To Vape or Not to Vape

I admit that I am decidedly “old school” when it comes to marijuana consumption.  Having come of age in the 60’s, joints were the preferred method of smoking although pipes were used by many people too.  I never liked pipes much because of the tarry taste that quickly builds up and ruins the bouquet of the buds for me.  Flavor is an essential part of my smoking enjoyment.

So when vaporizers came on the scene, I wasn’t very interested.  I tried a using one a couple of times and felt like something was missing from the experience.  I was used to my lungs filling with smoke which occasionally triggered a coughing rampage, but I chalked that up to one of the pitfalls of smoking pot.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that the most harmful aspect of smoking marijuana comes from the rolling paper and the tars that are created from the combustion of the smoking material, I stubbornly refused to change my ways.  When the idea of doing a story on vaporizers was proposed to me, I grudgingly decided to give them another try.

I decided to start my experiment with The Easy Vape, primarily because I liked what the name implied.  I’m not good with gadgets so I was looking for something that wouldn’t require a ten page manual to operate.  Well, I was a little disappointed on that account.  I had to go to their website for instructions and they were rather lengthy.

Getting the right temperature setting is crucial for getting vapor instead of smoke.  The company recommended a setting between 320 – 350 degrees, but at that setting all we got was smoke.  We tried lowering the temp by 10 degrees intervals and finally discovered that 270 degrees was perfect.  When I took my first toke at that temperature, my eyes crossed at the incredible bouquet in my mouth.  I was smoking Grape Ape, which is one of my favorite strains, but I had never experienced the layers of flavors so distinctly before.  Just for comparison, I rolled a joint from the same stash and was surprised at how bad it tasted.  What can I say, I’ve been converted.

Another bonus is that using a vaporizer saves your stash.  There is no lost smoke while you are holding your hit or passing the joint.  It also seems to do the job with less tokes than it takes with a joint to get a similar effect.

the volcano vaporizer

One of the major drawbacks to vaporizers is the expense.  The Volcano was one of the first vaporizers on the market and at a retail cost of $500, it was out of reach for many smokers.  But now there are so many choices available that most people can easily afford to vaporize.  The Easy Vape can be purchased for as little as $50.00.

Another drawback is the length of time needed for the unit to heat up.  The manufacturer recommends waiting fifteen minutes before using the unit for the first time.  This is to burn off the packing minerals

on the heating element and it is recommended that this be done in a well ventilated room.

Learning how to draw on a vaporizer is a little tricky, but it’s something that can be mastered in quick order.  Drawing too slowly can cause the bud to scorch which makes the smoke taste like burnt popcorn.  Taking several long deep breaths seems to work the best and pulling the whip from the heating element at the end of your hit will clear the whip of vaporized material.

Checking the blogs, I discovered that The Easy Vape is made in China and is a knock off of The Vapor Brothers.  To a man, the bloggers preferred The Vapor Brothers even though it is three times the price of The Easy Vape.  I guess I’ll have to do some more experimenting and report my findings in a later column.  It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it!!

The Pipe Mart, located at 1556 Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, carries a wide range of vaporizers at very affordable prices.  Paul, the owner of Pipe Mart, will be happy to help you match your preferences with a product well suited to your needs.