This is sponsored content. It was created for our partner, Chunky Academy.Chunky Academy is one of those hemp-derived THCA brands made for people who know exactly what they want: flower and gummies for the cannasseur consumer. The brand focuses heavily on THCA flower, with strain names and tiers that are very online weed-culture-coded, but the important details are there too, like third-party lab testing, CoAs, Farm Bill compliance language, discreet shipping, and fast delivery options. The site says every batch is tested, with lab results available for products, and also promotes fast shipping with 1–2 business days of processing before shipment.The easiest way to try Chunky Academy is also the most obvious: claim the free sample.Photo Credit: Maha HaqTry Chunky Academy’s THCA Flower for FREE!Here’s the part where you stop casually browsing and start acting with urgency… Chunky Academy is letting VICE readers claim a FREE 3.5g THCA flower sample while supplies last.You can grab yours HERE ASAP!For the free sample, you can choose between Zuper Runtz Snow Caps or Cherry Limeade Zollipops from Chunky Academy’s Rapper Signature Collection. The two free options give you a pretty clear fork in the road: go with Zuper Runtz Snow Caps if you want the strongest, loudest, most over-the-top option, or pick Cherry Limeade Zollipops if you care more about flavor and want something bright, sweet, and terp-forward.The freebie is worth up to $29.99 in retail value, and all you have to do is pay shipping. The offer is limited to one per customer, available while supplies last, and for customers 21+.Basically, run… don’t walk. You don’t see a free eighth like this come by often. Chunky Academy is in Session: Top Picks For Your StashStrongest THCA Pick: Zuper Runtz Snow Caps (available for free)photo credit: Maha HaqZuper Runtz Snow Caps is the one I’d hand to high-potency chasers first, but with a very real “please proceed like an adult” warning. This is already a Runtz-style hybrid, so you’re getting that sweet, candy-gas lane people usually associate with creamy, fruit-forward smoke. But the Snow Caps treatment is what pushes it into experienced-consumer territory. The buds are layered and covered five times with 99.99% THCA powder, which gives them that frosted, almost powdered look before you even break them down.This is not the one I’d casually pack into a giant bowl without thinking. It feels made for people who already like moon rocks, infused pre-rolls, or anything that makes flower feel extra. My move would be to grind it up, mix it with other flower, and roll it into a joint or blunt so it smokes more like an infused pre-roll instead of trying to take full bong rips of straight Snow Caps and clogging your glass with resin.If you end up choosing this as your free sample and enjoy it, you can only purchase this option in bulk. They don’t have the smaller quantities available of this at the moment.Best for: High-potency chasers, frequent consumers, moon-rock lovers, and anyone who wants an infused joint vibe without buying a pre-roll.(opens in a new window)Zuper Runtz Snow Caps (Hybrid) (Bulk)(opens in a new window)$325-$950 at Chunky AcademyBuy Now(opens in a new window)Best Flavor Pick: Cherry Limeade Zollipops (available for free)photo credit: Maha HaqCherry Limeade Zollipops is the one I’d reach for when flavor actually matters. The flower has that bright, candy-citrus quality you’d expect from the name. It’s more sweet-tart than gassy, which makes it feel like the fun, terp-forward pick in the lineup. Still, it’s not weak, though: the lab test lists it at 20.070% THCA, so this is more of a flavorful daily-driver-style smoke than a novelty strain.This is the one I’d smoke out of glass. A joint obviously works, but Cherry Limeade Zollipops feels like it deserves bong rips or a clean glass pipe so you can actually taste the sweet and fruity cherry-lime notes from the Zkittles and Gelato parent-genetics instead of burning through them. Compared to the Snow Caps, this is the more flavor-first pick: still potent enough to respect, but not trying to win the “strongest thing in the stash” contest.Best for: Flavor people, terp chasers, and anyone who likes sweet citrus strains best out of glass, preferably bong rips.(opens in a new window)Cherry Limeade Zollipops (Hybrid)(opens in a new window)$29.99-$949.99 at Chunky AcademyBuy Now(opens in a new window)Best Exotic Pick: Toad Venomphoto credit: Maha HaqToad Venom is one of those hype strains that’s making it’s rounds all across the internet and at IRL heady weed events. It sounds a little intimidating before you even open the bag, which is kind of part of the appeal. But don’t worry, this is not the “Toad Venom drug,” Bufo or 5-MeO-DMT. This is just a hybrid THCA flower with a bolder profile than the fruitier strains in Chunky Academy’s lineup. Instead of candy sweetness, it’s more piney, earthy, herbal, a little funky, and lightly gassy. It’s the kind of flower that feels more premium than a casual everyday jar. So it tracks that Chunky Academy lists this as a rare drop, they only have a limited supply of this.I’d put this in the stash for nights when you want something with more character. It does not have the glossy dessert-strain vibe of Cherry Limeade Zollipops. It feels more grown-up, more terp-nerd coded, and heavier at 39.353% THCA. If you tend to like strong strains with an earthier backbone and don’t need every smoke to taste like fruit snacks, this is probably the one that makes the most sense.Best for: Potency chasers, experienced smokers. People who like piney, earthy, funky, gassy strains and want something that feels less obvious than another candy or fruity strain. Smooth hits across smoking formats like glass bowls, blunts, or joints. (opens in a new window)Toad Venom Strain (Hybrid) – Limited Supply(opens in a new window)$39.99-1099.99 at Chunky AcademyBuy Now(opens in a new window)Best Tropical Pick: Hawaiian Snowphoto credit: Maha HaqHawaiian Snow is the one I’d go for when I want something that feels lighter, brighter, and a little more vacation vibes. The flavor profile is tropical and sweet, with fruity and citrus notes, plus a smoother creamy finish that keeps the smoke from feeling too harsh. It’s still flower at 28.465% THCA, so don’t treat it like nothing, but compared to the heavier and funkier picks, this one feels more breezy, uplifting, and balanced.This is also the pick I’d suggest for someone who likes fruit-forward flower but doesn’t want the same candy strain over and over again. Hawaiian Snow has more of that tropical, citrusy, bright-green energy. I consider it pretty versatile in it’s use since the creaminess helps it smoke better. So you can grind it up in a clean pipe, bong, freshly rolled joint, or even a dry-herb vape where the flavor can actually come through.Best for: Tropical-strain people, fruity-citrus terp fans, and anyone who wants a brighter and lighter THCA flower option.