As both hemp and cannabis take a bigger space in the vape community, there are products that might be common knowledge for cannaseurs but simply sound too alien for vape users. In this case, live resin carts and regular carts tend to be a little confusing at first glance, especially when multiple forms of consuming cannabinoids become more common.
Because of that, we crafted this small guide on comparing live resin carts vs. regular carts, breaking down what each of these products are, its benefits and advantages, some common questions around them, and how to choose the right product for you.
So, if you want to know which one is better depending on its characteristics and perks, sit back and relax, as we show you in the guide down below.
Key Takeaways
- Live resin carts are devices that contain top-shelf distillate compatible with a 510-standard thread.
- Some of the live resin cart benefits include getting a rich flavor, having a high terpene content, getting an enhanced entourage effect, and tasting thicker vape clouds.
- Normal hemp carts are gadgets that hold distillate with hemp or cannabis-derived cannabinoids, such as Delta-8 THC, Delta-9 THC, CBD, or other compounds.
- Some advantages of using normal carts include legalization throughout the state, discretion, ease of use, versatility, and how cost-effective they are.
- While each has its own perks, make sure to choose the one that best fits your desired experience, your budget, and your battery or heating capabilities.
Primary Jane Pure Gold Live Resin Delta-8 Vape Pen Starter Kit
primaryjane.com
What are Live Resin Carts?
Before we dive into what is a live resin cart, let’s break this down into two parts. First, let’s talk about the content (Live Resin) and then about the devices (510-thread cartridges). Live resin is a type of weed or hemp-derived concentrate that has a very low viscosity and high terpene content and is known for preserving flavors while keeping the potency high.
So, why is it “live”? Well, this concentrate uses a process in which the hemp or weed plants are frozen right after harvest and then processed with chemicals to create the concentrate. Usually, distillate and weed, in general, require a curing process, but by using freshly frozen plants, most terpenes and cannabinoids are preserved due to temperature change.
Now, let’s talk about the “cart” part. Cartridges are devices that consist of a chamber that holds distillate, a heating element with a coil that will evaporate the liquid inside, and a mouthpiece which you can pull air from. By attaching an external heating device called a battery, you can vape hemp-based products like live resin.
It is also important to mention this type of product uses a 510-standard thread. A similar product to this are pods, which also have a chamber, heating element, and mouthpiece, but instead use a specific type of connection or device that attaches to the bottom. Some brands have their unique pods and vape mods (the battery substitute), which will not work with 510-thread cartridges.
Live Resin Carts Benefits
Now that we’ve answered both questions “What does live resin mean in carts” and “What are live resin carts”, let’s go with a third one that’s also pretty important: What are live resin cart benefits? While it is a higher-end product, there are clear benefits to these types of carts, like the richness in flavor, the high terpene content, the stronger onset due to the entourage effect, and thicker vape clouds. Let’s take a quick look at each of them.
Rich in Flavor
Live resin carts can usually give a stronger, richer flavor than other types of distillate. Thanks to its lower viscosity and its low evaporation point, they do not need too much heat to become vaporous which results in more terpenes. Lower temperature settings allow users to taste the terpenes better as well.
High Terpene Content
Thanks to the process used when making live resin, this type of distillate preserves most terpenes in the plant. This helps manufacturers to keep the original strain’s terpenes, which are usually added after the extraction as a bonus. Terpenes impact flavor but also synergize with cannabinoids, enhancing their effects as well.
Pinweel Fruity Pebbles Live Resin Vape Cartridge (Indica)
pinweel.com
Enhanced Entourage Effect
Since live resin keeps terpenes and cannabinoids intact and in a larger proportion than its regular counterparts, they can synergize better and amplify effects like pain management, relaxation, and even inflammation. This is called the entourage effect, which basically means that synergistic effect that cannabinoids and terpenes have in our body, complementing each other’s effects.
Thicker Vape Clouds
Lastly, since live resin needs less heat and has a different density to typical distillate or other concentrates like shatter or crumble, they can easily provide thicker vape clouds when set to a medium setting. This way, you can get much denser clouds than regular carts with a stronger potency and without having to burn your throat (or the terpenes) in the process.
