A couple of newbie questions

Hey all,

I was hoping that you'd be so kind as to help me out with a couple of questions. I'm not new to cannabis, but I've only ever consumed via bongs, joints and edibles, with the exception of one party where a friend brought a Volcano. I'm intrigued by vaporizers because of the health/efficiency benefits. I pretty much only smoke high-end strains, but I find that I run out of money far too quickly due to the high cost combined with the inefficiency of combustion. I have two primary questions:

1) Almost all of my friends who smoke have a decidedly anti-vaporizer slant. Most of them swear that vaporizers don't get them high and that the experience isn't enjoyable. The one time I used my friend's Volcano was probably the best high I've ever had, but I understand that it's a very high end vaporizer and such results probably aren't typical. When I started doing some research online, I found that opinions about vaporizers are far more positive. There are still people saying that they don't like them, but the consensus seems to be that it's the preferred method. Can anybody explain this discrepancy to me? Are the people who swear by vaporizers all using Volcanoes or are the people saying they don't get high just idiots? I can't afford a Volcano (grad school = student loan) but I don't want to spend money on something that won't get me high?

2) Because money is so tight right now, my budget is limited to around $100. I know the Magic Flight Launch Box is popular and I can grab one for $80, but a lot of people don't think it's worth buying unless you just want a cheap portable. I intend to vape mostly indoors or outside on my apartment's balcony so portability isn't a huge issue. It doesn't matter if the vape is group friendly either, as my friends would prefer a bong or a blunt when we're having a group session. I've been strongly considering buying the Vapolution 2.0 as it meets my price point and the response here seems to be very positive. Is that the best deal for ~$100? I could probably go as high as $150 if there was a vaporizer that is unequivocally worth the extra $50, but any higher is a no go at this point and I'd prefer to stick as close to $100 as possible. That said, if there's a significant quality difference between the Vapolution 2.0 and something I could get for $150, then I'd probably take the plunge.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide me.

There's plenty of high-quality vapes that will get you as high as volcano. But also even more of crappy ones, that will be worse than smoking. Choose wisely. The Volcano result is typical for a good vape. People who hate vapes are mostly smokers who didn't give it a good chance or tried one of these crappy ones.

Your choices are smart. MFLB is extremely portable stealth. But probably not the vape you are searching for. MFLB is ultra-small fast and stealthy, but doesn't deliver hits like desktop units. As you will vape only home and alone, desktop vape could be better choice. Vapolution, Da Buddha, Underdog (or any other log)... Any more suggestions anyone?

TheRedViper said:

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There are still people saying that they don't like them, but the consensus seems to be that it's the preferred method. Can anybody explain this discrepancy to me? Are the people who swear by vaporizers all using Volcanoes or are the people saying they don't get high just idiots?

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Hello, and welcome!

Let me share how I observe things, (just my point of view, ok?)

I know some people who hate vaporizers, people who love vaporizers and people that have never tried (and maybe never will). In my opinion, you should try things and base your opinion on your experiences (and it looks like you had a good one with that 'cano). I would not say these guys are idiots, but someone who could not achieve good (satisfactory) results, and I am pretty sure they should try again, and they would come to nice results somehow....


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TheRedViper said:

I know the Magic Flight Launch Box is popular and I can grab one for $80, but a lot of people don't think it's worth buying unless you just want a cheap portable.

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I've already had several people who have never vaporized to share some trenches with my MFLB, and some people just could not stand learning how to use it (yes, with this device you need to learn how to...). For personal, stealth portable I definitely recommend, it! But, if you don't need to hide or take your vape outdoors, maybe some other gear would make you happier to start with. Later on you'll probably need something else to take on the go, and the MFLB will be the perfect option....


Just my 2c, ok?
Cheers!

I think the main reason most people say they don't like vapor is because they are used to the quick high and couch lock that comes with smoking, plus they usually only try a hit or two and base there entire judgment on that alone. It doesn't work like that. If you're completely new to mj it might, but in general it takes a little more experimenting and experience, not to mention an adjustment period if you are coming from smoking. I too used to think it didn't have the same effect, it took me a while to realize that not all the effects I got from smoking came from inhaling the actives in mj but rather from the toxins that were released in the combustion process.

