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timwis

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  1. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this e-liquid review i take a look at the full range of shortfill e-liquids from Jice. The full range of flavours were supplied for the purpose of this review by George from Jice. Introduction Jice are a premium e-liquid manufacturer from the UK that offer e-liquid at a budget price. Starting out as many newer brands do because the founders of Jice couldn't find reasonably priced e-liquid that tasted that good! Originally as LemurLiquid over 10,000 bottles of e-liquid was sold before improving the flavours further and re-branding as Jice! Jice offer 8 100ml shortfill flavours with a 80VG/20PG ratio which come in 120ml chubby Gorilla bottles allowing for the addition of 1 or 2 nic shots respectfully for a 1.5mg or 3mg Nicotine strength. The Nicotine shots can be ordered when ordering the juice at just 50p per shot which is the best value i have come across, also for those who would rather sample the flavours before buying such large bottles Jice offer 10ml sample bottles. ___________________________________________________________________ The Flavours In The Range Grape & Blackcurrant Strawberry Milkshake Blue Slush Red Slush Fruity Man Green Slush Unicorn Blood Ice Berry ___________________________________________________________________ What I Received? The full range ___________________________________________________________________ Testing Equipment I added 2 nic shots to each flavour making them all 120ml at 3mg strength and left a week to steep before testing. I tested all flavours on 2 identical set-ups to keep consistent testing conditions. To keep consistency i have used the same set-ups that i have used for testing other flavours recently! Set-up 1 = Axial Pro RDA on top of the Ultroner Aether BF device with a pair of 0.30hm SS Alien Claptons on the series deck giving a build resistance of 0.62ohm. I tested all flavours at 55W. Set-up 2 = Ni 0.2ohm ADA on the SX Auto ESS Driver device. The device was set-up on preset 3 which gives between 30-35W. The cotton used on the Axial Pro RDA was Vapefly Firebolt. The pictures are of the equipment used but not at the time of testing! ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The Flavours Grape & Blackcurrant The Aroma is mixed dark berries with grape very evident in the background. Due to the title of this e-liquid i was expecting Grape to dominate and Blackcurrant to sit in the background but there is much more going on here. The inhale does have Blackcurrant prominent but also Blackberry is evident as well as more merged dark fruits along with grape in the background. The Exhale see's the Grape become much stronger and also Blackcurrant dominating the other fruits making the name of the juice start to make sense. The aftertaste is mainly Blackcurrant again with grape surprisingly lingering longer sweetening the flavour and leaving a pleasant taste in the mouth. Blackcurrant flavoured juices i do like but tend to find them too rich for an ADV but the Grape prevents the flavour from becoming too sickly, very nice! SCORE: 9.25/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Strawberry Milkshake The Strawberry aroma coming from the open bottle made my mouth water so much so it wasn't till quite a few sniffs that i noticed the presence of Vanilla in the background. This flavour has a real homemade taste to it mainly down to the Strawberry flavour being one of fresh strawberries that could of just been picked, mainly sweet but just a hint of sharpness. The Inhale though isn't dominated by the strawberry flavour as a Vanilla cream more than holds it own. The exhale see's the strawberry flavour dominate much more but now a real thick shake flavour is emerging. The aftertaste left in the mouth is mainly sweet freshly picked Strawberries with just a hint of Vanilla. A cracking Milkshake flavour! SCORE: 9.5/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Blue Slush The Aroma of the opened bottle is one of my favourite flavours Blueberries and ripe blueberries at that, added to this is just the slightest smell of menthol in the background. With three Slush flavours included in the range i wasn't over excited about testing some of the flavours as i don't really vape with coolant and not a Menthol fan but all three Slush's have the least cool to them i have come across in Slush flavours and just a hint of Menthol while still being as refreshing as you would expect from a Slush juice. The inhale is a lovely Blueberry, Raspberry fruity mix with the Blueberry as King, at this stage of the vape their is no cool menthol to be seen. The exhale has the same fruits dominating but now just a hint of Menthol cool becomes evident which freshens the vape up. The aftertaste see's Blueberry out last both Raspberry and Menthol to leave a very pleasant taste. This is a really nice refreshing vape! SCORE: 9/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Red Slush The Aroma of the opened bottle is one of Raspberry and Strawberry very evident with Menthol in the background. As mentioned with the last slush flavour the cool Menthol is not overdone but out of all the three slush flavours does seem slightly stronger in this one. Both Inhale and Exhale see's Raspberries complimented by Ripe Strawberries with the only difference being the presence of cool Menthol on the exhale which while is stronger than in the Blue and Green Slush flavours is still quite tame. The Aftertaste see's the Strawberry get muscled out by the Raspberry flavour but unlike the other Slush flavours in the range the Menthol is more evident and lingers! SCORE: 8/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Fruity Man The aroma is very potent which made me pull my nose to a distance before investigating more. Now with my nose a slight distance away from the opened bottle the aroma is full of Zest and Sour with a definite fruit present that i can't identify, in the background is a more sweeter fruity flavour that is being overwhelmed. The inhale and exhale is consistent throughout but that consistency is inconsistency it'self. This is a really Zesty mix but also has sweet fruits present, each vape is different with different flavours pinging into focus mainly Zest and sour and very citrus, one flavour that is more evident than most is Grapefruit giving the flavour loads of life. The aftertaste is a real surprise after all those Zesty and Citrus flavours bombarding my taste buds, it's actually very fruity but very sweet with no hint of sour, superb e-liquid! SCORE: 9.5/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Green Slush The Aroma is sharp Green Apple and lime but can't detect any menthol at this stage. The third of the Slush flavours and we are back to the smallest hint of cool Menthol just on the exhale which does add freshness to the juice. The inhale and Exhale are consistent apart from the Menthol making an appearance on the Exhale. The juice has a Citrus twist with Lime including it's zest very evident. The main flavour is Apple but it's not sweetening the juice as it's a sharp crisp Green Apple giving this e-liquid quite a bite. The aftertaste starts as sharp Apple but then moves to Lime but now sweetened which lingers, well crafted! SCORE: 9/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Unicorn Blood The Aroma of the opened bottle is very strong and very fruity but at this stage i can't identify individual fruits. The inhale is a real fruity mix with sweet flavours in the fore and citrus in the background cutting through from time to time giving the flavour a real bite! The exhale allows the identification of individual fruits to commence as each exhale brings different fruits into focus, Strawberry, Raspberry, Redcurrant, Apple, Lemon and Lime all make an appearance. Despite the sharpness when the Zesty Lime and Lemon hits the taste buds the aftertaste is one of sweet fruits and very pleasant. SCORE: 8.75/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Ice Berry The Aroma of the opened bottle is one of berries and Aniseed. Another flavour that includes coolant and Menthol but my least favourite not that it's a bad flavour just not to my preference. The inhale i actually like with a good balance between berries and Aniseed with sweeter mixed fruit in the background. The exhale although not overdone compared to some other flavours i have tried is just too much menthol and coolant for me, i think it's because it's more emphasised with the presence of Anise. The Aniseed seems to dominate more with the Aftertaste which i have no complaints about but overall not for me! SCORE: 7.5/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Conclusion A really nice 8 flavoured range of e-liquids which i did think before testing had too many flavours containing Coolant and Menthol but both are much subtler in their use than is normally the case and i actually liked the Slush flavours. Ice Berry just wasn't my cup of tea with Aniseed, Menthol and Coolant on the Exhale just too much for my own personal taste, the picks for me were Strawberry Milkshake and Fruity Man. I would once again like to thank George from Jice for supplying the flavours for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  2. Yes mate, i reviewed them. Tested 8 of the flavours but didn't receive the Banana Frost or Yogurt!
  3. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this e-liquid review i take a look at 5 flavours from Voro Vape. The 5 flavours were supplied for the purpose of this review by Dan from Voro Vape. Introduction Voro Vape was started in 2018 by Dan a Head Pastry Chef from London and the Brand has an interesting if not unique story behind it. Dan a heavy smoker for 23 years trying to quit using vaping but getting sick of paying £30 for 30ml of his favourite e-liquid so started to make his own. Dan successfully quit smoking using his own e-liquids 8 years ago and it's a story very familiar to smaller new brands, friends try his e-liquids over a period of time and prefer them to the ones they are buying and convince him he could sell them commercially. In a short time Voro Vape have grown to offer 21 flavours at both 50/50 and 70VG ratios in 50ml and 100ml shot-fill options and also offer an impressive selection of hardware. Their 50ml shortfills come in 60ml gorilla bottles allowing for the addition of a nic shot to make them 3mg, likewise the 100ml shortfills come in 120ml chubby Gorilla bottles to allow the addition of two nic shots again to give them a 3mg nicotine strength. Voro Vape is now situated in Greater Manchester and Dan has not forgotten the reason he started developing his own flavours, to make e-juice affordable! ___________________________________________________________________ This Review Is For Their 70/30 Shortfill Range The range consists of: Black Ice Appleberry Cobbler Menthol Blast Dark Secret Guilty Pleasure Ninth Cloud Blue Diamond Pink Kiss Stardust Morning Brew Liquid Gold Strawberry Kiss Tart Au Citron Breakfast In Bed Sunshine Smile Tropical Bliss Autumn Harvest Afternoon Hugs Summer Breeze First Date Exotic Touch ___________________________________________________________________ What I Received? I received the following 50ml shortfills: Afternoon Hug Sunshine Smile Liquid Gold Guilty Pleasure Appleberry Cobbler ___________________________________________________________________ Testing Equipment I added a nic shot to each flavour making them all 60ml at 3mg strength and left a week to steep before testing. I tested all flavours on 2 identical set-ups to keep consistent testing conditions. Set-up 1 = Axial Pro RDA on top of the Ultroner Aether BF device with a pair of 0.30hm SS Alien Claptons on the series deck giving a build resistance of 0.62ohm. I tested all flavours at 55W. Set-up 2 = Ni 0.2ohm ADA on the SX Auto ESS Driver device. The device was set-up on preset 3 which gives between 30-35W. The cotton used on the Axial Pro RDA was Vapefly Firebolt. The pictures are of the equipment used but not at the time of testing! ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The Flavours Afternoon Hug The aroma from the opened bottle is both Banana and rich Butterscotch with the e-liquid smelling noticeably sweet. Being both a big Banana and Butterscotch fan this is right up my street and it's blended perfectly. The flavour is very consistent on both inhale and exhale and has Banana in the fore but a creamy rich Butterscotch is certainly not playing second fiddle as it accompanies the Banana perfectly, the two flavours compliment each other so well. The aftertaste see's again both Banana and Creamy butterscotch present with the Butterscotch lingering leaving a very pleasant sweet taste in the mouth. I did try this flavour first because i really liked the sound of it and it certainly delivered, so no surprise it scores highly! SCORE: 9.75/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Sunshine Smile The aroma from the opened bottle is undoubtedly Strawberry and also a light Cream Cheese and with the unmistakable aroma of Graham Cracker cutting through the mix. This flavour is a Cheesecake loaded with Strawberries which will appeal to both bakery and fruit lovers alike. The inhale is dominated by strawberries with Graham cracker evident in the background. The Exhale see's both the Graham Cracker's presence grow and the emergence of a lovely light Cream Cheese. This e-liquid is very well crafted with all the ingredients coming together in the aftertaste to leave an authentic Strawberry Cheesecake flavour in the mouth! SCORE: 9.25/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Liquid Gold This is the second Vanilla custard i have tested this week and they match each other in quality both being the best two Vanilla Custards i have tried. The aroma from the opened bottle is one of cream with Vanilla in the background. This e-liquid is a simple Vanilla Custard but i really like it as it's one of the best custards i have tried to date. It's quite sweet leaving a pleasant aftertaste and both inhale and exhale are very consistent. The custard is very creamy and has none of that artificial Waxy taste that some custard flavours have and also the Vanilla isn't overdone which i find is usually the case with plain vanilla custards. A cracking custard flavour! (sounds familiar?) very lucky to have tried two such nice Vanilla Custards so close to each other. SCORE: 9.5/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Guilty Pleasure The aroma of the opened bottle see's both Apple and Raspberry very evident with the occasional biscuit smell cutting through the fruits. The inhale see's a fruity mix blended together with the Apple giving it an orchard type fruitiness. The exhale see's both Apple and Raspberry gaining their own identity and now a biscuit is very evident in the background very much as the aroma of the opened bottle suggested. The Aftertaste starts with an Apple dominant orchard blend coming back but then gets conquered by a very sweet biscuit taste which lingers, this really could be many vapers Guilty Pleasure! SCORE: 9/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Appleberry Cobbler The aroma coming from the opened bottle is gorgeous with a sweet rich crumble mix and both Apple and Blackberry leaving me both feeling hungry and making my mouth water! This Apple and blackberry crumble is so well created and consistent right through the inhale, exhale and aftertaste. Both Apple and Blackberry compete for dominants but are both kept in check by the nicest (even if rich) crumble i have tasted in an e-liquid. Sounds like this will score high but actually as someone who only ever eats crumble with lashings of Custard to me it feels like the custard is missing, but that's just me and many will find this the nicest out of the flavours i tested! SCORE: 8.5/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Conclusion A really nice collection of flavours with not a single one i wouldn't rate highly even if i wish the Appleberry Cobbler was topped with Custard, the picks though were Afternoon Hug and Liquid Gold. I would once again like to thank Dan from Voro Vape for supplying the 5 flavours for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  4. You might find that the one that doesn't fit well is stopping a vacuum forming causing the leaking
