How Come Most Nicotine Salt E-Liquids Have a Balanced VG/PG Ratio?

For vapers who just switched out their old box mod for a sleek and portable pod system, it might be safe to say that you’re still figuring out the many ways in which you have to adjust to this new vaping experience. Despite the fact that pod systems are astoundingly user-friendly, switching to the pod style of vaping requires you to invest in a whole new type of e-liquid, take on new maintenance practices and learn a whole new type of vaping technology.

One of the most overlooked changes that a person will make when switching to a pod system is the way in which they choose their e-juice. With the sub-ohm systems that we’re used to, we can choose between a wide variety of nicotine strengths, bottle sizes and VG/PG ratios. Now, with pod systems, we’re generally more interested in picking out the tastiest flavor than considering any of these other attributes.

As it turns out, almost every salt nic e-liquid has the same ratio of 50 percent vegetable glycerin (VG) and 50 percent propylene glycol (PG). To anyone used to freebase e-juices that are vaped with sub-ohm systems, this probably seems pretty strange. After all, these two base ingredients determine so much about our overall vaping experience. But, as you’ll see, the ratio just doesn’t affect a person’s pod-vaping experience in the same way.

The Nicotine is Different

Vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol essentially act as vehicles that allow the user to consume nicotine with every hit. With freebase nicotine, the ratio of these two ingredients is incredibly important as this type of nicotine is notoriously unstable. The wrong ratio could result in the nicotine either feeling very harsh or be barely noticeable.

With salt-based nicotine, the user doesn’t really have to give it much thought. Nic salt is highly stable, meaning that it doesn’t require a meticulously balanced level of vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol in order to hit consistently and provide the right amount of satisfaction to the user.

Wattage is Too Low

One of the reasons why sub-ohm enthusiasts explore such a wide variety of VG/PG ratios is because box mod systems have such wide ranges of output levels. Most box mods allow you to choose to vape at anywhere from 1 to 200 watts. Each wattage level affects your vaping experience differently, and the VG/PG ratio needs to accommodate the wattage level that the user selects.

For instance, high-wattage vaping generally requires a higher VG level as it turns the e-liquid into abundant, thick vapor. Meanwhile, lower wattages tend to require higher PG levels as they promote the proper mouth-to-lung (MTL) experience.

Because vegetable glycerin is thicker than propylene glycol, the wattage can determine how well your e-liquid hits. Due to its high viscosity, vegetable glycerin requires a higher wattage as it demands more heat in order to move. That’s partly why max VG e-liquids are typically associated with extremely high wattage levels.

Meanwhile, pod systems are low-wattage devices that really don’t allow the user to explore a wide range of output levels. Unlike sub-ohm systems, they’re not really that customizable. Therefore, a 50/50 ratio is perfectly compatible with the wattage range that these pod mods offer.

The Ratio Satisfies

Another reason why you’ll mostly see 50/50 salt nic e-liquids is because this is the magic formula that seems to satisfy. With a 50/50 ratio, the user should experience the perfect throat hit, the right amount of vapor and the most satisfying flavor. If a vaper were to try a max VG e-liquid with a low-wattage pod system, they likely wouldn’t enjoy their hits nearly as much. Meanwhile, too much PG could end up feeling harsh and even cause the pod cartridge to leak liquid everywhere.

Again, pod systems are much simpler devices that don’t have a lot to offer in terms of customization. Therefore, the manufacturers of salt-based e-liquids are formulating their products based on what’s most compatible with these systems’ output levels.

Enjoy Your Salt Nicotine Vaping Experience

In terms of the VG/PG ratio of a nic salt e-liquid, it’s just not that important. What matters most is that you invest in a high-quality pod system and enjoy the flavors that are most satisfying to your taste buds.