(opens in a new window)Hawaiian Snow (Mediums) – Indica Hybrid(opens in a new window)$23.99-749.99 at Chunky AcademyBuy Now(opens in a new window)Best No-Smoke Option: Delta 9 THC Gummiesphoto credit: Maha Haqphoto credit: Maha HaqNot everyone wants to smoke, and that’s where Chunky Academy’s Delta 9 THC Gummies comes in: no grinder, no lighter, no glass, no rolling skills required. The gummy format makes it easier to pace yourself than eyeballing flower in a bowl or joint. There are three flavors available: Watermelon, Strawberry, and Green Apple. Each gummy is 10mg THC, 1g sugar, 5 calories, vegan, and gluten-free.The watermelon flavor is my favorite for this kind of gummy. It’s sweet, familiar, and does not ask too much from you. I’d keep these around for nights when smoking feels like too much work, or for people who want a more discreet option that still yields the desired effects. Just start low, go slow, especially if you don’t take edibles often, because gummies are a totally different timeline than flower. These took a little over an hour to hit me and the high lasted around 4 hours. Best for: Edible people, smoke-free nights, anyone who wants a more controlled dose option, or anyone who wants to pair and enhance the flower high with an edible. (opens in a new window)Delta 9 THC Gummies | Watermelon 100mg(opens in a new window)$14.99 (reg. $19.99) at Chunky AcademyBuy Now(opens in a new window)Want it All? Get the Lunch Box SubscriptionPhoto Credit: Maha HaqChunky Academy’s Lunch Box subscription is the pick for anyone who wants Chunky Academy to do the choosing for them. Instead of committing to one strain or format, this subscription-box-style SKU feels more like a curated stash drop: the kind of thing you order when you want to try what the brand is into right now without building your own cart from scratch. It includes selections from their different product categories like flower, concentrate/wax, and gummies. It also makes sense for people who already shop for products regularly, but get bored buying the same strain over and over again.I wouldn’t call this a “special occasion” product, but more of a keep-the-rotation-interesting move. I’d use Lunch Box as a way to sample the Chunky Academy universe beyond the obvious heavy hitters, especially if you’re the type of consumer who likes surprises but still wants the brand’s direct-to-door setup. There’s a one-time-fee of $64.99, and then it’s $49 monthly. It’s still a treat, but also practical and worthwhile for the value you’re getting.Best for: Regular consumers, indecisive shoppers, and anyone who wants a curated Chunky Academy stash refresh instead of picking one product at a time.(opens in a new window)Lunch Box(opens in a new window)$64.99 (one-time-purchase, then $49/month) at Chunky AcademyBuy Now(opens in a new window)Become a True Cannaseur with Chunky AcademyChunky Academy is probably best for people who already know they’re looking for hemp-derived THCA flower, want the whole shopping experience to feel easy, and don’t need the category explained to them for 20 minutes. They’ve got lab-tested products, potency breakdowns, strain descriptions, discreet packaging, and shipping that doesn’t take forever. For anyone who wants THCA flower delivered without overthinking the process, Chunky Academy keeps things pretty straightforward.If you’re starting with the free sample, the choice is simple. If you want the strongest pick, already have a high tolerance, and like rolling blunts or joints, go with Zuper Runtz Snow Caps. It’s the potency-forward option and should be treated like an infused flower product rather than a casual daily-driver. If you care more about flavor, Cherry Limeade Zollipops is the better call. It has a brighter, citrusy profile and makes more sense in glass pieces like bongs, pipes, and chillums where you can actually taste it.From there, choose based on what you like to taste and how you actually like to consume. Toad Venom is the weirder, funkier hybrid. Hawaiian Snow is the tropical option. And the Delta 9 THC Gummies are the move if you want to skip smoking entirely. If you still can’t make a decision, the Lunch Box monthly subscription gives you a curated selection from their three product categories: flower, concentrate, and gummies. Another important note is that some flower products on Chunky Academy’s website will be titled with “(MEDIUM)” or “(SMALLS)” next to the strain name, that just indicates the buds’ size. Obviously, larger buds look great, but smaller ones do the exact same thing. All sizes will get you high. Smaller buds are just cheaper if you’re on a budget. Before you get too attached to anything in your cart, make sure Chunky Academy ships to your state. Hemp laws vary by state, and its site currently lists several states where products are not available for shipment: Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont. Translation: don’t skip the boring checkout details, especially with THCA.And if you’re still not sure, that’s kind of the whole point of the free sample. Pick the one that matches how you actually like to smoke, pay shipping, and see if Chunky Academy deserves a spot in your regular rotation.The post Free Eighths From Chunky Academy: Claim Your 3.5g Flower ASAP appeared first on VICE.