Beyond Disposables: The Rise of Modular Vape Hardware

For years, cannabis vape hardware has been defined by a binary choice:
510-thread cartridges or all-in-one disposables. Each format emerged to
solve specific problems, and each became deeply entrenched in the market.
But as the industry matures, and extract innovation accelerates—that binary
is starting to feel limiting.

Today’s brands are managing more SKUs, more extract types, and more
educated consumers than ever before. Meanwhile, regulators and customers
alike are asking tougher questions about waste, performance and long-term
value. Against that backdrop, a new category of vape hardware is beginning
to take shape: modular platforms designed to evolve alongside the industry.

ACTIVE’s Singular platform is one of the clearest expressions of that shift.
PHOTO Matca/@Matca.agency *Designing Hardware Around the Extract, Not the
Format*

One of the most persistent challenges in vape hardware is the assumption
that a single configuration can perform equally well across all oil types.
In reality, rosin, resin and distillate behave very differently, both in
production and in consumption.

ACTIVE approached Singular by flipping the traditional design logic: “By
starting with the extract, not the device,” says Michael Brosgart,
president of ACTIVE. “We built Singular around the physical realities and
nuances of rosin, resin and distillates.”

Viscosity, fill temperature, and thermal behavior all influence how an
extract performs inside a vaporizer. Singular’s modular architecture allows
heating elements, materials and airflow to be optimized at the pod level,
rather than forcing brands to compromise performance for the sake of
standardization.

Singular condenses various vape lines into a unified SKU, creating a better
experience for consumers and more streamlined manufacturing for brands.
With multiple heating elements designed specifically for different
extracts, various capacities available, and 510 compatibility brings all
extracts into one platform for vaping.

For extractors and brand operators, that approach mirrors how product
development already happens upstream: formulation first, hardware second.
[image: modular vape] *Bridging Legacy Hardware and What Comes Next*

While innovation continues to push forward, the cannabis vape market is
still deeply rooted in legacy infrastructure, particularly 510-thread
cartridges. Any meaningful evolution in hardware must acknowledge that
reality rather than attempt to replace it overnight.

Singular addresses this directly through a 510-cartridge adapter, allowing
brands and consumers to use existing 510 hardware within the Singular
ecosystem.

This adapter does more than preserve backward compatibility. It creates a
bridge between what the market already knows and what it’s becoming, giving
customers continuity while enabling brands to transition at their own pace.

While consumers have pushed towards convenience and new form factors, 510
cartridges are still the backbone of the industry. In 2025, according to
Headset Data, cartridges saw a 4.1% decline vs AIO’s across the US. That
said, cartridges still own 53.6% of the overall vape market keeping 510s
firmly relevant.

Rather than forcing a hard pivot away from familiar formats, Singular
positions modularity as an inclusive step forward—one that keeps the
customer experience at the center of the equation.
PHOTO Matca/@Matca.agency *Modularity as a Sustainability Strategy*

All-in-one devices helped normalize vaping for consumers by simplifying use
and eliminating friction. But that convenience has come with trade-offs,
particularly around environmental impact and long-term cost efficiency.

Singular’s reusable batteries paired with interchangeable pods offer a
different path. By separating the long-life components from the consumable
ones, the platform reduces material waste without sacrificing ease of use.

Simply put, ACTIVE is building upon the consumer-led form factors of
All-In-Ones, without the waste. This becomes additionally more important to
operators as potential disposable bans loom over various markets like what
we’re seeing with proposed legislation in California and challenges across
the pond in the EU.

Importantly, this isn’t sustainability layered on as a marketing
afterthought. It’s baked into the system architecture, aligning
environmental considerations with operational efficiency for brands and
manufacturers.
*Built With the Supply Chain, Not in Isolation*

Hardware innovation in cannabis doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Filling lines,
production schedules, retail realities, and customer expectations all shape
whether a product succeeds or stalls.

“Singular has been three years in the making,” Brosgart explains. “We
combined deep R&D with real-world data and feedback from the people
actually filling and selling these devices.”

That collaborative development process shows up in the platform’s
practicality. From compatibility across extract types to the ability to
expand or adapt without overhauling an entire hardware strategy.
*A Platform for an Evolving Industry*

As cannabis continues to professionalize, vape hardware is shifting from
novelty to infrastructure. The next generation of devices won’t be defined
by a single format, but by their ability to adapt technically,
operationally and culturally.

“It takes vision to reimagine how to take the best of all-in-one
disposables and create something new,” Brosgart says. “I’m even more
excited about what’s coming up next with new technology and functionality
dropping in 2026.”

Singular reflects a broader industry realization: The future of cannabis
vaping isn’t about abandoning the past, rather it’s about building
platforms that respect it, while giving brands and consumers a smarter path
forward.

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