Best Cannabis Hemp Wick for Lighters: Top Picks

What hemp wick does

Hemp wick is braided hemp fiber coated in wax. You light the tip with a butane lighter, then use the flame to light a bowl. The wax coating keeps the braid burning. Beeswax and soy wax are the two coatings on the market. Beeswax holds its shape in a hot car. Soy wax costs less and burns faster.

cannabis hemp wick roll dispenser

A butane lighter flame runs about 1,300 °F to 1,400 °F. Cannabis flower starts to combust near 450 °F. A hemp wick flame sits between those two numbers. That gap is the reason for the taste difference, and it is the reason people buy wick instead of a lighter alone.

what is cannabis hemp wick used for

First pick: Bee Line Hemp Wick, 2 mm, 200 ft spool

Bee Line lists two thicknesses, 1 mm and 2 mm, both with a beeswax coating. The 2 mm braid carries more wax per inch than the 1 mm. More wax means fewer relights per session and a flame that holds in light wind. A 200 ft spool runs about $15 to $20, or $0.08 to $0.10 per foot. The wick threads through the hole in a standard metal holder.

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Trade-off: 2 mm makes a wider flame. On a one-hitter or a small bowl, that heat is wasted and the bowl scorches. Buy 1 mm for small pipes.

Humboldt Hemp Wick

Humboldt Hemp Wick sells beeswax-coated wick in 1 mm and 2 mm, with spools up to 250 ft. The name refers to Humboldt County, California. Retail packs run 20 ft to 25 ft. Cost per foot on long spools lands in the same band as Bee Line. Braid tension differs from batch to batch, so buy a short pack before committing to a long spool.

RAW Hemp Wick

RAW sells hemp wick in short lengths, 10 ft and 20 ft, at smoke shops and gas stations. The brand is easy to find and the pack size suits a test run. Cost per foot is higher than a 200 ft spool, often $0.20 or more. Check the label for the wax type. Listings change.

Zig-Zag Hemp Wick

Zig-Zag puts hemp wick next to its rolling papers in most stores. The packs are short, 20 ft at most retailers, and the wick is thin. The thin braid suits small bowls and one-hitters. Stock varies by state because of shelf space, not law. Hemp wick is not a cannabis product and carries no THC.

How to choose

• Thickness: 1 mm for small bowls and one-hitters. 2 mm for bongs and shared sessions.
• Wax: beeswax for hot climates and long storage. Soy blends for low cost.
• Length: 20 ft packs to test. 200 ft or 250 ft spools for the low cost per foot.
• Holder: a metal holder keeps the ember off your fingers and clips to a lighter. Most 1 mm and 2 mm wick fits.
• Price: $0.05 to $0.20 per foot is the normal retail range.

Limits

No standard test measures hemp wick flame temperature. Brand claims on that point are marketing copy. Wax source and farm origin are not printed on most packs. Ask the shop. Also note what wick does not do: it changes the ignition source, not the smoke. Tar and carbon monoxide come from the flower, not the lighter.