What are Normal Hemp Carts?
Let’s now continue our live resin carts vs. regular carts guide with the second option. Now, normal hemp carts are basically the same type of 510-thread cartridges but with other concentrates used inside. Some might contain regular distillate, which uses a similar process to live resin without the live part, while others might use a physical process to extract cannabinoids. However, these types of carts are rare and most concentrates made in a more artisan way are usually more expensive or consumed through dabbing.
Normal hemp carts can have a different range of cannabinoids as well, from CBD and CBN which are not psychoactive, to cannabis-derived compounds like Delta-9 THC in the states where access to these products is legal.
While in general, this type of product has a lower quality when compared to live resin, they are also far more accessible and have different options. From strain varieties, and distillate blends, to other products, cannabinoids like HHC or THCv are usually not available in live resin formulas due to the process needed to manufacture them. Thus, this type of hemp-derived cannabinoid can most commonly be found in normal carts.
Happi Ice Cream Cake - Delta 10 (Indica)
happihemp.com
Advantages of Normal Carts
Using normal carts also has some advantages, especially if you are a beginner user or like trying different strain flavors or blends. Some of these advantages include the legalization federal-wise, the potential benefits of normal cars, discretion, ease of use, versatility, and even cost-effectiveness. Let’s check each of these.
Legalization
One of the perks of using normal carts is that hemp-derived cannabinoids are legal at a federal level thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. With this law, products with compounds like HHC, THCp, or THCv are available to most states as long as they contain less than 0.3% of Delta-9 THC. Regular carts can have different cannabinoids and terpenes, which are more accessible than Delta 9 THC live resin carts.
Health Benefits
There are some health benefits around vaping cartridges, especially hemp-derived compounds. CBD and CBN in distillate form in carts can potentially help with inflammation, stress, and even pain. Delta-8 THC is a psychoactive effect found in cartridges, which can help with relaxation and even potentially aiding some symptoms to improve insomnia.
Discretion
If you want discretion, cartridges are the way to go. Distillate can dissipate much easier than smoke, while also being very easy to store and keep in your bag, purse, or pocket. Some heating elements are also very sleek and small in design, but it all comes down to the experience, potency, and what kind of device you want to use.
Ease of Use
Regular carts are very easy to use. While they are not as easy as disposable vape pens which can be used out of the box, carts only need an extra step which is screwing the cart mod to your battery. Think of it as a typical vaping mod with a disposable tank, which in this case holds different types of distillates or cannabinoid combos.
Half Bak'd God's Gift - 2G PHC Cartridge (Indica)
happihemp.com
Versatility
Regular carts are great if you are looking for versatility. Whether you look for different cannabinoids, strains, and sizes, these types of products can easily bring you different experiences. And depending on the battery or heating device you use with cartridges, you can also personalize your experience even further with more flavors or more potency.
Cost-effective
Regular carts tend to be cheaper than live resin and other concentrates, like rosin. These carts can have more flavors and different sizes, from 0.5 gram versions and up to 3 gram carts that all fit into the 510-thread standard. Some versions are even cheaper than disposable vape pens, so it can be cost-effective in the long run.
What’s the Difference Between a Live Resin Cart and a Regular Cart?
The main difference between a live resin cart and a regular distillate cart is the concentrate used inside. Now, this might be simple at first but it can definitely change your experience while consuming hemp products when choosing one over the other.
Live resin can have more flavor and better hitting effects, mainly due to its viscosity and the process used to extract the distillate. That said, regular carts can have a blend of cannabinoids and are usually less expensive than their live resin counterparts, which makes them better for people who might want to try different strains in a single go or who consume carts more frequently.
Overall, both provide very similar experiences, and depending on the cannabinoids of their formulas, they will both get you high. Choose the type of distillate based on what kind of experience you want, your budget, and the cannabinoids in each type of cart you are considering trying.
Is Live Resin Solvent Free?
While live resin on its own does not have solvents, the chemical process used to extract terpenes and cannabinoids from the organic matter does use solvents. So, these types of distillates do use solvent as their main way to produce it.
