A Review of the Volcano Vaporizer

[Maturin]

A Review of the Volcano Vaporiser

(Note: This is a fictional story, and drug use is not condoned or supported. All characters and situations are a figment of the author's imagination)

The User

John Doe had been a user of Marijuana for roughly 19 years prior to his experience with vaporising. Mostly he used pipes, as he disliked smelly bongs. John has never experienced any of the reported problems associated with smoking Marijuana long term, eg. paranoia, anti-motivational syndrome, psychosis or whatever. (As a side note, he believes this to be mostly bullshit and thinks the majority of people who claim this are blaming a herb for their own personal deficiencies or for previous, undiagnosed mental problems*. But we digress...)

The only two problems John has had with Marijuana are (a) habitual use (bordering on mild addiction**), and ( b ) shortness of breath and wheezy lungs. Being that problem (a) is not going to diminish (he says he is NOT going to stop, he enjoys it too much) - that problem ( b ) might be overcome by a healthier alternative to smoking.

Alternatives to Smoking

John has eaten his share of cooked Cannabis in his time, but generally dislikes the effects as opposed to smoking. It has a qualitative difference in that it is characteristically more of a "body" stone than a "head" high. It is also far harder to dose himself. It takes far longer to come on, and only then can he surmise whether he has had too little (not a problem, but annoying) or too much (can be a bit unpleasant).

So that only left the concept of vaporising. After extensive research, all signs pointed to the Volcano as the best product. Other vaporisers give flaky results - if the reviews he read are to be believed. Unfortunately, the Volcano is very expensive. John decided that his lungs were worth more in the long run, and that if he added up what he has spent on buying Marijuana, he couldn't complain too much.

So, taking a calculated risk, he bought a Volcano, hoping like hell he wasn't going to be disappointed.

First Reactions

After reading the manual, and working out what to do (YouTube has some footage if the reader is interested)...he vaporised his first few hits. Wow, he thought, it's like warm Marijuana flavoured air! Very subtle; unlike taking a big hit on a pipe. The effects were qualitatively different. At first, he felt like he wasn't getting as high. A few more "hits from the bag" convinced him that, with the temperature he had it set on, he had to have a few more hits to get to his preferred level of highness. The high was characterised as being much more in the head, and less of a body stone. Some of the differences included a marked increase in visual acuity.

Colours were much brighter. In truth, he hadn't felt like this since his early days of smoking almost 20 years ago. In his stoned, contemplative state he wondered if this was due to the fact that in his early days, outdoor grown Sativa was what he had bought...and this was much more likely to achieve a THC "head" stone. In contrast, the last decade (at least) has seen most Marijuana to be indoor grown Indica strains - characterised by a more "body" stone, heavy feeling. The Marijuana John vaporised was the latter, but targeting the THC (as opposed to all of the other constituents found in Marijuana) made it feel more Sativa-like. It was nice, but maybe not quite what he had been used to. Also, it didn't feel like it lasted quite as long. He found his thoughts easy and flowing, and it was definitely enjoyable.

Giving it Some Time

After 3-4 months of happily getting used to the Volcano, he felt like maybe it wasn't quite as good as smoking it. It was just...different...

How did it really compare? Was it just a little more subtle? Or was he not quite sure whether it was just the immunity he had built up from inhaling for awhile. Anyways, he decided to try smoking some again...in effect, to see if he could tell the difference. So out came the smelly old pipe...

He blazed a number of cones over a period of a week - and found himself disappointed!

Actually, he thought, the pipe isn't better, after all. He had wondered if his first reactions from the Volcano were just stoned "jibber-jabber" of the mind, and if he had been fooling himself a little. Expectations can alter the experience, he thought.

After going back to vaporisation he came to the conclusion that, in fact, the Volcano was FAR better. No, he felt, it was a different high. A high he liked more than one got from smoking. In regards to the Volcano, it was slightly more hassle to set up, a few more "tokes" were needed than piping...but it was better. A better stone, or at least just as good. It is worth stressing here, that John doesn't say the differences are massive, instead they are subtle. He doesn't want to give false impressions.

Further Thoughts

It took John time to get used to the effects from the Volcano...and a little bit of persistence. Psychologically, even getting used to breathing "warm air" (as opposed to harsh smoke) took some time to get used to. Remember, he had been smoking for years!

Now, he says, he wouldn't go back for quids, and would only consider having a pipe when having a Volcano around (and AC power) was not possible. (This generally is not a problem for him, because he doesn't smoke much outside the house anyway).

Another huge benefit he found was that his buds definitely lasted a bit longer. This is due to his "action plan". After a few months of vaporising and experimenting he has come to his own conclusions for his preferred effects. He sets his volcano just slightly higher in temperature than what is said to be optimum for THC***. After 4 or so "bags", he turns it up slightly higher still to extract the last few molecules.

