Old-fashioned, yet effective, rolling joints and using bongs are great ways to consume cannabis, but vaporizing is quickly becoming the preferred method.
Some people, however, refuse to switch to vaping because their attempts aren’t always successful. This is because the vaporizing process is trickier than the traditional methods.
With some good tips from skilled vapers and a little bit of practice, you’ll be able to have a satisfying vaping experience that you may prefer more than smoking cannabis. Not to mention the substantial advantages you’ll receive from vaping vs. smoking.
Advantages of Vaping Cannabis
Marijuana users benefit from vaping in a number of ways:
1. It’s healthier.
Enjoy the healing properties of cannabis without side effects. Vaporizing heats the herbs instead of burning them. You’re inhaling vapor that contains no carcinogens or toxic chemicals found in smoke.
2. It’s more effective.
Weed smokers don’t like wasting their stash, but when smoking, up to half of the cannabinoids are destroyed during combustion. Another 15% are lost due to smoke burn off. You’re left with only about 35%. Comparatively, vaping gives you about 80% of terpenes and cannabinoids.
3. A cleaner high.
Vape users feel a different high that is refreshing and more clear-headed.
Basic Vaping Mistakes and How to Fix Them
To ensure you have a positive experience when vaping, avoid these common missteps.
Using the incorrect vaping material
Vaporizers can be used to inhale vapor from dry herbs(cannabis in bud form) or concentrates (oil, wax, crumble and shatter).
Trying to use a dry herb vaporizer for anything other thandry herbs is the surest way to ruin it. Take the Volcano vape for example. If you try toload it with oil, which would be tricky, you could mess up its heating elementand have to replace it entirely.
While it is true that some vapers can be used with various materials, they will be marketed as such. They will also contain additional parts, like a ceramic rod and chamber, which you need to swap out to switch between dry herbs and oils.
Vaping temperatures are too low or too high
There’s nothing worse than ruining a good batch of herbs as you experiment with finding the right temperature – but it’s definitely going to happen!
Actually, here’s some good advice to not burn good cannabis. Between 175-200°C (which translates to 347-392°F) is the best temperature range to vape cannabis. This range is when the release of cannabinoids and terpenes reaches a perfect balance.
Still, it is going to depend on the type of weed you’revaping and your individual preferences. Take a look:
- Try a low temperature range if you want the best, cleanest flavor possible (160-180 °C/320-356 °F).
- Try a mid-range temperature if you want to get high fast, avoid bodily effects and have a good taste in your mouth (180-200 °C/ 356-392 °F).
- Try a high temperature range if you have no plans for the day besides catching up your favorite Netflix show. You’ll experience heavy bodily effects and a strong level of vapor (200-230 °C/ 392-446 °F).
Improper grinding
Before giving up on vaping altogether, ask yourself if you’ve been paying attention to how you’re grinding the herb. Are you grinding it at all?
Most vaporizers require cannabis that has been ground to a fine consistency to achieve best results. Grinding weed into a powder or putting the whole bud in the chamber will both give poor results.
Another thing to keep in mind is to try not to grind or vape stems. By removing stems before they ever enter your grinder, you can avoid a bad vaping session and the headache that will surely follow.
A fine grind without stems and seeds works best, because it’s easier for heat to extract active compounds from smaller pieces of material. Big chunks of herb, or seeds and stems in the bud will prevent the cannabis from cooking properly and evenly.
Packing the chamber too loosely or tightly
That’s true, it has to be packed just right.
Don’t jam more into the chamber than it can naturally hold and don’t leave it half empty. Doing either will lead to an unsatisfying session.
Pack the bud too tightly and the heat won’t be able to permeate the crowded bud as it should. This results in wasted cannabis. Packing it too loosely gives the herb too much room to dance around.
When packing herb, fill it to the top and only press it down slightly. Remove any excess and note how your vape handles the load. Then adjust the amount until you are satisfied with the experience you’re getting.
Not cleaning your vape
If you’re using it often, it’s important that you give it the proper maintenance it deserves after every use.
That doesn’t mean you need to thoroughly clean it after every session, as that’s far too excessive, but you should empty and wipe the chamber at the very least.
After a fair number of sessions, devoting 30 minutes to cleaning will maintain a high vaping session. The manuals for your vaporizers come with instructions on how to properly clean them.
Not knowing the ins and outs of your vaporizer
No two dry herb vaporizers are alike and it’s unrealistic to expect to buy a Volcano vape and have it respond the same way as a different brand would. It’s important to learn how your vaporizer performs best and use the tips above to maximize its performance. Make sure to do proper research to see who carries vaping products that you’re looking for.
For instance, the quality of some desktop models will depend on the inhale technique used. The faster you inhale, the less vapor you may get because unless you give it some time, the temperature won’t go high enough to cook the herb. On others, you have to inhale faster, or you risk dry hitting and getting horrible-tasting vapor.
Better vaping is in your future!
Vaping is a lovely way to experience cannabis, but only if it’s done the right way.
Sidestep these common mistakes for maximum vaping pleasure and in no time you’ll be singing its praises too.
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To learn more about better methods of vaping and the Volcano Vaporization System, visit volcanovape.org.
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For additional information on vaping and helpful vape starter kits, visit here.
