Best HHC Vape Carts For 2022 [Strict Selection Criteria]

Other Brands Carrying HHC Cartridges

There are quite a few companies carrying HHC vapes and vape carts that we couldn’t add to our list. 

The most common reason for omitting these companies is a lack of testing and transparency. While we consider testing essential for all cannabinoids, we consider it critical for HHC and THC-O because of the riskier techniques some companies use to make these cannabinoids.

Here’s a quick breakdown of HHC carts currently on the market: 

How to Vet HHC Vapes Before You Buy

There are many other companies selling HHC products that didn’t make our list. That doesn’t mean they aren’t excellent vape carts — but it’s important to consider the wild west nature of the current “legal” cannabinoid market. 

The bottom line is that there are a ton of products out there that contain fake HHC, are contaminated, or are just really poor value. There are lots of companies that exist for the sole purpose of capitalizing on the widespread interest in new cannabinoid products. These brands don’t care about the quality of their products or the safety of their customers.

If you’ve found an HHC cartridge that looks interesting, here are some tips for vetting the product to assess whether it’s worth buying or not:

1. Check Third-Party Lab Tests — More information on how to read a lab panel in the next section. 
2. How much HHC is contained inside? — Most pens contain 900 mg of HHC, but be careful; some companies sell carts with significantly less. 
3. Does the vape have good value? — Divide the cost of the pen by the total milligrams of HHC. Good value sits at $0.15 per mg of HHC for premium HHC carts.
4. What type of vape cartridge is it? — Most carts come with a standard 510 thread to fit any vape battery, but be careful; some use proprietary carts that may not fit your battery.
5. Does the brand have a good reputation? — Brand recognition is a good measure of a company’s integrity. Opt for companies that have broad recognition within the industry. 

How to Read An HHC Third-Party Lab Test

We’ve talked a lot about the importance of lab testing for HHC — but how is it actually done? Most people don’t have chemistry degrees and may not be able to interpret a lab test, right? 

Wrong. Anybody can check lab tests and get all the information they need to decide if the product is worth buying or not. 

Here’s how to do it. 

1. Check the Date of the Test

The date the test was submitted should be somewhere near the top of the page. Make sure the test date is within the past 9 months. The sooner, the better. 

Some companies will get one solid lab test and then just keep reusing it for future batches.

2. Check the Cannabinoid Test

Usually, the cannabinoid test will be listed on the first page. This will check for CBD, CBC, CBG, CBN, delta 9 THC, delta 8 THC, and more. 

This test will NOT check for HHC, however.

The main thing to look at here is the delta 9 THC content. If it’s higher than 0.3%, the product is likely illegal to buy where you live. 

2. Contamination Testing

Next, check for heavy metals, pesticides, and solvents. Each test will usually have its own page. Note that ND stands for “not detected” and NT stands for “not tested.”

3. HHC Testing

The final component to check is the HHC test itself. ​​HHC will usually be shown on a different page of the report because it requires a different test to be able to differentiate it from other cannabinoids.

The test will be called something like “other cannabinoids” or “cannabinoids by HPLC=PDA, LC-MS/MS and GC-MS” — or something to that effect. 

This test will sometimes show you the type of HHC discovered — such as (6aR,9R,10aR)-HHC or 9-OH-HHC. Other tests will just list “hexahydrocannabinol.”

What you’re looking at here are two things: 

1. The potency of the HHC (the total content should be above 90%)
2. The ratio of 9R to 9S HHC (this should be close to 50/50 if there’s way more 9S than 9R the extract is likely to be very weak)

What is HHC?

HHC is a cannabinoid found in small concentrations in marijuana flowers. It isn’t produced by the plant directly but forms as other cannabinoids are exposed to UV radiation and ambient air.

There are several different forms of HHC, but the most common type found in health products is cannabiripsol. This is also the form first discovered in cannabis plants back in 1979. 

HHC has virtually identical effects to THC. It’s psychoactive and offers both euphoric and relaxing qualities. It’s roughly 1.5X stronger than delta 8, and about 80% as strong as delta 9 THC. 

What Does HHC Feel Like? 

HHC alters the way we perceive sensory information, changes our salience attribution (what the mind deems worthy of attention), and enhances divergent thinking (makes one feel more creative). 

