How Many Ways Can You Vape Weed?

How Many Ways Can You Vape Weed?

How Many Ways Can You Vape Weed? from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

General Introduction

There are many ways to enjoy marijuana in its various forms and smoking is still the most popular method to ingest THC. But, over the last decade or so, there has been huge growth in the popularity of personal vaporizer devices and the industry, in general. It seems there is a new startup every day trying to take advantage of the emerging market created by more and more marijuana-lovers switching to vaporizing. This is no fad, either. There is a growing consensus that vaporizers are the best, most efficient method to use herbs and concentrates.

Vaporizers come in all shapes and sizes and it’s likely that, if you look long enough, you’ll find one that fits perfectly with your lifestyle. There are vaporizers that fit into your front pocket and vaporizers that fill up your living room. The product you select should reflect your needs. There are even vaporizers that are capable of vaping wax, oils, concentrates, and resins. You won’t find that kind of functionality and ease-of-use in a glass pipe. Luckily you can find all kinds of different vaporizers at an online vape shop.

How to use a dry herb vaporizer

Once you have picked up your desired vaporizer, it’s not difficult to get started. Let’s take a look at the process of vaping using a dry herb vaporizer like the E-CLIPSE or PAX:

Once you have acquired your material, you’re going to want to grind it very finely using a grinder. Typically, you’ll want to use a 3-piece or 4-piece grinder, so you can catch the extra kief and treat your supply right. These are always available anywhere that sells vaporizers.
Insert your finely-ground herb into the loading chamber. For the E-CLIPSE, it features a ceramic chamber and can likely support more or less .3 grams of herb.
Activate the device. There are many ways to do this, but usually you just press the power button five times to get it to start heating the chamber.
Choose your temperature. Vape pens can have a temperature range of anywhere between 200°F to 435°F. The lower temperatures have better flavor and can lengthen the time with your herb. High temperatures create bigger vapor clouds and can hit harder. Its up to you to decide which you prefer. Be sure to pay close attention to how your particular device handles the heat.
Once it reaches the set temperature, begin sipping the vapor directly from the mouthpiece. If you are using a convection vaporizer, the temperature of the vapor can be affected by the speed of your breathing.
Once finished, allow the vaporizer to cool and clean out the chamber with a pipe cleaner or an included cleaning brush.

rosin press

How to use a vape pen for wax

With the growth of wax concentrates came the growth of wax vapes, which are also known as a dab pen or some other variation of the name. These have seen a huge uptick in popularity the last 5 years or so and are likely available somewhere near you. They have a bit of a different method of operation, but vaping them is basically the same.

What is different is the storing and loading of the material. If you thought your dry herb was sticky, just spend some time with THC wax. Things can quickly get out of hand, so here are some tips you should follow for an easier time:

You are going to need a silicone dab container to keep your wax in. Don’t bother with anything else, you will just ruin your clothing. Trust me. They are available at most every vape shop.
Invest in a dabber. This is a tool that can safely transport your wax from jar to vaporizer. Some vapes even come with one! Just don’t use your hands or anything you don’t want dipped in isopropyl alcohol.
There is more to think about when using your vape pen. You don’t want your material coating the device. Keep it upright and you can avoid any sticky situations.
This is a growing and innovative market in the vaporizing industry. For example, you could try the Saber Vape Wax Pen, which has a magnetic connection on its chamber to ease the process of loading and unloading.
Your temperature is going to be much higher than with dry herbs. However, vaporizers like the Saber Vape Pen can do the job with lower levels of heat to optimize flavors. Remember the closer you get to the vaporization temperature of your material, the better it’s going to taste. You want tasty vapor.

vaping oil

How to use a vape pen for Oil

There are many ways to turn herbs into concentrates and oils. As such, there are many different styles of oils available. The wax, mentioned above, is typically a solid and easier to deal with. There are also oils that are more translucent and viscous, similar to maple syrup or motor oil. The strategy for the different versions of concentrate doesn’t change much, but the stickier and more goopy your oil is, the more likely it is to come in some sort of cartridge.

