From a vaping perspective, the difference between freebase nicotine and nicotine salt is a matter of how it affects your vaping experience.

One noticeable difference is the harshness induced by higher nicotine levels. Freebase nicotine has a higher pH level which affects the alkalinity. What this does is that it makes freebase e-liquid taste harsher as you climb the nicotine ladder. Whereas, salt nicotine have a lower alkalinity due to the benzoic acid which gives you a reportedly smoother throat hit and makes vaping at 50 mg nicotine bearable.

The second difference is how the two travel through your body. Even though nicotine salts are known to be not the most effective way to deliver nicotine, Pax Labs have supposedly figured out a way to make it more effective than freebase nicotine. This is due to the benzoic acid added to the salt nicotine as the nicotine becomes much more readily available and more effective than traditional freebased e-liquids.

WHAT DEVICE TO USE FOR SALT NICS

One thing to keep in mind is that salt nics operate in lower wattage devices. It is strongly recommended to avoid using high powered devices to vape salt nicotine. Using sub-ohms to vape salt nicotine at 50 mg nic levels will give you excessive amounts of nicotine and would be fairly unpleasant.

As stated above, the salt nics are designed to be used in lower wattage devices due to the higher amount of nicotine absorbed as well as not requiring to vaporize at higher temperatures.

Not only are the devices low profile and sleek, most of the low wattage devices are auto fire meaning you only get vapor when you inhale it. This makes it a user-friendly device for any smokers who are new to vaping without the investment in figuring how all of the current devices work.

The low wattage, high resistance devices that are currently on the market come with two available options:

1. Open System - you can refill manually by buying nicotine salt e-liquids
2. Closed System - you can buy cartridges/pods that contain e-liquid which usually come in packs of 4 without creating a mess :)

Side note: You can also consider getting lower nicotine levels like 3 mg and 6 mg in nicotine salt form for your sub-ohm device. As far as it being more effective at delivering nicotine than freebase nicotine as PAX lab claims in their study is up to debate. What you may notice is a smoother throat hit than freebase nicotine e-juices.

BENEFITS OF NICOTINE SALTS

• User-Friendly Device - It’s easy to use and hassle-free. You also have the options to buy cartridges which can be convenient since you don’t have to make a mess refilling e-juices. Not only that, it fits in your pocket like a charm and if you’re not into getting huge clouds then salt nics are right for you

• Higher Nicotine Levels - This is a huge step for the vaping community since the higher nicotine levels and the instant rush you get from nicotine salts will help immensely in quitting cigarettes. Some may argue that nic salts are more effective in fighting cravings than the other devices in the market.       

• Smoother tasting and less nicotine bite - Nicotine salt can create a better vaping experience in general for those who want to vape at higher nicotine levels. The throat hit will not be as harsh compared to the freebase nicotine at the same levels.
• Use Less E-liquids - Because of the high nicotine levels and better absorption, you will not need to consume as much e-juice. Less vapor production is needed and can be a big plus for someone who is looking for a more low-profile device that works arguably better for your nicotine satisfaction
• Longer shelf life - Due to nicotine salt being in its natural state, it is more stable and less likely to oxidizing faster.