How to Roll the Perfect Pre-Roll

What are pre-rolls? I first heard the term pre-roll from Bill the electrician. Electricians use “pre-wired devices” which, as expected, come pre-wired, meaning the electrician doesn’t do as much work on site. “Hand me that P.W.D.,” an electrician will say for short. Well one day Bill smiled and said, “I’ve got a P.R.D. today if you’re interested…a pre-rolled device.” I was interested and after work we shared his pre-roll full of tasty and relaxing Suver Haze CBD.

There are as many ways to roll a great pre-roll as there are strains. Let’s look at some factors that go into the perfect roll. Follow this guide below and you’ll be a master roller in no time.

What is a pre-roll? 

Put simply, it’s a joint that someone rolled already. Maybe it was made at home ahead of a special occasion like a hike, or manufactured for consistent dosing purposes. Either way, pre-rolls are a popular and convenient way to purchase and consume CBD and CBG products. For more info about minor cannabinoids see the article What Minor Cannabinoids are the Most Popular?

All Sizes and Shapes

Joints come in as many styles as there are smokers. They can be rolled tight or loose, fat or skinny, with any combination of hemp flower, to tailor the experience to the user’s need. From the standard pre-roll to cross joints, braided joints, pre-rolls that have a v shape, there are many ways to bring pre-rolls into your smoke sesh. Manufactured pre-rolls are typically cone-shaped and include a handle that is sometimes referred to as a “crutch.” The crutch is a short paper tube on the mouth side of the joint that provides structure for the joint and a convenient handle for passing.

It’s normally made of heavier paper like card stock, similar to the thickness of a business card. It’s not a filter like on a cigarette, but it can stop bits of bud from hitting your lips. The best feature may be that the crutch avoids finger burns when you get to the very end of the joint. Having a well sized and shaped crutch is crucial to roll the perfect joint.

Start with the best CBD ingredients 

Using quality materials will make most jobs better, and joint-rolling is no exception. Choose your favorite strain and remove any stem materials from the bud. A nice feature of rolling your own is that you can customize the size and hit you want, but between half gram (0.5g) to one gram (1.0g) of flower should work well. At that rate, you can roll up to seven beautiful joints from one jar of Earthy Now’s CBD Hemp Flower. You could even roll it up with one of the top 5 strains with CBG.

It’s best to grind your flower to a medium-fine-grain fluffy texture with a precision grinder, because the consistency of the material will make the joint burn evenly for its whole length. Another benefit is the soft texture of the ground bud will protect the delicate paper from any sharp bits poking a hole through it. This step will also ensure you don’t have any unfilled portions of your pre-roll and ensure an even burn.

Grinders are your friend

All grinders are not created equal – a high quality grinder is a good investment in your happiness. Grinder tech has really expanded and there are hundreds to choose from, whether you want a classic hand-operated model or a new battery-powered version. Factors that affect grinder performance include the material it’s made of, construction quality, the number of cutting-teeth, the ergonomics, and its features.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a grinder—it’s totally fine to break up the bud with your fingers. Take your time until you have nice small fluffy bits that will pack evenly in the joint. Practice makes perfect!

Best paper for the pre-roll

Using the right paper is the next major factor for taste and burn-ability. There’s nothing worse than an uneven burn. Rolling papers are available in many shapes, sizes, and materials, and these all affect the quality and experience of rolling a perfect joint. You’ll want to choose a good quality rolling papers and have an understanding of the differences in how the paper materials perform.

Common Paper Types

The common paper material types are wood pulp, hemp, and rice.  Wood pulp paper is the thickest which makes it burn the fastest but also makes it easiest to use since it’s harder to accidentally put a hole in the paper. Hemp paper is thinner than wood pulp paper so the pre-roll burns longer. There are also thicker options like a cigar wrapper.

Rice papers are the thinnest and burn the longest but can be the most difficult to roll successfully. Keep in mind there is no wrong paper for your joint. However, making an educated choice can make the difference between a frustrating situation and a sweet session. Paper sizes vary from 1-inch, to 1.25 inches, to king sized paper.

Get ready to roll 

There’s one more important choice to make – roll by hand using rolling papers or use a pre-formed cone. To work by hand requires more steps and dexterity but offers more customization of your smoke. Anyone can learn to hand-roll and it’s a great skill to have if you’re inclined to practice. You can be the hero at the next cookout when you hear, “I have cannabis – does anyone know how to roll?”

