Why Do Pre-Rolls Canoe (and What You Can Do to Stop It)

When it comes to pre-rolls, canoeing is the ultimate buzzkill.

Pre-rolls are one of the fastest growing products in the cannabis market. But while sales of pre-roll joints continues to climb, so does the all-too-common experience of canoeing.

Canoeing, also known as running, is when a joint burns unevenly causing the ash to snake down one side of the pre-roll. The result? A difficult and unpleasant smoking experience. It’s a surefire way to ruin a perfectly good pre-roll, and potentially harm customer satisfaction with your brand.

As more brands covet the lucrative pre-roll market, it’s more important than ever to ensure that canoeing isn’t happening to your products and frustrating customers.

If you’re worried about your joints or pre-rolls canoeing, we’ve got you covered. We’ll review the ins and outs of canoeing – why it happens, how it affects your customers, and, most importantly, how to prevent it from happening.

Let’s dive deep into the key factors that play a crucial role in how a pre-roll lights and smokes, so your customers can avoid the dreaded canoe and enjoy a smooth smoking experience from start to finish.

• Uneven Particle Size
• Pack Density
• Moisture Content
• Pre-Rolled Cone Quality
• Twist v. Fold
• Reducing Chances of Canoeing

Why Pre-Rolls Canoe: Uneven Particle Size

While canoeing occurs during someone's smoke session, the root causes of canoeing begin way before a consumer lights up.

One of the biggest reasons why pre-rolls canoe is because of uneven grinds that occur at the beginning of production. The culprit is often a poor grind that leaves the flower with a wide range of particle sizes, resulting in an uneven burn.

Done poorly, the grind will leave behind larger and smaller particles rather than breaking down the bud into a uniform size. This is problematic because burn time varies depending on the flower’s surface area – smaller bud particles tend to burn faster and larger ones burn slower.

If a pre-roll is filled with large particles that failed to break down during the grind, the risk of canoeing goes way up. Many grinders will also grind the flower so much that it turns to dust, deteriorating the overall quality of the product.

Fortunately, this is a problem that’s easily avoidable. Using a quality grinder that can break down your flower to a desired consistency will help you avoid uneven grinds. Our industrial cannabis grinder comes equipped with 3 screen sizes and multiple blade options, ensuring your grinded flower has uniform particles and texture.

It also uses a high-torque, low-rpm motor to ensure your cannabinoids and trichomes aren’t damaged due to excess heat and friction, ensuring an ideal smoking experience for your customers from start to finish.

Why Pre-Rolls Canoe: Pack Density

Another primary reason why pre-rolls canoe is because of the pack density.

When it comes to packing and compressing the flower, you’ll want to follow the Goldilocks method – not too tight, not too loose, but just right.

The problem with a pre-roll packed too tight or too loose is that it has uneven compression. If a pre-roll is packed too tight, the density will restrict airflow and lead to an uneven burn. If it’s packed too loose, the pre-roll will burn too quickly and may ultimately canoe.

So what can you do to avoid packing your pre-roll too dense or not dense enough?

The best way to ensure a perfectly packed pre-roll is to invest in a reliable machine that perfectly packs your pre-roll based on your desired preference. By using a pre-roll machine, you can limit human error, save valuable time, and ultimately ensure a more enjoyable smoking experience that limits the risk of canoeing.

Our King Kone pre-roll machine comes with cone filling trays that allow you to pack up to 169 half-gram 84mm pre rolled cones, ¾ gram 98mm pre rolled cones, and 1-gram 109mm king sized pre-rolled cones. Just load the cones, fill the tray, and tamp to your desired pack.

Another popular machine is the Fill N’ Fold pre-roll press. This pre-roll machine has a strong vibrating base that packs cannabis tight into your cones. It also comes equipped with a fold and press tool that lets you tamp the material in your pre-rolls before securing them with a flat-top finish. The Fill N’ Fold has work trays for a variety of cone sizes ranging from 70mm up to 109mm so you can make the pre-rolls of your choice.

