I knew that vape culture was hitting a new height a few years ago when a coffee shop around the corner from me in downtown Toronto, called Tokyo Smoke, opened their rolling garage door to a space that combines exceptional coffee culture, cannabis, and design. They stacked their team with innovative baristas who work with agency-caliber creatives, and strain-savvy budtenders.
As they rolled out their plans to bring Tokyo’s cannabis culture to Toronto, it became clearer what they, and other brands like them, were saying about the future of recreational marijuana. It’s chic, it’s a more refined experience, and it can be paired successfully with the two preferred stimulants of the urban dweller: caffeine and art.
Vaporizers are taking over in 2017, and like most devices, they are getting smarter. The evolution of the modern day vaporizer seems to embrace substantial value for money and tons of variety. The criteria you use to choose your personal vaporizer will be individual— performance, stability, portability, price. From discreet vape pens to the more advanced vaporizers like mod kits and dry herb vaporizers, there is a unit for everyone. Some vaporizers are better for a day of hiking through nature and others can be toted to the gym for a pre-workout puff of an uplifting sativa or post-workout CBD infusion.
High quality portable vaporizers now within reach for anyone
Small portable vaporizers can fit in any pocket or purse. They’re discreet, and the best ones use proprietary materials, like Pyrex tanks that are easy to clean and powerful heat systems (and batteries) that are getting smaller and smaller.
A fantastic example of this shift to smaller, more powerful vaporizers is the Pulsar APX, which vaporizes both dry herb as well as waxy concentrates with an insert. The APX is lighter and smaller than most other personal vaporizers on the market, and even though the APX can be had for under $60 it is an incredibly well-built, high quality unit that sells at a price that makes it possible to keep one at home and have another on hand for on-the-go vaping.
There’s one thing in particular that I value above most other things with personal vaporizers and that is the way in which a great unit preserves the fidelity of the flower. That is, it doesn’t allow the best parts of the herb—the cannabinoids and terpenes— to burn off into the ether like smoking a joint does through combustion. Plants release hundreds of essential oils at different temperatures, and that’s why when I look for a vaporizer I make sure that I can have some control the temperature.
The Pulsar APX has five graduated heat levels (356°-428°F), and I highly suggest experimenting with each to find your ideal vape temperature whether you’re using dry flower or concentrates. The second best thing about this unit is how discreet the 4″ body is. It fits just like a slightly larger Bic lighter in hand. The Pulsar is another good example of how reasonable price points are making vaporizers a lot more accessible, and when it comes to harm reduction options for medicating, accessible is the magic word.