If you’ve ever used THC products, you already know what HHC is going to feel like. 

In lower doses (less than ~20 mg), HHC has a notable calming action similar to delta 8, but is less likely to cause munchies.

In higher doses (more than ~20 mg), HHC is much more euphoric and energizing, similar to delta 9 THC. Most users find HHC less likely to cause paranoia or anxiety, but this depends more on the mood you’re feeling when you take it than the compound itself. 

If you take HHC in a situation where you feel uncomfortable or stressed out, HHC is going to inflate this feeling and make things very uncomfortable for you. But if you take it while in a positive environment with friends, it’s much more likely to induce feelings of positivity and wellbeing. 

How Long Does HHC Last?

Vaped or smoked forms of HHC produce effects lasting anywhere from 3 to 4 hours. The effects kick in quickly — within about 5–10 minutes — peak around 20 minutes later, and then begin to taper off over the course of 2 or 3 hours.

The more HHC you vape, the longer it will last (within reason). One puff will likely wear off by the 2-hour mark, while several long puffs can last up to 4 or even 5 hours for some people. 

HHC gummies or other edibles last even longer — with most people reporting the effects were still noticeable but heavily diminished by the 6-hour mark. 

What Are the Risks & Side Effects Associated With HHC?

HHC can cause some unwanted side effects. Any pharmacologically-active substance will carry some risk of side effects. The more HHC you take, the higher the risk of these effects. 

The most common side effect reported among people using HHC vapes is anxiety and dizziness. This is caused by the shift cannabinoids cause in our salience attribution, combined with the user’s mindset going into the experience. 

When someone takes HHC who is already stressed out or uncomfortable, the brain will hyperfocus on these issues, causing them to become even worse (temporarily).

Dizziness is caused as a result of the compound’s effect on blood pressure. Most cannabinoids have a mild blood-pressure reducing action, which occurs when the muscles controlling the blood vessels relax. This can cause some people to feel dizzy or lightheaded. The easiest solution is to sit down, drink a glass of water, and wait a few moments for the symptoms to go away. Laying or sitting down ensures the blood can enter the brain more effectively and prevents syncope (dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting). 

What’s The Dose of HHC Vapes?

It’s challenging to measure the dose of vape devices because it depends entirely on the individual cartridge being used and the length or depth of the inhalation. If you take a slow, long haul from a high-end vape cartridge, it’s going to deliver substantially more HHC than a short, shallow inhalation using a cheap device with a poor heating element. 

With that said, most premium vapes and vape carts will deliver approximately 2 mg per puff. A standard puff is about 3 seconds in duration. 

We’ve found that most HHC vapes start to kick in after the first puff, but in order to get a standard psychoactive profile, it takes closer to 3 puffs.

HHC Blacklist: Vape Carts To Avoid

Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad products in the legal cannabinoid space at the moment. HHC only recently entered the market, so it’s going to take some time before the good players rise to the top and the poor players are weeded out of the market. 

Until this happens, it’s extra important that customers know how to vet HHC vendors to avoid buying products that are unlikely to be safe or effective. 

To help bring some clarity to the market, we’ve started a blacklist of HHC cart vendors that should probably be avoided. The reasons cited are lack of third-party testing, proof of underpowered or contaminated products on published tests, or signs of scammy activities. 

If you believe a company should be added to this list or should be removed from this list, reach out to us at [email protected]. 

HHC Vendor Blacklist

(Last updated March 2022)

• Exhale Wellness
• Fuked Up
• Barely Legal
• Diamond CBD

Final Thoughts: Which HHC Vape Should I Buy?

We’re still in the early days of HHC. This cannabinoid isn’t exactly new, but it’s only been on the public market for about a year now. 

With any new market comes a lot of scammy and low-quality products. Unethical vendors pop up all the time to capitalize on new trends without any regard for the customer.

With that said, there are also a lot of great companies working hard to deliver new, innovative HHC products to the market.

If you’re looking for a quick recommendation, check out the HHC carts offered by Area 52, Finest Labs, or Binoid. 

Other brands that sell HHC but didn’t make the list due to a lack of transparency are Delta Extrax, Barely Legal, Fuked Up, and Forge Hemp.