Wet Hit – What It Means & How to Prevent It in Vaping

Definition

A Wet Hit is the vaping term for a draw that produces noticeably audible popping sounds and an unusually moist, flavour-dense vapour because e-liquid is literally boiling on the coil rather than simply vaporising. Occurring when too much juice saturates the wick, the excess liquid “spits” or crackles, giving the sensation of warm droplets on the tongue. Beginners often experience wet hits when over-dripping or chain-vaping on a rebuildable atomiser, while seasoned vapers may chase the phenomenon for intensified flavour. Although not inherently dangerous, repeated wet hits can dilute nicotine delivery, waste e-liquid, and, in extreme cases, allow hot droplets to reach the mouth.

Technical Details

Wet hits happen when the mass of e-liquid on the coil exceeds the rate at which the wire can vaporise it. Typical causes include oversaturated wicking material (cotton, rayon, or mesh), low wattage that is 10–20 W below the coil’s recommended range, or coils with too few wraps and loose spacing. The result is localized boiling at 100–120 °C instead of full aerosolisation at 150–230 °C. Variations include “micro” wet hits—tiny crackles that enhance flavour—and “gurgling” wet hits where liquid pools in the deck and floods the chimney. Sub-ohm tanks with high VG juice (70 % VG or thicker) are most susceptible when wick ports are over-primed or when the coil’s Diameter“>inner diameter exceeds 3 mm, allowing excess capillary flow.

Usage & Tips

• Prevent: Use the manufacturer’s suggested wattage; pulse-fire new cotton until the glow is even to remove hotspots.
• Cure: Flick the DripTip“>drip tip downward to expel droplets, then raise wattage by 5 W increments until crackling subsides.
• Wick tightness: Cotton should slide with slight resistance; loose wicks oversaturate, tight wicks dry-hit.
• Safety: Never vape with visible liquid in the mouthpiece—hot spit-back can burn lips. If popping persists, check for damaged wire or frayed wick ends that drip excess juice.

History & Context

Wet hits emerged in the early rebuildable era (2012–2014) when Australian vapers began experimenting with micro-coils and cotton wicks. As cloud-chasing culture grew, the phenomenon shifted from accidental nuisance to sought-after flavour boost, influencing today’s mesh strip designs that minimise spit-back while maximising surface area.