Zeroing a vape means vaping in a way that doesn’t create a visible cloud. It’s not difficult to do – and knowing how to zero a vape can actually be a valuable tool to have in your arsenal for times when you want to vape discreetly without drawing attention to yourself. In this guide, we’ll explain exactly how to do it.
Hamilton Devices makes some of the world’s best discreet vapes and hidden cartridge batteries. Browse our vaporizers now or continue reading to learn how to zero a vape.
How to Zero a Vape: Quick Summary
Here’s a brief summary of what you’ll learn as you read this guide. To zero a vape, you need to do these five things.
- Use the right vape for the job.
- Use the right cartridge for the job.
- Reduce your vape’s power as much as possible.
- Take a small hit.
- Hold the hit for several seconds before exhaling it.
Use the Right Vape for the Job
The first thing to know about zeroing a vape is that you can’t do it with just any vaporizer. You’re not going to have much success zeroing a triple-cartridge beast like the Starship. The ideal device for vaping with no clouds is one that’s small and has adjustable power. It’s valuable to use a vape with variable wattage because it allows you to reduce the vapor output to an absolute minimum. If the device happens to be visually discreet, that’s even better.
Some of the best vapes for zeroing include:
- Hamilton Devices Cloak V2: The Cloak V2 is the most discreet vape on the market, and it also has variable voltage. Since it’s a fully concealed vape battery, the installed cartridge is covered at all times. The Cloak V2 operates at 2.8, 3.2 or 3.8 volts.
- Hamilton Devices Cube: Although the Cube doesn’t have adjustable voltage, it is one of the smallest vape batteries on the market and operates at a very reasonable 3.7 volts when fully charged. You shouldn’t have any trouble zeroing your cart with the Cube.
- CCELL® Sandwave: The CCELL® Sandwave is a surprisingly pocketable little vape battery with a silicone outer coating that makes the device nicely grippy and reduces the chance of dropping it. Using the slider at the top of the device allows you to use the Sandwave at 2.8, 3.2 or 3.6 volts.
Use the Right Cartridge for the Job
Choosing the right vape for zeroing is only half of the battle – you also need to use the right vape cartridge. CCELL® cartridges are ideal for discreet vaping because they deliver smooth, satisfying hits at any power level. You’re going to end up very frustrated if you try to zero your vape only to find that your cartridge doesn’t actually produce any vapor at lower voltages. You won’t experience that problem with CCELL® carts.
Lower Your Vape’s Voltage
The ultimate goal when zeroing a vape is to hold the vapor in your mouth or lungs long enough that it fully condenses. That way, there’s no visible cloud when you exhale. Just like you wouldn’t want to try zeroing a vape with multiple cartridges, you’ll also find it difficult to vape with no cloud if you’re using a device that operates at too high a voltage. That’s why adjustable voltage is a useful feature to have. Before you begin, reduce your vape’s voltage to the lowest available level.
- If your device has a fire button, you can usually change the voltage by tapping the button three times. When you change the voltage, the device’s indicator light should change color to show which power level you’ve selected. In most cases, a red color means that you’ve selected the highest voltage. The color after that should be the lowest.
- Some vapes like the CCELL® Sandwave described above have dedicated voltage sliders. The available settings should be marked somewhere near the slider.
Take a Small Hit
The more vapor you inhale, the longer it’s going to take to condense before you exhale it. One way of reducing your device’s vapor production is by lowering the voltage as we explained above. The other way is by taking smaller hits. If you typically vape by inhaling the vapor directly into your lungs, you’ll want to use the mouth-to-lung inhaling style instead and almost “sip” the vapor in brief spurts.
Taking smaller hits will, of course, mean that each hit will be less potent. You can always counteract that by taking more hits if necessary. On the other hand, though, that might not be necessary. If the vapor condenses fully in your lungs or mouth, it could mean that more of the active compounds will end up in your bloodstream rather than being exhaled. Just pay attention to how you feel when you zero your vape, and you can gauge whether you’ve reached your desired state or not.
Hold the Vapor Before Releasing It
After hitting your vape, hold the vapor in your mouth or lungs for several seconds before exhaling. If you’ve done everything correctly, you should see no visible cloud at all. You’ve successfully zeroed your vape.
Not sure how long you need to hold the vapor before releasing it? You can practice zeroing your vape at home before doing it in public. That’ll help you determine how long it takes for the vapor to dissipate completely.
Use Common Sense When Zeroing Your Vape
Now that you know how to zero your vape, we’ll leave you with a final word of important advice. Knowing how to vape discreetly in public doesn’t mean that you can vape anywhere you want. You still can’t vape where smoking or vaping aren’t allowed. Even if you’re not exhaling a visible cloud, you can still get in trouble for vaping in places where it’s prohibited.
Zeroing your vape is for vaping discreetly in public places where vaping and smoking are both allowed, but you either want to avoid bothering the people around you or simply don’t want to attract unwanted questions.
