Vaping in Winter: 10 Tips for Vaping in Cold Weather

Vaping in winter can feel a little different from vaping during the rest of the year. You might notice that your battery doesn't seem to last quite as long, your e-liquid looks thicker or your vape takes an extra moment to get going when you've been outside for a while.

None of that means you need a special winter vape. It simply means that batteries, liquids and electronics are affected by temperature, and a few sensible habits can make vaping in cold weather much easier.

The main thing is to avoid letting your vape become extremely cold in the first place. Keep it reasonably protected while you're outside, don't leave it in a freezing car and give a very cold device time to return to room temperature before charging it.

Does Cold Weather Affect Vapes?

Yes. Cold weather can affect several parts of your vaping setup at the same time.

The three you'll notice most are:

• Battery performance: lithium-ion batteries don't deliver energy as efficiently when they're very cold.
• E-liquid viscosity: vape juice becomes thicker as its temperature drops, which can slow the movement of liquid into the coil.
• Condensation and moisture: moving a very cold device into a warm environment can cause moisture to form on cold surfaces.

For most people experiencing an ordinary British winter, these effects are more likely to be mildly annoying than dramatic. The problems become more significant when a vape is left exposed to genuinely freezing conditions for a long period.

10 Tips for Vaping in Winter

1. Keep your vape in an inside pocket. A protected jacket pocket helps prevent the device from becoming as cold as the surrounding air. Keep it separate from keys, coins and anything else that could scratch or damage it.
2. Don't leave your vape in the car overnight. A parked car can get extremely cold during winter, and freezing temperatures aren't good for lithium-ion vape batteries.
3. Give cold e-liquid time to wick. If your vape juice has become noticeably thicker, don't chain vape immediately. Give the coil a little extra time to absorb liquid between puffs.
4. Consider the PG/VG ratio. A 50/50 e-liquid is naturally thinner than a high-VG shortfill and may be easier for small pod systems to wick in cold conditions.
5. Keep the device dry. Rain, sleet and snow aren't especially good companions for an electronic device. Keep your vape covered when the weather turns wet.
6. Let a freezing-cold vape warm naturally. Don't put it on a radiator or blast it with a hairdryer. Bring it indoors and allow it to return gradually to a normal temperature.
7. Don't immediately charge an ice-cold battery. If your vape has spent a long time below freezing, allow it to warm to room temperature before connecting it to a charger.
8. Carry enough charge. Battery runtime can appear shorter in low temperatures, so starting the day with a well-charged device can save some frustration.
9. Check the mouthpiece. Condensation can collect around a pod or mouthpiece in winter. Give it an occasional wipe with a clean tissue.
10. Bring a spare pod or coil on long days out. Cold, thickened e-liquid can make marginal coils more prone to poor wicking, so having a spare is useful if you're going to be away from home all day.

Why Do Vape Batteries Drain Faster in Cold Weather?

If you've ever noticed that your phone battery seems less impressive on a freezing day, your vape battery can behave in much the same way.

Most rechargeable vape kits use lithium-ion batteries. At low temperatures, the chemical processes inside those batteries become less efficient. As a result, the battery may deliver less usable energy and its voltage can drop more quickly under load.

In everyday terms, that can make your vape:

• Show a lower battery level sooner than usual.
• Reach its low-battery warning earlier.
• Feel slightly less responsive when extremely cold.
• Need charging sooner than you'd normally expect.

Some of that apparent loss can be temporary. Once the battery returns to a comfortable temperature, its performance may improve again.

That doesn't make repeatedly exposing a battery to extreme cold a good idea, though. The better approach is simply to stop your vape from getting that cold.

Can You Vape in Freezing Temperatures?

There isn't one universal minimum temperature that applies to every vape ever made. Different batteries, chipsets and manufacturers can have different operating specifications.

Freezing conditions are nevertheless a useful point at which to be more cautious. UK fire-safety guidance advises against storing, using or charging vape batteries at freezing temperatures.