  5. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this e-liquid review i try 5 flavours from Firehouse Vape. The 5 flavours were supplied for the purpose of this review by Amanda from Firehouse Vape. Introduction Firehouse Vape are a family run business (always the best in my opinion) started by Mark who yes you guessed it is an ex-firefighter hence the firefighting themed titles of their e-liquids. They are based in Darwen in the heart of Lancashire, the UK. Firehouse offer their flavours in 10ml bottles with a freebase nic strength of either 3mg, 6mg or 12mg. They also do a 10ml Nic salts range in either 10mg or 20mg as well as their shortfill range that have 50ml of e-liquid in a 60ml Gorilla bottle allowing for a nic shot (which they also sell) to be added to give a strength of 3mg. Finally some flavours are also available as concentrates in 30ml bottles and there is also merchandise available! All their short fill range are a ratio of 30PG/70VG while their other ranges differ in ratios dependant on flavour. ___________________________________________________________________ Shortfill Range In this review i will be looking at their short fill range which consists of the following 13 flavours: Red Watch The Probationer Pink Pyro Ice Pink Pyro Lemon Blast 999 Blue Watch Blues and Twos Forest Fire Green Watch Old Smoke The Axe White Watch ___________________________________________________________________ What I Received? I received the following 50ml shortfills: 999 Pink Pyro Red Watch Pink Pyro Ice Probationer ___________________________________________________________________ Testing Equipment I added a nic shot to each flavour making them all 60ml at 3mg strength and left a week to steep before testing. I tested all flavours on 2 identical set-ups to keep consistent testing conditions. Set-up 1 = Axial Pro RDA on top of the Ultroner Aether BF device with a pair of 0.30hm SS Alien Claptons on the serial deck giving a build resistance of 0.62ohm. I tested all flavours at 55W. Set-up 2 = Ni 0.2ohm ADA on the SX Auto ESS Driver device. The device was set-up on preset 3 which gives between 30-35W. The cotton used on the Axial Pro RDA was Vapefly Firebolt. The pictures are of the equipment used but not at the time of testing! ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The Flavours 999 The Aroma of the opened bottle is one of Vanilla and the sought of Mint aroma you get from Mint Ice Cream. This flavour is a new one on me, a Mint Custard which is so smooth and creamy i could vape this all day. The inhale, exhale and aftertaste is very consistent and it's just so well blended with the Vanilla and Mint just complimenting each other without trying to dominate. I myself don't really notice the aroma being created while vaping but my wife really loved me vaping this one she said it smelled absolutely gorgeous! SCORE: 9.25/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Pink Pyro The aroma of the opened bottle is very punchy and just bursting with fruits. With this flavour there is no holding back the flavour is very strong and punchy and packed with mixed summer fruits which merge for the most part on the inhale but the Exhale see's different flavours dancing into focus and becoming identifiable. Blackberry, Raspberry, Red and Blackcurrants are all present making this a fruity mix of sweetness and tang, very nice! The aftertaste is a mouthful of summer fruits! SCORE: 8.75/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Red Watch On opening the bottle the aroma is one of a sweet soft Strawberry Candy. This flavour is Strawberry Laces and very authentic in taste but gave me a surprise on the exhale and aftertaste. The Inhale as described is very Sweet Strawberry Candy just like Strawberry Laces but as i get to the exhale a bit of sour Fizz hits my tongue. The aftertaste unlike the Sweet strawberry of the inhale see's a sour Strawberry lingering but in a nice way! SCORE: 9/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Pink Pyro Ice This flavour is easy to describe as it has all the characteristics of the original Pink Pyro with coolant added. This makes this flavour even more refreshing than the already refreshing Pink Pyro, a real summer fruits iced refreshing vape. I can see many enjoying this vape especially on a hot Summers day but not being a big fan of coolant i prefer the original Pink Pyro! SCORE: 8/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Probationer The aroma from the opened bottle is one of cream with Vanilla in the background. This e-liquid is a simple Vanilla Custard but i really like it as it's one of the best custards i have tried to date. It's quite sweet leaving a pleasant aftertaste and both inhale and exhale are very consistent. The custard is very creamy and has none of that artificial Waxy taste that some custard flavours have and also the Vanilla isn't overdone which i find is usually the case with plain vanilla custards. A cracking custard flavour! SCORE: 9.5/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Conclusion Flavours from smaller manufacturers with only a few flavours never seem to let me down and absolutely no exception here. A really nice selection of flavours with just the coolant in Pink Pyro Ice not to my liking but all the other flavours were superb with my picks being Probationer and 999. I would once again like to thank Amanda from Firehouse Vape for supplying the 5 flavours for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  6. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Q Ultra Pod System Kit from Lost Vape. The Q Ultra Pod System Kit was supplied for the purpose of this review by Carrie from Lost Vape. Introduction Lost Vape changed what was thought possible with Pod systems with the release of the Orion DNA Go followed by the alternative proprietary Quest version. Here we have Lost Vape's answer to the latest Pod trend the Pod Mod with the Q-Ultra Pod System which keeps the same Orion styling while having more traditional variable wattage rather than preset outputs, added is a screen, increased battery life and also has an RBA Coil head available, let's crack on and give it a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: Lost Vape Q-Ultra device Pod (4ml standard / 2ml TPD edition) Ultra Boost M2 0.6ohm coil – installed Ultra Boost MTL coil 1ohm USB cable – Type C User manual ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Q-Ultra came in cardboard box packaging with everything fitted on one layer in compartments. I received the Carbon Fiber Black version which although nice would actually of been my last pic as there are some really nice colour/design options. The options are Carbon Fiber Black, Nebula Purple, Marble White, Leather Black, Linen Grey and Exotic Fantasy. The form factor including the style of the pod is the same as the previous Orion DNA and Quest devices just bigger and with an added screen. Despite it's increased size it's still a nice portable device and comfortable in the hand. The build quality is excellent as with previous Lost vape devices. ___________________________________________________________________ Q-Ultra Specs and Features: Size: 105×43.2×16.5mm Output: 5-40W Battery: 1600mAh (internal) Display: Screen – 0.69in OLED Resistance range: 0.15-3ohm E-liquid capacity: 4ml (Standard) / 2ml (TPD) Pods: Refillable, replaceable coil Coil options: Ultra Boost Coil Range – including RBA option USB Type C charging (70 mins charging time approx) Top adjustable airflow Top fill cap Multiple Protections Colour/Design: Carbon Fiber Black, Nebula Purple, Marble White, Leather Black, Linen Grey, Exotic Fantasy ___________________________________________________________________ Why No DNA Version First? We have been use with the Orion devices for Lost Vape to first bring out a version with the DNA Go Chipset first followed by a cheaper version using their own proprietary chipset. This time we move straight to a Quest device so why not a DNA Go version first! The problem is although using the DNA Go software allows you to tailor the device to just how you want it the DNA Go Escribe software itself is very rigid in regards that it's only set-up for 0.5 & 0.25ohm resistence coils and to set different parameters for presets so won't work with regular adjustable wattage. ___________________________________________________________________ The Pods Of late only receiving one pod with pod devices is becoming the unfortunate trend so a big pro for the fact you receive both the 0.6ohm coil (pre-installed) and the 1.0ohm coil. The pod gets fixed into place via a catch that has a release switch on the side of the device towards the top, the switch and locking mechanism seems very durable and the pod snaps into place very securely. The whole of the pod is visible and the pod is not as darkly tinted as the pods for the Orion Go or original Orion Q, in fact they are just slightly tinted and the e-liquid can be clearly seen with no problems whatsoever. The pod has a proprietary Delrin drip tip which is very comfortable between the lips, we also have adjustable airflow which is found at the base of the drip tip. The airflow control is dual mini cyclops and there is some texturing for grip, it moves with possibly the best tolerance yet out of all the Orion family of devices and is much better than on the previous Orion and Quest devices. Also on the top of the pod we have a cap with texturing for grip, this is for filling the pod so the pod doesn't need removing to fill. The threading on the cap is good and an o-ring completes the seal, the fill hole is very generous so even glass droppers will be fine. The pod holds 4ml (2ml TPD edition) of e-liquid. ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Coils To remove a coil unlike on the previous versions of the Orion and Quest devices there is no need to remove the drip tip and the coil can simply be pulled out. Installing a new coil head is just the simple task of press fitting into place, much improved and so much easier! ___________________________________________________________________ Available Coils Pre-installed we have the Ultra boost M2 0.6ohm coil which is a single mesh coil and rated between 20w and 28w. The other included coil is the Ultra boost MTL 1.0ohm coil which is rated between 8w and 15w. Not included but also available is the Ultra boost M1 0.3ohm Coil which is rated between 30w and 40w. Also an RBA coil head can be purchased separately which will appeal to many. ___________________________________________________________________ RBA Coil Head The RBA coil head that can be purchased separately does look fiddly but very functional. It has 2 tall cylindrical posts, bottom airflow and 2 wicking channels, it also comes with a 510 adaptor piece so while building it can be fitted on a regular device or ohms reader. The RBA comes with 3 coils, cotton. spare o-rings, grub screws and an allen key. ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The Q-Ultra has a 0.69" screen which outputs a sharp and bright display with all the information required present without being over cluttered. The font for certain information is small so could present a problem for those with not great eyesight but most will be very happy. Top left we have an horizontal battery status bar and bottom left the resistance. The centre area of the screen displays your wattage and then top right is the time of your vape and bottom right the puff counter. Display looks blurred on photo but is in fact very sharp! ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating The Q-Ultra The Q-Ultra is a very simple device which just requires you to dial your wattage in and then vape. The device is the familiar 5 clicks of the fire button to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off and when on the wattage can be adjusted in 0.5W increments from 5W to 40W, the adjustments round robin. We do have a couple of combination key press features which are holding down + and fire at the same time locks the + and - buttons but the device will still fire, repeating the process unlocks the buttons. Finally holding down the - and fire together resets the puff counter, that's it! ___________________________________________________________________ Charging The Device The device has type C USB which is very good to see and although the charge rate isn't given going by how long it has been taking to charge it seems to be at 1.5A which for a pod system is excellent. The device has been taking between 70 and 80 minutes to charge which again for a 1600mAh battery is very good but the device doesn't support pass-through. P.S Yes just spotted in the manual charge rate is 5V/1.5A! (try reading manuals Tim it might help). ___________________________________________________________________ Protections Overheat Protection Short-Circuit Protection Overcharge Protection Low Voltage Protection 10S Overtime Protection ___________________________________________________________________ How it Vapes? And My Thoughts! The first thing to point out is just how beefy these Ultra boost coil heads are, they would look very at home in a sub-ohm tank and not the smaller size we usually have to fit in pod systems even the MTL coil head has quite some substance! The Q-Ultra with those mentioned beefy coil heads is the best Orion type device to date but only for Restrictive direct lung vapers as with the MTL coil although a MTL is perfectly possible the draw falls far short of a cigarette type draw and is on the loose side, you can also quite comfortably use it for a restrictive lung hit. I also received the 0.3ohm coil that isn't included in the kit and both this and the included 0.6ohm coil (both mesh) give a cracking restricted direct lung vape and of course the airflow can be closed down for more restriction if required. The Q-Ultra allows for a much warmer vape than on most pod/AIO devices and my favourite coil the 0.6ohm i found warm enough on it's lowest rating of 20W but can comfortably be taken up to 30W if you like a much warmer vape. With the 0.3ohm coil i was bang in the middle of the rating at 35W and found this best with fully open airflow while the 0.6ohm coil i closed the airflow down about a quarter. The flavour not just with the two mesh coils but also the round wire MTL coil is well above average for a pod/AIO system and the best from Lost Vape yet, i also have had no issues with wicking even when using 70VG liguid, flooding or leaking. I have used all 3 coils a fair bit but the 0.6ohm the most as i have found this the pick and to date i have had 7 refills of the pod with this coil and i have the 4ml pod. Fair enough i fill when 1ml is still left in the pod but that's still 21ml and i'm still getting good flavour so no issues about longevity. Also especially when using the 0.3ohm coil and possibly when using the RBA head then the device is being used at higher wattage than previous Orion devices but to compensate we have a much bigger 1600mAh battery which compares well against other devices of this kind and in general battery life i found to be very good. Any cons i have apart from it doesn't give an authentic MTL style vape are pretty petty. Not so much now but for a while when first using the device because the pod release clip is more prominent than the fire button i did find myself pressing this to fire at times before realising my mistake. It was just pressing it and not moving it upwards to release the pod so nothing major and soon got use to the right area for the fire button. Another minor issue is not with the MTL coil but with the 2 mesh coils very occasionally giving a spit, but it isn't often or over vicious but worth mentioning. Being able to fit my own 510 would be preferable (although the drip tip sleeve is comfortable) and of course like all these devices that have an RBA available, if you want to sell many more kits include the RBA! ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Very good build quality 6 Interesting designs Pocket friendly, comfortable in hand Comfortable drip tip Adjustable airflow Replaceable Coils 1.0ohm regular MTL coil included 0.6ohm Mesh coil included 0.3ohm Mesh coil also available RBA head also available Large 1600mAh Battery (compared to average pod devices) Battery charges on average in 75 minutes (excellent) Type C USB Screen Battery status bar Puff counter Adjustable wattage 5W to 40W in 0.5W increments Pods fit with durable catch (release switch on side of device) Pods fit very securely Top fill with generous fill port Can clearly see juice level 4ml Capacity (standard version) Coils have next to no break in time Very good flavour from all 3 available coils Wicks fine with all types of juices i used (up to 70VG) No flooding or leaking Above average longevity Performed well with instant ramp up Really good price (in my opinion) Cons Only a loose MTL for MTL vapers (restricted lung vapers are well catered for) Found myself occasionally pressing release clip to fire in error Occasional Spit from mesh coils Proprietary Drip tip RBA head not included Doesn't support pass-through I would once again like to thank Carrie from Lost Vape for supplying the Q-Ultra Pod System Kit for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  7. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this e-liquid review i take a look at 5 flavours from RockStar Vape Ltd. The flavours were picked from their various premium ranges and supplied for the purpose of this review by Kirstie from Rockstar Vape Ltd. Introduction Rockstar are based in the East Midlands UK which pleases me as Coalville is not far from my hometown of Swadlincote so it's great for me to review products from the area i grew up in and still have family, where people still help people out without expecting something in return. Rockstar have become popular with their budget range of e-liquids, 120ml for just £9.99 with offers from time to time like buy 2 get 1 free and buy 5 get 3 free so it's obvious to see why. Their 120ml budget e-liquids are 120ml 0mg but you can choose 1.5mg, 3mg or 6mg. Room is left in the bottle for the relevant nic shots and the juice is made stronger to compensate for the appropriate nic shot dilution. After releasing a total of 78 flavours in their budget range Rockstar have now released both a shortfill 100ml Keep it Cloudy range and 50ml shortfill premium range consisting of 26 flavours. ___________________________________________________________________ The Rockstar premium range is actually split into 5 sub collections which are: FIZZ Collection FRUITILICIOUS Collection ICE Collection ICE-CREAM Collection Ultimate Collection ___________________________________________________________________ The premium range of e-liquids from Rockstar are shortfills consisting of 50ml of e-liquid in a 60ml Gorilla bottle leaving space for a nic shot to be added to give you a 3mg strength e-liquid. The Ratio of all the e-liquids in the range is 70% Vegetable Glycerine, 30% Propylene Glycol Flavouring. I received the following 5 flavours from the premium range: Appleberry - Fruitilicious Collection Red Stare - Ultimate Collection Tropical - Fizz Collection Heisenblue - Ultimate Collection Wrong image given on website! Banana Caramel - Ice Cream Collection ___________________________________________________________________ Testing Equipment I added a nic shot to each of the 5 flavours making them 3mg strength and tested the flavours on 2 different set-ups. The first set-up was the Geekvape Ammit MTL RTA on the Lost Vape Mirage using a simple Kanthal round wire micro coil 1.2ohm resistance at 15W. The second set-up was using the Vapefly Jester with the rebuildable pod. The coil specs were KA1 ID 2.0mm 1.0ohm 28ga and i used on the middle (Blue) setting. The cotton used was jellyfish. The pictures are of the equipment used but not at the time of testing! ___________________________________________________________________ Appleberry On opening the bottle the aroma is Apple up front with Blackberry very evident in the background. The inhale is dominated by a crisp tangy Green and Sweet Red Apple medley with berries led by blackberry sitting in the background but Raspberry is also identifiable. The exhale sees the tangyness of the Green apple dominate while Red apple merges with the berries in the background. The aftertaste see's a resurgence of both Red Apple and Sweetened Blackberry leaving a very nice fruity sweet taste that lingers. Very nice! SCORE: 9.0/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Red Stare The Aroma is Aniseed with Red Berries with a hint of menthol. I am not a Menthol fan but i actually like this as it's not overdone and i love Anise which is the dominant flavour which is complimented well by Red fruit. The inhale has a good mixture of Raspberries, Redcurrant and Anise with a hint of Menthol but the Exhale is Aniseed all the way just being complimented by merged Red fruits, if anything the Menthol is slightly more powerful on the Exhale but still kept in check by the Anise. This juice leaves a really nice Aniseed aftertaste that lingers for quite a while. SCORE: 9.5/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Tropical I like this take on a Tropical e-liquid, usually the Tropical flavours i have tried are Mango mixed with fruits like Passion fruit and Dragon fruit but this juice is entirely different. The aroma is a mix of tinned Peach and Pineapple with just a hint of citrus. The inhale see's an authentic tinned Peach taking centre stage while Pineapple accompanies it well, a hint of Kiwi sits nice and subtle in the background. The exhale see's the Kiwi come much more evident along with a tingling effect on the tongue without upstaging the Peach and sweet Pineapple, the hint of citrus evident in the aroma just doesn't materialise. The aftertaste is Peach and Pineapple and is very sweet as well as the tingling effect on the tongue being now very evident. A very nice e-liquid! SCORE: 9.25/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Heisenblue The Aroma is a 50/50 mix of very fruity with Blueberry prominent and Menthol. the Menthol is consistent throughout the inhale and exhale and just slightly overdone for my liking, but bare in mind i'm not a fan of menthol flavours. The Inhale along with the menthol is a mixture of fruits with both Blueberry and Raspberry very evident. On the Exhale although the menthol is just as evident Blueberry is much stronger overpowering the rest of the fruit and the taste becomes much sweeter. The aftertaste is much of the same with Menthol lingering longest. Menthol lovers may like this, i'm not too keen! SCORE: 7.5/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Banana Caramel On opening the bottle the aroma is almost a Banoffee smell with just a hint of Vanilla. Banana and Caramel is from the Ice-Cream Collection and one i was looking forward to trying being a Banana flavour fan. The ice-cream is creamy vanilla, Cornish clotted ice-cream comes to mind but sits in the background so the Vanilla doesn't overpower but just complements the Banana and authentic Caramel sauce. On the inhale Banana dominates and if this was from an ice-cream van i would be asking for more sauce but it seems like the juice is listening because on the exhale the Caramel shines so despite being for the most part Banana dominant the aftertaste is mostly sweet Caramel with a hint of Banana, it's lush. SCORE: 9/10 ___________________________________________________________________ Final Thoughts I really enjoyed trying these 5 flavours from Rockstar and the only flavour that wasn't to my liking was Heisenblue which actually will appeal to Menthol lovers but not for me. The picks were Red Stare and Tropical although both Banana Caramel and Appleberry were also very nice! I would once again like to thank Kirstie from Rockstar Vape Ltd for supplying the 5 flavours for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  8. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Axial Pro RDA from Mass Mods and Twisted Messes. The Axial Pro RDA was supplied for the purpose of this review by Mass Mods. Introduction The Axial Pro RDA is an all American collaboration between Mass Mods and Twisted Messess who bring us a dose of thinking outside the box. The Axial Pro RDA comes with the usual Parallel deck we are accustomed to but also comes with a series deck section which opens up a new option of building for those that prefer modest builds when it comes to resistance but would love to take advantage of all that surface area provided by a more adventurist dual coil build. Only coming in two colours at the time of writing but of high end build quality, let's give the Axial Pro RDA a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x 25mm Axial Pro cap 1 x Series Deck 1 x Parallel Deck 1 x Delrin 810 drip tip 1 x frosted 810 drip tip 1 x frosted 510 adaptor Spare O-rings/screws 2 x BF pins Hex tool Instruction Manual ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics The Axial Pro RDA comes in cardboard box packaging with everything you receive having it's own compartment on one layer. To date the RDA comes in just 2 colour options which is matte Black or Polished stainless Steel, i received the Stainless Steel version. The sleeve is very clean and stylish while being plain which will appeal to most people. We have an indented band towards the top where the airflow is adjusted, the airflow is outer dual cyclops, but the inner cap can be turned between dual cyclops or dual 3 holes for more smoothness. The drip tip is a very plain medium profile Delrin 810 and moving to the base we have printed safety marks and branding. Finally we can see one screw on the parallel deck and 2 on the series and both come pre-installed with a standard Gold plated pin. The build quality of both supplied decks and inner and outer sleeve is high end, it just oozes quality! ___________________________________________________________________ Axial Pro Specs and Features: Diameter: 25mm Driptip: 810 Material: Stainless Steel Adjustable Airflow Comes with both Series and Parallel Decks Thread: 510 Colours: Matte Black, Polished Stainless Steel ___________________________________________________________________ What You Receive? You obviously get the inner and outer sleeve and pre-installed 810 Delrin drip tip, also included is a Frosted 810 and a Frosted 510 adaptor. As already mentioned you receive 2 decks (parallel and Series) but what i like is they are both completed decks with both also having a pre-installed standard 510. Hopefully in the near future just the sleeves will be available so just the purchase of the sleeve (inner and outer) will give you 2 RDA's. Also included is plenty of spare o-rings and screws and also 2 BF pins, one for each deck. Unfortunately no coils or cotton is provided and no tools for swapping out the pins. Yes most people will have plenty of screwdrivers and an allen wrench that fits the BF pin and they will also have plenty of cotton and coils but it's hardly the point. This is an expensive RDA so should come with everything needed and that includes cotton and coils to do at least one build! ___________________________________________________________________ Parallel and Series Build Deck A series build deck option isn't innovative in it'self and was a thing a while back but to my knowledge it was always the case that the standard parallel deck needed converting into a series which was fiddly and of cause bits can easily be lost. Here we have two independent decks which at a quick glance can be told apart by the large Blue neutral block on the series deck, i really like the way colour has been used to help easily identify the two different decks. Both decks are so clean looking, it's all about attention to detail and not so much that the series deck option isn't innovative but how simply it has been implemented, sometimes simple can be genius! ___________________________________________________________________ The Difference Between Parallel and Series Decks On a standard dual parallel deck we have two coils that run side by side both having one lead that fixes to a positive post and one lead that fixes to a negative post (ground). When coils are installed this way the resistance is halved. On a series deck we have a positive and negative post and then one shared neutral post that links them together. This means one coil has a lead fixed to the positive post while the other coil has a lead fixed to the negative (ground) then both coils has it's remaining lead fixed to the neutral post so both coils become a part of one continuous circuit which means the resistance in doubled. The Maths Parallel Dual coil setup: Each coils resistance is 0.20 x 2 coils in parallel = 0.10 resistance Series Dual coil setup: Each coils resistance is 0.20 x 2 coils in series = 0.40 resistance. ___________________________________________________________________ The Airflow The airflow is pretty standard and consists of the outer sleeve having dual cyclops and the inner sleeve having both dual cyclops and dual 3 hole set-up so just turn the top-cap (which is also your inner sleeve section) to choose between which style of airflow you prefer. I can tell you after using the RDA that the 3 holes each side are quite large and although it does smooth the airflow slightly it's minimal as the airflow isn't exactly turbulent with the slots and also any restriction is also very minimal. The outer sleeve locks onto the deck with the outer airflow slots centred to the coils but this does mean anything but airflow