Forget about that Volcano please. Sure it's good but not as good as it's priced. It may have been the macdaddy of vapes once, but today there are so many good ones that you can buy at least 3 good vapes for the same costs that will do everything it does and more.

I've never tired the Vapolution myself, but from the reviews I'd say it might be a bit too fiddly to handle for a newbie. The Solo or a lost dog (blemished model from the Underdog) might be a good place to start if you can stretch the budget to 150-160$, or perhaps a blemished DBV might suit you more: click me, and me too please.

Do some research once you find a model that interests you though, what works for one doesn't have to be the best one for you. There are links to the Solo and UD threads in my signature below.

Good luck, and welcome to FC!

if your looking for a good way to transition from smoking to vaping i would go with the solo, the learning curve is pretty minimal, you can get decent clouds so you get that satisfaction when you exhale (althought this isnt the most efficient way to do it) and at a .1 per bowl you only need a fraction of the amount of herbs.
also will be much less of a hassle to move to and from your balcony

I think the discrepancy is because it''s different, while I think a lot of smokers expect it to be basically the same but healthier.
when I started vaping I expected the effect to be more high, more in my mind, wich was what I was looking for(always preferred sativa's, but when I still combusted I would often fall asleep 1-2 hours after smoking at night, so I always missed the end of movies, so I only smoked 1-2 nights a week so I could still enjoy a long evening on the other nights, vaping changed this since vaping allows me to just prolong the high. so therefor I vape daily while I never combusted daily)
I found what I was looking for so I liked vaping straight away. at that point the health-side wasn't much of a factor in my choice altough it was the reason I began to look into what vaporizing was.

when I let friends try my VG they''re often not really convinced, a lot do like the taste a lot but see it more as something tasty for in between combustion I think.
so last week or so I let a friend try my UD(+bong), at first he said he barely noticed it, didn''t realy like it. but when he had to leave it began to kick in, and a few days later he said he had been really high from that vaping session. he just expected an immediate high like he was used to from smoking, but got one that took a half hour to kick in and different from the high he is used to. while for me, since I''m used to vaping, I begin to feel it immediatly
it just isn't combustion, so you need some time to get to know it properly and know what it really is, most people probably just tried 1-2 hits at a party or some stonerevent in between loads of combustion(if they even tried it, that is)

My take on vapor is that is so much cleaner. Everything about vapor by comparison to combustion is much cleaner.

Firstly is the resin. Combustion resin is nasty and low on activities but high it tar/unhealthy bits. Vapor resin is just re-condensed vapor, pure goodness. When cleaning with alcohol, your alcohol turns from a clear color to a golden brown, progressively getting darker. Once your happy with how dark it is, just let the alcohol evaporate and your left with some high quality oil.

Secondly is the smell. There is no way getting around it, combustion stinks. It fills the air and attaches itself to your clothing and breath. Vapor on the other hand will dissipate in minutes.

And thirdly, the high. Combustion high is a dirty high. As OnTheAgony points out, there is a bunch of toxins inhaled during combustion, making you feel woozy and tired, and people associate that with being "high". Vapor is a more subtle high with less paranoia. I won't even notice how high I am until I go out in public.

As far as budget, I'd plan for $150, your choice in vapes is significantly higher in that area. Very nice quality vapes for that price.

Thanks for all of the informative replies so far, guys.

Regarding the high from vaping, it seems the consensus here is that it's not weaker, just different. I don't mind if it takes half an hour or so to set in, especially since my experiences are that highs which take a little while to hit you generally last longer. Regarding the nature of the high itself, I don't dislike heady highs by any means but there are times when a good couch locking high is preferable (for example, if a group of us are hanging out and playing FIFA for a couple of hours). Is that impossible to achieve with a vaporizer or is that primarily dependent on the strain itself? Either way it's not a deal breaker, as long as vaporizers can still produce as powerful of a high as smoking I'll be satisfied. However, if diminished potency went hand in hand with increased efficiency/health, it'd give me something to think about. I assume that isn't the case as long as I choose my vape wisely?

