Heavy Hitters Carts Review: Are They as Good as Their Reputation?

Sophia Delphi May 09, 2022 - 6 min read
Fact Checked
Heavy hitters vape cart on top of a yellowish brown leaf

For decades, there was only one way to enjoy weed: you smoked it.

Sure, your parents or grandparents may have baked pot brownies for a big party, but edibles weren’t a commonly-accepted way to consume cannabis. And until legalization became a growing reality instead of a dream, there were no publicly-available products like weed concentrates or vaporizers.

We’re fortunate today. We can choose how we want to get high — and greater numbers of people choose to vape their weed.

That’s created a huge market for prefilled, disposable cartridges because they’re the easiest way to “vape up” with no muss and no fuss.

Many vapers consider a brand called Heavy Hitters to be the gold standard for THC cartridges in California. Let’s find out why, and learn whether their products are as dope as their name.

Who Is Heavy Hitters?

This Los Angeles-based company has been around for more than ten years. It was one of the first to specialize in high-potency cannabis concentrates and vape cartridges.

Through a large network of dispensary partners in California (and Nevada), Heavy Hitters now distributes a large number of award-winning pre-filled THC and CBD cartridges, as well as disposable vapes, concentrates, tinctures, pre-rolls, and gummies.

California patients, stoners, and recreational users alike have praised Heavy Hitters for offering the products that are “most like smoking” (or dabbing). The company’s most popular products are its vape carts, which are available in many popular strains.

A Look at Heavy Hitter Carts

Most of the company’s cartridges are disposable carts designed to fit a standard 510 thread vape pen. (They also sell disposable vape pens). There are five sizes of Heavy Hitter carts, 300mg, 500mg, 800mg, one gram, and 2.2 grams; available sizes depend on what’s used to fill each cartridge.

This producer is large enough to be able to work with select California farms, which produce high-quality strains that meet the company’s specifications. They use high-end supercritical CO2 extraction and cold filtering to ensure their products’ maximum effectiveness, and with a few exceptions we’ll mention later, the products are additive-free.

The Heavy Hitter carts are made from glass and stainless steel with a ceramic core. They’re well-designed and will last quite a while, as long as you don’t drop them or bang them on a hard surface.

The Heavy Hitter Cart Product Line

Ultra Cannabis Concentrate

The Heavy Hitter carts that receive the most praise from users are the “Ultra” carts that contain cannabis concentrate. The cartridges are filled with weed distillate, and the company says they contain as much as 95% THC.

One of the most impressive features of these carts is that they’re available in a huge number of popular strains. As of this writing:

  • Sativa: Acapulco Gold, Agent Orange, Blue Dream, Durban Poison, Jack Herer, Lemon Cake, Sour Diesel, Strawberry Cough, Super Lemon Haze, Tangie
  • Indica: Cloudberry, Diablo OG, Forbidden Fruit, GMO, Granddaddy Purple, Lava Cake, Malibu OG, Mango OG, Northern Lights, Purple Punch, Z-Artist FKA
  • Hybrid: Banana OG, Bursters, Cherry Lime, Dutch Treat, GSC, Kush Mints, Pineapple Express, Skywalker OG, Wedding Cake
  • CBD: AC/DC 1:1, Hawaiian Dream 3:1

Availability varies by dispensary, of course, but that’s obviously a very comprehensive selection.

The 80-95% THC distillate that’s in these cartridges packs quite a punch; most users will find that it only takes a couple of hits to feel the full effects of the distillate. The effect isn’t quite the same that you get from dabbing, because of the somewhat-low power of the 4.0-volt coil built into standard vape pens. Even so, it’s extremely potent for a vape cart.

(We have spoken to some regular smokers who felt that Heavy Hitter carts weren’t quite as powerful as they’d expected, but they’re in the minority.)

There’s one other advantage to these Heavy Hitter concentrate carts: they last longer than most competitive weed cartridges. Since the carts are so potent, most users will need to use less juice to get high than they’re accustomed to.

All-In-One Carts

These vape carts from Heavy Hitters contain standard, premium cannabis oil.

The actual cartridges are identical to the ones used for the company’s “Ultra” product line, and there are fewer strains available. These vapes aren’t as potent as the ones containing concentrate, naturally, but they still deliver a more potent experience than most weed carts on the market because of the way that Heavy Hitters produces them.

Some All-In-One carts do have additives. For example, there’s a Durban Poison THCV energy vape; it has a 3:1 ratio of THC to the minor cannabinoid THCV, which some have found boosts alertness and focus. There’s also the “Lights Out” Cloudberry CBN vape that has a 3:1 CBD to CBN ratio and is designed to increase sedation.

Full Spectrum 100% Live Resin Vape Carts

The freshness of Heavy Hitters’ concentrate vapes isn’t enough for you? Check out their live resin vapes.

If you’re not familiar with live resin, it’s a concentrate produced by freezing the cannabis plant as soon as it’s harvested. That process ensures the freshest weed because the cannabinoids and terpenes in the plant have no opportunity to degrade before the marijuana is turned into a consumable product. Live resin preserves more of the weed’s medicinal benefits and taste, too.

There aren’t as many strains available in Heavy Hitter live resin carts, but there’s plenty to enjoy.

  • Sativa: Jack Herer, Strawberry Lemonade, Sweet Island Skunk
  • Indica: Blueberry Muffin, Do-Si-Dos, Mendo Breath, High Octane OG, Kool Whip, Lime Sorbet, Royal Kush
  • Hybrid: Banana OG, Lemon Gelato, Pink Lemonade, Royal Skunk, SFG x G41, Sour Diesel, Strawberry Banana, Wedding Cake
  • CBD: Critical Cure CBD 2:1

These Heavy Hitter carts may not be quite as potent as their Ultra Cannabis concentrate cartridges, but they come pretty close.

Heavy Hitters Carts: Are They The Best?

It’s easy to understand why Heavy Hitters has built a reputation of being the “best of the best” of California vape cartridges. They’re high-quality, potent, and among the best, you can find. Sadly for residents of other areas, Heavy Hitters are only available in California and Nevada dispensaries, but if you’re ever paying a visit out West, they’re worth finding.

Heavy Hitters Carts: FAQ

Q: Are Heavy Hitters better than Brass Knuckles?
A: In our opinion, they’re slightly better. But there’s a good reason why the two brands are often compared; one of the founders of Heavy Hitters left the company and founded Brass Knuckles.

Q: Why do I see some Heavy Hitters one-gram carts sold for as much as $100, while others are available online for as little as $25-$30?
A: There’s no question that Heavy Hitters can be expensive in dispensaries, particularly once you add taxes into the mix. However, the company’s success has led to a number of counterfeit and knock-off vape carts being sold everywhere from online websites to eBay. The “real” Heavy Hitters are only available in dispensaries and not online, and the cheap versions will end up being disappointing.