As we progress further into fall here in North America, the temperature has been steadily dropping and winter is coming, so I decided to do a little article about my experience with the benefits of using vaporizers in the winter, as well as share some important tips that I’ve discovered if you want to use a portable vaporizer outside in the colder months!

Before I started using weed vaporizers in 2009, the winter months meant that going outside to smoke was always a huge pain as I like to keep my apartment smoke-free as I have roommates who don’t smoke and its important to be respectful! With freezing cold temperatures on some days (it can get up to -35 here with windchill!), going outside made it much harder to enjoy smoking cannabis compared to the summer months where I can relax and take my time smoking. However, once I finally discovered vaporizers, I quickly eliminated this annoying problem. Because vaporizers don’t produce tar or ash (see this infographic), I can easily vape as much as I want in my room with no lingering smells. However, keep in mind that there is some smell produced (my post here explains what vaporizers smell like, and I wrote a few tips on how to minimize smell) so if total discreetness (as opposed to smoke) is a concern, then I definitely recommend still going outside to vape in order to be on the safe side (if you have a portable vape), unless you’re in a basement or room where air doesn’t circulate very much.

If you have a portable vaporizer and want to smoke while you’re on the go (such as while skiing), it is important to pay attention to the outdoor temperature for the day. Up to about 5C-10C (23F-14F), I find that there’s no real issue with vaping, but once the temperature gets below -10C you need to make a few arrangements to maximize the quality of your vaping experience. Firstly, make sure to store your vape somewhere warm while not in use especially if you have a battery powered vape like the Firefly or Ascent, as cold weather can drain batteries faster than in milder temperatures (I recommend storing your portable inside jacket pocket, just make sure to let it cool down for a moment after use before putting it away!). Secondly, you may want to pack a cloth with you in case there’s heavy snow, as falling snow melts quickly on the hot surface of a vaporizer. Finally, I also recommend using a higher temperature setting than you normally would as well as take slower than usual pulls (air entering a vape at -20C needs more time to heat up properly).

Following these simple tips will ensure that your portable vaporizer is working at peak capacity during the winter, allowing you to have fun and avoid combustion all together. If you have any other tips for winter vaping, feel free to contact me and let me know, and I’ll add in your tips to this post!

-James aka ‘Mr.Vape’