If you're outside briefly on a frosty morning, that doesn't mean you need to panic and abandon your vape in a snowdrift. Keep the device protected in your clothing and minimise the amount of time it spends exposed to extreme cold.

If you're going skiing, hiking in sub-zero conditions or spending hours outdoors in severe winter weather, check your device manufacturer's temperature guidance before relying on it.

Does Vape Juice Freeze?

Not in the same way that a bottle of water does.

E-liquid usually contains a mixture of propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG), flavourings and, depending on the product, nicotine. PG and VG have very different physical properties from water.

So the common claim that VG e-liquid freezes easily because it's “water-based” isn't accurate.

What you're much more likely to notice during a British winter is thickening rather than freezing.

VG is naturally much thicker than PG, which is one reason high-VG liquids produce a different vaping experience. Cooling the liquid increases its viscosity further.

Why Does E-Liquid Get Thicker in Cold Weather?

Liquids generally become more viscous as their temperature falls, and vape juice is no exception.

This matters because your coil relies on e-liquid moving through small openings and into its wicking material. If the liquid becomes unusually thick, that process can slow down.

The result can be:

• Less consistent vapour production.
• A slightly weaker puff when the device is very cold.
• Longer wicking time between puffs.
• An increased chance of a dry or partially dry hit if you vape repeatedly before the wick has caught up.

High-VG liquids tend to show the effect more noticeably because they're thicker to begin with.

Should You Switch to High-PG E-Liquid in Winter?

Usually, no drastic change is necessary.

The original version of this guide suggested switching to a PG liquid for winter, but that's probably more trouble than most people need to go to. If your existing setup is working properly, there's no reason to change a liquid you enjoy simply because December has arrived.

What matters more is matching the liquid to the device.

A compact MTL pod kit will normally be happiest with a relatively thin liquid such as a 50/50 blend. Larger sub-ohm kits are designed to wick thicker, higher-VG liquids.

If you're already using the right vape juice for your device, keeping the bottle and vape at a moderate temperature should usually be enough.

Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt in Cold Weather?

A burnt taste during winter can be a wicking problem.

Your coil contains absorbent material that needs to stay saturated with e-liquid. When cold temperatures make the liquid thicker, it can take longer to move from the tank or pod into that wick.

If you take another puff before enough liquid has arrived, part of the wick may become too dry and overheat.

Try:

• Giving the vape a little longer between puffs.
• Keeping the device indoors or in an inside pocket where possible.
• Checking that the pod or tank isn't almost empty.
• Making sure your e-liquid's PG/VG ratio suits the device.
• Replacing an old coil that's already struggling to wick efficiently.

If the coil has already developed a persistent burnt flavour, warming the liquid won't magically repair it. It's probably time for a replacement.

Can Cold Weather Make a Vape Leak?

The cold itself doesn't necessarily mean that your vape will suddenly empty its entire tank into your pocket.

However, repeated temperature changes can contribute to the conditions that cause leaking. E-liquid thickens outdoors and thins again as the device warms up indoors. Air inside the pod or tank also changes temperature.

Pods and tanks are small sealed systems, so those temperature swings can occasionally encourage a little liquid to escape through the airflow system.

To minimise problems:

• Keep the vape upright when possible.
• Don't overfill the pod or tank.
• Check that seals and pods are in good condition.
• Wipe away condensation or small amounts of liquid around the pod contacts.
• Avoid repeatedly moving the device between extreme hot and cold environments.

What About Condensation When You Come Indoors?

This is an easy winter issue to overlook.

When a very cold object is brought into warmer, more humid air, moisture can condense on its surfaces. You've probably seen exactly the same thing happen to glasses, camera lenses or cold drinks.

If your vape has become extremely cold, let it acclimatise for a while when you come indoors. Wipe away any visible moisture, particularly around the charging port and pod contacts.

If you can actually see condensation on or around the device, wait until it's dry before charging it.

Can You Charge a Cold Vape?

If the device is merely a little cool after walking outside, that's very different from a vape that has spent hours in genuinely freezing conditions.

Don't charge a vape while its battery is extremely cold or frozen.

