Camino and WYLD are the two biggest and most impressive THC gummy brands available in California. Comparing the two can be difficult, though, without an insider’s understanding of what went into each gummy formulation and how the ingredients will affect you. In this guide, we’ll give you that insider understanding by breaking down Kiva Camino vs. WYLD gummies across ten distinct categories.
What are Kiva Camino gummies?
Camino gummies, made by Kiva, come from a company already known for its delicious THC chocolate. As the leading cannabis edibles producer in California, Kiva has invested immensely in making its products as professional and streamlined as possible, sometimes resulting in edibles that lack genre-breaking ingenuity.
What are WYLD gummies?
WYLD, based out of Clackamas, Oregon, has swept through the US cannabis edibles industry, wowing customers with its unique packaging and simple, tasty gummies. Known for its Pacific Northwest-themed flavors, WYLD makes gummies that look and taste natural but still contain industry-standard ingredients, keeping prices lower.
WYLD vs. Camino Compared
What do WYLD and Camino gummies look like side by side? Compare the two popular gummies in terms of flavor, effects, packaging, availability, and more:
1. Flavor
It’s very difficult to say whether the flavor of WYLD or Camino gummies is better. Camino comes from Kiva, which is renowned for the deliciousness of its THC chocolates. Of course, then, Camino gummies can be expected to be delicious — which they are.
WYLD gummies have a lightness and boldness to them, though, that is quite refreshing. Perhaps it’s something to do with the company’s forested Oregon origins, but WYLD somehow tastes like the Pacific Northwest in an ephemeral, melt-in-your-mouth kind of way.
Based on this hard-to-quantify factor and the company’s use of more-natural flavoring ingredients, we’ll give this one to WYLD.
The winner? WYLD
2. Texture
The textures of WYLD and Camino gummies are entirely different, but which one is better depends on your particular tastes. WYLD gummies have a squishy, jelly-like texture that makes them easy to bite or tear apart.
Camino gummies, on the other hand, are definitely gummier like a gumdrop, meaning you have to chew them quite a bit before swallowing. We also found that Camino gummies are more likely to stick to your teeth, but that has never been much of a problem with either gummy.
If you had to pick only one gummy and the decision was down to texture, we’d say go with WYLD. The texture of Camino gummies certainly isn’t unpleasant, however, and you should eventually try both to perform a hands-on comparison.
The winner? WYLD
3. Dosage
Both WYLD and Camino gummies usually contain 10mg THC or 10mg THC combined with 10mg CBD, making the dosages equal. Similarly, both gummies are packaged in containers with 100mg THC total, and they’re usually offered at the same price. Therefore, there’s simply no logical conclusion but that WYLD and Camino gummies are exactly the same when it comes to dosage.
The winner? A toss-up
4. Terpenes
First, it’s important to note that both Kiva and WYLD seem to have a firm understanding of terpenes and their importance in cannabis products. They wouldn’t have been in the running for our consideration otherwise.
However, neither company gives very much information about how the terpenes in their products are derived, and terpenes are not kept in strain-specific combinations when added to products. Both companies list the terpenes included in their products, at least, making it easy for shoppers to select gummies based on which terpenes they contain.
We’re going to have to give this one to Camino since it’s made by Kiva, which also launched Lost Farms a few years ago, an edibles line that does include strain-specific terpenes. To us, this demonstrates that Kiva has the overall better grasp of terpene formulation and selection.
The winner? Kiva
5. Activation Time
Neither Kiva or WYLD have taken any measures to nano-encapsulate their extracts or otherwise facilitate faster activation times. Experiences vary depending on the specific product, but we’ve generally found both Kiva and WYLD gummies to activate within the expected window of 25-45 minutes. As a result, it doesn’t make sense to select between the two edibles brands based on this criterion.
The winner? A toss-up
6. Effects
The effects of WYLD and Camino gummies vary considerably based on flavor and cannabinoid content. The two CBD:THC combination edibles we tried in preparation for this video, for instance (WYLD Blood Orange and Camino Sours Peach), had roughly comparable effects with the primary high setting in after about 30 minutes and lasting for two hours.
