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Stealth Vaping Guide (How to Zero a Vape)

In the vaping community, stealth vaping can earn you bragging rights. Why? Because some vapers are good at it and others are not. Yet it’s outside the vaping community where stealth vaping matters most.

If you vape, you’re probably all too familiar with the side-eye and snickers you get when you blow a massive vapor plume into the air. Strangers cough just at the sight of your cloud; they wave their hands in front of their faces as if to say you stink, and they move as far away from you as possible.

Enter stealth vaping — the best way to hit your vape without making it obvious.

Whether you prefer an e-cigarette or a zero-nicotine plant-based vape pen, this guide will teach you how to stealth vape, how to zero a vape, and which vape pens are best for clandestine vaping.

What is Stealth Vaping?

Man with arms raised at sunset

Stealth vaping is precisely what it sounds like — vaping so that no one realizes you’re doing it.

It’s a way to discreetly vape so you don’t disturb the people around you. It’s also a way to avoid social backlash via a low-key vaping method that allows you to enjoy a vaping experience without calling attention to yourself by exhaling big clouds.

Learning stealth vaping methods makes it easier to vape without getting caught. But let’s be clear: we’re not suggesting you stealth vape as a way to vape where it’s prohibited. Effective stealth vaping produces less vapor; even small clouds can call attention to your actions.

The laws regarding vaping vary from city to city, but it is generally illegal to vape anywhere that smoking is prohibited. Even zero-nicotine vapes, like MELO, should not be used in any place where the use of tobacco products is prohibited. Why? Because the vape pen itself is considered a tobacco product, even if the liquid inside doesn’t contain any nicotine at all.

Nicotine-free vapes are increasing in popularity, and even diehard smokers are exploring what they’re all about.

MELO is one of the best nicotine-free vapes available today. Many diffusers contain harsh chemicals, but MELO vapes do not. They are actually personal aromatherapy diffusers delivering essential oils and melatonin rather than nicotine and other harmful additives. You don’t even have to inhale to use them properly.

Shop MELO in more than ten delicious flavors now 

How to Stealth Vape

Two girls smiling

Whether you enjoy healthy vape alternatives or prefer to vape nicotine or marijuana concentrates, there are several stealth vaping techniques you can learn and practice. But the first step in doing so is to choose the right type of vape device.

Ultraportable vape kits and small, disposable vape pens are the best options for stealth vaping. The smaller or more slender the device, the easier it is to conceal in your hand. Smaller devices also tend to put out less vapor.

You’ll want to hold your device in a grip that covers the LED lights, especially if you’re vaping in a dark or dimly lit space where the light will be more noticeable. LED lights are a dead giveaway that you’re holding a vape pen to your lips.  

Discreetly holding the device is the easy part. The more challenging part is learning to inhale and exhale so that it’s not apparent what you’re doing.

Here’s how to do it:

When inhaling, take short puffs and hold them longer than usual. Shorter puffs release less vapor, whereas deep puffs can produce immense clouds. When you hold the vapor in longer, more enters the lungs, resulting in smaller clouds.

When exhaling, purse your lips to blow the vapor down or away from other people, rather than up into the air where the cloud will be most visible. The smaller the hole you exhale through, the less noticeable it will be.

Stealth vaping is the discreet way to vape, but you’ll still produce vapor clouds — and vapor clouds aren’t the only way people can detect what you’re doing. No vape device is entirely odorless, so sometimes the scent of the vapor clues people into your behavior.

For completely scentless vaping, you’ll need zero cloud production. That means you’ll have to go a step further and learn how to zero vape.

What Are Good Vape Pen Product Options for Stealth?

Melo Air Midnight Mint Vape

Disposable vapes and small, portable devices are essential for stealth vaping. The more compact they are, the easier they are to conceal.

Our MELO is one of the top disposable vapes on the market. Made with essential oils and melatonin, this personal aromatherapy diffuser is slim and compact, so it’s easy to conceal in your hand.