Bring the device indoors and allow it to return naturally to room temperature first. This is particularly important if you've accidentally left it overnight in a freezing car, garage or shed.

Once the device has warmed up and there's no visible moisture around the charging port, follow the manufacturer's normal charging instructions.

Should You Leave a Vape in the Car During Winter?

No. A car is one of the worst places to store a vape overnight in cold weather.

Once the engine and heating are off, the interior temperature can eventually fall towards the outdoor temperature. That means a vape left in the glovebox could spend many hours exposed to freezing conditions.

Your bottle of e-liquid may become extremely thick, and the battery can also suffer from prolonged exposure to extreme cold.

Take the vape indoors with you. It's a very small thing to carry, which is one of its more convenient characteristics.

What Should You Do If Your Vape Has Been Left in the Cold?

If you've forgotten your vape in a freezing car overnight, don't immediately press the fire button or connect it to a fast charger the moment you retrieve it.

Instead:

1. Bring the device indoors.
2. Leave it somewhere dry at normal room temperature.
3. Allow it to warm naturally.
4. Check for visible condensation.
5. Inspect the device or removable batteries for physical damage.
6. Once it has warmed and dried, check that it behaves normally before charging or using it.

If the battery looks swollen, damaged or behaves unusually after severe temperature exposure, stop using it.

Should You Carry Spare Vape Batteries in Winter?

If you use a removable-battery mod and expect to be outdoors for a long time, a charged spare can be useful because cold conditions may reduce available battery performance.

Just make sure you carry removable cells correctly.

Put spare batteries in a proper plastic battery case. Never carry loose lithium-ion cells in a pocket alongside coins, keys or other metal objects, regardless of the weather.

Keep the case protected inside your clothing or bag rather than leaving it directly exposed to freezing temperatures.

Are Metal Mouthpieces a Problem in Winter?

They can be uncomfortable.

Metal transfers heat very efficiently, so an exposed metal drip tip can become extremely cold when you're outside for a long period. Anyone who has ever made the questionable decision to touch their tongue to frozen metal can probably see where this is heading.

Most modern pod kits use plastic mouthpieces, so this is less of an issue than it was with older tanks and replaceable metal drip tips.

If your device does have a metal mouthpiece, keeping the vape in an inside pocket between puffs should stop it from getting excessively cold.

Does Vaping Feel Different in Cold Air?

It can.

The vapour may appear a little different outdoors in cold air, and the combination of cool air and vapour can also feel sharper or colder in your mouth and throat than the same vape does indoors.

Menthol and ice flavours can make that sensation particularly noticeable. If you're standing outside in January vaping something called “Triple Arctic Glacier Ice”, you have to accept at least some responsibility for the situation.

If your usual flavour feels unpleasantly cold, switching temporarily to a non-ice fruit, sweet or tobacco flavour may make winter vaping more comfortable.

Vaping in Winter: Quick Checklist

• Keep your vape protected in an inside jacket pocket when you're outdoors.
• Don't leave it in a freezing car or other unheated location overnight.
• Expect reduced battery performance when the device becomes very cold.
• Give thick e-liquid extra wicking time before taking repeated puffs.
• Use the right PG/VG ratio for your particular vape rather than changing liquids purely because it's winter.
• Keep rain and snow away from the device and charging port.
• Let an extremely cold vape warm naturally before using or charging it.
• Check for condensation when moving from freezing conditions into a warm room.
• Store spare batteries properly in a protective case.
• Don't use artificial heat to warm a frozen vape quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line on Vaping in Cold Weather

Vaping in winter doesn't require a completely different setup. Most of the time, a little common sense is enough.

Keep your vape protected from extreme cold, moisture and sudden temperature changes. Expect the battery to be a little less enthusiastic on very cold days, and remember that your e-liquid may become thicker and take longer to reach the coil.

Above all, don't leave your vape freezing in the car all night and then connect it straight to a charger the next morning. Bring it indoors, let it warm up and give it a moment to remember that it's an electronic device rather than part of a cryogenic experiment.