Cali Botanicals Brand Review [2023 Update]

Sure, I want to discuss the vendor’s products. But I will also look at Cali Botanicals itself, get a feel for what they do right and what could be improved, and most importantly, give you the verdict on whether this brand is legit. Before we delve into the finer points, let’s kick off with an introduction to Cali Botanicals.

Cali Botanicals is a West Coast kratom vendor headquartered in Rancho Cordova, California, where there is a brick-and-mortar store. But Cali reaches all Americans via its online shop, which has an extensive kratom range and a selection of hemp-derived CBD products.

According to their About Us page, Cali Botanicals was established in 2013 with a mission to bring the best products to “health-minded individuals.” They admit to not being the biggest brand in the scene but have turned that into something of a positive.

Cali is about linking customers up with 100% organic and fabulously fresh kratom. They have direct partnerships with Mitragyna speciosa farmers in Indonesia, who know what is required to cultivate, harvest, and dry kratom leaves for maximum purity and potency.

This kratom vendor officially trades as Cali Botanicals, LLC. They accept payment via E-check Direct Pay, bank transfer, money order payments, UPS COD, and Bitcoin. For some reason, Cali does not accept credit cards (as of June 2023), which may be a dealbreaker for some.

Ready to dive deep into Cali’s kratom collection? Brilliant! I noted this vendor stocks hemp-derived CBD, but they are beyond the scope of this review. Any prices given for Cali’s kratom products were accurate as of June 2023.

Cali Botanicals has a star-studded line of kratom powder products, and an array of red, white, and green vein strains. You can see photographs of all the products and read content regarding the kratom’s purity and Cali’s airtight packaging.

I appreciate the lengthy descriptions for each strain. Providing these is extremely helpful for shoppers (especially newbies), but it is something so many brands neglect. And every vendor’s kratom is a little different, so it is good to know what to expect.

Some of Cali’s kratom powder strains have fancy-sounding names, such as Netflix Red and White Lightning. This is a savvy marketing tactic, and I cannot deny these caught my eye.

They are actually kratom powder blends. For example, White Lightning is a mix of White Bali, Borneo, Horned, and Maeng Da. But there is nothing wrong with that, and if you are game for a kratom experience you might not find elsewhere, Cali has you covered.

• Strains: Green Maeng Da Private Reserve, Superior Red Dragon, White Lightning, Green Malay, Foglifter, White Maeng Da, Netflix Red, White Horned Leaf, Trainwreck, and more!
• Bag Sizes: 28 grams (1oz), 56 grams (2oz), 112 grams (4oz), 224 grams (8oz), 500 grams, 1 kilogram

Next up, we have Cali’s kratom capsules. Similarly to many companies, they stock fewer capsule products than powder strains. However, the vendor’s kratom capsule range is deeper and more diverse than you find in many stores.

Every Cali Botanicals kratom capsule product is all-natural and third-party-tested and made with the finest kratom powder. Maybe you want more consistent kratom dosing, perhaps you need more discretion, or it might just be the taste of kratom that bothers you. In any case, capsules are the answer!

Cali uses 00-size capsules, filling them with a precise 0.625 grams of pure, finely-ground kratom powder. These capsules are a size down from the extra bulky 000-size caps and may be more amenable to those with swallowing issues. Cali describes its caps as “entirely plant-based.”

• Strains: Green Bali, Green Malay, Horned Leaf, Private Reserve Maeng Da, Superior Red Dragon, White Vein Borneo, White Maeng Da, Yellow Vein Vietnam, and more!
• Buying Options: 30 capsules, 50 capsules, 80 capsules, 100 capsules, 200 capsules, 400 capsules

Regular kratom powder users could consider Cali’s enhanced kratom powder strains. These products have a much higher alkaloid content, enabling you to get a full kratom dose from a substantially reduced amount of powder.

I found four types of enhanced kratom powder (aka kratom powder extract) in the Cali Botanicals store:

Enhanced Bali Kratom: Premium Bali powder pairs with 75x kratom extract in this enhanced Mitragyna speciosa product. It’s perfect for an intense energy or focus boost - just go easy with the dose.

Super Enhanced Maeng Da Kratom: This product blends Premium Maeng Da Reserve powder with alkaloid-laden extract. If you like classic Maeng Da, you will probably love this.

