Vape E-Liquids
Vape Cartridges
International
Colorado & Kentucky
30-days
2015
$
Yes
Customer Service
Affordable products
CO2 extraction method
Simple, natural ingredients
Alternate Vape is a company that’s easy to root for. Its founder is a humble man with a very personal and touching story about CBD. He has other CBD companies but created Alternate Vape with a single product focus — vaping.
Although limited in choices, these products still stand out.
We love how these products contain only three ingredients and that the company uses CO2 extraction to preserve the quality of CBD. Each product has a high CBD content per volume, making them a great value. Lastly, the company has a GMP facility where they oversee the stages of manufacturing to the final sale.
Alternate Vape’s website doesn’t mention any charity involvement. But their sister company, Made By Hemp is very involved in charitable causes around Michigan. So, we gave them a few points for that.
Additionally, their mission is to provide products with all-natural ingredients and to stay committed to the needs of their customers.
All products are sourced from hemp grown on Colorado and Kentucky farms, and both states have high cultivation standards. But nothing on Alternate Vape’s site speaks about their farming practices.
According to the lab testing reports, contaminants such as pesticides and mold are not tested for. That means we can’t know for certain whether the hemp is organically grown.
The product range at Alternate Vape isn’t much of a range at all. They only have three CBD vape products. And while they make those reasonably well, they fail to offer refillable cartridges to pair with their CBD E-Liquid. Their prices are fair and considered inexpensive relative to other CBD vape cartridges and e-liquids on the market.
Alternate Vape uses one of the most innovative and safest methods to extract CBD, called CO2 extraction. We also appreciate that they use terpenes from fruits and plants to flavor the vape oil, instead of using artificial flavors. Finally, the company elected to use MCT coconut oil as a cutting agent instead of harsh solvents like VG and PG.
Even though the company posts COAs on their website, they only include results on the levels of cannabinoids, not the levels of potential contaminants. As a benefit, however, the company is involved in the process from ‘oil to packaging.’ And this takes place in their GMP facility in Michigan.
We took off a point because the company’s homepage makes mention of the entourage effect. But, all the products are isolates. That means the only thing left from the hemp plant is CBD. The terpenes they add for flavoring aren’t terpenes from the hemp plant, they’re terpenes from fruits and other plants and are extremely limited in their amounts. This wording on their site is misleading.
The customer service staff at Alternate Vape is friendly and helpful. Plus, it’s convenient to contact them. They offer fast response times, courteous replies, and in-depth answers.
Additionally, this company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and will feature product giveaways and promotions.
| Total CBD: | 200 - 250 mg |
| Potency : | 200 - 250 mg/mL |
| Cost per mg CBD: | $0.07 - $0.10 |
| Extract Type: | Isolate |
| THC Content: | 0.0% |
| Total CBD: | 500 mg |
| Potency : | 33.3 mg/mL |
| Cost per mg CBD: | $0.07 |
| Extract Type: | Isolate |
| THC Content: | 0.0% |
| Total CBD: | 250 mg |
| Potency : | 250 mg/mL |
| Cost per mg CBD: | $0.19 |
| Extract Type: | Isolate |
| THC Content: | 0.0% |
Alternate Vape entered the CBD industry in 2015 to provide an alternative option to prescription medications.
Founder, Jeff Gallagher often says, “we’re in the helping people business, hemp just happens to be the product we help people with.”
More than money and notoriety, this company cares about helping people. And there is ample evidence to support this claim.
Over a decade ago, Jeff Gallaher lost his father-in-law, and ten days later his wife passed away too. He became a single father of two teenagers and a two-year-old toddler. During this tragic and difficult time, Jeff began to experience panic attacks.
This led him to prescription meds. The symptoms from his medications made it hard to sleep, so he started taking a pill to help with his insomnia.
For years, Jeff walked around in a daze. Finally, he decided to seek out a natural solution in hopes of regaining his health. Around this time, as fate would have it, Jeff’s neighbor recommended CBD oil. He started taking CBD, and to his amazement, his head fog cleared, his anxiety subsided, and he slept through the night.
After experiencing such incredible benefits, he started looking into CBD and reading everything he could find on the topic. He dedicated himself to learning about CBD so that he could pass this information along to others.
He committed himself to share the benefits of CBD with five people every day. A short while later, he felt called to start a CBD company of his own. So, in 2013, Jeff founded Michigan Herbal Remedies, Inc., which is the parent company to Alternate Vape. In the same year, he also founded Made By Hemp, the sister company of Alternate Vape.
Since Made By Hemp already had an extensive line of CBD products, Jeff decided to create Alternate Vape to focus solely on vaping products. They noticed many of the CBD vape products on the market contained unhealthy ingredients. And they wanted consumers to have access to something better.
