What is a Dry Hit?

Dry Hits When Vaping Explained: Guide On How To Avoid & Prevent

If you’re an avid vaping fan who frequently uses a vape kit to curb their nicotine cravings, it’s more than likely you’ve had the misfortune of experiencing a dry hit at some point. Dry hits are a common problem among the vaping community, greeting users with a foul and often irritating taste and sensation in their throat. But why does it happen? We’re here to find out.

In this guide, we’ll explore what dry hits are, why they occur and how to prevent them in the long run to ensure a flavourful and satisfying vaping experience every time. Whether you’re a beginner currently experiencing the nuisance of dry hits for the first time, or a long-time user looking to prevent them in the future, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive right in!

What is a Dry Hit?

If you’ve ever noticed a dry, slightly burnt and generally unpleasant taste while vaping, you’ve probably dealt with a dry hit. The sensation of a dry hit is pretty hard to ignore, and if you’ve ever experienced one, you’ll definitely know about it! Users often describe it as a foul and slightly burnt taste accompanied by a drying and sometimes irritating sensation in the back of the throat which overpowers the flavour of your e-liquid.

Dry hits are fairly common and they can happen to anyone, but it’s important not to ignore the first signs of a dry hit or you run the risk of damaging your vaping equipment. They are often the result of an unsaturated wick, which can eventually lead to coil burning and other issues. The unpleasant taste and irritating sensations associated with dry hits can intensify if you ignore the warning signs, so it’s best to deal with the problem immediately and work on preventing dry hits in the future for the best possible vaping experience.

What causes Dry Hits?

Before you can work on preventing dry hits, you first need to understand why they occur in the first place. Although most cases of dry hits are due to an undersaturated wick, it’s not the only cause. Some of the key causes of dry hits are as follows:

Frequent Vaping

It’s no secret that the more you vape, the more e-liquid your vape kit uses. This means that chain vapers are more at risk of depleting their juice and desaturating their wick, which can result in dry hits and coil burning which negatively affects the flavour of your vape and your overall vaping experience.

Undersaturated Wick

Most cases of dry hits are caused by an unsaturated wick. In order to keep your vape kit operating smoothly and without burning, users must ensure that their tank is adequately filled and completely saturating the cotton wick. If the e-liquid doesn’t seep into the cotton, you’re going to experience an unpleasant taste and burning sensation.

Not Priming

Coils Dry hits can also be the result of not properly priming your coils. If you insert a new and unused coil into your vape kit and attempt to use it immediately, you run the risk of experiencing dry hits, burning, and permanently damaging your new coil.

Faulty Equipment

While the main cause of dry hits is usually the wick or coil itself, sometimes they can occur as a result of a malfunctioning vape kit. If you’re already making precautions such as priming your coil and ensuring maximum saturation, the issue may be down to a faulty vape kit and you should consider investing in a new one to prevent further dry hits. 

How to prevent Dry Hits

Although dry hits are inevitable in the long run if you’re a frequent vape user, as companies are still working on a way to eliminate them completely, there are some simple actions you can take to reduce the frequency of dry hits you experience. Here are the best ways to keep your vaping equipment in tip-top shape to prevent future dry hits:

Always ensure your wick is saturated

The best way to avoid pesky dry hits is to ensure your coil is adequately saturated at all times. This involves making sure that your tank has enough e-liquid inside to cover wick holes and ensuring it’s always topped up. Before inserting a coil into your device, double check that it is compatible and switch out your coil immediately if you start to experience dry or burnt hits.

Don’t chain vape

We understand how easy it can be to zone out watching your favourite TV show and mindlessly hit your vape over and over again. However, chain vaping like this can increase your chances of experiencing dry hits, so try to remain mindful of how much you’re continuously vaping and be sure to give your device a couple of minutes to recover after each use to reduce the risk of dry hits. 

Buy a new device

Sometimes the issue doesn’t involve your coil or vaping habits, but your vape kit itself. If you’re using an old vape kit or a model that’s pretty outdated and you’re experiencing regular dry hits, this is probably a sign that it’s time to get your hands on a new device that performs effectively. 

Always prime your coil

When it’s time to replace your old coil and swap it for a fresh one, it is vital to prime it before you begin to vape otherwise you’re likely to experience dry hits and possibly cause irreparable damage to your new coil. To effectively prime your coil, once inserted into your device ensure the vape kit is adequately filled with enough e-liquid to saturate the wick and leave it for 5-10 minutes before vaping. 

Vaping Advice at myCigara

Here at myCigara, we exist to make the UK smoke-free. By offering vaping as a viable method for eventually quitting nicotine entirely, we hope to help our customers make that all important first step on their quit smoking journey.

Although vaping is fairly straightforward once you get the hang of it, we understand that beginners who are just dipping their toes into the vaping scene may be feeling confused and overwhelmed. That’s why we provide a range of blogs, guides and curated advice to help you fully understand how vaping works and how to ensure the best possible experience every time.

If you’re just getting started and want to find out more, head over to our New to Vaping blogs to help you get to grips with the basics. Alternatively, you can check out our Vaping Facts and Statistics blog to better understand how vaping works and how it can benefit your health and lifestyle.

If you require further help or advice, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us. Alternatively, you can head down to your local myCigara vape store to chat to one of our friendly members of staff.