**The PAX 3 vaporizer has some features only accessible via a smartphone app. On November 15th, 2019, Apple removed all vaporizer apps from its store. Apps that were downloaded before removal will still work. Android users are not affected. Please read our blog post to learn more about the app removal, and how it affects specific vaporizers.**
How to get the most out of your PAX concentrate insert
When PAX included a dry concentrate insert with the PAX 3, it was stepping into dangerous territory. More specialized portable vaporizers already had a corner on the dry concentrate market, and some devices that tried to do both herbal and dry concentrates sometimes didn’t do either well.
Thankfully, that wasn’t the case with the PAX 3 or the PAX Plus dry herb vaporizer, and the dry concentrate insert works surprisingly well, with a few caveats. Our tips should help improve your efficiency with the PAX concentrate dry insert, and you'll enjoy all the flavors and potent production in a few simple steps.
👉 Shop PAX AccessoriesPAX 3 Concentrate Insert Guide Summary
- Keep the dry concentrate lid clean
- Hold it upright
- Use the highest temp setting
- Don’t load too much
- Draw slowly
- Pro Tip: Pick up the Glass Accessory Adapter for PAX
Related: PAX 3 Tips & Tricks
Keep it clean
As any PAX portable vaporizer owner knows, a regular cleaning pays off in a number of ways. A few minutes with a pipe cleaner can noticeably improve vapor production and taste. That goes double for dry concentrates, which can gum up the works, so to speak. The included brush can help clear out the vapor path when the device has cooled down, although a pipe cleaner will do the trick if you already keep it clean.
The dry concentrate insert itself benefits from a proper cleaning before each use. Vaporizing what little is left at a high temperature is an option, but a dot of isopropyl alcohol and the end of a pipe cleaner should remove any gunk. Just be sure to clean and dry the insert fully after. As it turns out, if you keep the PAX upright, cleaning becomes less of an issue.
Keep it upright
If you’ve ever tried to take your PAX vaporizer into a hammock, you may have noticed it doesn’t work quite as efficiently. That’s because the PAX is designed to work best when turned upright, and that’s more important with dry concentrates for a couple of reasons. For one, heat causes the dry concentrates to soften, and leaving the Pax sitting in the wrong orientation could cause them to clog the air holes on the dry concentrate insert, or seep out into the oven.
There’s also the issue of proper air intake. The concentrate should melt a bit as you vaporize it, and gather around the intake pipes at the bottom of the insert. As you draw air through the bottom, it will pull over the concentrate and out through the exhaust in the center of the bowl. If the PAX is sitting upside down, or at an angle, the concentrate won’t sit in the right place in the oven, and the air path may not pass over it as efficiently.
Keep it hot
While herbal mixes produce the best vapor at the third temperature setting, dry concentrates require a lot more heat to vaporize properly. The PAX 3 and PAX Plus vaporizes dry concentrate well at the highest temperature setting, and has an extra trick up its sleeve.
With the connected smartphone app, you can bump the temperature even higher than the built-in settings. While we wouldn’t recommend taking it much higher, that extra few degrees can really hone in the vapor production, with the slight cost of a drop in flavor. The PAX 3 has much better insulation than the PAX 2, so you don’t need to worry about burning your hands in the process.
Keep it lightly loaded
Finally, the concentrate insert in the PAX isn’t very large, and unlike herbal mixes, which should be firmly packed, air is your friend with stickier substances. A tiny amount of concentrate, about the size of a small pea, will ensure proper airflow and plenty of room to produce great vapor. You’ll have to load it more often, but that also means plenty of chances to clean up.
Conclusion
As long as you draw slowly, keep the insert clean, and turn the heat way up, you’ll find the PAX 3 and PAX Plus keeps up with dedicated, portable concentrate vaporizers. Of course, the real reason to buy a PAX Plus is for the herbal vaporizing potency, but the dry concentrate insert is a nice touch that adds a lot of value to an already impressive offering.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out our PAX 3 Review.
Pro Tip: Upgrade your sessions with the POTV Glass Accessory for PAX
Upgrade your PAX sessions with the POTV Glass Accessory Adapter for PAX dry herb vaporizers. This adapter replaces the original mouthpiece and opens the doors to our collection of glass accessories for smoother, tastier vapor.
Take small, microdose-friendly sips or push the limits and go for the biggest draws with our glass accessories - only accessible with our Glass Accessory Adapter. Each accessory maximizes the performance of your PAX with broader, more versatile airflow that caters to both big hitters and easy-going sippers.
Read more about the Accessory Adapter for PAX here.
Personalize your setup with our colored Glass Accessories
If you’re in the market for some new glass accessories for your PAX, consider personalizing your setup with one of our colored glass stems and bubblers. Enjoy a calming, sky Blue or an Earthy, Green edition of our Bent Glass Mouthpiece, Waterpipe Adapter, Mini Bubbler, and Curved Mini Bubbler. (Glass Accessory Adapter for PAX required)