Alternate Vape subscribes to the philosophy, ‘your body is your temple.’ Which is why they created CBD vape products with simple and all-natural ingredients. With only three ingredients: MCT (coconut) oil, CBD, and terpenes, this is a product the company is confident in.
Besides the shortlist of healthy ingredients, Alternate Vape also shines from an innovative perspective because they use CO2 extraction. This method helps extract CBD from the plant using controlled temperatures and pressure. As such, this gentle form of extraction results in a pure, clean, and high-quality product.
Other examples of this company’s innovation efforts include operating out of a GMP facility in Michigan. This acronym stands for Good Manufacturing Practices, whereby companies like Alternate Vape must adhere to FDA regulations and state laws.
Furthermore, Alternate Vape’s website showcases dozens of blog articles that cover a range of CBD topics. And finally, this company offers a 10 percent discount to first-time buyers and a 30-day money-back guarantee on non-bulk purchases.
When you visit the company’s FAQ page on their website, you can see a few mentions about industrial hemp. However, they don’t specify the exact location of where it’s grown. So, we contacted the customer support team at Alternate Vape to see where they source their hemp.
Within hours, we received a response saying their hemp plants are grown on Colorado and Kentucky farms. Both states have excellent reputations for growing hemp. We couldn’t find anything mentioned on their website about organic farming practices. Nor was it said by the customer support tech. If a prospective buyer visited their website, they wouldn’t know whether the product was non-GMO or contained pesticides.
And the same goes for their third-party lab testing results. You can search for a Certificate of Analysis (COA) report on their website and match it to each product’s LOT number. But, these COA’s only indicate the level of cannabinoids. They don’t show the levels of pesticides, residual solvents, heavy metals, or molds.
When we studied the COA’s, we noted a field in the top left-hand corner said ‘Molds/Pests.’ The response by the lab technician was N/A, as in ‘not applicable.’ A better response would be N/D, which stands for ‘not detected.’
We give them credit for posting third-party lab reports but would like to see them test for contaminants as well.
The company specializes in manufacturing and selling CBD vaping products only. As such, their offerings are limited. Especially when you compare them to their sister company, Made By Hemp, who has a large line-up of CBD products.
Alternate Vape sells the following items; CBD Vape Cartridges, CBD E-Liquids, and a CBD Vape Kit.
Let’s cover each product, offering in more detail below.
| Number | Product | Total CBD | Potency | Cost per mg CBD | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Alternate Vape CBD Cartridges |
200 – 250 mg |
200 – 250 mg/mL |
$0.07 – $0.10 |
|
|
2 |
Alternate Vape CBD E-Liquid |
500 mg |
33.3 mg/mL |
$0.07 |
|
|
3 |
Alternate Vape CBD Kit |
250 mg |
250 mg/mL |
$0.24 |
| Total CBD: | 200 – 250 mg |
| Potency : | 200 – 250 mg/mL |
| Cost per mg CBD: | $0.07 – $0.10 |
| Extract Type: | Isolate |
| THC Content: | 0.0% |
On the website, you’ll see this product referred to as a cartridge, shot, or tank. They all mean the same thing. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll refer to this product as a cartridge from here on out.
The vape cartridge contains 200 or 250 mg of CBD in its 1mL container. You can choose from three distinct flavors: mint, citrus, or kush. Based on customer input and feedback, the kush flavor is described as earthy and grassy. A flavor that’s either loved or hated, not a lot of middle ground here. This product is also THC-free.
Rather than using artificial flavors, the company uses fruit and plant terpenes as a flavoring. Terpenes are chemical compounds responsible for scent, color, and flavor. The decision to forego artificial flavorings is a big plus for this product.
Also, the fact that Alternate Vape doesn’t use vegetable glycerine (VG) or propylene glycol (PG) is an innovative move on their part. VG and PG are solvents that serve as thinning agents to create vape liquid. Many vape companies use these solvents, but Alternate Vape chose to use MCT coconut oil instead because it’s generally healthier and safer for consumption.
Unfortunately, the vape cartridges are not refillable, and they don’t come with a battery. Even worse, the company doesn’t sell batteries separately. These are two significant downsides about Alternate Vape. But, their CBD vape kit includes a battery and a vape cartridge, so that’s an option you could consider.
