60/40 VG PG Ratio – What is it in Vaping?
Definition
60/40 VG PG Ratio describes an e-liquid blend made from 60 % vegetable glycerine (VG) and 40 % propylene glycol (PG). This slightly VG-heavy mix balances thick vapour production with pronounced flavour and a gentle Hit“>throat hit, making it the “sweet spot” for many Australian vapers. Beginners like it because it wicks easily in standard starter kits while still creating visible clouds, and experienced users appreciate how it behaves in both mouth-to-lung (MTL) and restricted direct-lung (RDL) tanks. In short, the 60/40 VG PG ratio is a versatile base that delivers fuller clouds than 50/50 juices without the heavy coilgunk of max-VG liquids.
Technical Details
Vegetable glycerine is a thick, plant-derived liquid (1.26 g ml⁻¹, 290 cP at 25 °C) that produces dense aerosol when heated; propylene glycol is thinner (1.04 g ml⁻¹, 48 cP) and carries flavour while creating the “throat hit” former smokers expect. A 60/40 VG PG ratio yields an average viscosity of roughly 9–11 cP at 25 °C, allowing the juice to flow through 0.8–1.2 Ω coils found in modern pods and MTL atomisers without dry hits. Nicotine and flavour concentrates are dissolved into this base, so a 60 ml bottle labelled “3 mg 60/40” contains 1.8 ml of 100 mg ml⁻¹ nicotine suspended in the 60/40 blend. Common variations include 65/35 (slightly thicker) and 55/45 (slightly thinner), but 60/40 remains the most stocked ratio in Australian vape shops because it performs well on 18650, 21700 and Battery“>26650 battery mods alike while staying under the legal nicotine import threshold.
Usage & Tips
- Device pairing: Use 0.6–1.0 Ω coils with cotton wicks; avoid tiny 1.8 Ω pods that prefer 50/50.
- Storage: Keep bottles below 25 °C and out of sunlight; VG oxidises faster than PG, turning the liquid amber—still vape-safe but flavour may mute.
- Chain-vaping fix: If you taste dryness, close airflow 25 % and lower wattage by 5 W; the high VG needs a moment to re-wick.
- Safety: High-VG juices can crack polycarbonate tanks; use glass or PCTG pods. Always check that your 510-thread tank’s wick ports are at least 3 mm wide to prevent flooding.
- Nicotine strength: 60/40 carries 0 mg nicotine beautifully for cloud tricks, but if you add nic, stay ≤ 6 mg freebase or 20 mg salts to keep the throat hit smooth.
History & Context
When sub-ohmvaping took off around 2014, Aussie mixologists needed a middle ground between the harsh 70/30 PG juices of the cig-a-like era and the wick-choking 80/20 VG clouds popular in the U.S. The 60/40 VG PG ratio emerged as the “all-rounder” and is still the default house blend in most Australian vape stores today.