fully open will not be fully centred. Finally the inside of the inner sleeve/top-cap has a conical shape and the airflow will be hitting your coils full on wrapping around and giving good coverage. ___________________________________________________________________ The Build I built on the Series deck after swapping for a BF pin and the build is done the same as on the standard parallel deck just class your neutral shared post as your negative and both negative and positive as your positive for the sake of doing the build with no confusion. The deck gives a lovely wide open build area and has block type posts that lay horizontally on the floor of the deck giving you 4 postless style terminals, just lower your leads in from above and the hex screws (my favourite) get fastened from the sides where we have little arcs cutout of the wall of the deck for easy access. I cut my coil leads to 4mm and fastened in place before pulsing, i pulsed before lining my coils up as their is so much room and once i got rid of any hot spots used a coiling rod to get them positioned where i wanted them. Wicking is just as simple just cut your cotton ends leaving an reasonable length, fluff your ends up thinning slightly and then tuck down into the wells, that's it! ___________________________________________________________________ How She Vaped and My Thoughts! First thing even if this RDA didn't come with the serial deck, the deck design it'self is one of the best i have used for it's simplicity, just very well executed. Add to this the flavour it gives, looks and overall build quality then this would be a top notch RDA even without the big talking point, that serial deck! What i like about the serial deck is i had a pair of SS 0.3ohm Alien Claptons (thanks Crazy Chef) which i just haven't used and would of eventually split and put them in a single coil RTA. I know using them in a normal parallel dual set-up would to most be very modest but personally i just do not go below 0.2ohms even on a regulated device and prefer builds between 0.4 and 0.6. I don't know what wattage i would of needed to be at with these coils on a parallel deck (definitely would of needed a dual battery regulated device not a single) but the build came out to 0.62ohms on the serial deck and although it's not quite as simple as using very low wattage (normally i would be at between 20W and 25W with 0.6ohm build), just 45W gave me copious clouds and some of the best flavour i have got from an RDA, i am testing some desserts and the Axial Pro loves them. It also will allow for much safer builds on mech mods while still using your favourite coils, it's a real winner! I did use the 3-hole airflow for what little restriction it gave simply because i wanted the airflow fully open to keep it perfectly centred, it gives plenty of air and it is also very noticeable how cool the sleeve kept. The only cons i have are not receiving the tools for swapping the pins and not receiving coils and cotton to me is a big con with any rebuildable. Also to be petty the drip tips are fit for purpose but nothing special so i can see myself putting something better up top! Finally the tolerances on this RDA just couldn't be better and even despite having nothing to grip the airflow adjusts with a smooth movement. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes High end build quality Stylish if plain look Simplistic deck designs Both Parallel and Serial decks supplied Spacious postless style design Very easy build and wick Allows modest dual builds Great flavour Smooth airflow Tolerances spot on with o-rings Sleeve kept very cool Plenty of spares 2 Drip tips 510 Adaptor Cons Don't receive coils or cotton Don't receive tools to swap pins Need fully open airflow to be perfectly centred Drip tips ok but not as special as the rest of the RDA I would once again like to thank Mass Mods for sending the Axial Pro RDA for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  9. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Mato RDTA from Vandyvape. The Mato RDTA was supplied for the purpose of this review by Viktor from Vandyvape. Introduction To get it straight out the way most will straightaway be thinking Vapefly Brunhilde when they see the Mato. The Mato is a collaboration between Vandyvape and the German Youtuber Nebelfee and the Brunhilde was hardly innovative when it comes to the use of steel rods to replenish your wicks but just revisiting an old European method and making it popular again. The Mato is an RDTA or as i would refer to it a top coiler offering a postless single deck with large terminals and the space to fit large chunky coils if you wish. It also accommodates two Steel rods per wick for replenishing and a smooth honeycomb airflow system. The Mato also has a self sealing side fill method or the option to use the provided BF pin to increase the capacity further. With a capacity of 5ml (there is also a TPD version) and coming in a choice of 5 colours, let's give the Mato Top coiler a good look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1pc Vandy Vape Mato RDTA 1pc Ni80 fused clapton coil 0.23 ohm 1pc coil Trimmer 1pc 510 drip tip adaptor 1pc squonk pin 1pc replacement steel wire 1pc replacement parts (o-rings, screws) 1pc manual ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics The Mato RDTA came in cardboard box packaging with viewing window so the RDTA can be seen without opening. I received the Gold version, the options are Matte Black, Frosted Grey, Stainless Steel, Gold and Gun Metal. RDTA's tend to be tall and those with Steel rods taller still so yep it's a bit of a skyscraper but then after the Widowmaker RTA Vandyvape is getting known of late for big atty's. Unlike the Brunhilde which really had a stunning design Vandyvape have gone for a much plainer look with the Mato, which is best aesthetically will all be down to the individual, the Mato build quality is very high standard and nicely machined. The bottom section has a protective cage over the glass with cutout sections. The Steel rods once installed circle the central column giving it a carousal look! The top-cap section has dual oval short but wide airflow slots with the honeycomb airflow holes on the deck walls also visible. Up top we have the usual Vandyvape resin 810 which does look nice and moving to the base we have printed safety stamps and branding. The Mato comes with the Gold plated standard pin pre-installed which protrudes enough in my opinion to be hybrid safe but also is adjustable. ___________________________________________________________________ Mato Specs and Features: Material: stainless steel, heat-resistant PSU Dimensions: 54.5 * 24 mm (including drip tip) Deck: single coil (postless) Capacity: 5 ml (TPD version available) Inhalation method: DL (Direct Lung) Filling: Sidefill or BF Steel wire replenishing system Positive Pin: adjustable Thread: 510 Colours: Matte Black, Frosted Grey, Stainless Steel, Gold, Gun Metal ___________________________________________________________________ What You Get? As well as the Mato top coiler you also receive plenty of spare o-rings and screws. You get no spare glass but the material although looking and feeling like glass is actually PSU which is more durable and of course it's also protected by the outer cage. The TPD version has the exact same specifications as the standard version but has a silicone piece installed in the shipped RDTA reducing the capacity to 2ml so a lot of silicone is going to find it's way into the bin. You also receive a gorgeous looking Resin 810 drip tip (pre-installed) which i actually found felt a little strange between my lips so swapped for another. Also included is a 510 drip tip adaptor, 2 allen tools, a coil cutting guide and a one piece Gold plated BF pin, the pre-installed standard pin is a two part allowing for adjusting to make hybrid safe. We also receive 5 Steel rods (so one spare) and a coil but no cotton. The specs of the supplied coil are given, it's a Triple Fused Clapton using Ni80 wire, 0.28ohm, 5 wraps, 3.5ID, 26ga*3+36ga. ___________________________________________________________________ The Airflow On the deck we have honeycomb airflow walls facing each other which are slightly arced and have 3 rows of holes each, 4 top and bottom and 5 in the middle row so 13 holes in total each side to wrap air around your coil. The top cap has dual short but wide airflow slots and the cap has notches so when fitted over the deck it's like a rail system with stoppers. There is some distance created between the outer airflow slots and honeycomb walls on the deck and a cavity created. This means when closing down the airflow the air can spread out before going through the honeycomb walls so remains even airflow even if it looks lopsided looking at the outer slots. I add what else should help with flavour in the airflow section and the top-cap is slightly domed (only slightly) but the large airflow walls and build will pretty much fill up all the space created by the top-cap making the chamber area very reduced. ___________________________________________________________________ Filling The Mato has a side-fill method which also needs the top-cap removing to get to the port. Some would prefer to be able to just rotate the top-cap to line an outer hole up with the port like with the Brunhilde's but the fill method is much better on the Mato when it comes to the fact it's mess free unlike the Brunhilde's where it could get a bit messy. The fill port is round but larger than on the Brunhilde's and has a self sealing membrane, i was able to fill it very quickly and absolutely mess free although i won't need to fill often as a swapped pins for the BF so i can top up the liquid via a squonking system. ___________________________________________________________________ Replenishing Rods As well as the tilt of the tank while vaping your cotton gets replenished via capillary action through Steel wire rods. The rods are made from premium German steel and is many strands of wire woven together to allow many hollows inside going from the bottom to the top. The rods are made from weaving 7 strands of Steel together, then 7 of these sections that comprise of seven strands of Steel are again woven together to complete one rod, so 49 strands of Steel in total. As well as the 4 needed you also get one spare, not sure whether to consider it a pro for getting a spare or a con because it's not a full set of 4. ___________________________________________________________________ Replenishing When the original Brunhilde top coiler was released some people said it wicked great and others found the replenishing rods are not doing their jobs and it only wicks the side you tilt. Personally i had no wicking issues and the MTL Brunhilde version i rated even higher and have heard nothing but good things from other vapers. The Mato to make sure there is no replenishing issues accommodates 2 steel rods per wick rather than the normal one but i would also just give them a quick torch to get rid of any possible residue from manufacture. Also when installing the rods just drop them into place but don't press down firmly so e-liquid can get underneath to encourage capillary action. ___________________________________________________________________ The Deck and Build The build is as easy as it gets but you will need to pre-cut your leads with it being a postless deck. Your leads get dropped into the terminals from above and the terminals are opened and closed via hex screws (my favourite) from the outside of the deck. I opened the terminals and used the supplied cutting guide to cut my leads to 6mm, then simply as mentioned lowered my leads into the terminals before tightening up the screws to fasten in position. Once fastened you can use a coiling rod or fit for purpose tool to position your coil centrally between the airflow walls. Just to mention the ID of the supplied coil is 3.5ID but you can go much bigger, there is plenty of room and the terminals are huge. Also plenty of cotton can be placed over the steel rods so really i would say 3.5ID minimum is ideal although with quite tight wicking and fluffing your cotton up you can get away with 3.0ID. When it comes to your wicking even though the wicks are just going to rest on top of the Steel rods and not get poked down you still need a good amount of cotton as it's important to remember the rods don't wick your coils but just feed your cotton so the cotton will be your reservoir. Fluffing your cotton slightly is a good idea but don't do it with a method which removes and thins the cotton! ___________________________________________________________________ How It Vapes And Final Thoughts! This is my cup of tea, i love using RDTA's (top coilers) which come with a BF pin so i can use the squonk bottle as an extension of it's capacity. I also prefer single coil DL RTA's although i don't mind some loose MTL when i'm in the mood! I like both Brunhilde's especially the MTL version but the original i find i need to vape at higher wattage than i like being dual coil. With the supplied coil the Mato gave a really nice semi-restrictive vape full of flavour at 45W, i ended up with airflow halfway for the restriction i like which just improved flavour further. The Mato will allow with the right build to give a nice 30-35W restricted direct lung vape with the airflow reduced (perfect for me) yet the space and large terminals will allow for a large exotic coil, i would say depending on build the Mato is best between 30W to 60W so one for the low to mid wattage direct lung vapers. The airflow adjusts smoothly and gives no turbulence whatsoever, being a postless deck the build was a doddle and very quick and as for the Steel rods, they replenished my cotton with gusto, it wicked like a dream! The Vandyvape 810 drip tips of late have looked really nice and no exception here but although i pictured the Mato with the supplied drip tip on my device so you can see how it looks i actually used my own to vape with as it's thick rounded top felt strange between my lips (i couldn't get use to it). ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Excellent build quality 6 Colour options Aesthetically pleasing (kind of cool seeing the woven rods through the glass) Clearly see juice level 5ml Capacity 2ml TPD version just has easy remove silicone piece (Ssshhhhhh) Mess free side-fill with resealing membrane Steel wire rod replenishing system Wicks like a dream Flavour on point Draw semi-restricted direct lung Smooth airflow Airflow adjusts smoothly Nice looking 810 drip tip Postless deck Very easy build Coil with specs included Spare steel rod Spacious single coil build Large terminals (can fit a large coil) Hex screws (my favourite) Standard pin adjustable BF pin included Coil cutting guide included 510 adaptor included Cons Tall I found drip tip a little uncomfortable (might just be me) Need to remove top-cap to fill (unless using BF pin) No cotton provided Only one spare rod (set of 4 would make more sense) I would once again like to thank Viktor from Vandyvape for supplying the Mato RDTA for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  10. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the G-PRIV 3 230W Kit with TFV16 Lite Tank from Smok. The SMOK G-PRIV 3 230W Kit with TFV16 Lite Tank was supplied for the purpose of this review by Ella from Sourcemore. Introduction Smok have probably released more vaping devices than any other manufacturer and in the past did have issues over durability and QC but that was in the distant past as over the last 3 years Smok devices have just got better and better and are amongst the best i receive to review, unfortunately mud sticks! I have every version of the G-Priv series of touchscreen devices and have seen it evolve into this gem, version 3 which comes paired with a decent subohm tank that accommodates coil heads that use NexMesh and is well worth a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x G-PRIV 3 Mod 1 x TFV16 Lite Tank 5ml (2ml TPD Edition) 1 x TFV16 Lite Conical Mesh 0.2ohm Coil Powered by nexMesh (Pre-installed) 1 x TFV16 Lite Dual Mesh 0.15ohm Coil 1 x Glass Tube Replacement 1 x USB Cable 1 x User Manual Spare Parts ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics On opening the box i was met by a lovely shaped device, the cut corners, raised front panel (which incorporates the full face touchscreen) also with cut corners and fire bar turns a basic rectangle into a pleasantly shaped form. The device i received was the Prism Gold version which comes with a matching TFV16 Lite Tank. The colour options are Purple Red, Prism Chrome, Prism Gold and Black, the build quality and finish is immaculate, this is not the Smok of three years ago but a much improved manufacturer releasing top notch devices. The back panel has a different design dependent on colour option and down one side above the Black fire bar we have a horizontal lock button. Up top to one side we have a 510 plate raised by a hair which incorporates a nice spring loaded 510 and the bottom reveals generous venting slots and the Type C USB port. The device has some weight to it but is not too heavy and fits nicely in the hand, having a fire bar in my opinion always helps with the ergonomics and i personally use a squeezing action to fire. The G-Priv 3 is a solid and seems very durable device with no rattles whatsoever and yet another improved device in the G-Priv range of touchscreen devices. ___________________________________________________________________ TFV16 Lite Specs and Features: TFV16 Lite Tank Material: Stainless Steel Size: 28 x 58.5mm Weight: 73g Capacity: 5ml Coil: TFV16 Lite Conical Mesh Coil 0.2ohm(Best 60-85W), TFV16 Lite Dual Mesh Coil 0.15ohm(Best 60-90W) Drip Tip: 16mm Resin Drip Tip Thread: 810 TFV16 Lite EU Tank Material: Stainless Steel Size: 28 x 58.5mm Weight: 75g Capacity: 2ml Coil: TFV16 Lite Conical Mesh Coil 0.2ohm(Best 60-85W), TFV16 Lite Dual Mesh Coil 0.15ohm(Best 60-90W) Drip Tip: 16mm Resin Drip Tip Thread: 810 Super powerful mesh tank with exquisite design Brand-new TFV16 Lite Mesh coils for massive vapor and superb flavor 2ml/5ml e-juice capacity with sealed top refill system Revolutionary top cap with secure locking mechanism Adjustable upgraded airflow system Colours: Purple Red, Gold, Black, Stainless Steel ___________________________________________________________________ TFV16 Lite Overview TFV16 Lite is a smaller version of the TFV16 Tank being 24mm at the base and 28MM around the bubble glass. The capacity is also less being 5ml (2ml TPD version), you also receive a spare glass. The drip tip is a customised 810 with o-rings which sits on a platform so some of your own will fit while others won't or will look odd if they overhang the platform. The fill method is top-fill, just press the top button inwards and then the top will rotate open revealing a very nice sized fill slot. You get 2 different Conical Mesh coils provided that use NexMesh, the coils just get press fitted into place. Pre-installed is a 0.2ohm single mesh coil head which is rated between 60 to 85W and also included is a Dual mesh coil head 0.15ohm which is rated between 60 to 90W. The airflow is very large dual cyclops which moves with a nice tolerance and has stoppers, overall a fine looking solid subohm tank! ___________________________________________________________________ G-Priv 3 Specs and Features: Size: 54 x 28 x 85mm Battery: dual 18650 batteries (not included) Power Range: 1-230W ( VW ) / 10-230W ( TC ) Working Modes: VW ( Soft, Norm, Hard, Max ) / TC ( NI, TI, SS, TCR, Preheat ) / My Mode Resistance Range: 0.1-2.5ohm ( VW ) / 0.05-2.0ohm ( TC ) Temperature Range: 100-315℃ / 200-600℉ Max Output Current: 50A Input Voltage: 6.4-8.4V Output Voltage: 0.5-8.2V Standby Current: <400uA Firing Time: 0.001S Charging: 5V / 2A Maximum 230W output power with new IQ-G chipset 2.4" colorful touch screen for easy working Outstanding working modes for simple operation Secondary key simplifies screen Lock / Unlock Type-C Fast charging port Multiple protection for comfortable use Colours: Purple Red, Prism Chrome, Prism Gold, Black ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Batteries The G-Priv 3 accommodates dual 18650 batteries which get fitted securely deep into the compartment. We have an attached battery ribbon which is needed and orientation is labelled clearly in bright White (great job)! The inside of the cover has a coating just in case you have a small tear on one of your wraps (don't use this as an excuse to use damaged wraps) and it's good to see printed on the coating battery safety information. The panel fits via 2 magnets at the top and a central magnet at the bottom, it snaps into place very securely without any play whatsoever, cracking job! ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The G-Priv 3 has a full face, full colour touch screen which can be customised within the menu. For operating with the screen unlocked we just have 3 things that can be activated from the main screen, towards the bottom we have left and right arrow icons for adjusting wattage or temperature and top left we have the menu icon. Pressing the menu icon takes you into the menu which is operated entirely by touch which works flawlessly, while in the menu system the menu icon is replaced by a home icon and pressing this at any time takes you back to the main screen. Top left has mentioned we have the menu icon and top right we have 2 battery status bars labelled "A" and "B", central top we have a padlock when locked which disappears when the touchscreen is unlocked. The main central display is like a speedometer design which moves in real time to show wattage when firing. Central within this design we have the set wattage or temperature depending which mode you are using, and to the right we have the time of your puff. Below the speedometer design to the right and left we have the already mentioned wattage (or temperature) adjustment icons. Bottom left we have the resistance, central bottom the voltage and finally bottom right we have the puff counter. ___________________________________________________________________ Operating The G-Priv 3 Normally i go into great detail on how the devices menu flows doing a step by step tutorial but because there is so much to go through (it would mean waffling on) yet the menu flows that impressively it really can be worked out quickly even without a manual if you're the type like me that prefer to work things out for yourself (so i'll skim through it), it really is impressively user friendly driven. The device is the almost universal 5 clicks to turn the device on and off (it will ask you to touch the screen to confirm shutting down), 3 clicks while the device is on locks and unlocks the whole device including the fire bar. Above the fire bar is located a lock screen button, pressing this down for 2 seconds locks and unlocks the screen or just a quick press turns the screen off and on so acting as stealth mode (whenever the screen is unlocked a press of the fire bar to vape locks the touchscreen again), now on to the menu. When switching on the device you are on the main screen that gives all the usual information, on this screen you can simply adjust the wattage then vape, how easy is that. Going into the menu doesn't increase the rocket science, first top left of the screen press the "menu icon" which takes you to the menu screen. The menu screen has just 4 options which are Mode, MyMode, Puff and settings. Obviously mode then gives you the option of which mode you want and if you choose Wattage you can select pre-heat. TC mode is where you can set your wire type, temperature, wattage (for TC) and TCR settings. MyMode offers 4 memory slots to input wattage, preheat, e-juice flavour and nicotine strength (not really interested in this but i can see why some people might be). The third option takes you to the Puff counter where you can limit or reset puffs and then everything else including customising the display and setting a pass-code for the device can be found in the settings. Smok have always done user friendly interfaces but the menu system on the G-PRIV 3 has got to be the best to date helped immensely by the very responsive touchscreen. ___________________________________________________________________ Protections Include: 10 Seconds Cut-off Short Circuit Protection Over-heating Protection Low Battery Protection ___________________________________________________________________ Charging As always i only recommend charging batteries in the device if it's you're only option. The G-Priv 3 has Type C USB and supports balanced charging at 2A. Really good to see Type C USB on the G-Priv 3 but i really don't like the port being on the base of the device and would recommend removing any attached atty before lying down. ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The G-Priv 3 Kit and Thoughts! I tried both coil heads in the TFV16 Lite tank but mainly used RTA's on the device simply because i don't like vaping above 40W. Both coil heads with the NexMesh do give cracking flavour and the TFV16 gives bags of air so those who vape at higher wattage than me will find it very decent. The 0.2ohm single mesh coil was fairly smooth but quite noisy and as mentioned did give cracking flavour compared to other subohm stock coil heads. I preferred the dual mesh 0.15 coil head which matched the single mesh coil head for flavour but was quieter and gave much smoother airflow. Despite their slightly different ratings i found both coil heads to be best at 70W with airflow at halfway for the restriction i like. I like the top-fill method but would much prefer a Goon style 810, the 5ml capacity is also adequate and for those with the TPD version then you just need to remove the capacity reducing bung to get the same 5ml capacity. The star of the show is the G-Priv 3 which is a cracking touchscreen device. Smok have always made good power devices so although 230W seems optimistic it will fair better than most when it comes to the actual top wattage it can achieve but to be sure and to find out how it fairs in TC mode then you will need to watch or read a tech review. All the wattage's i vaped at seemed very accurate and it performed flawlessly. I love the fire bar which i found best just to squeeze to fire and the locking button is a great feature! Although i didn't use it the pass-code feature is also good if you have kids around and likewise although not for me some people will like both the Mymode and puff limit features. The touchscreen is as responsive as on a smartphone and it is such a simple device to navigate, although quite weighty it feels really comfortable in either hand! The only negatives are the position of the USB port although for those that would only use the port for firmware upgrades not a major issue and i just feel this should be able to accommodate far larger atty's but it's design and side positioned 510 only allows for up to 25mm, any bigger give overhang. ___________________________________________________________________ Conclusion The G-Priv with version 3 has evolved in my opinion into the best touchscreen device available (at least the best touchscreen device i have used). Likes Very good build quality Nice quality finish Colourful back panel Ergonomic 4 Colour options Lock button Very responsive full face colour touchscreen Very user friendly Lock button Fire bar Performed flawlessly Display can be customised Adjusts in 1W increments Pass-code Feature Puff limit feature Mymode TC (not tested) Back panel fits very securely with no play whatsoever White battery labelled orientation Battery Ribbon High wattage dual battery device Includes TFV16 Lite Tank (very decent) 2 different coil heads using NexMesh 0.15ohm coil smooth airflow Both coil heads very good flavour Top-fill 5ml Capacity Spare glass Type C USB 2A Balanced charging Firmware upgradeable Cons Over 25mm atty's will overhang Would prefer goon style fitting 810 Quite heavy USB port on base No custom curve feature The device i received is a fingerprint magnet I would once again like to thank Ella from Sourcemore for supplying the SMOK G-PRIV 3230W Kit with TFV16 Lite Tank for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  11. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the PAL SE Pod Kit from Artery. The PAL SE Pod Kit was supplied for the purpose of this review by Hugo from Artery. Introduction Artery are a brand of their parent company EHPro and since the invasion of pod devices have concentrated on pod and AIO devices while EHPro have concentrated more on mods and atty's. Here we have an open pod system which if it had been released about 8 months ago would of been giving the very popular Caliburn a run for it's money and after revisiting the Caliburn while testing the Pal SE device dare i say come out on top. The device like with the Caliburn is both draw and button activated but the Pal SE has a much bigger battery, Type C USB and 2 different resistance pods. Coming in 4 stylish design options the Pal SE is worth a closer look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x Artery PAL SE Kit (with 1.0ohm Cartridge) 1 x Artery PAL SE Cartridge (1.4ohm) 1 x Lanyard 1 x Type-C USB Cable 1 x Rubber Ring 1 x User Manual 1 x Warranty Card ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Pal SE Pod Kit came in cardboard packaging and on opening i was met by a stylish looking device with Carbon Fiber inserts both front and back but other options are available. The colour/design options are Black Carbon Fiber, Brown Leather, Black Leather and Royal White, the Leather versions have Leather inserts while the Royal White is a White device with Blue fused metallic panels, also included is the obligatory lanyard! The device reminds me of the Caliburn in so many ways and it's form factor is like a much chunkier Caliburn but has some extra weight which in part will be the larger battery. The device has a high quality Zinc Alloy construction and the comfortable Delrin mouthpiece protrudes from the top of the device. The one i received as mentioned has Carbon Fiber Inserts and has a Gun Metal chassis and fire button. The Zinc Alloy large round fire button is towards the top on the front insert and below we have an LED for battery status indication. On both sides we have vertical slots cut out that act as viewing windows to see your juice level, also on one side we have a Type C USB port for charging. Finally on the base we have safety stamps and venting just in case. The device as mentioned has some reassuring weight and is slightly bigger than the