There are more considerations than just your herb in play when you are using a vaporizer. You want to get the most bang for your buck, and that means getting high quickly, the tastiest and with quality clouds. So here are some considerations when you are looking to get wavy.
Vaporizer
You are looking for a vaporizer that you can work with. The temperature should be easy to set and change. Ideally with a decent-sized bowl and something that will work with dry herb, liquid or solid concentrates. See here for the perfect vape companion.
Herb
What you buy is going to matter. It seems like stating the obvious but low-quality herbs, oils, waxes and liquids are always going to give you a lousy high. No vaporizer can save the day here. When you are buying herb, or maybe you get it prescribed you ideally want the herb to be as dry as possible (not stale). The drier the herb, the better vapor you are going to be able to get. If you don’t think your herb is dry enough you can pop it in a glass jar to dry it up some more – without a lid is best, but with a layer of tissue paper underneath and on top. The tissue paper will soak up any of the excess moisture. Alternatively, you can use a dehumidifier bag.
Grind
Some vaporizers don’t need to have your herb ground up very finely, others do. But if you want to maximize the vapor, then a vaporizer can make better use of the finer ground herb. The finer ground herb will take up more surface area and warm more evenly. Hot air can travel better through the herb and pick up the terpenes and other active ingredients. So investing in a great grinder is a must.
Packing
Most vaporizers will have some sort of instructions for packing, you must follow them. The chamber and plates will be designed with that pack in mind. Vaporizers tend to come with a packing tool too. So rather than just wedge it in, use the tool. When ground evenly and packed to perfection, the heat will travel through the herb more effectively – giving more bang for your buck per toke. If you have overpacked you’ll need to pull harder – if you find this often happening, take out some of the herbs and try again.
The reason you’ll need to pull harder is that the chamber is too packed and reducing the airflow. You’re looking for a fluffy and evenly packed chamber.
Heat
This is where the vaporizer is going to make a massive difference. You are looking to ‘burn’ at the perfect temperature. This is a personal preference, but if you want to get high, then you need to find a balance. Setting the temperature high and you will get a strong throat hit, but it might not be what is best for the herb or vapor. Higher the heat, the more the flavour will deteriorate.
In general:
345 to 390-degree f will give you a medium vapor and a great flavour. If you are looking to get a serious amount of vapor, then crank it up to 410 for the throat hit and a big cloud.
Inhaling
If you are used to smoking a joint then vaping won’t be alien to you. You will need to have more control over your pulls, though. Some vaporizers are more catered to a quick deep pull, and others are for long slow tokes. The long slow tokes will generally have more vapor than the quick blasts.
No matter which vape you choose, you are going to need to get used to it. The best thing to do is to take a long 10-second pull and see how it goes. You can then work on temperature and see if you have over packed.
Work With Your Vape
A mistake that many people make is that they toke as soon as the unit is heated. Give it a few extra seconds to warm everything up properly. Even the fastest heating vape should be given some extra seconds. After all, you are going for the best bake. Take around 30 seconds and more between pulls too. The heat will continue to build nicely, and your whole bowl will be warmed through.
Clouds
It is really important to note that if you are looking for those big creamy clouds, then you should be working with liquids. Dry herb vaporizers will produce aromatic, flavour-filled clouds – but they won’t be as thick.
Finally
To get the best high, you can buy a mid-ranged vaporizer, but high-quality herb and follow the steps above to maximize the experience.