To simplify the process, you can choose to use a pre-roll cone. Pre-roll cones are cone shape papers that come pre-shaped as a cone with the crutch attached. This saves you from the tricky step of rolling and sealing the paper around the loose bud and adhering the crutch to the paper all at the same time.

Cone Method

If you’re new to rolling, we recommend using the cone method because it is easier and faster to roll the perfect joint. It can be tricky getting the tuck-and-roll move down without spilling material and a beginner can get frustrated while they practice. To get to the smoking faster, use a cone.

If a cone isn’t enough help, there are also a plethora of rolling machines available depending on the volume of pre-rolls you need to make, and the style you want them to be. Rolling machines can be simple pocket-sized tools to make one pre-roll at a time with rolling papers, or they can be designed to fill dozens of pre-rolls at once for bulk production.

While rolling by hand takes more control and skill, it does allow you more freedom and flexibility in determining the size and shape of your joint. Of course if you want to always have the same size and shape, cones or machines are the way to go.

Let’s roll!!!

Joint rolling is a learning process. Rolling the perfect pre-roll takes time and practice. Once you have your favorite CBD or CBG flower ground and your rolling paper or cone picked out, you’re ready to roll. Find a stable place to work like a tabletop or desktop and use a rolling tray or other clean surface to protect your work area and catch any stray bits of bud while rolling joints.  You can also use a food tray, book, or record album cover on your lap but be careful not to spill!

How to roll a pre-roll by hand

1. Cut or tear a piece of light cardstock approximately 1” x 1” square, and roll it into a tube between ⅛” – 3/16” diameter. This is the crutch. Filter tips can be made out of cardstock or purchased.
2. Place the crutch at the center of one short side of the rolling paper, slightly lapped over the edge.
3. Sprinkle one half a gram to 1 gram of premium ground flower onto the rolling paper in the shape you want the final joint to be (the amount of flower depends on your desired thickness).
4. Take your time to shape the material and start pre-forming the shape.
5. Start to form the shape of the joint more firmly, rolling it back and forth with your thumbs and fingers.
6. Carefully lick the top edge of the paper and lay it gently down around the rolled up joint, sealing it tightly.
7. Hold the shape with your fingers until the paper is dried enough to hold its shape.
8. Using a semi-blunt poking tool like a pen cap, lightly tamp down the bud into the rolled joint, to pack it toward the crutch. You can also hold it from the open end and lightly shake back and forth to push the material back. Don’t pack too hard – it can impede air and smoke from passing through. Don’t shake too hard either, you don’t want to spill or lose control of the pre-roll.
9. Wrap the open end closed by twisting the paper clockwise between your finger and thumb. This will seal the material in and keep it packed correctly until you’re ready to…
10. Light it up and enjoy!

How to pack the perfect pre-roll cone joint

1. Put a small amount of premium ground flower in the cone joint. Use a semi-blunt poking tool like a pen cap to lightly pack down the bud. Cones may come in a storage tube that can be used as a packer.
2. Continue to fill the tube as you periodically pack it down. Don’t pack too hard – it can impede air and smoke from passing through
3. Fill the tube to your desired level but leave at least ½” of empty paper at the open end.
4. Wrap the open end closed by twisting the paper clockwise between your finger and thumb. This will seal the material in and keep it packed correctly until you’re ready to…
5. Light up your cone joint and enjoy!

How to roll the perfect joint every time 

And if you just want perfect pre rolled cones without the time investment, check out Earthy Now’s CBD Hemp Flower Pre-Rolls that each pack in 1 gram of premium Hemp Flower with up to 20% total cannabinoids per strain. Earthy Now uses authentic RAW organic hemp papers and filters, made from natural plants with zero burn additives, to keep the Pre-Roll experience organic and long-lasting. With Earthy Pre-rolls, you can have faith that your joint burns evenly and slowly every time.

Each Earthy Now packaged Pre-Roll comes in a reusable, smell proof, waterproof, environmentally friendly glass or biodegradable plastic tube that functions as a “saving”  tube if you don’t want to feel the whole thing at once.

Similar to pre-rolls, check out Hemp Smokes!

Final thoughts on the perfect pre-roll

No matter the style of your pre-roll, the ingredients inside it, or who made it, the good news is now you get to spark it up and enjoy! Remember that even though to be federally compliant, CBD, CBN, and CBG products must contain less than .3% of Delta-9 THC, many of them have potent effects and should be only used by responsible adults. Finally, practice makes perfect! Shop the Best Pre-Rolls!

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References

Rolling Papers vs Pre-Rolled Cones

How To Pack A Pre-Roll

How To Make A Joint Crutch Filter

Frequently Asked Questions