average for this type of device but is still both very ergonomic and portable. PAL SE With Caliburn ___________________________________________________________________ PAL SE Specs and Features: Size: 105 x 23 x 13mm Material: Zinc alloy/PCTG Battery Capacity: 700mAh Wattage: Max 20W Juice Capacity: 2ml Voltage: 3.2V-4.2V Coil: 1.0ohm/1.4ohm Charging Current: 1A Best for MTL vape (mid MTL) Draw activation/Button activation Sea grass fiber cotton for amazing flavor Two selective coils of 1.0ohm/1.4ohm Top refill with 2ml capacity Built-in 700mAh battery Type-C charging port system Colour/Design: Black Carbon Fiber, Brown Leather, Black Leather, Royal White ___________________________________________________________________ The Pod You get two pods included which is very good to see, the pre-installed pod houses a 1.0ohm coil with Sea Grass Fiber Cotton and the other included pod houses a 1.4ohm coil with the same wicking material, the resistance is marked on the coils but also the 1.0ohm pod has a Red band towards the bottom. The coils are fixed and not replaceable so once the flavour has muted to the point it's no longer acceptable (differs from person to person) the whole pod needs replacing. The pod is clear which is another pro and the mouthpiece get's pulled off to fill the pod as it's top-fill. When you pull the mouthpiece off you reveal 2 fill ports, looking inside the mouthpiece you can see the 2 protruding pieces that plug the ports when fitted. The ports are big enough for needle nose nozzles but glass droppers will present a problem, whichever port you use for filling air can escape from the other, filling is a stress free experience as you can clearly see the juice level with the pod being clear. Looking at the base we can see the 2 contacts and outer magnets, we can also see the 2mm air intake that leads to the membrane switch. The pod holds 2ml of e-liquid which for both a 1.4ohm and 1.0ohm coil is acceptable and also makes it TPD compliant. Finally down both sides of the pod we have protruding rails (one each side centrally) that slot nicely into the cutout slots at the top of the device to form viewing windows. ___________________________________________________________________ Sea Grass Fiber Cotton Sea Grass Fiber Cotton is becoming quite popular due to giving pure taste of your e-liquid but with these coils the Cotton has gone through a purification process that Artery claim they invented. This process is supposed to improve flavour further and after using the device whether it's the use of this wicking material, the purification process or a combination of both, these pods are giving excellent flavour! ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Pod Looking into the bay for the pod to be inserted we can see it's very neat and tidy. Visible are the outer magnets and inner contacts. The opening to the membrane switch has a raised rim so if you do get any moisture or a leaky pod (mine were fine) liquid shouldn't get into the device. Also we can see the vertical cutout either side which will form viewing windows with the pod inserted. The pod fits very nicely snapping into place securely, as i am comparing the device to the Caliburn then we do have a little play (unlike no play with the Caliburn) but it's not noticed during use. Once fitted a tug pulls the pod out or to fill press on the front of the mouthpiece which loosens it, then this can be pulled completely off allowing filling without needing to remove the pod. The viewing windows that are formed when the pod is inserted are larger than on the Caliburn allowing the liquid level to be seen by just a quick glance, cracking job! ___________________________________________________________________ Operating The Pal SE The Pal SE is both a draw activated device and has a physical fire button so the device can be used either way. The Device is the usual 5 clicks of the fire button to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off, turning on is confirmed by three Green flashes of the LED while when the device is turned off it's confirmed by 3 Red flashes. The device has no adjustable airflow (very few pod system do) and is a direct output device so simply decide if you want to use the device with draw activation or using the fire button and vape. The device does have battery status indication which although doesn't have 4 or 5 (my favourite) stages is perfectly satisfactory and is shown by what colour the LED lights while taking a vape. Over 60% and the LED lights Green, between 30% and 60% and the LED lights Blue and when the battery is below 30% it lights Red, you can also check the status at any time by just quickly pressing the fire button but do it quickly as the device fires instantly. The device also uses the LED to indicate any safety protections that kick in. ___________________________________________________________________ Protections: Overcharge Protection Overheat Protection Cut-off at 8 Seconds Short Circuit Protection ___________________________________________________________________ Charging The device has a Type C USB port for charging which is what all devices should now have and another pro is the port is on the side of the device rather than the base, the 700mAh battery charged from empty to full in a fraction under 45 minutes, very happy! ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The Pal SE On first looks the Pal SE reminded me so much of the Caliburn with it being both draw activated or button fired, having side viewing windows, fixed coils, top-fill and having a 2ml capacity i instinctively tested the Pal SE alongside the Caliburn and the likeness didn't stop there! In my Caliburn review i wrote the following: "The draw is going to suit the majority, i prefer a loose MTL draw on pod devices and if i can get away with it DL using them but the Caliburn makes me want to do a MTL because it gives such a natural mid MTL vape, in my opinion the Caliburn gives the ultimate draw for a pod system and other manufacturers will not go far wrong trying to emulate it." Well Artery have emulated it because as far as the draw goes all i can say is "Ditto" if anything the Pal SE is a fraction looser but it's that close i would be splitting hairs! The draw activation is not quite as responsive on the Pal SE compared to the Caliburn but that doesn't mean it works badly it's just the draw activation on the Caliburn is the most responsive i have come across yet. When using the button to fire though it gives a really good consistent vape until the battery status gets to Red when very slight drop off in power is just noticeable but the vape quality is still good. There are 2 different pod options unlike the Caliburn but the difference between them i struggled to notice, if anything the 1.0ohm pod gives just a slightly tighter draw but it's so marginal. The Caliburn did give very good flavour with a slight break in period and decent pod longevity but the Pal SE surpasses it. The flavour from both pods is excellent with absolutely no break in period and after receiving the device between Christmas and New Year i have lost count how much juice i have used in each pod and the flavour is still rocking! Just like with the Caliburn pod both pods can handle not just 50/50 but very thick juices also, i used up to 80VG in both pods and both pods handled some chain vaping with no problem. The viewing windows are also bigger which is another pro and the device is lasting far longer between charges while when it does need charging it does so in less than 45 minutes. Finally the mouthpiece is very comfortable and although bigger and heavier than the Caliburn it's still a portable stealthy device. ___________________________________________________________________ Conclusion The thread title included the question "Better than the Caliburn?" and in my opinion the answer is absolutely. The only other question though is with the evolution of pod and AIO devices and the Pod Mods that have become all the rage, how relative is the Pal SE in 2020? The answer to that depends on what you are looking for from a device! ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Build quality very good 4 stylish colour/design options Pocket friendly Metal construction Physical Fire or Draw activated Fires as quick as any pod device i have used though draw activation is slightly inconsistent Pod fits very securely (play so slight not an issue) Top-fill (with 2 fair size fill ports) can fill without removing pod 2ml Capacity (fair for wattage output) 2 different resistance pods Can use any e-liquid (handled 80VG no problem) Sea Grass Fiber Cotton Wicking Material Cotton Purify technology Very comfortable mouthpiece Excellent flavour (both pods) Excellent longevity (both pods) Best draw on a pod device along with Caliburn (subjective) Good sized viewing windows Clear Pods Battery status Indication Good battery life (superior to Caliburn) Charges in 45 minutes Type C USB Lanyard Included Cons Would be better if Constant output Draw activation a bit inconsistent Material of coils not given Coils not replaceable Not suitable for glass droppers I would once again like to thank Hugo from Artery for supplying the Pal SE Pod Kit for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  12. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the GEMM 25W Pod Mod Kit from Freemax. The GEMM 25W Pod Mod Kit was supplied for the purpose of this review by Linda from Freemax. Introduction Freemax best known for their Fireluke series of sub-ohm tanks and bringing both flavour and longevity to subohm stock coils release the Gemm 25W Pod Mod Kit which comprises of a simple low cost plastic device with 3 different power levels and their second disposable tank which is called the Gemm Pod rather than just the Gemm. This seems to be a case of if you want to enter the Pod Mod market but don't actually have a Pod Mod then just call something a Pod Mod regardless, i just don't get it! After getting that out the way the device itself when it arrived looked promising and as Freemax has never let me down yet when it comes to flavour the Gemm 25W Pod Mod? Kit is definitely worth a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x FreeMax GEMM Pod (MTL 1.0ohm) 1 x FreeMax GEMM Pod (DTL 0.5ohm) 1 x FreeMax GEMM 25W Pod Mod 2 x Replacement Silicone Plug 1 x USB Charger 1 x User Manual 1 x Warning Card 1 x Warranty leaflet ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Gemm Pod Mod is aimed at those on a budget and is a plastic device so while it's far from high end for what it is a good job has been done and ergonomically it's like a slimmer OBS Cube and likewise is very comfortable in the hand. The device is very lightweight so it doesn't fall with a thud so ideal for those occasions where you don't want to damage your more expensive device as this is surprisingly durable and if it was to fail at the price it would be easy to replace. ___________________________________________________________________ Gemm Pod Specs and Features: Size: 45.3 x 23.0mm Material: SS904L/PCTG Capacity: 2ml Filling Method: Top-filling Drip tip: 8.6*11.9mm Thread: 510 Pod Types: GEMM Pod DTL 0.5ohm, Heating Material: SS904L Mesh Coil, Power Range: 15-25W, Recommended Power: 20W GEMM Pod MTL 1.0ohm, Heating Material: SS904L Mesh Coil, Power Range: 12-15W, Recommended Power: 14W Resistance: 0.5ohm/1.0ohm • 2ml capacity pod • Support DTL (0.5Ω) & MTL (1.0Ω), Freebase & Nic Salt compatible • Convenient top-fill and bottom-adjustable airflow • The latest FM CoilTech 3.1, can fill the container up to 20 times • The military-grade SS904L and exclusive Tea Fiber Cotton, more stable and durable Colour: Black, Clear, Blue, Red ___________________________________________________________________ Let's Get It Out The Way Although during the review i will be calling the disposable tank the Gemm Pod and the device the Pod Mod it's simply because that's what Freemax has named them but as already mentioned this is not either a Pod system or AIO set-up. In fact having a regular 510 plate with 510 connector i have tried other MTL RTA's on the device and must say the Expromizer V4 worked particularly well. Likewise the Gemm Pods are actually disposable tanks with 510 threading which i have also tried on other devices and they work as well as any other disposable tank! The Gemm pods have a diameter or 23mm and sit on the 23mm 510 plate perfectly but up to 24mm atty's will sit on the device without overhang. ___________________________________________________________________ Gemm Pod Overview The Gemm Pods like the Gemm are disposable plastic tanks so please dispose of responsibly after use. Unlike the original Gemm tanks these new Gemm Pod tanks are for much lower wattage and come in both a 0.5ohm DL and 1.0ohm MTL option. The Gemm Pod coils are made from army grade SS904L Mesh and the wicking material used is Tea Fiber cotton, the combination is supposed to give both superior taste and longevity. To be TPD compliant the capacity is 2ml and we have a top-fill method which comprises of an arrow head shaped bung which once removed (it stays attached to the tank) reveals a large filling port so it can be filled both quickly and mess free. The airflow is fully adjustable and comprises of a single small slot which moves with a nicer tolerance than i find on most reusable more expensive tanks so a really good job done. The mouthpiece is attached but is shaped much as many 510 drip tips with a bore to suit both looser MTL and restricted direct lung vaping although the Gemm Pod does adjust down to give a very tight draw if you prefer. ___________________________________________________________________ Gemm Pod Mod Specs and Features: Size: 121 x 25 x 24mm (with attached Gemm Pod) Battery Capacity: 1300mah Maximum Output Wattage: 25W Wattage Adjustment: Click firing button 3 times Thread: 510 Charging Port: Micro USB Port Resistance Range: 0.5-3.0ohm • Compact and ergonomic design, lightweight • Smart and easy 3-level wattage adjustment • Built-in 1300mAh Battery With 4 Levels Indicator • Multiple protections: Short Circuit, Low Voltage, Low Resistance, Open Circuit, High-Temp, 10-Second Cut-off Colour: Black, Clear, Blue, Red ___________________________________________________________________ Operating The Gemm Pod Mod The Gemm Pod Mod is a simple device giving 3 power levels which wattage output will be dependant on the resistance of the coil. It's called smart wattage but i imagine it's just 3 constant voltage output settings which obviously will give different wattage dependant on resistance but i guess when it comes to marketing doesn't smart wattage sound so much cleverer. The device is the usual 5 clicks of the fire button to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off and both actions are confirmed by Watt flashing White 5 times. Once on each quick 3 clicks of the fire button takes you to the next power setting which is indicated by Watt lighting up in the colour that represents the particular setting, the settings are: 0.5ohm Gemm Pod Red (Soft) = 15W Blue (Medium) = 20W Green (Hard) = 25W 1.0ohm Gemm Pod Red (Soft) = 12W Blue (Medium) = 14W Green (Hard) = 15W The device also shows battery status indication by having a column of percentages which are not visible apart from when pressing the fire button then