The small skinny 510 oil cartridges are getting very popular and typically you’ll see them attached to some sort of stick or pen style battery. But some new vaporizers are now coming out specifically for these vapes – such as the SteamCloud Mini which places the cartridges side by side the battery for a sleek, discreet, space saving design. With whichever vape battery you have, simply press the power button to send power from the battery through the oil cartridge. That power will heat a coil inside and vapor will form. Simply pull from the mouthpiece and enjoy.

vaping weed

Benefits of Vaping Weed

The reasons for the growing popularity of vaping aren’t exactly hard to understand. For one, it’s much healthier to vaporize instead of smoke. Weed-smokers are different than they were 15, even 10, years ago. No longer is it a realm only for the grungy and the lazy (a bogus stereotype in the first place), now men and women of great responsibility and station are looking for ways to ingest marijuana without ruining their daily jogging routine. It helps that the smell is much easier to hide, as well.

Conduction vs Convection – Important for Dry Herb Vaporizers

Starting off, you’ll probably get into using dry herb vapes before anything else. These are the most common and easiest-to-use of the vaporizer types currently available on the market. There are typically three types of dry herb vaporizers, divided by the way that they heat your material:

Conduction: This style of heating your herb relies on direct contact with the material by way of a heated coil or surface. The surface is heated by the devices energy source and the vapor comes from the rising heat. Usually, these kinds of vaporizers are cheaper and easier to use. They were also the first style available, making this the more traditional method.

Convection: Using convection means that you are passing heated air over your material and collecting the THC off the vapor path. This usually requires the user to provide the vapor by pulling outside air through the mouthpiece. Those who favor flavor and efficiency pick this style. This is also the healthy way to vape where the herbs will not combust.

Combustion vs. Convection: At the lower ends of the spectrum, conduction vaporizers often cause combustion which creates smoke instead of vapor. When the heated surface makes contact with the material, the part that touches the surface often gets much hotter than the rest of the chamber, causing the herb to ignite. Using a convection vaporizer is usually the only way to avoid that—as they are they only devices that can guarantee complete vaporization for those seeking a healthier way to consume dry herbs.

Keep in mind, these combustion vape devices are similar to other smoking accessories like a glass pipe, bubbler or a bong. Devices like the AGO Dry Herb Vape can be a convenient way to vape herbs on the go, but you’ll actually get combustion as the herbs are turned to ash – but this is super portable so its great for the smoker that wants the electronic and the smoke too. It’s all about how you’d like your experience to go and it takes just a little research to find the sweet spot.

dabbing marijuana

Vaping vs Dabbing

Some vapers have come into this world looking for an alternative to the dabbing lifestyle. Don’t put away your blowtorch just yet. Although there are plenty of vaporizers that provide access to the huge THC content of oils, there has yet to be a vaporizer invented that can come close to the kind of hit experienced with any decent dab rig. This comes down to science. The more heat you can get your material to interact with, the more vapor will be produced at once. The more vapor that is produced, the harder it hits your lungs. One hit from a dabbing rig can change your mind forever on this issue.

There are some pros and cons for using a dab rig with oils and concentrates instead of an electronic vaporizer:

Pros:

Bigger, better hits. Period.
More customization options. If you like to have complete control of your experience, dab rigs can be your own personal creation.
More efficient use of materials: the bigger the hit is, the more likely a user is to be satiated.

Cons:

Portability isn’t much of a factor with dab rigs. There are some options available, but carrying a flame always requires a heightened level of responsibility.
Electronic vaporizers are cheaper and smaller. If you don’t want dabs to take over your life, you should at least start here.

Regardless of what style of vaporizer you pick, you can find great options at a vape shop near you, or even try online. Shipping is a breeze and you can find all your favorite vape products. Don’t wait to get started vaping, every day you smoke is another day vaping could help protect your lungs.

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