With both types of edibles, it’s possible to “stack” effects by taking more before the last dose wears off. We found that the most pleasant experience overall was offered by WYLD, but again, remember to compare products based on their specific terpene and cannabinoid content.
The winner? A toss-up
7. Ingredients
Camino and WYLD gummies contain almost exactly the same ingredients. The formulation used with both gummies mainly consists of tapioca syrup, cane sugar, and water — a standard mix for “natural” gummies.
From there, both companies use “natural flavoring,” citric acid, malic acid, and various other standard tools of the trade. Where WYLD stands out is in its use of actual fruit juice as a flavoring ingredient, which perhaps explains why we’ve often enjoyed the flavor of these gummies more than other brands.
Overall, the ingredients used by both brands could be improved somewhat to be more natural, and it’s questionable whether some ingredients are necessary at all. Solely due to their use of natural fruit juice, we award WYLD the winner of this contest.
The winner? WYLD
8. Packaging
Kiva packaging is simpler, but WYLD packaging is both beautiful and highly informative. Once you’ve seen a WYLD gummy box, you’ll never forget it. Like an origami lotus flower, it unfolds at your touch, revealing (in the case of California WYLD products) a small container reminiscent of a pudding cup.
Squeeze the cup on opposite sides, and the top pops off (after breaking the freshness seal). Camino gummies, on the other hand, are packaged in a simple, circular tin that looks a lot like the tins Altoids hard candies come in. Unscrew the lid of the tin, and there are your gummies — no frills, no nonsense.
It’s hard to say which type of packaging is objectively better. When it comes to labeling, though, WYLD takes the cake. Every cannabinoid in the product is listed on the side of its “pudding cup,” offering a level of transparency Camino lacks.
The winner? WYLD
9. Mass Appeal
The ideal user varies for each flavor of gummies WYLD and Kiva have to offer. As far as which company is more capable of reaching a wider audience, though, we have to give it to Camino. Kiva is already one of the biggest edibles brands in California while WYLD is from Oregon, limiting their ability to market effectively in the Golden State.
Camino gummies also have packaging that’s easier to get into and ingredients that are more familiar to enjoyers of conventional candies. WYLD gummies are slightly more natural, on the other hand, placing them within a somewhat smaller niche.
One thing we wish both companies would do is offer strain-specific gummies. Kiva does this with its Lost Farms line, but there’s no reason Camino gummies can’t contain terpenes that make them easier to pair with ideal users — WYLD gummies too.
The winner? Kiva
10. Availability
Camino gummies are available in:
- CA, AZ, MA, MD, NV, IL, OH, MI
WYLD, on the other hand, distributes its gummies in:
- OR, CA, AZ, CO, IL, MO, NM, NV, OK, WA, MI
So, there is a better chance that WYLD gummies are available near you compared to Kiva Camino gummies. Again, we have to give it to WYLD based on the sheer number of states serviced.
The winner? WYLD
Camino vs. WYLD: Which is better?
As you’ve seen over the course of this review, we’ve been forced to cede almost every category to WYLD based on the brand’s overall better grasp of what it means to produce and market a cannabis edible. The final score of categories won stands thusly:
- Kiva Camino: 2
- WYLD: 5
- Toss-up: 3
There are certainly some areas in which Camino edibles are better than their WYLD counterparts, but do these slim benefits make up for the numerous ways it’s better to choose WYLD? In your case, maybe so — remember that so much comes down to both personal preference and the characteristics of the particular cannabis edible in question.
A lot comes down, as well, to whether a particular edible you want is even available in your area. For residents of Washington, Missouri, and Oklahoma, for instance, your only choice between the two is WYLD.
In the end, both edible companies could do better by using natural sweeteners and other ingredients that would make their offerings healthier and more universally appealing. WYLD certainly leads the way, though, in at least using some natural ingredients in its gummies, and in our opinion, WYLD usually tastes better, too.
