America’s coolest carts and pods of 420 2023

America’s tens of millions of vape lovers this 4/20 get to take their cannabis journey to the edge of human innovation. 

Vape technology has rapidly advanced from sketchy medical days to tested, pure, authentic, and sublime live resin and live rosin pods and cartridges. More than 20 legal state markets mean billions of dollars poured into research and development. Fresh flavors and new hardware rapidly appear in new markets like Missouri. All in service of the world’s cleanest, tastiest, low-profile mood lift.

Our national team checked in with weed’s culture keepers—people like Terphogz Jondo, and Alien Labs Ted to assemble a national collection of award-winning, 90-point-plus carts, pods, and a few dabs, too. 

Let’s sip it and rip it!

Live rosin carts rocking California

Coup d’état Nasha Live Rosin all-in-one vape

A Humboldt County, CA name in old-school hash, Nasha Hash has released live rosin in an all-in-one vape format. The custom-tuned battery and cart hit hard right out of the tin. They have 10,000 units of Purple City Genetics flavors like Papaya Bomb and Coup d’état—tasty on the beach for Spring Break, and invisible to bystanders. Coup d’état is PCG’s latest advance on the GMO family—Governmint Oasis x THC Bomb. This vape hits like a champ: Smooth, sweet, and natural with no generic distillate notes. You’re vaping live rosin, with no dewaxing—just heat and pressure to decarboxylate the hash and make sure it flows. The softer you hit, the bigger the GMO notes. (David Downs)

PAX Era Live Rosin pods

PAX returns for year two reigning over the live rosin pod market with the No. 1-selling live rosin cart in California, Colorado, and Massachusetts, reports the data firm BDSA. PAX’s top pod in Cali is Blue Dream—the High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal: People’s Choice Edition 2022 award winner for best vape and one of the most-bought strains of 2022. The top PAX pod in Mass is also Blue Dream, while Colorado prefers Guava Gelato. That’s the good stuff. The live rosin is thick, flavorful, and strong. Earn points with that special lady friend—grab the pretty, pink battery base and a fresh flavor for 4/20. (d2)

Top-tier Cali live resin carts

Agent X live resin vape pod by Alien Labs

Alien Labs is one of the best brands in California, hands down. From flower to their dabs to their vape pens, it’s always top quality from those folks up in Sacramento; in celebration of 4/20, you should definitely cop something from Alien Labs. For flower from them, peep that Y2K strain; when it comes to dabs, the Apollo 41 collab from Alien Labs x Kalya is a (good) problem. If you’re shopping for vapes, pretty much any Alien Labs disposable joints truly smack like dabs—it’s almost too easy to get too high, too quick, off of them. To help narrow down your choices, I suggest grabbing that Agent X pod. It’s absolutely delicious. Agent X crosses Xeno #1 with Atomic Apple to produce a gassy and sweet strain that gives way to both uplifting and relaxing feelings. Stores across California stock the half-gram disposable pod, and it’s worth your $40 any day of the year, but especially on 4/20. (Dante Jordan)

Runtz #32 loud resin vape pen by Dabwoods x Runtz

Dabwoods’ disposable pens are great, Papaya Burst and Island Sorbet in particular. Another flavor that’s great is the collab Dabwoods did with Runtz on the Runtz #32. You should grab one for 4/20.

Runtz #32 is a phenotype of White Runtz, which comes from a phenotype of Gelato x Zkittlez. Dabwoods tells Leafly the strains were bred (and grown) by Runtz and then extracted by The Clear Group. A few puffs of the vapor give you candy-like notes with hints of fruity and lavender. The effects are calming and relaxing, but also uplifting. As a vape pen, you can puff on the Runtz #32 loud resin vape all day long and be just fine, especially with a long work day and little time to roll up and burn joints. The Dabwoods pens cost $40–$50, on average. Per Dabwoods, there are about 10,000 units available throughout California, so you can definitely find a Runtz #32 loud resin vape pen to add to your 4/20 stash. (Dante Jordan)

Banana Cream Cake sauce cart from AbsoluteXtracts Farmer’s Reserve

California sauce carts fans get two new flavors from the legacy-operator-led winners at AbsoluteXtracts. ABX Sauce Cartridges are made with whole cannabis terp sauce, or HTE (high-terpene extract), and deliver full-spectrum, strain-specific cannabis taste and effects in a ceramic core cartridge. The new drop of Banana Cream Cake answers that bottomless demand for cake and bananas. Also look out for the Zlushi indica hybrid from the Farmers Reserve Sauce Cartridge line for those Z terps. (d2)

Gelonoidz from Humboldt Terp Council 

That was fast. Terphogz just released Gelonoidz at last year’s Emerald Cup and here we are in April with a cart evolution on the new Gelonade x Z. Humboldt Terp Council’s terps and diamonds will turn the brightness up on everything. It’ll go great with that 4/20 day around town. (d2)

See also in California: Wapanga! Zeuz pod (Hindu Z x Papaya) x Zkittlez) from Terphogz; plus Blooberry-Z, and Zlushi.

