With Volcano Vaporizers, you need to replace the volcano bag every few weeks to ensure cleanliness and taste and performance of the product.
With the current options on the market, you can either buy the full Storz and Bickel replacement kits with new Easy Valve Tips, or you can get a replacement vaporizer bag and replace the old material using the same Easy Valve Tips.
This can be annoying and challenging for first time users, so we have built a guide to explain when and how to replace a volcano bag along with recommendations on which bag to use.
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When to Replace a Volcano Bag
Determining when to replace a volcano vaporizer bag can be difficult. Users want to be sanitary but replacing a volcano bag can be inconvenient.
Here are a few signs that your volcano vaporizer bag may need replaced:
- The volcano bag is discolored with a yellow or brown hue
- The volcano bag is crinkly and noisy to use
- The volcano bag is sticky on the interior
- The volcano bag is leaking
- The volcano bag taints the taste of the flower when used
Volcano replacement bags have different lifespans depending on the material that is used to make them and how you use them. While the classic Storz and Bickel bags last about 2 weeks of daily use, a grocery store turkey bag may only last 2 days. Premium, next generation Nylon used by Best Boons can last up to a month and destroys the S&B bags in a side by side comparison. More on that later.
Other than the quality of replacement vaporizer bag, the lifespan is determined by how often the volcano is used and what type of material is vaporized is the first determining factor. As a rule of thumb, the more you use it and the stickier the vaporized substance, the faster you will need to replace a volcano bag. For example, vaporizing wax, hash or oils on the brillow pad will result in more sticky residue entering into the bags compared to vaporizing cannabis flower.
Qualities of Good Replacement Volcano Bag
Not all replacement volcano bags are made equal. The material that is used, the thickness of material and methods of sealing the end plays a large part in the lifespan per balloon. Here is a list of the qualities that are best used to evaluate volcano vaporizer bags.
- Type of material (Nylon or Polyester)
- Thickness of material
- Length Options available
- Pre – Sealed vs Tied end
- Crinkle resistance
- Puncture resistance
- Leak resistance
- Time to discoloration
- Availability and Price
With replacement volcano bags, you have 3 options: turkey bags, Storz and Bickel bags, and Best Boons. Let’s go through them and understand the differences.
Turkey Bags
Turkey bags are the cheapest and easiest to find because they are available in every grocery store. These are usable because of their kitchen grade, heat resistant material but have many issues that make them the worse choice for a volcano replacement bag.
First, they are often cut to pillow size dimensions which makes using them awkward. The material is rough and crinkly material because it is meant to be used one time. They do not hold up well and can be easily punctured.
Storz and Bickel Bags
Storz and Bickel volcano bags are what most people are used to. They can be difficult to obtain and most shops only carry the expensive starter set or replacement set that comes with replacement easy valve tips. If you want the plastic tubing without the tips, you likely have to order online and can only get a 3 meter roll. It is listed at $3.50 but requires $8 in shipping which is why most smoke shops sell the same package for $10-$15 per unit. This roll is not pre-sealed and instead must be tied with a plastic strip of the tube material likely resulting in leaks down the road.
The S&B bags are good but are obviously not made to the same quality as the rest of S&Bs products. The material is thin and gets crinkly and discolored after a few days of use. They recommend changing them every 2 weeks, and it is about that time where the seams begin to leak and the flavor of the bag is tainted.
Best Boons Volcano Bags
Best Boons was made to resolve all of the issues found in the Storz and Bickel Bags. Their bag is made of premium nylon tubing with extra thickness for puncture resistance, crinkle resistance and a softer feel. Best Boons are available in multiple size options and you can buy in pre-cut and pre-sealed bags or in up to 30 foot rolls. They are made in the USA and ship directly to your door in a few days. With these improvements, a Best Boon can outlast the S&B bags by almost 2 times for around the same price.
Use the chart below to look at a side comparison of replacement volcano bags.
How to Replace a Volcano Bag: Step by Step with Video
Most Volcano users these days have the luxury of using Storz & Bickel’s Easy Valve System to deploy their vapor. This lightweight, orange and black system is a great improvement over the previous solid valve mouthpiece systems.
With the easy valve tips, it is easy to take them apart, clean each element and replace the volcano vaporizer bag with a fresh new plastic balloon. With the instructions below, you should have no problem replacing your volcano bag. Just in case, we made a step by step video tutorial to show you how it is done!
Replacing a Volcano Balloon Step by Step Instructions
- Grab the easy valve balloon that you are looking to replace.
- Take the black mouthpiece out of the orange shell
- Lay the orange Easy Valve tip flat on a table with the bag facing up.
- Using a flat-head screwdriver, insert the tool between the orange plastic shell and the clear interior ring, or valve collar. Pry up the valve collar using the screwdriver as a lever, stopping once the black rubber fixation ring is exposed. It is now loose enough to remove by hand by pulling on the bag.
- The collar valve should come away from the orange shell with the bag attached by a black fixation ring.
- Remove the black fixation ring and dispose of the used vaporizer bag..
- Remove the silicone vapor barrier from the orange casing. It is a flat, circle of silicone with an X cut into it.
- Get a dish and fill it with Isopropyl Alcohol.
- Soak any pieces that need sanitizing in Isopropyl Alcohol for 5 to 10 minutes; including the valve collar, fixation ring and silicone vapor barrier. This cleans the materials and loosens any cannabis residue build up.
- Remove the parts from the alcohol bath, rinse in water and dry with a towel.
- Open your new replacement vaporizer bag on one end by pulling apart the opening.
- Slip the fixation ring over the opening of the bag. You may need to fold the bag to fit it through.
- Place the valve collar inside the end of the vaporizer balloon with the flat side facing out of the bag.
- Roll the fixation ring over the bag until it is secure in the valve collar groove.
- Grab the balloon by the center of the opposite end and let the newly secured valve collar hang down freely. If the valve is not centered in the balloon, align the tip so that it points directly down when held upside down.
- Place the silicone vapor barrier in the orange shell
- Replace the valve collar with the new balloon attached
Three Resources for Volcano Vaporizer Enthusiasts
Best Boons provides the best resources for Volcano Vaporizer enthusiasts looking to supercharge their workflow. Here are some for you to try:
- Ultimate Volcano Vaporizer Guide: Everything you’ll ever need to know about Storz and Bickel’s famous product.
- Free Volcano Experience Log tool: Keep track of every vaporizer experience allowing you to find out what you like best in a systematic fashion.
- Best Boons Instagram: Packed with great video content to learn how to use and optimize your volcano experience. We love engaging with customers, so give us a follow!
