Well, don’t worry, you’re not going crazy; the reason it feels like some vape carts last longer than others is simply that some do last longer than others, so, unfortunately, I can’t give you a one-size-fits-all answer to the question of howlong carts last.
What I can do, however, is explain all the variables that contribute towards the longevity of your carts, so you can do everything in your power to eke out a few more puffs in the future.
You’ll have no doubt already thought of the obvious factors here, but there are a surprising number of curveball variables to consider too, so let’s get to it!
Variables That Affect Cart Longevity
Cart Size & Grams
The most obvious factor to consider when it comes to the longevity of your carts is their size (see also “How To Hit A Cart Without A Battery“). As you’d expect, the larger the cart, the more juice they can accommodate, and the more puffs you’ll pull overall.
Generally speaking, you can expect to get around 300 tokes from each gram of juice in your cart, giving you an estimated 600 tokes if you like to go big with 2 g carts, and an estimated 150 tokes if you go smaller with a 0.5 g cart.
Cart Quality
The materials used to construct your cart are also of utmost significance when assessing how long it’ll last. For example, plastic carts are far more likely to leak, which will of course reduce your puff count significantly.
Glass cartridges are way more reliable and will hold all the vape juice in place until you’re ready to burn some.
There’s also a dramatic difference in performance between wicks and wire heating elements.
The latter is far more responsive and reliable, which may not feel like it has much of an impact as you toke, but over the course of the entire cartridge, it makes for a more efficient burn, and thus, increases your puffs.
And don’t disregard the general build quality of your carts either.
Cartridges from reputable brands such as Exhale Wellness and BudPop offer far more control over each puff, which, again, is going to enhance efficiency, and extend the life of the cartridge.
Vaping Style
Up until now, we’ve been talking about “puffs” and “tokes” like they’re empirical units of measurement, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Everybody vapes in their own unique way, which means one person’s lung full isn’t going to match up with another’s.
The bigger puffs you take, the quicker you’re going to burn through your vape juice, and the smaller the puffs you take, the longer your cart will last, but what exactly defines vaping style?
There are a few things to consider here:
Tolerance — If you’re relatively new to the world of vaping, you’re probably not going to need to vape quite as much to achieve the same high as someone who has been vaping for years, so you’ll take smaller puffs.
Lung capacity — Lung capacity differs from person to person, meaning we each have a different cap on how deeply we can inhale.
Rationing — If you’re actively trying to stretch that cart of yours, you may well start rationing your vape juice by taking fewer or smaller puffs.
Preferred feeling — Just because you’ve got a massive set of lungs, doesn’t mean you want to use them to their full potential every single time you take a toke. You may well be perfectly comfortable taking smaller pulls because that’s what feels right to you.
On the other hand, if you’re into forming giant cumulus clouds with your puffs, you’ll obviously prefer going for gold with each pull.
Vape Maintenance
At the end of the day, your vape is a piece of machinery, and much like any other machine, it needs regular maintenance if it’s to perform at full capacity and extend the service life of each cart.
Letting your vape go to wrack and ruin will lead to inefficiencies and carts with shorter lifespans. To avoid this, be sure to switch out the battery when necessary, clean all components regularly, and try not to drop it.
If you really want to play it safe, I’d recommend investing in a quality vape case.
Heat Exposure
Ever heard of passive evaporation? Well, that’s exactly what happens to your vape juice when exposed to high temperatures, so if you want to maximize your yield, you’ll keep your cart well away from heat sources.
Don’t leave your cart near any ovens, stoves, radiators, space heaters, hot vehicles, or direct sunlight.
Improper Use
Cannabinoids require a much lower heat source for an efficient burn than those found in vapes designed to burn nicotine products.
Using anything other than a low-wattage pen will reduce juice efficiency and leave you not so high and very dry ahead of time.
If you’ve made any modifications to your vape pen (see also “How To Use A Vape Pen Button Correctly“), ensure that they won’t inhibit a good, clean burn when you load up your next cart .
What Kind Of Vape Is Best For Longevity
As mentioned earlier, plastic vapes aren’t such a good choice if you really want to squeeze every last high out of your cart. Prone to leaking and other damage, they’ll let you down eventually.
Glass is a better choice, but it’s not actually considered the best of the best. To make the most out of every cart, I’d highly recommend investing in a ceramic vape, as they’re the most durable and efficient.
That said, not all ceramic vapes are made equal. Cheap ceramics will be just as bad as plastic or cheap glass vapes, so allocate yourself a decent budget when shopping around and you won’t get stung by inefficiencies at a later date.
Final Thoughts
On average, vape carts tend to last about 3 months, but being that there are so many variables involved, you really can’t trust this figure.
But considering what we discussed here today, you no longer have to worry about generalizations, as you’ll always know how to make that cart of yours last as long as possible — Hooray!
Hi, my name is Ian James and I have been in the vape industry for almost seven years. I own a business specializing in vaping products and paraphernalia.
I created this website to share the truths about vaping and to stop the spread of misinformation. Please, enjoy my website and come in with an open mind. You never know what you might come out with!
