Why Your Joints & Blunts Won’t Stay Lit

For the cannabis consumer, there's little that beats a perfectly rolled joint or blunt – or perfectly packed of course.

On the flip side, a joint or blunt that's hard to pull and won't stay lit can be one of the most frustrating experiences for the loyal toker.

But don't fear, the DaySavers are here.

Fashioning the perfect pre-roll takes practice; the more you roll or pack, the easier it becomes. If you're wondering why your joint keeps going out or why your blunts are not staying lit, peep our Pre-Roll Expert tips below.

So let's explore the reasons why a pre-roll just won't stay lit – because you can't Enjoy Your Day if you can't puffy puff on that purdy little pre-roll.

Why Do My Joints, Blunts and Pre-Rolls Keep Going Out?

There are multiple steps throughout the packing or rolling process that can contribute to a low-quality smoke, including the grind and particle size, density and tight closures.

But mitigating these factors is easy when you know what to avoid – and a little practice, of course.

A Too-Fine Grind

At DaySavers, we like to say the perfect pre-roll starts with the grind.

Joints smoke best with a fine to medium grind, allowing for an even burn by avoiding hot spots that can cause running or canoeing. Blunts on the other hand smoke, pack and roll best with medium-to-course ground flower.

But if your grind is too fine, airflow can become an issue due to a lack of space in between particles that hinders a full, smooth draw. It can also cause you to roll too tight, which leads us to another issue that can hamper your ritual that we'll get to in a sec.

So remember – a medium to fine grind for joints and a medium to course grind for blunts will set you up for pre-roll smoking success.

A Too-Tight Pack or Roll

A leading cause of blockage causing joints and blunts to go out is a pre-roll that is too tightly packed or rolled.

It's a fine line, right? Roll or pack too loose and you'll be stuck with a pre-roll that runs, canoes, burns unevenly and wicked fast. But roll or pack too tight – especially with an extra-fine grind – and you'll end up with extremely restricted airflow that results in poor draws and a pre-roll that goes out regularly through the sesh.

The culprit is usually tamping. Tamping flower with too much pressure when packing or forming a tight log when rolling will greatly reduce the room air and smoke need to reach your lips. It's important that you create an even, consistent density, particularly at the filter end, but there is a line.

The goal is a well-balanced pack or roll that is solid, but not overly dense. For pre-roll packers, tamping down flower without excessive pressure will promote proper airflow leading to a consistent burn. And for rollers, when fashioning the log of flower for your pre-roll, avoid packing until you can't pack any more.

Pack too loose and you'll end up with a fast, uneven burn on your hands; too tight and you might not have the airflow to take a pull, which'll lead to your ember to fade to ash.

Like we said, it's a fine line, but you'll begin to feel the difference with just a bit of practice.

Overly-Dense Sections

Similar to an overly dense pre-roll, a well packed pre-roll can be rendered useless if sections of the pre-roll are packed to tight.

This can often happen in the early stages of your pack when you tamp flower down near the filter to avoid a floppy joint, or when you accidently pinch your formed flower in certain spots which will cause a roadblock when taking hits.

Making sure your pre-rolls are evenly packed throughout using a firm but not excessively – a firm tamp or roll will allow for solid airflow that won't go out in between hits.

A Tear in Your Paper or Wrap

Often caused by stems in ground flower, a wrap or paper that's been compromised by a rip or stem poking through can greatly affect the quality of the smoke.

A pull from a compromised wrap may feel like it's hitting, but with the tear pulling in outside air, it bypasses the cherry and the ember doesn't get the air it needs to stay lit, leading to weak hits and an unlit jeezy.

During the grind, it's important to minimize the amount of stems left in the final grind. Instead of tossing full nugs into your grinder, tear bud off the stem to lower the chances of a rogue, pokey stem from popping through your paper or wrap, or consider a non-tooth grinder that leaves most of the stems out of your grind chamber.

Trust us, you'll also enjoy smoother, less harsh pulls sans-stems.

A Low-Flow Filter

Less of an issue for packers where filters are pre-rolled into the cones, rolling your crutch too tight reduces the diameter of the whole joint, hindering airflow and the strength of your pulls. Low airflow and weak pulls – as we've learned – caused the cherry of a pre-roll to suffocate and extinguish itself.

When rolling up a crutch – whether you go for a "W" or Spiral style tip – make sure you're not rolling it too tight or you may be stuck with a skinny joint that won't stay lit.

Improperly Closing Your Pre-Rolls

While less of an issue with a Dutch Crown-style close, finishing your pre-roll with a twist that's too tight can lead to section of your pre-roll becoming too tight, leading to a pre-roll with pull issues.

But don't think that just because you're finishing your pack or roll with a Dutch Crown you'll be able to avoid an improper finish, because a Dutch Crown folded with too much pressure – especially during the last fold where a press-and-twist is applied to ensure a full close – may not have the airglow available to even light up.

For a twist finish, avoid closing it like you're ringing out water from a t-shirt, and for those going Dutch, simply fold and tamp with mild pressure.

And if you're smoking your joint or blunt right after rolling or packing, you can avoid the close altogether since there's no reason to protect the flower from falling out as it's getting smoked ASAP.

Simply put, avoid heavy pressure throughout the process and you'll be primed for a good time.

Light It Up & Take a Puff

So there you have it, the primary issue causing pre-rolls to pull poorly and go out is a pack or roll that is too tight.

If airflow can't feed the lit end of your joint or blunt, the ember will extinguish, and what could be worse than a pre-roll you have to keep lighting for some weak @$$ pulls?

Nothing, and that's a fact.

So remember, when preparing your flower, avoid an extra-fine grind that'll impede airflow, and reduce the pressure used when tamping or rolling so you don't end up with tight spots or a rock-solid roll up that won't stay lit. Plus, a filter with a small opening reduces airflow greatly, and a finished pre-roll with a twist too tight may not even light.

Finally, when packing or rolling pre-rolls, take it easy. Give it enough pressure to keep it together, but we're not making diamonds here, so don't go full power. Also, practice makes perfect, so remember to give yourself some grace if your jeezy smokes poorly. Just keep packing and you'll have perfect pre-rolls in no time.

You've got this!