Depending upon how little Marijuana he has, he may go even higher in temperature. Although in theory the THC should have gone by now, in reality he says you can still get a little high from doing this. Yes, he is aware this might be negating the "cleaner" effects of a vaporiser...but even here, he says, it is far, far cleaner than smoking.

How Do His Lungs Feel?

So, to recount, the reason he bought the thing was to save his lungs...how did that go?

According to him, it's freaking brilliant. Lets put it this way, he says, look at the inside of a pipe or bong, even after as little as 5 to 10 cones. Black, sticky, smelly horrible tar/resin that is also going into his precious lungs.

The Volcano? The "loading chamber" (equivalent of the cone piece) of the vaporiser does become sticky and a little brown over time, but it takes a HUGE amount more Marijuana to pass through to achieve anything like a pipe (with 5 to 10 cones worth, it would be barely perceptible). The manual states the bag**** should be used for about 100 goes before being replaced. John - being the lazy stoner he can be - didn't bother to change the bag for almost 6 months(!) and it was only a little brown around the mouth piece. Opening the bag, he could feel the stickiness, but NOTHING like that of a pipe/bong. There are claims that vaporising cuts out up to 95% of the tar intake, and John can DEFINITELY vouch for that (if seeing is believing, at any rate).

And After 6 Months?

Well his lungs do not feel amazingly different, to be honest...but he certainly doesn't have the wheeziness he once got after choofing his way through an ounce. There is far less shortness of breath, and after riding his push bike, he doesn't feel like his lungs are burning. He has also noticed something strange in the last month or so...his sense of smell has been enhanced. Does this correspond with vaporising? John has a hunch that it does. Things taste better.

What About The Volcano Itself?

You get what you pay for in this world, and the Volcano is very well constructed. It has given John no hassles, whatsoever. Everything is easy to clean, and easy to take apart. The unit itself, although it gets warm, never gets hot. You won't burn yourself on it. Another plus is that John's house does not smell like the main stage of the Big Day Out anymore. There is still an aroma, but not the sickly, cloying smell of burning herb. The smell is much more like the smell of unburned Marijuana, which...uh...makes sense really!!

Final Verdict

So, after 6 months of using the Volano, and having a relapse of smoking 2/3rds of the way through his experiment, he definitely says vaporising is the way to go. Yes, it's expensive. But he thinks his lungs will thank him in the years to come.

Well there you go, thanks to (fictional) John Doe for allowing me to write his opinions of the Volcano.

Notes

* The author realises this is a contentious issue. Still, John Doe holds this opinion. If you have problems with smoking Marijuana short or long term, it would seem obvious to stop. If you feel bad doing it, why do it? And why ruin its reputation for the rest of us?

** "Mild addiction" in this context means that John's life has not been compromised in any way from his habitual use. He works in a professional job, pays his bills and taxes, and is generally a good citizen. He sometimes wishes he did not smoke as much as he can do, but it doesn't affect his life. Nagging from girlfriends has been his main problem regards habitual Marijuana use.

*** The Volcano used is the analogue model. The temperature gauge is said to be best set at 5 for Marijuana. John found setting it at 6 was a little better. Yes, he is aware that that means more constituents are added to the mix...maybe that is why he likes it better that way.

**** The bag, by the way, is the same material used in oven bags. Hence it is non-toxic and very safe.

Edited April 5, 2009 by Maturin

[planthelper]

nice writte up, thx for that maturin.

i can relate to john using his pipe again after a while, as when i was young, i sort of liked it when it did hurt to inhale the smoke... our trick to give our poor lungs a smoother bong hit, was to use warm bong water, but that didn't get you as much stoned...

funny how one thinks, if it's a mild smoke / vapor it can't be strong.

[apothecary]

I will add my thanks, good to have the perspective of an aussie smoker.

[Mufungo]

Good job, nice write up!

A side note of caution...

A study last year found ammonia levels to be higher using the volcano than when smoking the same dodgy "street" weed. I don't want to jump to any conclusions from one study but I think it's good to be aware of these things. SWIM has started making sure the gear has a few seconds of vaping at least (hopefully to get rid of most of the ammonia if there was any) before putting the bag on.

[Chiral]

Excuse my ignorance as I'm no pot smoker but what the hell is a Volcano...anyone have a picture of what one looks like...?

[Ace]

what the hell is a Volcano...anyone have a picture of what one looks like...?

Link

Edited April 7, 2009 by Ace

[Gunter]

Someone close to me has been enjoying a volcano for a few years now.