Super Enhanced Red Vein: Cali fuses its best red strains with 30x kratom extract to create this super enhanced powder. Ideal for indulging in a deeper, slower, and more intense red vein kratom experience.

Super Enhanced White Vein: A combination of White Borneo, White Lightning, and 30x (25% mitragynine) extract. This energizing enhanced powder is up to five times more potent than plain-leaf white vein kratom powder.

The enhanced kratom revolution has also hit the capsule scene. If you hate the idea of swallowing up to a dozen capsules every session, these kratom extract capsules could be a perfect match.

Enhanced Maeng Da: Made with finely-ground Maeng Da leaf and 30x kratom extract.

Enhanced Red Vein: Red Borneo, Super Red Dragon, Red Vein Thai, and more combine with Cali’s 30x kratom extract in these Enhanced Red Vein Capsules.

Enhanced White Maeng Da: This Cali capsule product contains White Maeng Da powder and 30x extract.

Cali Botanicals has ventured into liquid kratom extracts with this Full Spectrum 50x Tincture. Kratom oil is renowned for its fast-acting effects, so you might like Cali’s tincture if you need the herb’s benefits as soon as possible.

The Full Spectrum 50x Kratom Tincture contains potent Mitragyna speciosa extract and “stable solvents” - although we don’t learn what the solvents are. However, Cali tells us this kratom tincture is 100% pure and non-psychoactive. And the dropper bottle will aid with precise dosing.

As a full-spectrum and 50x product, expect a high alkaloid content from Cali’s tincture. And I am not merely talking about mitragynine but second-tier kratom alkaloids like 7-hydroxymitragynine and speciogynine. However, the third-party lab results will tell all!

Cali Botanicals has the hallmarks of a legitimate kratom vendor. The brand’s kratom products are third-party lab-tested, customer reviews are third-party authenticated, and the refund policy will deal with any dissatisfaction.

Let’s start with third-party lab testing. I cannot take a kratom retailer seriously without it nowadays, so I hope Cali is fulfilling its ethical obligations. I did not see any certificates of analysis (COAs) on their site, but I presume there is a link to these on the product packaging.

Cali’s customer review system is powered by TrustSpot, an independent company that confirms these are real. Product reviews left by verified buyers are described as such. So, unlike with many online kratom stores, you can have confidence in what you read!

The vendor advertises a rather generous 30-day satisfaction guarantee, but it is not quite what it is made out to be. The return policy states that products “must be in original condition and packaging” (i.e., unopened). This means you are stuck if you try a product but don’t like it.

Lastly, as of June 2023, Cali Botanicals is not certified by the American Kratom Association (AKA). In isolation, I am not too worried about this. But given the possible uncertainties with Cali’s other credentials, this is worth noting. 

The TrustSpot-authenticated reviews are mostly good news for Cali. Indeed, I saw nothing more underwhelming than the 4/5 rating on the Kratom Tincture. So, that bodes well.

Cali Botanicals enjoys a magnificent 4.7/5 rating from more than 220 Google reviews. This would be a fantastic rating in any context, but even more so given it comes from an independent source. The vendor’s prices, product quality, and customer service all come in for praise.

However, Cali Botanicals isn’t the most popular vendor on Reddit, particularly on the r/kratom subreddit. Several Redditors expressed annoyance over the brand’s self-advertising tactics, and one user “strongly disliked” their kratom - although this all happened many years ago.

I won’t be too hard on them for this. In a competitive market like kratom, companies do what is needed to get noticed. The bigger picture: Cali Botanicals has accumulated hundreds of positive reviews.

Many satisfied customers would say so. And provided Cali has its house in order on third-party testing and kratom quality, the vendor’s products are probably worth the money. I have seen cheaper kratom powder kilos, but I’ve seen more expensive ones, too.

Furthermore, with free shipping on orders over $50, you are unlikely to get hit at the checkout. And for some reason, they will give you a 20% discount if you pay with Bitcoin. Regular customers could also make savings with their Kratom Subscription Box.

Don’t worry if Cali Botanicals doesn’t float your boat - there are dozens of high-quality kratom brands out there! 

Cali Botanicals has enjoyed a decade in the kratom industry and shows no signs of slowing down. I am somewhat wary of this vendor’s transparency, but cannot deny that many people swear by their kratom. However, if push came to shove, I would likely shop elsewhere.