Many kratom enthusiasts approach the world of exotic herbs with a desire to learn new things and make new friends. The kratom community is a fraternal scene and its members are eager to trade recipes, vendor recommendations, and general wisdom.
Qi Kratom CBD Tea is an East Coast kratom vendor that embodies that communal spirit. It is a safety-conscious supplier with a passion for signature kratom blends and a reputation for providing the freshest Mitragyna speciosa specimens this side of the Atlantic Seaboard.
Qi Kratom has amassed hundreds of encouraging reviews from customers pleased by its relaxing in-store environment and exceptional kratom powder. It is rare that a head shop brand attracts unanimous support, but that’s the case with Qi Kratom CBD Tea.
If you’re wondering whether to believe the hype, read on for our fair and balanced look at this homegrown business.
Qi Kratom CBD Tea is a vendor with brick-and-mortar locations in Evanston, IL, and Washington, D.C. It bills itself as an “inter-generational community-based ethnobotanical retail store carrying the best quality direct trade kratom,” but it does not disclose the regional origin of its kratom strains.
Most reputable online sellers give visitors an overview of each strain, replete with information about where it was harvested. The vast majority source their kratom powders from Indonesia.
Based on our experience with Qi Kratom CBD Tea’s powders we would assume that it, too, hails from parts of Indonesia. Regardless, the strains we have tried have lacked the desired origin details and do not bear labeling appropriate for sale in certain states.
For example, Oklahoma passed House Bill 1784, a variation on the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. This statute sets the minimum age requirement at eighteen in an effort to prevent kratom sales to minors. Furthermore, it stipulates that kratom processors must sell their wares in packaging with detailed labeling.
This labeling must include serving instructions, a QR code for reading lab results, and an appropriate warning. Qi Kratom CBD Tea lists none of this on its website or its products.
On the contrary, Qi Kratom’s website is so threadbare as to look like a hastily thrown-together April Fool’s prank. There is no FAQ page, no About page, and no Terms & Conditions page.
This is bad, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the good (and great). Some sellers are simply inexperienced when it comes to self-promotion and good manufacturing practices.
Rather than fault a newbie for its missteps we would like to celebrate its achievements … and there are plenty. Qi Kratom CBD Tea has been praised by dozens upon dozens of loyal customers, some of whom discovered their brand by accident.
Qi Kratom’s products are fresh, fragrant, and long-lasting. Each strain is available in multiple forms and at varying price points, with something to suit everyone’s needs.
This vendor currently stocks eleven distinct Mitragyna speciosa strains, including yellow “vein” kratom powder.
Green Malay is Qi Kratom’s best green vein, a prominent variant that delivers a sort of middle ground between reds and whites. Green Malay, AKA Green Malaysian Kratom, gets its name from the place where it was first discovered.
Although kratom use is illegal in Malaysia under Section 30 (3) of the Poison Act of 1952, it continues to grow in abundance throughout the country’s remote forests. This has enabled passionate horticulturalists to trim its cuttings and smuggle them across the border to Indonesia and other countries where kratom remains unregulated.
Qi Kratom Red Maeng Da is this vendor’s finest red vein, a bitter-tasting strain with a peculiar chlorine-like flavor and a compelling aroma that’s enduring. With lingering notes of jasmine and mangrove, Red Maeng Da is a robust treat for any fan of horned leaf kratom.
Qi Kratom White Elephant is the very best white vein kratom powder this brand has to offer. Elephant Kratom gets its name from the droopy oversize leaves of the Elephant kratom tree.
White Elephant is cultivated by the natives of Northern Sumatra who cared for each tree well into maturity. The white Vein Elephant reaches its optimal gestation period in the rainforest of the northwestern region.
This bold strain is sturdy, long-lasting, and redolent of freshly-cut grass. It makes for the perfect nightcap.
Other strains include Green Maeng Da, Red Bali, Red Malay, Super Green, White Borneo, White Maeng Da, Yellow Banjar, and Yellow Sumatra.
These strains are available in both powder and capsule form, with capsules at $40 for two-and-a-half ounces’ worth of caps.
Encapsulated kratom is the preferred choice of athletes and working professionals who appreciate how easy they are to conceal.
You can keep kratom capsules in most book bags, handbags, briefcases, wallets, or tote bags. A serving of kratom caps can typically fit in the breast pocket of a dress shirt or in the lining of a suit jacket.
You can get six ounces of kratom capsules for $80.00. On the other hand, kratom powders start at $30 for two-and-a-half ounces.
Six ounces of powder sell for $60, while sixteen ounces go for $150.00. If you’re looking to bulk up, you’ll find kratom kilos going for $250.00.
These prices may be much higher than your average online vendor, but they are not the steepest we have come across. For instance, Happy Hippo Herbals charges as much as $290 for a single kilo.
At $250 for one thousand grams, you’ll be paying approximately twenty-five cents per gram. That’s a quarter per gram for something that many vendors sell for less than a dime.
In addition to its plain leaf strains, Qi Kratom produces its own proprietary kratom extract powder and stocks Zion Herbals extract products.
Qi Kratom Kratom Extract consists of a Mitragynine-dominant blend of green, red, and white kratom powder. You can get five grams of extract for $15.00.
Alternatively, you can pick up a 15ml kratom tincture from Zion Herbals for $20.00 or a five-pack of Gold Reserve Kratom Extract Tablets for $30.00.
This vendor only offers two options at checkout—local pickup in the D.C. Area or free USPS shipping. Please be advised that free USPS shipping will take the form of Standard Mail or Priority Mail, both of which are subject to loss, damage, and delay.
The post office has experienced unprecedented delays over the last few years and show little evidence of improvement. For the best results, you should arrange for local pickup or request an alternative carrier.
As for returns, Qi Kratom does not disclose any information about returns on its web site. Like most land-based head shops, it likely does not offer refunds.
Perhaps exchanges are negotiable under the right circumstances (, i.e.: unopened products or products sent to you in error), but you’ll have to contact the company to request such a return.
The problem is, no contact information is listed on its website. This leaves only the phone numbers for its land-based establishments. You can attempt to reach the owners at (202) 847-0679.
Despite their prices, Qi has earned a 4.9-star rating out of 40 reviews. Here are a few highlights:
Despite its lack of AKA approval or proof of third-party labs, Qi Kratom has built a devoted following and developed a working formula. Its high-quality products are undeniably fresh and potent, even if the prices could use some work.
Are you looking for better pricing? Head on over to The Golden Monk’s Complete List of the Best Kratom Vendors!