It is very nice but the feeling is different than combustion is and the heat settings have an effect upon the nature of the MJ, apparently hotter settings are a bit more sedative.

The thing is a pain to clean, it gets all gunky and has to be heated just to open up the little screen chamber for the top. Real volcano bags are harder to find that oven bags for turkeys, so my friends uses the turkey bags.

The feeling is closer to the feeling one gets from eating MJ, than the feeling one gets from smoking it, at least IME.

Of course I should mention how this is all hypothetical in some way or another...

Volcanoes are very nice.

[Evil Genius]

I know people who use the Volcano and its a pretty good vaporizer! I prefer the Aromed vaporizer though because it does not need a bag! It is THE leading Vaporizer for medicinal purposes! Who knows if they ever stop producing these Foodsafe bags that the volcano needs! Vaporizing creates a diffrent high but as soon as you are used to it, its better than smoking! Your not as hammered as when you vaporize! Its more of a psychedlic than a body high! Very pleasant! Theres another vaporizer on the market which is called VAPIR! Its a cheaper device than the AROMED and the VOLCANO and from what i heard its works but it works not good! It has an accu that has to be recharged all the time! bye Eg

Edited April 7, 2009 by Evil Genius

[trucha]

Volcanos are great so long as the higher THC to other cannabinoids content of the smoke is enjoyed. For some strains this is great and for others it removes a lot of the subtleties.

If cleaning is an issue it is likely that the herb chamber is being overloaded. The contents should be loose and the chamber be only partially filled for best results. If the spring loaded valve stem gets sticky rinse it in 99% isopropanol.

Turkey bags are what most users in CA appear to use. The brat bags from Germany (also sold repackaged as "volcano" bags) are harder to find outside of stores selling volcanos.

They work acceptably for other low volatizing compounds also - including alkaloids like nicotine. Only some older models work for higher volatizing materials. For whatever reason their dial controlled temperature ranges are quite different.

I can try to get a photo posted but they look like a countertop appliance with a conical top bearing a screen that heated air comes out of. A separate valve set is what gets used for holding the herb and filling plastic bags full of vapor.

A Steinel heat gun with sealed heating elements is another option for employing the same valve set at lower cost and with a broader range of temperatures additionally including a digital readout.

[reflection]

i've had a volcano for over 5 years now i think it's been. during this time, i have owned a couple others, and have some friends who have other popular types aswell.

the volcano has by far been the most convenient, durable, and the most used of them all.

mine has been repeatedly kicked and dropped, banged and hauled around the whole time...and it has the dents to prove it! i once left it set on '9' for over 5 months, and never once was it unplugged or turned off.

and after all the heavy use and abuse it's been through, it still works perfectly fine today.

BUT

for some strange reason vaporizers really aggrivate my 'asthma'...causing me to wheeze quite a bit.

so i just smoke joints mostly these days, and fill bags for my friends and fam, who get absolutely toasted by the roomfull!

(what the volcano does best)

Edited April 12, 2009 by reflection

[momomoto]

I was curious about these after watching that comedy dvd 'super high me' about the stand-up comic who does the whole 'supersize me' thing, but with pot, as well as getting all the interesting psychology and medical checks on and off the dope. It was really informative about the whole medical marijuana issue, and a good crack up too.

I'm not a pot smoker, but I was wondering if these vapouisers were any good for other types of substance.

I was also a click away from buying an electric aromatherapy oil vaporiser to do the trick - anyone tried that (a lot cheaper!) ?

[Evil Genius]

Hi Momomoto! Its an Oil Vaporiser and you need Canabis Oil in order to use it! If you have a source where you get good quality Oil, then it works! But i doubt that you get enough of that Oil to justify the purchase! I wouldnt suggest using homemade kitchen oil for vaporizing! Thats most likely not pure enough! bye Eg

[random fly]

Love the volcano, but does anybody else find it strange/annoying that a single chamber needs multiple vaporisations in order to use up the herb, with each successive vaporisation getting noticeably weaker?

Also, has anbody heard any anectodes of people using the volcano for Divine Moments of Truth?

[Evil Genius]

Cant speak for the Volcano! But its pretty normal that you need more herb when you vaporize it! It takes some time(5-10min) to vaporize a dose! When you smoke it, you get that dose at once! I had a small box where i put the herb that i was done with in order to vapoize it a second time when i ran out of herb! It also depends on the potency of the herb! If you get high quality herb you dont need to vaporize a second time! bye Eg

[trucha]

Using much smaller size loads in the volcano can help that. Also being sure the temperature is set right (use a digital thermometer)

Its worth NOT discarding 'spent' loads and cooking with them.

Experiencing divine moments of truth is quite achievable.