WELCOME TO THE HOPPER LABS BLOG
In this blog we’ll talk user tips, company updates, how we built the Hopper, and answer any questions you post on forums, social media, or send to us directly. Today we're talking about what sets the Grasshopper apart from other vaporizers on the market.
Many of you know the Grasshopper is a pure convection vaporizer, but we still get lots of questions about what that means.
The Hopper holds dry herbs in a chamber. The chamber is separated from a very powerful heating element by a screen. When you turn the Grasshopper on, the LED lights will be red to indicate the device is heating. Then, the LED Lights will turn blue showing the heating element has reached the temperature you set on the dial.
At this point, the herbs in your chamber are not warm. When you take a draw, you’re pulling air through the heater. This heated (air) passes over the herbs causing vaporization. At no point do the herbs come into direct contact with the heater.
Once the herbs are vaporized, the vapor (only travels) a short distance before reaching the user. This is different from most other vaporizers, which (generally) have a longer vapor pathway. Long vapor pathways allow (more) time for oil to condense, creating (a less) efficient experience and making a sticky mess.
Imagine a kettle of boiling water. You can stick you(r) head directly over the steam and inhale, or you could run the steam down (through?) a long glass tube and inhale the steam that was coming out the end. The difference would be that water, or condensation, would build up all along the inside of the glass tube. This condensation is what happens with devices with a long vapor path.
(This is a bit of a strange comparison, whilst it instils the idea of recondensation, it's not really a great analogy for vaping between different devices. That is more similar to a short stem/long stem difference (when inhaling steam through a straw), where the GH simply has a shorter, less constrictive path with less surface area to collect resin. It certainly still does collect resin, just not heaps of it quickly like a lot of other options).
Together, the short vapor path and convection heating result in efficient vaporization. It’s quick and effective. You also don’t miss out on any of the active ingredients because the short vapor path results in no (minimal!) residue build up. These design features mean the Grasshopper isn't (made to be) used like other vaporizers because the Hopper is packed full of power! So, to get the best use out of it (and your batteries), you shouldn’t take long, slow draws. This method isn't ideal for the Hopper because of two reasons:
- A slow draw amplifies the time you are exposed to hot vapor. The short vapor path means the vapor coming out is hot and the density of active ingredients is high. Don't make the mistake of thinking a longer draw is always better.
- A longer draw will allow unnecessary heat to build up throughout the device. The Hopper will become unpleasantly warm on the exterior.
We recommend firm draws that last about 10-20 seconds. Since the Grasshopper is so effective, that’s all you need to get a solid hit. We also recommend clicking off your device right (just?) before the end or right after your draw. This will save your battery life and give your Hopper a moment to cool off before your next hit. If you’re passing the Hopper to a friend, (you can) continue to pull air through the device after clicking it off so that the vapor and device will cool off (down?) before handing it over.
Do you have any usage tips? What are your favorite ways to use the Grasshopper? Share your photos or videos with us or send questions and the topics you want to be discussed on this blog at
blog@grasshoppervape.com.
Hopper Labs