If you’re not interested in the kit, you can buy a battery at your local vape shop or online. Also, please make note that these cartridges are only compatible with a 510 thread battery. Plus, they should only be vaped at a maximum voltage of 5V.
| Total CBD: | 500 mg |
| Potency : | 33.3 mg/mL |
| Cost per mg CBD: | $0.07 |
| Extract Type: | Isolate |
| THC Content: | 0.0% |
Alternate Vape’s second product offering is their CBD E-Liquid, also referred to as vape oil or vape juice. This liquid contains 500 mg of CBD and can fill a 1 mL vape cartridge 15 times, making this product a great value. Just like the CBD vape cartridges, the CBD E-Liquid is available in mint, citrus, and kush and is also THC-free.
As mentioned earlier, the vape cartridges are not refillable. This means you’ll need to buy a refillable cartridge to use this e-liquid.
| Total CBD: | 250 mg |
| Potency : | 250 mg/mL |
| Cost per mg CBD: | $0.19 |
| Extract Type: | Isolate |
| THC Content: | 0.0% |
The CBD Vape Kit includes a pre-filled CBD cartridge, a reusable battery, a USB charger, and a carrying case. When buying this kit online, you have the option to select the flavor of your choice. You can choose mint, citrus, or kush. The CBD vape cartridge contains 250 mg of CBD, and zero percent THC.
When you open the carrying case, you’ll find all three products situated nicely inside. The battery comes pre-charged, so all you have to do is twist the cartridge onto the vaporizer battery, and take a pull by inhaling through the mouthpiece. They make it easy and convenient to get started right away.
Because the battery is low-voltage, taking too many consecutive pulls can create a burnt taste. The company uses ceramic cartridges, which can help prevent burning, but the burnt taste may occur regardless.
The battery has LED lights on the end that signal when the battery is getting low. You’ll get a series of warning blinks before the battery completely dies. When it does, twist the battery onto the USB charger and plug it into your computer. The battery takes about two to three hours to charge fully.
Unlike many CBD companies who make vaping products, Alternate Vape doesn’t use vegetable glycerine (VG) or propylene glycol (PG) as a thinning agent. Instead, they use MCT coconut oil, a more natural and safe agent. Coconut oil also has less reported side effects and health concerns compared to VG and PG.
This advanced extraction method involves precision to extract CBD from the hemp plant. CO2 works at lower temperatures and pressures than other extraction methods. This helps to preserve the plants’ compounds. Not only that, but CO2 is healthier for the environment. There are no toxic solvents used, and the gas is recyclable, making CO2 a sustainable extraction method.
Not all companies use this extraction technique because it requires expensive equipment that is difficult to operate. Businesses looking for a quick buck from the CBD industry will likely opt for a cheap and fast extraction method, such as butane hash oil (BHO).
Using CO2 extraction improves the quality and safety of Alternate Vape’s products significantly.
Maybe it’s the CBD or the western Michigan beauty that fills these employees with cheer. Or perhaps it’s both! Because everyone we interacted with at Alternate Vape was friendly and helpful. Plus, they make it convenient to contact them.
Give them a call, send an email, ask a question on their contact form, or use their online chat tool. Their response time is quick, they are courteous, and above all, knowledgeable.
Additionally, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee except on batch orders. Even more, they have customer giveaways on products, promotions, discounts for new customers, and special deals.
Even though the company includes lab testing results on their website, these reports (COAs) only show cannabinoid levels. Based on the COAs, there doesn’t appear to be any testing on contaminants like residual solvents, pesticides, mold, and heavy metals.
Going forward, it would be nice to see these kinds of tests performed to give consumers a better idea of what’s going into their lungs.
Both the CBD Vape Cartridge and the CBD E-Liquid are THC free, making all their products CBD isolates. This means users miss out on the entourage effect provided in a full-spectrum product.
Also, another apparent issue is their lack of product choices. They sell a 15 mL vape liquid but don’t sell refillable cartridges. Customers have to buy those elsewhere. That’s not a good business move in our eyes.
Transparency is in full effect in this category. Alternate Vape posts third-party lab testing reports (COAs) on their website. Every product has a LOT number that corresponds to a COA. Find the LOT number on their site, and then click on the COA and review the results.
The third-party lab testing is performed by Iron Laboratories, based in Michigan and ProVerde Laboratories, who has testing facilities in Massachusetts and Maine. Many of the COAs are recent. The latest report had a date of a few weeks ago.
Just like we mentioned under the areas for improvement, Alternate Vape’s COAs don’t show contaminant levels, only cannabinoid levels. This can be helpful for someone who wants to confirm the product has 0% THC. But it can turn others away who are concerned about toxins.
For the price point, Alternate Vape carries good quality vaping products. They are products we would recommend and can be a great find for someone looking for a THC-free product.
The company stands out for sourcing industrial hemp from Colorado and Kentucky, for using CO2 extraction, opting for healthier and safer ingredients, and paying for third-party lab testing.
They have pride in their brand, knowing they went the extra mile to create their vaping products
