Cartridges vs. Wax Pens: Concentrates on the Go

Vape Pen and Weed Wax
Photo by: Roxana Gonzales/Shutterstock

The concentration game within the cannabis industry has quickly become one of the most competitive sectors. To be a top a cannabis concentrate brand is no small task. There are hundreds of different concentrate vendors, each with a different extraction method that focuses on certain types of concentrates, as well as the best cannabis strains to use. There is wax, shatter, live resin, rosin, sap, and even distillate. Every form has a different purpose and potency. In the early days of concentrates, consumers needed to have a rig, a blow torch to heat the nail, and a dab tool to scoop their dab. The process of smoking concentrates was a bit difficult and unappealing to the old-school smokers. However, you can now smoke concentrates on the move. The consumer now has the option to ingest their concentrates in a much more discreet and efficient way: cartridges and wax pens.

Cannabis Concentrate Cartridges

A cartridge is similar to but distinct from a wax pen. Cartridges are already pre-filled with THC or CBD. Cartridges are filled with a form of concentrates, typically some type of distillate. Cartridges are just the top part of a pen; they still need a battery that can heat up the product within the cartridge. Most cartridges fit on any battery with a 510 thread. This tends to be universal throughout the industry, but it’s not guaranteed for all cartridges. Double-check before you buy.

Cartridges are a newer method of smoking concentrates. They have become extremely popular amongst on-the-go smokers and tourists because they are a very discreet, efficient, and simple method of smoking concentrates. Most cartridges on the market can even be refilled using a concentrate syringe. Being able to buy refills for your cartridges usually means getting more product at a cheaper price.

The cons to smoking cartridges are that experienced smokers may go through their product much quicker. It’s so accessible and convenient that consumers tend to smoke them faster. It is also important to know what your cannabis product is cut with. The product within a cartridge is cut with something, like vegetable glycerin, in order to make the cannabis product smoke correctly. Sometimes, cartridges are cut with certain things that are not as healthy for consumers as others. It is also common to receive cartridges that have very little taste. This is often due to the extreme potency of the product, which leaves very few terpenes to create flavor within the concentrates.

Cannabis Wax Pens

cloud penz vape pen 2Wax pens are another method of smoking concentrates on the go. A wax pen is an ancillary product that uses a coil and does not come with a cannabis THC product. Unlike a cartridge, you must buy a wax pen and then buy a concentrate separately to fill it with. There are multiple different brands of wax pens, but each one comes with a battery and an atomizer. In order to smoke concentrates out of a wax pen, you must physically pack a dab into the pen. Packing the pen once will give the consumer a couple puffs. This process is repeated again and again.

Wax pens are favored by smokers who prefer to smoke shatter or wax while on the move. Cartridges usually contain a distillate cut with something else, but wax pens allow the consumer to smoke pure concentrates. To some, this is a safer and cleaner option. However, it does require a bit more work, since you have to keep buying more concentrates to fill your pen with. A positive effect of this is that you become more aware of how much product you’re smoking compared to a cartridge.

A con of smoking a wax pen is that it’s not as discreet as a cartridge. The process of packing the wax pen is fairly noticeable and difficult to hide. It is also common for there to be some wasted product using a wax pen. Wax pens can also be expensive, but it’s still cheaper in the long run because it’s a one-time purchase.

Smash Glass and Vape

To find the best wax pen for you, check out Smash Glass and Vape. They carry a wide range of wax pens such as eGo, Atman Owar, Atman Starlight, and even The Dip Stick. Each one varies in price, but when it comes to wax pens, the consumer gets what they pay for. At Smash Glass and Vape, their knowledgeable staff will get you set up with the best wax pen for you. Each one has different temperature settings, coils, atomizers, and even sizes. It is important to make sure you are getting the pen you need!

 

Wax pens and cartridges have both become very popular in recent years. These methods of smoking cannabis are loved by on-the-go smokers and first-timers alike. For everything from hiking, working, running errands, to even walking around the house, cartridges and wax pens are a great option. Each method has its pros and cons, and it is important that the consumer understands the difference between the two. I recommend asking your local budtender for more information about the best brands.

Smash Glass & Vape is a proud partner of Leafbuyer.