If you’re in to rebuilding at all, then the issue of wick material has come up at some point. The array of materials out there is enormous really, and just about any vaper you ask will have their own opinion on what is best and why. Today though I wanted to talk about the cotton option, since it has been a topic of debate recently among those I hang out with. For most folks, cotton is the material of choice when they begin using rebuildables. It’s cheap, easy to find, easy to work with, and doesn’t overly effect taste. So what is the big difference between one type and another eh? Let me put this out there first though, before I go any further: not all cotton you buy can be used as wicking, and not all of it is ready to use straight out of the package. Bleached cotton is something to avoid at all costs. In fact you REALLY need to make sure that if you are buying cotton somewhere other than a vape shop, that you read the package carefully to make sure it doesn’t have anything added to it in any way. Trust me, it’s not an experience you want to have loading something like that.
The first combatant up for assessment is good old-fashioned cotton balls. Yes, you read that correctly – the little fluffy pillows that most people have a bag off lying around the house for a myriad of uses. What you’re looking for here though is organic, unbleached cotton balls that you find at most drug stores. Here is the upside: they’re cheap and available whether you have a vape shop in your area or not. I said that bit first, because here is the downside: before you can use these, you have to boil and dry them. No, that doesn’t mean fill a pot from the tap and roll. To properly boil them, you need purified water (half-gallon bottles of sterile water like the pharmacy uses is best). Once boiled you have to put them out to dry completely (usually about eight hours or so). I recommend using cheesecloth to put them on, either laid out on a baking sheet or a large plastic container, so you can get kind of a sheet of cotton when it is done. So why boil it, when it is not going to stay in a sterile environment? Simple – to make sure you get anything that will impact the flavor in any way (or that might have accidently come in contact with them during packaging) out of there before you use it. Once done, a bag of cotton balls will last you a few months at least. How does it perform? In my opinion, it’s functional but no matter how you prep it there will always be a little bit of a muted taste from your juice. It also doesn’t seem to soak up as much juice as some other options. But for the biggest bang for your buck, it can’t be beat.
The next warrior up to bat is Japanese cotton pads. Whether buying them online or at your local shop, the size and pricing is generally the same – five or six, two-inch by three-inch pads, in a little plastic bag for about a buck a pad. There are several different name brands like Koga, Samurai, Koh Gen Do (you get the picture here) on the market, but all have a similar size, quanity, and quality. What makes it so special? Well there are a few upsides to this product. For starters, it’s ready to use right out of the package – so NO need for time-consuming boiling and drying. Just pull out a pad, cut off a strip, and you’re ready to wick. The cotton strands are woven together tightly, so it’s easy to cut and will take a little more pulling than some other types. It also imparts extremely little flavor on the juice, while being very absorbent which means fewer drip stops once its loaded. So what is the downside? The product to price ratio is a bit on the high side, especially if you’re someone who likes to keep multiple decks ready or changes out wicks every time you change juices. For those new to rebuildables, you will probably go through a good bit to start as you get wicking your deck down. So if you’re on a tight budget this can be a headache. Overall though this is a good wick option for pretty much everyone, making it a middle of the road choice.
Our next fighter to enter the ring is a little more of a specific product, rather than a specific type of cotton. Cotton Bacon by Wick N’ Vape, is touted as being designed by vapers for vapers. The product itself is rather slick in design: the cotton is put together in long strips that the user peels off like bacon, and is actually packaged in a pouch similar to a pack of bacon. The cotton is ready to go right out of the pouch – no boiling and drying needed. I’ve tried a strip that a local shop owner gave to some of us that were in the shop when he received a package to evaluate selling it or not. It didn’t impart any odd flavors, and was easy to wick for the most part. For now I am reserving any real review or recommendation on the product until I make a new order to get some in and review properly (my last order got bumped by the shop I ordered from, and replaced with another product), but I would feel remiss in not putting it on this list.
The final contender in this fray is a bit newer in the vaping community, and that’s Egyptian cotton. So far the only brand I’ve found on the market is Drago, which interestingly enough is made in Italy. You can read my review on the product here. This material comes in a large roll, similar to what older style gauze wraps look like. If you have ever had a cast put on, especially the older style plaster casts, this is what it will remind you of. The roll is made of minimally processed Egyptian cotton strands, so it doesn’t have the “clean” white look that some brands have. There are small flecks of cotton seeds here and there, and the color is more of what raw cotton looks like if you have ever seen it. I won’t sugar coat it here – it’s a frustrating product in the beginning to work with. But the absorbancy of the product, and the total lack of interaction with the flavor of juices makes this a very decent option. The amount of product you get for the price is a plus, but it is the most expensive option in this list which may impact the choice to buy it.
So where does this leave you, the vaper trying to make a solid choice in this market? Well like just about everything with vaping, it comes down to personal preferences really. Are you more concerned about cost versus amount of material? Are you more concerned with getting the best flavor in every hit? No matter what your answer, there is no wrong choice in it. The number of options out there mean there are enough combinations of options to fit everyone’s tastes. No matter what I put in a review, or anyone else puts in one, my advice as always is before ruling out a product make sure you give it a try first. You may be surprised in what you find!
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