridges and pens, as well as a wide variety of distillate.
You can also support responsible and ethical cannabis brands. More companies are moving away from single-serve products and towards sustainable solutions. Also, consider spending a bit extra on eco-friendly materials such as glass cartridges and ceramic or bamboo tips.
These small steps may not make much of a difference individually, but it’s important to make the change on a small scale so that, collectively, it expands into the wider world.
At BudMail, we’re committed to making buying your cannabis products as eco-friendly as possible. Feel free to get in touch or browse our website to see how we’re making a change.