It seems that a number of you have either directly recommended or implied via suggestions that it's worth it to expand my budget to $150. The Vapolution 2.0 really appealed to me because the price was exactly what I was looking for, but if it isn't as user-friendly or potent as the devices in the $150 range, I'll spend a bit more. In that range, I can find the Da Buddha and the Arizer Solo, both recommended in this thread. The Underdog seems to be a bit pricier and I'd really prefer not to go any higher than $150, which is stretching my budget a bit as is. From the research I've done, both seem to be well received (albeit with a minority of critics, but I doubt it's possible to find a vape that everybody is totally in love with, especially in my price range). The major difference seems to be portability (I know, I'm Captain Obvious). Are they roughly equal in terms of potency? Easy of use? Build quality? If they are, then it might pay dividends to go with the Solo. Even though portability isn't a huge concern, it's not unwelcome. Of course, I'm completely open to any additional suggestions/input. You guys have been a big help already, thanks again.

I'd recommend an extreme Q or a DBV

The one time I used my friend's Volcano was probably the best high I've ever had, but I understand that it's a very high end vaporizer and such results probably aren't typical.

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It's not true that paying more money gets you more or better vapor. An under $200 bag filler like the Extreme or herbalAire does just as well at filling a bag with vapor, and a simple flame powered VaporGenie for $60 can get you as wrecked as any $500 model.

If you can get the Vapolution w/AIW bowl at the special price of $100 (found in the Vapo 2.0 thread), it's a deal that's hard to beat, considering the all glass vapor path. The DBV would cost you around $150-160, and is a little easier to use, and capable of bigger hits (larger bowl and airway). The DBV is likely to be better received by vapor newbies and those who say vapor isn't as good as smoke.

are the people saying they don't get high just idiots?

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More likely they're in love with the sedative effects of smoking. And they also don't realize that they're vaporizing every time they smoke, since burning creates heat, which in turn vaporizes the nearby herb before it gets combusted. Don't expect to convert all your smoking buddies to vapor, especially going back and forth between vapor and smoke. You really have to ditch smoke for up to a week to fully appreciate vaporizing. You also have to like the vapor high, which leaves you more functional and less couchlocked.

TheRedViper said:

Regarding the nature of the high itself, I don't dislike heady highs by any means but there are times when a good couch locking high is preferable (for example, if a group of us are hanging out and playing FIFA for a couple of hours). Is that impossible to achieve with a vaporizer or is that primarily dependent on the strain itself?

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One of the beauties of vapourizing is that with a good variable temperature device you can have a lot of control over your high. You can vapourize sativas at low temperatures for a tasty head high or you can go for an indica at high temperatures for a heavy body stone, and anything you like in between. I've lost count of the variations I've tried, and I haven't come close to exhausting the possibilities. To answer your question, it is certainly possible to get couch-locked even with sativas. The reason is that temperature-controlled vapourizing lets you target the active compounds

I switched to vapourizing about three and a half years ago. I loved vapourizing immediately and I always detested the taste and smell of combustion. I went cold turkey, and I recommend you do the same. As a wise man I know always says, you really have to ditch smoke for up to a week to fully appreciate vapourizing.

OhTheAgony said:

I've never tired the Vapolution myself, but from the reviews I'd say it might be a bit too fiddly to handle for a newbie.

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Oh oh. There I go again, jumping into the deep end of the pool. My Vapolution should be waiting for me tomorrow. It will be my first vaping experience ever. But armed with FC wisdom, I am confident of success.

Bogart

I ended up going with the Solo. Although I wasn't really concerned with portability at first, I figured it made sense to get a portable for my first vape since it'd give me the ability to take it with me. If I like it, I can always buy a more expensive home unit at some time in the future. I also liked that it supposedly doesn't have much of a learning curve and at $150, it seemed like a good deal. I really appreciate the input from all of you. Thanks.