As cannabis legalization spreads globally, more users are joining the canna community—and none more so than Gen Z.

Gen Z is now the fastest-growing group of cannabis users, expanding by 11.3% annually and cutting into the Millennial market share. With 63% of Gen Z preferring weed over alcohol, it’s clear that cannabis is becoming their new go-to.

And one of the most popular ways of getting high nowadays is by vaping cannabis concentrate. Taking puffs off your pen is insanely convenient and way more discreet than a smoke session that leaves everything smelling danky.

You deserve to be toking on the best of the best, so we’ve put together our 2024 list of top THC vape carts on the market. We’ll also let you in on which ones have earned a permanent spot in our stash.

A THC vape cart (short for cartridge) is a pre-filled container designed for vaporizing cannabis oil. It’s one of the most convenient and discreet ways to enjoy THC—just attach it to a compatible vape battery, and you’re ready to go.

Cannabis oil: The main ingredient in the cart is cannabis oil, a concentrated extract derived from cannabis plants. The oils contain concentrated THC, usually between 70% to 95%, along with other cannabinoids like CBD and terpenes. The oil can be a distillate, live resin, or CO2-extracted concentrate, each providing different flavors and effects.

Added Terpenes: These natural aromatic compounds found in cannabis contribute to the flavor, aroma, and effects of the oil. Some carts have additional terpenes added in, since the extraction process to get the oil typically causes these to burn off.

Cutting agents (optional): Some carts contain thinning agents like propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), or MCT oil to change the consistency, making the oil easier to vaporize. However, these additives can impact quality and raise health concerns when inhaled.

Using a THC vape cart is simple and straightforward:

1. Attach the cart: Start by screwing or snapping the THC cart onto a compatible vape pen. Most carts use a universal 510 thread, which fits with most vape batteries.

2. Power on: If your vape pen has a button, press it five times quickly (or however many operation manual says) to turn it on. Some pens are draw-activated, meaning they’ll power on once you take a puff.

3. Adjust settings: Many vape pens will let you adjust the temperature. Lower settings (around 315°F) will preserve the terpenes and thus flavor of your concentrate, while vaping at higher settings (up to 450°F) will give you stronger, more powerful hits since more cannabinoids like THC are being activated.

4. Take a hit: Press the bottom (if needed) and inhale slowly through the mouthpiece. Wait a few minutes between hits to feel the effects, and remember that THC carts are strong, so they’ll hit fast and hard.

Most THC carts work best between 2.5V and 3.5V.

Staying on the lower end (around 2.5V to 3.0V) preserves terpenes and gives you a smoother, more flavorful hit. It’s perfect if you want to savor the taste and enjoy a lighter high.

If you’re after bigger clouds and a stronger effect, you can go a bit higher—3.0V to 3.5V.

Just be careful not to go too high, as temperatures beyond this range can burn the oil, creating harsh hits and potentially degrading the flavors and strength of effects.

Tribal is easily one of the top names in Delta 9 THC carts, offering solid products that are reasonably priced and deliver a truly layered high.

Take their Triple Burger cart, for instance—a big hit among Redditors. This Indica-dominant live resin cart hits you with a bold, fuel-like flavor mixed with fruity notes. One toke, and we instantly felt the high creeping in behind our eyes. It kicked off with that classic heavy, hazy head high with a slight energetic boost, which eased into a body-heavy couch-lock.

Most Redditors will say 2.6V is the sweet spot for vaping Triple Burger, even though most vapes will generally suggest keeping the voltage between 2.0-2.5V.

Tribal’s other popular vape cart strains include Cuban Linx (Sativa), G Mint (Indica), and Power Sherb (Hybrid). Cuban Linx had an entire moment in the spotlight, and it was pretty much the most popular Sativa strain in the Canadian cannabis market for an entire year.

Typical price: $35 for 1g.

Another live resin vape cart (IYKYK) comes from California-based cannabis brand Sherbinskis.

A couple puffs on this cart had us feeling extremely creative, talkative, giggly, and hungry. Extremely hungry, which probably came from its sweet, strawberry-like flavors that had us craving our nightly 2000-calorie treat a bit earlier.

The body high was intense, and after a few more rips, the haze went straight to our heads. Definitely not one for a casual afternoon puff (we learned the hard way), despite the innocent pink packaging—it’s a real heavy hitter.

Typical price: $44 for 1g.

Okay, the cat’s out of the bag—we’re biased toward live resin carts. Can you blame us? Live resin has popped off, and for good reason.

Live resin carts have a richer flavor compared to other concentrates we’ve vaped. That’s thanks to all those terpenes packed in there—the compounds responsible for flavor, aroma, and even some of the effects you feel from cannabis.

More terpenes mean more deliciousness.

