The Case For Vaporizers
This article was written for the site by our frequent contributer Lotus.
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Why You Should Buy a Vaporizer and Which One You Should Probably Buy
I’ve been an avid smoker for a while (about 4 years), but only recently purchased my first vape. There were a number of reasons holding me back, initially, including price, the different high, and the necessity of having to power it. Hopefully I can convince you to, at the very least, check one out.
Now when I say that it took me a while to get one, I don’t mean I was just waiting for the right time; I was wholly opposed to the idea of vaping. The physical act of smoking, for me, is part of the fun of weed. Watching smoke billow out of my mouth and making smoke rings were things I didn’t want to part with. Sure, I had tried vaporizers, and they got me plenty high. They didn’t, however, grant me the luxury of knowing exactly how much I was taking, and beyond that, the high was different. These were contributing factors to my not wanting a vape, the main reasons, however, were the high price of any worthwhile vape, and the lack of portability. I had tried small handheld vapes which required only a lighter to use, but they simply were not strong enough. After using a Volcano, and other high end vaporizers, these cheap versions were very underwhelming.
Then, a few weeks back, a friend called and said, “you have to try this vaporizer. It’s called the Da Buddha and it’s amazing.” It went something like that, anyway. Like before, however, I wasn’t very intrigued to begin with. I had heard this same line time and time again, only to be met with the same expensive piece of paraphernalia. When I finally did try it out, however, it was far from anything I had yet experienced.
The high was very strong, but still a bit off from smoking, leaning more towards the mind and less towards the body, but that was okay because I prefer the former anyway. What really sold me on it was the length of the high. It was a good 2 and a half hours of peaking from a small bowl of some unremarkable weed. And the peak was like nothing I had experienced. I was driving from Austin to San Antonio (about a 2 hour drive), and the high was so intense I hardly remember any of it.
Of course this is true for any good vaporizer, and you’re about to say, “Lotus, everyone knows good vaporizers cost around or over $400!” Well, did I mention it’s 1/3 the price of the Volcano? For well under $200 you get the Da Buddha vaporizer, the bowl (of course), a mouthpiece thing that keeps weed particles from going into your mouth, a whip (long plastic tube which you inhale your hits through), a handy little poker thing, and a bag to carry everything in. And, the icing on the cake for me, the power cord is at least twice as long as the Volcano’s.
Yeah, the Da Buddha is pretty much the bee’s knees, but regardless of which vape you decide to buy, there are a few things which will be true for all. Allow me to point out some of the various pros I have encountered so far with my new vaporizer:
– It saves weed! I can literally smoke twice as often and use half as much weed.
– My lungs don’t burn. A burning throat used to be synonymous with getting high. Now all I have to worry about is a soothing mist.
– No smell. Well, there is a smell, but it is much more subtle and much less recognizable (burnt popcorn?) than when I’m smoking out of anything else.
– No lighters! Though it may seem trivial, not having to locate a source of fire every time I want to light up is pretty convenient.
My other concerns, like the different high, and enjoying the act of smoking, pale in comparison to the positives vaping brings me and I’m sure they will for you, too. Besides, I can always smoke a bowl if I’m dying for that old familiar burn.
In summation, buy a vaporizer. Your lungs, wallet and roommates will thank you later.
—Lotus
Tags: stoner culture, vaporizers
October 26th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
personally I prefer vapor bros — they are indestructable!
October 26th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I’m considering picking up a vapor genie, but i haven’t decided yet. I’ve used bigger nicer vapes before(don’t remember the brand, specifically, but it was like $400), but I’ve always been underwhelmed. Also, if your throat burns when you smoke, maybe you’re doing something wrong. I never get throat burn unless I take way too big of a hit, or forget to open the carb or something.
October 26th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
I have a vapor genie, and love it. It’s not the nicest vape out there, and it won’t give you the best tasting hits, but I’ll be damned if you can show me a more portable vape that’s so simple to use well.