Dry and moist nicotine pouches

Dry versus moist pouches

The dry-versus-moist label doesn't appear on any of our stock, so the more useful comparison is portion size and nicotine concentration. Start there instead of guessing at moisture. The smallest pouches come from VELO: Bright Spearmint Mini is 4 mg in a 0.5 g pouch (8.0 mg/g), while Dark Cherry Mini and Simply Spearmint Mini use a 0.42 g pouch at 9.5 mg/g — the highest concentration among our 4 mg cans. Same nicotine per pouch, but the smaller pouch is more concentrated, so it delivers the same dose more compactly. The slims from NOIS, XQS, and ACE are all 0.5 g. NOIS and XQS run 8.0 mg/g; ACE Cool Mint Light is 3 mg at 6.0 mg/g. If you want a lighter concentration, ACE is gentler than the 4 mg slims. If you want the strongest per gram, the three 0.42 g VELO minis are the pick.

Slim, regular and mini portions

The practical difference between these cans is how many pouches you get per can. NOIS cans hold 30 slims; the ACE, VELO and XQS cans we carry hold 20. At CA$14.00 a can, NOIS works out to CA$0.47 a pouch, while the 20-count cans are CA$0.70 a pouch.

Portion size and nicotine strength are separate. The VELO minis deliver 4 mg, same as the NOIS and XQS slims, so a smaller pouch does not mean a weaker hit. If you want a compact pouch, pick a VELO mini; if you want a larger pouch, pick a NOIS or XQS slim like NOIS Mango ICE or XQS Black Cherry Light.

Among these four brands, ACE Cool Mint Light is the only 3 mg pouch, and it is a slim. That is the pick for a larger portion with a lighter nicotine dose. The other three brands sit at 4 mg, so the choice is between compact VELO minis and NOIS/XQS slims.

How long a pouch is designed to last

How long you keep a pouch in is a matter of feel, and the sting rating in our tasting notes is our closest guide: a low score sits quietly, a high score hits fast. For a pouch to keep in, VELO Dark Cherry Mini (2/10 sting, 8/10 fruit) and NOIS Cherry ICE (2/10 sting, 8/10 fruit) let fruit carry the experience.

NOIS Extreme Light rates 9/10 sting with 5/10 mint, so it peaks early — better for a short, sharp hit than a long sit. XQS Blueberry Mint Light Slim sits between at 6/10 sting, 5/10 mint and 7/10 fruit, so it offers fruit and mint without the extreme burn.

For a mint that lingers rather than slaps, ACE Cool Mint Light is 5/10 sting with 8/10 mint. The mint stays present without a hard burn, which is what makes it easy to hold onto. Pick it when you want to keep a pouch in for a while.

Storing a can and keeping it fresh

The total pouch material in a can ranges from 8.4 g in the VELO Dark Cherry Mini and Simply Spearmint Mini to 15 g in every NOIS can. The ACE, XQS, and VELO Bright Spearmint Mini cans hold 10 g, putting them in the middle. That's a meaningful weight difference when you're carrying a spare can in a pocket.

If portability matters, the 8.4 g VELO minis are the lightest to keep on hand. If you're storing the can on a shelf or desk, the extra weight of a NOIS doesn't matter. Choose based on where the can will live when you're not using it.

What we stock, and where to start

Start at the gentle end of the shelf, not the middle. Our 1,105 cans from 74 brands span label strengths from 1.5 mg to 50 mg per pouch, so a first can should sit well below the top of that range. For a first can, pick a 4 mg slim or mini with a moderate sting: XQS Tropical Light (4 mg, sting 4/10, fruit 8/10) is gentle and fruit-forward, while VELO Sour Lime Mini (4 mg, sting 5/10, fruit 7/10) adds a citrus edge. Since every can is a single, you can try two or three without overcommitting.

If mint is your default, XQS Wintergreen Light (sting 5/10, mint 6/10) is a softer introduction than NOIS Cool Strong Light (sting 6/10, mint 7/10). Start with the XQS; the NOIS is brighter and sharper.

Avoid the extreme end on day one. NOIS Extreme Light rates 9/10 sting, so it will dominate a new mouth. Work up to it. For berry fans, NOIS Blueberry ICE Light (6/10 sting, 5/10 mint) balances fruit and coolness without overwhelming.

Common questions

The four brands on this page are made by four different manufacturers: BAT makes VELO, NOIS.WORLD makes NOIS, XQS international AB makes XQS, and Ministry of Snus makes ACE. Every can we stock has a measured fact sheet behind it, so the pouch weights and nicotine-per-gram figures you see are measured, not label estimates.

All cans on this page cost CA$14.00, which is also the median across our full single-can range (prices run from CA$12.00 to CA$14.00). We ship across Canada from British Columbia, and orders over CA$150 ship free. Stock is held in British Columbia, so a Canadian order travels as a domestic parcel rather than an import.

Keep going: every pouch we carry, browse by flavour, all brands.