For companies looking to scale up from smaller, tabletop units, our Hummingbird pre-roll machine is the perfect solution. Using the power of centrifugal force, this easy-to-use machine helps create a consistent burn by putting high-density material near the crutch and lower-density material near the tip. It also comes with 4 tamper sizes that allow you to quickly finish your pre-rolls in your desired size in a matter of minutes.

* Note that while automated machines are able to run on their own, they do need to be monitored throughout production.

Why Pre-Rolls Canoe: Moisture Content

Another culprit that causes canoeing is uneven moisture levels in the pre-roll. This frequently occurs in pre-rolls filled with sticky or improperly cured flowers, a common staple of inexperienced growers who have yet to master the art of curing.

Uneven moisture content within the pre-roll will cause the materials to burn at different rates, the common denominator that causes canoeing. If the cannabis is too wet, it will also result in a weak burn that frequently goes out and forces consumers light up again and again. Mixing multiple strains will also increase the risk of canoeing due to the varying burn rates between strains.

To avoid the buildup of moisture, it’s crucial to mix ground flower that is kept stored prior to making joints or pre-rolls. If you notice that your product is too wet or sticky, transfer it to an open container for a day or two to give the moisture time to evaporate. You’ll want to pay close attention to the bud to make sure it doesn’t become overly dry. We offer a variety of containers and packaging that will help you avoid excess moisture while keeping your weed safe and secure.

Why Pre-Rolls Canoe: Pre-Rolled Cone Quality

It’s no surprise that the quality of the pre-roll makes a big difference in the chances of canoeing. But how can you make sure that your pre-rolls are made with quality in mind?

All things being equal, a paper pre-roll or joint should burn evenly throughout. The only time paper will cause an uneven burn is when there is a lot of overlapping paper creating inconsistencies between the sides (such as when one side has 2-3 layers of paper and the other has only 1).

To guarantee the quality of your pre-roll, you’ll want to pay close attention to the gumline. Look for pre-rolled cones with a straight gumline to avoid increased chances of canoeing. Excessive glue on the gumline can also cause a slower and uneven burn in this area.

If you have infused products, you’ll also want to make sure that the infusion is even throughout to avoid uneven burns. Using proper infusion equipment, like our pre-roll flower mixing machine, will help you infuse your flower evenly, while also adding a layer of consistency and accuracy that is unparalleled by manual infusion.

Make sure you’re only purchasing from a reliable cone or pre-roll manufacturer with a reputation for high-quality products. Doing so will mitigate the risk of your products canoeing and provide your customers with an enjoyable smoking experience.

Why Pre-Rolls Canoe: Twist vs. Fold

Last, but certainly not least, when it comes to preventing canoeing is the pre-roll finish.

Pre-rolls are typically finished in one of two ways: twisting and folding.

Twisting is a popular method of finishing pre-rolls because it’s fast and easy. While there’s no denying the appeal of a quick and painless finishing method, twisting comes with the inherent risk of canoeing. The twist leaves paper crumpled up unevenly near the tip, boosting the chances of an uneven burn.

On the flip side, dutch crowns tend to burn more evenly due to the uniform distribution of paper near the top. They’re also easier to light and make for an overall pleasant experience for the consumer.

Our Fill n Fold pre-roll machine comes with a folding and tamping tool that will help you expedite your finish and maintain the quality of your pre-roll. You can also use our silicone caps that will preserve your joints and eliminate the need to finish your pre-roll, saving you valuable time in your production.

Reducing Your Chances of Canoeing

While there are myriad factors that can increase your risk of canoeing, your risk factor ultimately boils down to one thing. The more evenly your pre-roll burns, the lower your chances of canoeing.

You can avoid the dreaded canoe by putting extra care into your pre-roll production. The better the cone is grinded and packed, the better it will burn.

While you can control the care you put into your pre-roll production, you can’t control how your customers light their joints. As a brand, you can focus on educating your consumers to help them light their pre-rolls evenly to prevent canoeing.

Leaning on automated pre-roll machines will also help you reduce the risk of your pre-rolls canoeing, while improving the consistency and overall experience for your customers.