There’s another type of concentrate that’s also common in the hemp and cannabis industry called rosin. This product uses a mechanical method to extract the cannabinoids and terpenes from the organic matter, mostly using physical procedures like temperature changes.
You can also get a “live” equivalent for rosin, called live rosin. However, rosin is pretty much considered a higher-end product in the distillate realm, and it’s pretty complicated to find a disposable vape pen or cartridge with this type of distillate. A way to get around this is simply getting live resin and double-checking the lab results of the product to see if they passed the solvent test.
Are Live Resin Carts Stronger Than Normal?
Yes, live resins can be stronger than normal carts. This is because live resin has a lower viscosity, which means it needs less heat to turn into vapor. Now, as a general rule of thumb whenever you are smoking from a cart, a lower temperature setting will usually provide more flavor, while a higher temperature setting can give a stronger potency.
Since live resin preserves both cannabinoids and terpenes intact and requires less heat to turn into vapor, a single toke using the same battery from a live resin cart and a distillate cart might provide a totally different experience.
In this scenario, live resin carts can hit harder and can even feel more pleasant to toke since the vapor won’t be as dense or heavy on the throat as distillate. That said, some live resin carts made from certain cannabinoids like Delta-8 THC can definitely feel less potent than cartridges with formulas that blend other compounds, such as THCp, which is considered to be 10 times stronger than regular Delta-9 THC and up to 20 times stronger than Delta-8.
Wellicy
Mellow Fellow
How to Choose Which Cart is Best for You
Now, to choose the best cart for you it is important you take into account some things. First, what is your current budget? While live resin carts provide a higher end experience, these often cost more than regular distillate carts. If you are willing to splurge a little for richer flavors, then you might want to go for live resin cartridges.
The second part is to assess if you have the right battery for live resin carts. Most simple batteries do not have a way to change temperature settings, which might be key if you want the perfect balance between flavor and potency. You might want to go for a more expensive battery but a more accessible cart if this is the case.
Lastly, check what’s available with your local legislation and shops. Hemp is legal at a federal level, so it is greatly recommended you choose a local, safe, live resin Delta-8 THC cart with a lower dosage to a sketchy product that you don’t even know if it has cutting agents or solvent residue. Remember to stay safe and always buy from recognizable brands and sellers.
Final Thoughts
We’ve got to the end of our guide on live resin carts vs. regular carts. So, which one is better? Well, each offers a different type of experience you want. While live resin carts are a premium choice for users who want a rich and more flavorful vaping experience, normal hemp carts offer different types of formulas and their accessibility throughout different states.
As you navigate through the cannabis and hemp scene, it is important you choose the experience that fits best to your current resources and expectations. Remember, you might be living in a state where Delta-9 THC is not available, and live resin Delta 8 THC carts can provide a very good alternative.
On the other hand, you might want a different blend of cannabinoids that can help you stay creative, in which case you’d be much better off with a normal cart with a proprietary blend. Make sure to make an informed decision after checking the lab results and verifying the seller for the safest experience possible.
Live Resin Carts: Frequently Asked Questions
What Voltage for Live Resin Carts?
The best voltage for live resin carts is usually between 3.3 and 3.8 volts. However, we recommend starting with lower voltages first to get used to the vapor and slowly increasing it as you get to the sweet spot.
How Long Do Weed Carts Last?
How long your carts last usually depends on several factors, like how much you smoke, your technique, and your cart’s capacity. For example, a single-gram cart usually lasts anywhere between 150 and 300 puffs.
Do Live Resin Carts Smell Like Weed?
This is complicated to answer, as live resin carts do have a smell similar to actual herb. However, it depends on the terpenes and flavor, and most of the time the smell will dissipate faster than smoke.
How to Make Live Resin Vape Carts?
While we encourage some DIY products, whenever we get asked how to make live resin vape carts, the best answer is simply to buy them. Since the extraction process uses solvents and other chemicals that need special lab equipment, it is best to leave this in the hands of professional pharmacists who can bring that experience to a cartridge without wasting time or creating a potentially harmful formula.