We make a 400-puff vape called MELO Air and an 800-puff vape called MELO Plus. The MELO Air is the smaller of the two, so our team members prefer this design when they’re in stealth mode.

MELO Air is also nicotine-free. There are pros and cons of vaping without nicotine, but most people agree that nicotine-free vapes are the healthier option.

Why? Because they don’t contain any addictive substances. And even when you do produce a vapor cloud from a zero-nicotine vape, you can rest assured that you’re not emitting potentially harmful secondhand smoke into the air.

Shop the full range of MELO Air and MELO Plus products here

What is Zero Vaping?

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Zero vaping takes stealth vaping to the next level. There is zero vapor output with zero vaping, and producing zero vapor is the sneakiest way to vape.

If you master this, you can vape in plain sight, and no one will even know it. They won’t see it. They won’t smell it. And you can enjoy the experience without facing judgment or disturbing anyone around you.

Stealth vaping requires you to hold your vaping device a bit differently and alter how you inhale and exhale a bit. Zero vaping takes more practice and discipline. After all, the natural reaction after inhaling is to exhale what you’ve just breathed in. You’ll have to take a new approach to zero vape like a pro.

How to Zero a Vape

People sitting outside at swimming pool

Learning how to zero a vape comes easily for some people, while others can never get the hang of it. If you want to give it a try, here’s what to do:

Buy a small vape pen

Like all forms of stealth vaping, zero vaping is most straightforward with a small device that doesn’t produce a lot of visible vapor.

Take multiple, short inhalations

Start by taking one small puff. Instead of immediately exhaling, follow that puff by inhaling one or two breaths of air through the mouth or nose. This technique pushes more of the vapor down into your lungs, leaving none (or very little) to exhale.

Some people don’t enjoy taking multiple short inhales and find it easier to take one long, deep inhale after a slight puff. Either way, purse your lips tightly when it’s time to exhale, and be conscious of where you direct it — down and into your chest is the most discreet choice.

Don’t get frustrated if you can’t immediately get the hang of zero vaping. It will likely take some time to perfect your technique, so don’t expect to master it on your first try.

What Are the Potential Side Effects and Risks of Stealth Vaping?

Man sitting on pier at ocean

All vaping methods have potential side effects and risks, including zero-nicotine vapes. Before you try stealth vaping or zero vaping, keep in mind that there isn’t enough scientific research to indicate that any type of vaping is safe. You should remain mindful that there could be negative consequences and long-term effects.  

Lung damage

Vaping has the potential to cause lung damage, and that’s because many contain harmful ingredients. Since there is no such thing as a completely “safe vape,” the best way to protect against lung damage is to find vape alternatives.

Lightheadedness

Because stealth and zero vaping require you to hold the vapor in longer, you may experience a rush to the head. This effect can result in a feeling of lightheadedness, especially if you’re smoking a nicotine vape.

Legal consequences

Just because you can stealth vape doesn’t mean you should. Public vaping, where prohibited, can result in fines or even jail time, depending on where you’re caught vaping and what the local laws are.  

Stealth vaping can also cause unwanted attention, especially if you’re trying to be so sneaky about it that it looks like you’re doing something shady. Remember, stealth vaping and zero vaping are about being discreet and going undetected, not about breaking laws or rebelling against the system.

Where to Buy the Best Vape Pen for Stealth Vaping

Four friends smiling

Is it bad to zero vape or stealth vape? That all depends on the type of vape you choose and when and where you use it.

Nicotine vapes are addictive. While some people use them to wean themselves off of cigarettes, people who have never smoked can still develop a nicotine addiction. If you want to vape but do not want to run the risk of addiction, we recommend opting for a healthier alternative to nicotine vapes.

We recommend our MELO, a personal aromatherapy diffuser that provides an enjoyable vaping experience and natural melatonin to improve the quality of your sleep.

Would you prefer something more refreshing? MELO Labs also makes HELO diffusers with caffeine for energy rather than melatonin for sleep. Both are small, portable, and perfect for stealth vaping or any other type of vaping you enjoy.

Shop small, portable MELO and HELO vapes now


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