THCA Pre-Rolls vs. Rolling Your Own: Which Option is Better?

THCa flower is a huge hit with the hemp community, because no product has ever come closer to legal weed.  THCa flower is grown under certain conditions that yields a high level of THCa (raw form of delta 9 THC that also makes up the majority of marijuana).  Chemically, the two products are pretty much identical, yet the former happens to be completely compliant with the law.

THCa flower comes in a few product forms, with the main ones being loose buds and pre-rolls.  Now, we know that a lot of people love nothing more than lighting the end of a joint, sitting back, and savoring each puff.  So, is it better to do that by rolling your own, or enjoying the convenience of a product that’s already rolled up for you?  Let’s compare.

What are THCa Pre-Rolls?

A THCa pre-roll refers to raw THCa flower that’s been ground up and rolled into paper by the manufacturer, and sold in a pack.  The pre-rolls can vary in size, and can range from small joints to large blunts.  They come in a wide selection of strains, just like all flower.  Plus, are ready to light straight out of the package.

Naturally, the main appeal of a pre-roll is not having to roll your own.  This saves people a lot of time, and is great for people who like to smoke out of papers, but just don’t have the skills required.

What are the Pros & Cons of THCa Pre-Rolls?

Now, let’s take a look at both the pros and cons of choosing pre-rolls over rolling your own.  Keep in mind, there is no objectively better option – it just comes down to which you prefer, and how much you care about certain pros and cons of each option.

Pros:

• Saves Time: Like we said, the biggest advantage by far is the convenience of a pre-roll over rolling your own. Even the most experienced cannabis users may not want to roll their own all the time, and would much rather take a pre-roll out of the package and light it up, with no need to grind up flower or go through the process of carefully rolling it into paper.
• No Wasted Flower: A lot of times, when you roll your own, a little bit of flower gets wasted as it falls out and around during the process, from start to finish. Pre-rolls already contain a specific amount of flower in them, and none of that gets wasted.  They’re twisted at the end to secure what’s inside. A professionally rolled pre-roll may be more secure than a roll that you made at home, where it’s a bit too loose, and flower ends up falling out.
• Long Shelf Life: Pre-rolls come pre-packaged in airtight packaging, and so they have a longer shelf life than joints that you rolled up yourself, that don’t stay in some type of airtight container or bag.
• Great for Beginners: Pre-rolls are a good option for beginners, who simply aren’t ready to learn the art of rolling their own, and don’t want to waste flower and papers to get acquainted with the process.
• Even Burning: Pre-rolls may burn more evenly, since a lot of novice rollers are prone to not rolling tightly enough, or packing their paper evenly.
• A Variety of Options: Pre-rolls come in loads of options, including different strains, sizes, types of paper, and more.
• Travel-Friendly: It’s clear that buying pre-rolls is a more travel-friendly way to enjoy your hobby, since you don’t have to stop somewhere to roll up your flower, and go through the trouble of packing flower, papers, and a grinder separately.

Cons:

• More Costly: Pre-rolls do cost more than rolling your own, as you’re paying for the labor of someone rolling up that flower for you. Some companies may charge significantly more for their pre-rolls per gram, than for loose flower buds, so that’s something to be mindful of.
• More Limiting: Of course, when you buy pre-rolls, you are a bit more limited in options, compared to having the ability to buy any flower and any paper, and use whichever type of rolling method you happen to prefer.

Rolling Your Own

The process has been around forever, and requires that you first grind up your flower.  You’ll need papers, or some type of natural leaf like hemp or tobacco.  You place the flower evenly along the center of the paper, and then roll – sounds simple, right?  Well, for many hemp smokers, yes.  But, rolling is a skill that takes time to master, as even seemingly small mistakes, like using too much flower or not rolling it tightly enough, can mean a joint that simply fails to smoke properly.

What are the Pros & Cons of Rolling Your Own?

Again, let’s go over some pros and cons, this time pertaining to choosing to roll your own rather than buy pre-rolls.

Pros:

• Less Costly: Flower and papers are less expensive to buy than pre-rolls that come in a package.
• More Freedom/Customization: You can use any strain, any blend of flower products, any type of paper or leaf, and throw some concentrates in there if you feel like it.  The possibilities are endless.
• Development of a New Skill: Being able to roll flower impeccably is a skill that not everyone has, and it can boost your confidence.

Cons:

• Takes Time: Again, rolling your own takes time – even if you’re an experienced roller – and you might simply not want to take that time, when you can just grab a pre-roll that has already done the hard work for you.
• Takes Practice: To learn how to roll, you will need to practice, and have a good amount of patience. Virtually no one gets it right the first time, and you should expect to waste some papers and flower as you master the art.  If you simply don’t want to go through the trouble of mastering it, then it makes sense to opt for pre-rolls instead.
• Not Ideal for Traveling: Rolling your own can be a pain when you’re not home. You need to find a flat, clean surface to do it on, and you need to have your flower, grinder, and papers with you and ready to go.

Which Flower Method of Smoking a Hemp Joint Will You Choose?

Basically, if you like the idea of smoking out of paper, you have two choices, and both have their clear merits.  Pre-rolls are super popular because so many people, including both beginners and advanced users, would rather not go through the effort of doing it themselves.  But, at the same time, if you want to save money and don’t mind the effort that’s involved, there’s nothing wrong with rolling flower yourself.  At Wild Orchard Co., we give you both options by carrying our THCa flower in both loose bud and pre-roll form.