One of the best-tasting live resin carts on the online cannabis dispensary space that we’ve tried lately is Binoid’s 3 Gram Disposable Live Resin King Kong vape.

This one’s a powerhouse, with THCA, THCP, and PHC distillate all infused into the concentrate. The result? An extremely strong high, even for seasoned users. And those live terpenes in the mix? Just chef’s kiss.

Typical price: $43.99 for 3g. 

Arbors Wellness was Michigan’s first-ever cannabis dispensary, and they did the community justice. Since 2017, they’ve operated as a boutique cannabis store that serves up some truly unique products on their shelves, including some stellar carts.

We really vibed with their Levitate Cartridges.  They claim to make them with extremely pure distillate oil, and “special” terpene mixes that pop with flavor. So, obviously, we had to be the judge of that. And they pretty much measured up to the mark we expected.

Tasty hits that made the time melt more and more away with every puff. Couch-lock galore here, beware. 

African Thai is an Indigenous landrace cannabis variety, leaning towards a Sativa-dominant hybrid.

Despite the serious lack of information on their site about these carts—which isn’t ideal for consumers—many Redditors still claim it’s one of the best sativa carts on the market. We were a bit put off by the missing details and decided not to indulge, especially since it came in at $48 for 0.5g.

All we know is that it’s loaded with 500mg of something (they didn’t mention the cannabinoids either!).

Typical price: $48 for 0.5g

D8 Gas offers their Zaza Delta 8 Cartridge that’s filled with one potent gram of delta-8 THC distillate.

• MK Ultra- Indica
• Black Mamba- Indica
• Purple Punch- Indica
• Cereal Milk- Hybrid
• OG Kush- Hybrid
• Super Jack- Sativa
• Green Crack- Sativa

Depending on the strain tried, effects vary, of course. Personally, we found Green Crack to give the perfect mid-day-pick-me-up we needed.

Nothing quite matches Cresco when it comes to taste.

Cresco has built a solid rep for quality. Their live resin vapes are always on point, giving you that vibe-worthy hit time after time.

Their 24K Gold strain—a cross between Kosher Kush and Tangie—delivers a burst of citrus with every puff. Cresco really nails the full-spectrum essence, and the energetic effects were just what we needed to shake off that afternoon slump.

Cresco has a bit of a reputation for short-filling their carts. Most people don’t mind (exclude us from this, we care about our dollar!) because the high is that good, but it still stings a little considering the price—$85 for 1g is no small splurge.

Besides 24K Gold, Redditors are all about Blueberry Spacecake, though it’s not always easy to come across at your local dispensary.

Typical price: $85 for 1g.

The concept of vaporizing didn’t start with cannabis.

The first patented mechanical butane ignition vaporizer dates back to 1927, invented by Joseph Robinson. It wasn’t intended for cannabis, but it set the wheels in motion.

Jump to the 1960s, when Herbert A. Gilbert patented the “Smokeless Non-Tobacco Cigarette.” This early device had a cartridge for holding liquids, making it the blueprint for modern e-cigs, though it still wasn’t meant for cannabis use.

Then, in 1993, Eagle Bill came along and invented the “Shake & Vape”—the first publicly available vape specifically designed for dry herbs.

Nicotine e-cigs gained popularity well before cannabis oil vape carts. The early 2000s saw a boom in nicotine e-cigs, which paved the way for cannabis oil vape carts to rise in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

By around 2012, the popular G Pen hit the scene, becoming one of the first vape pens pre-filled with THC concentrate.

Fast forward to today, and you’re likely to see people everywhere with a vape pen tucked in their pocket, ready for a tasty, discreet puff.

THC vape carts come loaded with tons of…well, THC.

These can vary between 65-95% THC, but what exactly do those numbers mean?

THC percentages tell you how much THC is in the cannabis product compared to the other ingredients. For a vape cart, a THC percentage of 80% means that 80% of the total content is pure THC, while the remaining 20% could be other cannabinoids, terpenes, or other compounds.

The THC content depends on the type of concentrate used:

• Live Resin Carts – Typically contain 80-90% THC
• Live Rosin – Similar to live resin, but extracted without solvents and containing 60-90% THC
• Distillate Carts – Can have higher THC concentrations, often 90-99%
• Delta-8 Carts – Less potent than THC, these carts can range from 70-90% Delta 8 THC.

The lifespan of a THC cart depends on a few factors, like how often you use it, how big your hits are, and the cart’s size.

On average, a 1-gram THC vape cart can give you anywhere between 200 to 300 puffs.

If you’re a light user, that could last a couple of weeks, while more frequent vapers might go through it in just a few days.

Another factor is shelf life. A THC cart can typically last up to a year if stored properly—keep it in a cool, dark place to preserve the potency and flavor. Over time, though, THC can degrade, and the oil may thicken, so it’s best to use it sooner rather than later for the best experience.