Standout solventless and live resin in Oregon

Double Motorboat rosin cart by Archive Oregon

Oregon’s Archive Portland crew produces this single-source rosin cart. They grow the flower, wash the hash in-house, and then press that hash into rosin. This is the way. Surprisingly, this sappy concentrate manages to deliver full flavor hits from a standard 510-thread cartridge. This golden oil does Cannarado’s cross of Motorbreath #15 and Sour Dubble justice, with a gassy profile and pronounced effects. Even at a low temp, each pull from the cart releases thick clouds scented of rich pine forest, tanned leather, and lingering diesel. With each cart packing a half-gram, all you need for a rambling road trip is a fresh cart and a fully charged battery. (Ryan Herron)

Top 420 dabs in Washington

Tropical Beltz by Fugu Farms

What do you get when you blend the tropical fruit flavors of Papaya with the sweet candied gas of Rainbow Belts, and then run them together for a mixed wash run of solventless hash rosin? Tropical Beltz by Washinton’s Fugu Farms.

The 73-micron to 149u hash rosin is wet and doughy. Glistening with a layer of terpenes as it sweats a pungent musk. The aroma smells like the funk of a sour cheese mixed with sugary fermenting fruit.

At 78.4% THC and an impressive 10% total terpenes, Tropical Beltz from Fugu Farms dabs smoothly with earthy flavors dotted with citrus and sour fruit—sweet and gassy on exhale with a sugary sweet aftertaste that only a cross with Rainbow Belts could provide.

If you miss out on the Tropical Beltz drop, look out for Fugu’s latest collaboration with Royal Tree Gardens (Gary Payton, Oreoz, Dulce de Fresca) and maybe even a special 90u drop in time for 420.

More cool carts, pods and dabs across America

Classic cart for Nevada

A safe bet for Las Vegas for 420 is the ever-popular Afghani Kush cart by Tryke Companies. Tryke has rocked Afghani Kush carts since 2015, currently available in 50 Las Vegas dispensaries. Las Vegas cultivation manager Wesley Zarnowitz and team harvest the legendary landrace strain sourced from present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and China, and distill it into a premium ~80% THC vape cartridge. Tryke uses strain-specific terpenes, including myrcene, caryophyllene and pinene, to produce a dynamic indica with a rich, full-bodied and wood-like profile. Tryke’s Afghani Kush cart is for serious adults, with all of the qualities that allow for relaxation, peace, and pain relief while not at all dictating that the day must stop. It works phenomenally for taking the edge off in a pinch, but can also function as a day-long treatment for pesky anxiety. It’s by no means an automatic couch-lock or nightcap before bed, though users who want those effects can still enjoy it. (Chris Kudialis)

Accurate effect pens in Illinois

Beboe Inspired—Illinoisans just starting their cannabis journey will love Beboe’s stylish, unique, mild, “Inspired” effect-based all-in-one disposable vapes. A High Times Cannabis Cup Illinois 2022 winner.

See also: Authentic Stiiizy-brand pods arrived in Illinois in March. Get the Ice Cream Cake with single-source cannabis terps.

Live hash rosin carts in Montana

Since launching in 2021, the Missoula-based brand Groove Solventless has quickly become a ubiquitous name in Montana’s cannabis marketplace. It’s no wonder why: Their solventless vapes—containing whole plant fresh frozen live hash rosin—continuously hit home runs with robust flavor, uncommon genetics and on-point effects.

Their Strawpaya is no exception. The indica-dominant strain (Strawberry Diesel Cookies x Tropaya) offers a whopping 9.41% terpenes, and radiates notes of sweet strawberry, cream and a hint of gas. Strawpaya offers a perfect pairing for your end-of-4/20 wind down: Packing over 75% THC, I found that it soothed my muscles and calmed my brain with just a quick hit.

You can find Groove products at a wide selection of stores across the Treasure State, including their own classy showroom in Missoula, and their website includes a full list of retailers for easy navigating. You can purchase Strawpaya in 0.5 gram carts ($50, including tax) and a disposable 0.3 gram option ($30, including tax) from Groove’s Missoula showroom. Prices may vary at other stores.

Solventless carts in Arizona

Timeless Vapes helps lead the solventless wave in Arizona. Check the Cactus Cooler for migraines, GDP for pain, and Forbidden Fruit for date night.

Live rosin cart pick of Colorado

Natty Rems carries a lot of clout in the Mile High City—we’d try all their live rosin carts, starting with the Wedding Cake. 

Live resin cart pick for Michigan

Folks in Detroit have 336 different vapes to choose from for pickup today. Cresco’sDosilato advertises liquid live resin with no mystery terps or additives.

Massachusetts award-winning carts

Superflux’s Orange Mojito live resin cart just took second place in the NECANN Cup in Boston.

Suncrafted’s Live Rosin Carts aka Holistic Health Group (HHG) swept up in the solventless category at the NECANN Cup 2023.

Carts picks for newly legal Missouri

Timeless’ solventless Peach Ringz (Marionberry and Eddy OG) doesn’t get much hotter; ILLICIT brand Power Sherb offers breeder Exotic Genetix’s cultivar in a pure live resin format.

Whew—that’s a lot of America’s coolest THC carts and pods of 420 ’23. 

Enjoy the vape golden age, and never miss the latest taste—download the Leafly App (Android, iOS) and turn on notifications to scoop those flavors first. 

Protip: Combine Leafly Picks with Leafly Deals to free up cash for some fresh gear.

Freelancers Dante Jordan, Will Hyde, Ryan Herron, and Chris Kudialis contributed to this story.

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