If you're looking for the most convenient way to consume cannabis, you're most likely looking for a vape pen.
Vape pens are sleek, discreet, and don't require any grinding, packing or baking to get a good high. In a matter of seconds, you can simply pull it out of your pocket, press a button and inhale. That explains why weed stores every year are selling more and more batteries and cartridges (which are filled with the good stuff) for vape pens.
Jake Whiteman, an assistant manager for Cinder, says customers want something that they can use on the go.
"It's becoming a lot more popular," he says. "These and prerolled joints, stuff like that, anything you can do while active is really strong right now."
As vape pens become more popular, the technology keeps improving. And picking out a vape pen can feel a little bit like picking out a new phone. They all accomplish the same goal, but they all have different features depending on what you're using it for. Thankfully, Whiteman gave us a rundown of what's available in the world of vaping.
The most basic batteries screw onto a cartridge, and they're slim so they look pretty much like a pen. With these, you still have to press a button to get a draw. At Cinder, these batteries will run you about $20.
But those are far from the newest technology in vaping. Newer batteries will come with a MAGNETIC ADAPTER that connects to the cartridges. The actual battery is magnetic as well, so when you slip the cartridge inside it will stay without having to be screwed on.
Why is this important? It's all about the AUTO-DRAW. You don't have to press a button to get a hit. You just start inhaling and it activates. Plus, it gives off a subtle vibration that customers seem to like.
But as Whiteman notes, the batteries are a bit more expensive than the standard batteries. And you usually have to buy more expensive cartridges as well.
All of this, however, is leading up to what Whiteman says is the "newest and latest and greatest" in vape technology. That would be PAX PODS. If you buy one of their batteries, you can download an app to sync up to your phone. From your phone, you can adjust the temperature and make sure nobody else can take a hit off of it if you don't want them to. You can also manage the vapor and flavor output.
Whiteman was skeptical of these at first because the cartridges are even more expensive for PAX. But he was won over by the fact that half-gram cartridges will last just as long as gram cartridges, since it hits so much harder and lasts longer.
"It's about as fancy as you can find," Whiteman says. ♦