the current indication lights up White, the indications are: 0%-25% = 25% lit up 26%-50% = 50% lit up 51%-75% = 75% lit up 76%-100% = 100% lit up The percentages also light up while charging, not sue what the charge rate is but it took between 1.5 and 2 hours to charge which is a little sluggish but it does support pass through and also unlike many of these small budget devices that have the USB port on the base the USB port is on the face of the device which i like. ___________________________________________________________________ Protections The Gemm Pod Mod has all the on-board safety protections you would expect, which are: Short Circuit Protection Low Resistance Protection Low Voltage Protection Open Circuit Protection High Temperature Protection 10-Second Cut-Off ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience and Thoughts! The device is what it is, a budget lightweight ergonomic device with power settings that work very well, at it's price point their is nothing to complain about and i can see it's usefulness and being able to use independently is a bonus. Normally the mod is the star but here although the mod is perfectly decent it's the Gemm Pods that stand out they really are very good. I tried out the 1.0ohm Gemm Pod for a few refills checking it's flavour and different draws etc before switching to the 0.5ohm Gemm Pod to also check longevity. The bore on the 1.0ohm coil must be slightly narrower as with the airflow fully open although a restricted lung hit was possible it was more suited fully open to a loose MTL. The 0.5ohm coil with airflow fully open gave a really nice restricted lung hit, in fact i closed the airflow down about 20% because it's surprisingly airy despite having only one narrow airflow slot. What i like about the Gemm Pods is with both coils the airflow can be micro managed through the full MTL spectrum including as tight as a cigarette pull although the 1.0ohm coil is better suited once you get below 25% open, the airflow is also smooth across the board. The flavour from disposable tanks have surprised many and both the supplied Gemm Pod Tanks are rocking flavour and as for longevity (Freemax claim up to 20 refills) i have had between 13 and 15 refills (sorry i can't be exact i have been using it on and off over 4 weeks) in the 0.5ohm tank and the flavour is still all there! Because i have been using the kit on and off quite often a full tank of e-liquid has been left on top of the device for a couple of days and i experienced no leaking whatsoever. There is a mistake in the manual saying the 1.0ohm coil is best with freebase and the 0.5ohm is best with nic salts, that should of been printed the other way around. The 1.0ohm coil did work well with 50/50 nic salts but i mainly used the same 70VG freebase with both Gemm Pods and they both wicked just fine. The Gemm Pods did need filling regularly especially the 0.5ohm but the top filling method made it very quick and mess free. As mentioned i like the power settings and battery indication is also very good. The device is giving good value for it's 1300mAh being very efficient, when using the 0.5ohm Gemm Pod all day it needed charging just once put when i was using the 1.0ohm Gemm Pod it was lasting nearly all day. Of course this will vary depending how much you vape and what setting you use but i'm a heavy vaper, if that's anything to go by. Charging though is sluggish, luckily it supports pass-through and all that's left to mention is the device gives a constant hum when firing which was annoying to start with but i just had to check if it's still doing it (which it is) as after a while i didn't notice it. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Low Price For plastic low budget device made well 4 colour options 4 Gemm Pod colour options (to match device) 3 power settings Power settings indications Good battery status indication Multiple safety protections lightweight and Portable Fires instantly and performs well Quick mess free top-fill Adjustable airflow (moves with nice tolerance) Smooth airflow Restricted direct lung and full MTL spectrum Both Gemm Pods gave cracking flavour Good longevity with Gemm Pods No leaking experienced Efficient Supports pass-through Both Gemm Pod Mod and Gemm Pods can be used independently Cons Incorrectly named (not a Pod Mod or Pods) Plastic budget device (not for everyone) Hum when firing (I got use to it) Mistake in Manual Sluggish charging I would once again like to thank Linda from Freemax for supplying the GEMM 25W Pod Mod Kit 1300mAh for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  13. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Piin Disposable Pod from Moti. The Piin Disposable Pod was supplied for the purpose of this review by Leon from Moti. Introduction Moti continuously release various type of pod devices and here we have their latest release which is a disposable pod device coming in 10 different flavour options. The small crayon sized disposable pod has a 320mAh battery, 1.6ohm resistance coil and 1.6ml capacity. Coming with either a 20mg or 50mg nicotine strength the draw activated disposable pod is aimed at new vapers trying to quit the stinkies and those that need a quick nicotine fix, let's give the Moti Piin Disposable Pod a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1x Moti Piin Disposable Pod ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Piin Disposable Pod comes in cardboard packaging with viewing window and the colour of the box represents the flavour of the device. The Device has a very ergonomic cylindrical shape and is very much the same shape and size as the body of a crayon, both the mouthpiece and base have a silicone protective cover. We have branding on the body and the colour of the device again like the packaging is in keeping with the flavour of the Pod. The device has an Aluminium construction with most but not all flavours also having a rubberised coating. We have a mini duck billed Black delrin mouthpiece and matching Black base, on the base we have a square of 4 holes to allow an LED to shine through while the device is activated. ___________________________________________________________________ Piin Disposable Pod Specs and Features: Length: 104.5mm Diameter: 12mm Nicotine Strength: 20mg/50mg 320mAh Built-In Battery 1.6ml Pre-filled 20mg/50mg Salt Nicotine (Approximately 380 Puffs) Resistance: 1.6Ω Disposable Draw Activated Shelf life: 24 months Flavours: Menthol Tobacco, Pineapple Ice, Tropical Mango, Classic Tobacco, Blueberry Parfait, Banana Frost, Mung Bean, Jasmine Tea, Yogurt Drink, Grape Ice ___________________________________________________________________ Flavour Profiles: Menthol Tobacco: A premium menthol tobacco is reminiscent of a widely popular menthol cigarette tobacco blend. Pineapple Ice: It takes tropical pineapples frozen to the core, extracting the cold concentrated flavor to create a frigidly fruity flavor. Tropical Mango: The succulent tropical mango, bursting full of flavor, reduced down and mixed with nicotine salts creates the delectably sweet vape. Classic Tobacco: Thick creamy custard with essence of tobacco leaf. Blueberry Parfait: The notes of creamy yogurt topped with a layer of honey-touched granola, followed by helpings of blueberries bursting with sweet fruity flavor. Banana Frost: A bushel of ripe tropical bananas are left outside on a cold winters day to make for deliciously chilled vape treat. Mung Bean: The sweet south Asian mung beans with classic mint to create a refreshing and rare vape experience. Jasmine Tea: Earthy green tea pared with lightly floral jasmine create a unique and delightfully satisfying vape. Yogurt Drink: The Yogurt Drink is inspired by the classic cultured milk beverage. With its refreshing flavor, and all the zing of yogurt. Grape Ice: Grape Ice is a sweet and crisp experience of freshly picked grapes with notes of juicy candy rolls and a blast of cold menthol. ___________________________________________________________________ How I Found The Flavours? Before receiving the Piin disposable samples i was most looking forward to trying the Banana Frost flavour being a big Banana fan and also the Yogurt Drink flavour as that sounded quite interesting. I was lucky enough to receive 8 of the available 10 flavours but yep the two missing were the two if i had the choice would of been the ones i picked. I tried all 8 flavours i received and overall compared to other disposable's i have tried the flavours are very good but only for those that like coolant as nearly all the flavours have coolant added which was slightly overdone with some flavours. The Jasmine Tea is a bit of an acquired taste with a very floral tone which really wasn't to my liking and i also found the tropical flavours Pineapple and Mango quite muted but the rest were all very nice with my picks being the Classic Tobacco which is described as having a custard flavour with tobacco leaf but that's not what i tasted as it was much more as the title suggested a smooth rolling authentic tobacco taste. The best though was the Blueberry Parfait which was a Creamy Blueberry with coolant which on this occasion the coolant suited the flavour and it tasted lush! ___________________________________________________________________ Using The Piin The Piin is a simple disposable pod device that comes in the choice of either 20mg or 50mg nicotine salts. The device is draw activated so simply draw on the mouthpiece to take a vape, while you are taking a vape the LED at the base lights Blue. The Battery is 320mAh and said to give 380 puffs, i find with these devices giving an amount of claimed puffs is ridiculous as every puff taken will be a different length so no way of measuring. I have tried a few disposable's and compared to others the 320mAh battery with the 1.6ohm resistance is giving good life but these devices are designed for occasional puffs giving you high nicotine deliverance and not for chain vaping, one thing to point out despite quite decent vapor production is the 1.6ml lasts and the battery does run out of life before you run out of flavour. ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience of Using The Piin Disposable Pods and Thoughts! The first thing is although the draw and high nicotine is very much suited to those giving up the stinkies i really think disposables should be marketed towards vapers who would use them occasionally for when they are in a position when they can't vape regularly so need a quick nicotine fix rather than them being the only devices's used even by new vapers, of course if all these disposable pod manufacturers came together to offer a recycling service then this view would change. I have already covered the flavours which are pretty good as is the draw being very much like a cigarette pull. Apart from when i tested the flavours i used one of the devices as i believe it should be used when i was in positions when i wouldn't be able to vape often and the 20mg devices i received gave a smooth vape that satisfied my nicotine cravings and of course those outside the EU also have the 50mg option (would be far too much for me in any situation). When it comes to battery life it is going to be different for each person depending how they use disposables but as a comparison with other disposables i have tried the Piin is the best so far for life, flavour and draw which didn't really surprise me as they are improving all the time. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Premium look and feel 10 Flavours 20mg or 50mg Nic salts Quick nicotine fix Cigarette type draw Decent vapor Overall impressed with flavours Compared with similar i have used is the best for life, flavour and draw Cons The debate around disposables will go on A couple of flavours muted In general slight overuse of coolant (my opinion) I would once again like to thank Leon from Moti for supplying the Piin Disposable Pod samples for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  14. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the iStick Rim C 80W TC Mod from Eleaf. The Eleaf iStick Rim C 80W TC Mod was supplied for the purpose of this review by Pearl from Cigabuy. Introduction The iStick Rim C is the latest iStick device from Eleaf and the upgraded version of the iStick Rim. The Rim C accommodates an 18650 battery unlike it's predecessor which had an in-built battery but has the same 80W top Wattage. Another upgrade to the Mod is the Rim C has a full TC suit as the Rim was a power mode only device. The Rim also has a TYPE-C interface and supported by QC3.0/PD3.0 charging protocol. The Rim C maintains the same form factor and in-moulding label technology but more toned down designs which will appeal to most, let's give it a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x iStick Rim C 1 x QC3.0 USB Cable 1 x User Manual 1 x Warranty Card 1 x Battery Safety Card ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The iStick Rim C came in the usual Eleaf style of cardboard packaging, i received the White design, the colour/design options are Matte Black, Obsidian Blue, Gradient Red, Rainbow, Gradient Blue and White. The finish is achieved using IML technology, the material is rubber followed by a printed pattern then a protective clear film coating giving a glossy and very durable finish. The device is almost round shaped making it very ergonomic with a rubber panel on the spine for grip. The face has a Chrome panel which houses a large pill shaped fire button top followed by the screen, then below the screen we have the two round navigational buttons lined up vertically, finally underneath the navigational buttons is the Type C USB port. Up top we have the 510 platform with Gold plated, spring loaded 510. The device is very nicely made, very ergonomic and in my opinion most of the colour/design options are very aesthetically pleasing. With it only weighing 79g without a battery even once a battery is fitted it's very light making it ideal for when you are out and about! ___________________________________________________________________ iStick Rim C Specs and Features: Size: 35 x 29.5 x 82mm Weight: 79g Battery type: 1 x 18650 battery (not included) Output wattage: 1-80W Resistance range: 0.05-3.0ohm Input Voltage: DC 5V Charging port: Type-C Lightweight with amazing hand feel Type-C charging port with 2A fast charge Distinctive in Moulding Label(IML) Technology Thread: 510 Colour/Designs: Matte Black, Obsidian Blue, Gradient Red, Rainbow, Gradient Blue, White ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Battery The iStick Rim C accommodates a single 18650 battery which is fitted by removing the side panel. The panel which is removable has a little slot notch at the base to get your fingernail into and off she comes. The panel is secured by one large vertical magnet to the side and one horizontally positioned magnet at the top, the panel snaps shut secure and we have absolutely no play whatsoever, cracking job! We also have a ribbon for easy battery removal but yet again orientation is labelled Black on black, this needs to be White or at least have more contrast so it's more visible! ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The Display is old school and in keeping with other iStick devices displaying just the basic information. To the left we have the horizontal battery status bar, next to this is the resistance top and the selected subpara bottom. The subpara options are puff counter, time of vape or volts, the right side of the screen displays the wattage in large font. The display is very bright and sharp allowing even the small font to be read without difficulty. ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating The iStick Rim C I have always found the iStick devices very easy to navigate and the Rim C has the usual old school Eleaf menu system. To turn the device on and off is 5 clicks of the fire button and when turning on it goes to the main display instantly with no boot up time. Pressing up and down together locks and unlocks the navigational buttons but the device will still fire. To change modes is 3 clicks of the fire button which displays the current mode then we can scroll through the options which are Wattage, Bypass, Temperature Ni, Temperature Ti, Temperature SS followed by 3 temperature memory slots. To enter the menu you need to press up and fire simultaneously which brings up the usual row of icons you can scroll through (they round robin). The first icon is exit which takes you back to the main screen then the next icon is the subpara where you can choose whether you want puffs, time vaped or volts displayed on the screen. The next icon is for turning stealth mode on or off then we have where we can select pre-hest and set the wattage and duration. Next is timeout options followed by hardware and firmware information, finally the last icon when selected shows the voltage on the battery. When adjusting wattage it alters in 0.1W increments up to 20W (for fine tuning MTL vaping) and then switches to 1W increments up to 80W. When in TC you enter the menu the same way but now we get another couple of extra icons which are for TC specific settings. That's it, so simple. ___________________________________________________________________ Protections: The iStick Rim C has all the usual safety protections which include the following: Reverse Polarity Protection Over-Time Protection Short Circuit Protection Over-Current Protection Over-Charge Protection Over-Discharge Protection ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The iStick Rim C The iStick rim C i really enjoyed using as an out and about device, it slips in the pocket and gets swallowed up in the hand when using, but must state i only used it in power mode so wouldn't know how the device fairs using TC. The fire button is easy to feel and very clicky and fires without noticeable delay, like every iStick device i have used it just behaved very reliably. The upgrade of now accommodating an 18650 battery will interest those that liked the look of the original Rim but were put off by the in-built battery, the simple menu system makes the device quite efficient giving full value for the fitted 18650. Eleaf i believe were the first main manufacturer that switched to a TYPE-C USB interface that is supported by QC3.0/PD3.0 charging protocol allowing the battery to be charged very quickly although i still recommend charging in an external charger. The iStick Rim accommodates up to a 26mm atty without overhang so pretty much any atty i can think of that suits an 80W device will fit no problem, it's also firmware upgradeable. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Very well made device Aesthetically appealing (my opinion) 6 Colour/Design options Durable finish (IM labelling) Very ergonomic Pocket friendly Light User friendly simple device Old school display Display sharp and bright Battery panel very secure Battery ribbon fitted TYPE-C interface and supported by QC3.0/PD3.0 charging protocol Full TC Suit (not tested) 26mm atty's without overhang Efficient Nice easy to feel clicky fire button (fires without delay) Worked very reliably Cons Not for high wattage users Single battery (half the capacity of dual battery device) No Custom curves feature (only a con if you like this feature) Black on Black labelled orientation I would once again like to thank Pearl from Cigabuy for supplying the Eleaf iStick Rim C 80W TC Mod for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  15. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Double Barrel V3 from Squid Industries. The Squid Industries Double Barrel V3 was supplied for the purpose of this review by Chelly from Newvaping. Introduction Squid Industries flagship device the Double Barrel has been constantly updated after listening to users and here we have just about a perfected mod with V3. Improvements include an upgraded 510, larger diameter allowing for up to 25mm atty's without overhang, hinged battery door, flush sitting screen, more flexible contacts, sealed top section to protect from leaking atty's and finally more colour options including some hydro drip designs. V3 maintains the same loved ergonomic double barrel form factor along with the multi function dial fire button. The 150W dual 18650 Double Barrel V3 with it's high end build quality is more than worthy of a good look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 Double Barrel V3 mod 2 Mod guards 1 user manual 1 Warranty Card ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Double Barrel V3 comes in simple but sturdy cardboard box packaging and on opening i was met by a very aesthetically pleasing device with both finish and form factor catching my eye. I received the Inferno version that in my opinion looks stunning, at the risk of showing a feminine side i also really like the Flower of Life version but there are plenty of both plain and Hydro drip (?) designs to suit most! The device just looks and feels quality and is small for a dual battery device basically being 2 tubes joined together when it comes to form factor. The device is heavy for it's size but reassuringly so and the powder coated paint finish is quite immaculate, hopefully it will stand the test of time. As far as describing the device i feel this is an occasion to let the pictures do the talking! ___________________________________________________________________ Double Barrel V3 Specs and Features: Size: 43 x 25 x 92mm Variable Wattage: 5-150W Battery Type: 2 x 18650 battery (not included) Display: 0.47 inch OLED display Mode: VW Material: Alloy A New Version of Double Barrel Box MOD High-end MOD with Simple Design and Easy Operation Flat Top OLED Display & Multi-functional Fire Button Perfect Combination of Visual and Hand Feeling Dual 18650 Batteries with 150W Max Output Connected Battery Door Multiple Protections Compatible with 25mm Atomizer Strong alloy constructed and powder-coated for a durable finish Spring-loaded 510 thread Colour/Design: Samurai, Flower of Life, Inferno, Chieftain, Champagne Grey, Army Green, Navy Blue, Arctic Camo, Black Obsidian ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The V3 has a bigger display than the previous version and is sharp but behind a tinted cover, i have had no issues reading the display but then it's January so no chance of seeing how it fairs in "bright" daylight. The screen also sits flush and is watertight sealed so no potential leaking e-liquid will get underneath the screen cover. Top left we have a vertical battery status bar and then to the right the wattage. Bottom left displays the resistance and then finally bottom right we have the voltage. When the fire button is pressed the display is at it's brightest before dimming 3 seconds after releasing the fire button, 20 seconds later the device goes into stealth mode. Firing from stealth mode brings no delay whatsoever and the display immediately comes back on bright. ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting the Batteries The Double Barrel accommodates dual 18650 batteries now via a hinged door that uses just a protruding metal section as a fixed latch. For these type of doors to work we need movement when no batteries are installed to allow the door to be slid in and out of the locked position so if there was no play the door simply wouldn't work so the loose floppy nature of the door without batteries isn't a con but just a need. We now have spring loaded contacts at the bottom of the tubes (yet another improvement) and the door uses the pressure of the tight fit of the batteries on the latch to secure in place and absolutely no issues, very secure and no movement whatsoever. I have seen colour versions where orientation is labelled in White (good job!) but i can only review what i receive and the orientation on my Inferno version is both small and Black on Black, please can we have it White on all versions? Also the door fits flush which is great but then we have vertical grooves to help slide the door open before lifting up and securing shut that protrude so it's these grooves the device actually sit on making it a bit wobbly! ___________________________________________________________________ Multipurpose Fire Button The Fire button is also a dial for wattage adjustment and this is where a quality made device like the Double Barrel could of fallen down but the button feels as good quality as the rest of the device. The button has a very stiff click which again i both like and feels of quality, it also gives me confidence it isn't going to fire in my pocket and although we have a lock feature for the dial again it moves with a really nice tolerance and although i never lock it i haven't had the wattage move of it's own accord. ___________________________________________________________________ No USB Port As the Double Barrel V3 is a very simple adjustable wattage only device without any other features then there will be no need for upgrades and as the normal recommendation is not to charge batteries in a device unless it's your only option it makes perfect sense to not have a USB port. However it does mean the device is not suitable for those that don't charge their batteries externally or maybe it's a good reason to finally get a charger! ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating The Device The Double Barrel V3 is a very simple wattage only device which just has a couple of features. The device is the usual 5 clicks of the fire button to turn on and off, the device both boots up and shut's down with incredible speed. Once on 3 clicks of the fire button flips the screen and another 3 clicks flips it back. Four clicks of the fire button locks the dial but the device will still fire a further 4 clicks unlocks the dial, and that's it! You use the dial to adjust the wattage up and down which adjusts in 1W increments between 5W and 150W top wattage, it doesn't round robin. ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience And Thoughts! Just a damn good power only device that fires as quick as is needed, wattage's and resistance readings seem accurate and has an achievable top wattage, non of this 200+ wattage "BS"! Although i do like my dual battery devices for the extra capacity i find myself using single battery mods most of the time for their portability but the beauty of the Double Barrel is it's almost single battery size and so ergonomic firing with either hand and with either finger of thumb that despite it's weight i found it great for using out and about. I love the quality feel of the device and the combo fire button dial for wattage adjustment. Of course if you are a TC user or prefer devices with all the bells and whistles features this isn't going to be for you but if you are after a simple high performing power only device with high build quality then this could be just what you have been looking for! Not supporting on-board charging i understand but there are those that only charge in the device and really for such a simple device not being firmware upgradeable is a non-issue. V3 now supports up to 25mm atty's without overhang which is another upgrade and finally it's worth mentioning how efficient i have been finding the device with battery life being better than average. What most impresses me with this device is that Squid Industries listened to feedback and improved cons that were brought up with the previous version, cracking job! ___________________________________________________________________ Likes High build quality Solid device Plenty of plain and design options Hydro dip designs Double barrel cylindrical form factor Ergonomic Portable High quality combo fire button dial Dual battery device Realistic 150W top wattage Simple device Sealed flush sitting screen Efficient, good battery life Boots on and off very quickly Fires instantly from stealth Wattage's and resistant readings seem accurate Batteries fit very securely Wattage adjustment using dial (1W increments) Fits up to 25mm atty's without overhang Cons Heavy for size Black on Black battery marked orientation with my Inferno version Tinted screen cover, may be difficult to see display in bright daylight (can't check in January) A little wobbly, due to protruding grooves on battery door No TC or/and bells and whistles features (for those that like a simple device) No on-board charging (only an issue if you only charge in the device) I would once again like to thank Chelly from Newvaping for supplying the Squid Industries Double Barrel V3 for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  16. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Bantam Box Revision Kit from SXK and Pro-Vapes. The SXK Bantam Box Revision was supplied for the purpose of this review by Linky from Sacowin, SXK's marketing company. Introduction SXK possibly best known for their one to one clones have teamed up with a UK company Pro-Vapes to bring us not a clone but a mini Billet Box influenced device called the Bantam Box. The Bantam Box was released a few months ago but here we have a revised edition which includes as well as a Billet Style Boro tank a pre-installed pod style tank with quick fill method especially designed to work with the included Nautilus coil adaptor. The Revision version also comes with an included 18350 battery and with everything that's included concentrates on stock coil use rather than rebuildables as it also including an Kangertech EUC adaptor, let's give it a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1x Bantam Box Device 1x 18350 Battery 1x Refillable Pod Unit 1x Refillable Tank Unit 1x Quick Release Connector 1x Flush Fit Connector 1x 1.8ohm Aspire Nautilus Coil 1x 1.5ohm Ceramic MTL Coil 1x EUC Coil Adaptor ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Bantam Box Revision came in cardboard box packaging with everything included having it's own compartment within the box. Both side panels on all versions are Black G10 and the device comes in 7 chassis colour options, i received the Green. The colour options are Silver, Purple, Brown, Red, Black, Orange and Green, the chassis material is Aluminium. The device is Billet Box Styled but a small square mini version making it very convenient as a carry about device and very comfortable to use. Up top we have both a mini screen and 510 drip tip housed in the drip tip adaptor which is also to secure the internal tank. Towards the bottom on one edge we have cutout sections to allow air to the tank and on one side we have a round fire button. The panels have slight play but we have no button rattle and overall build quality is very good. ___________________________________________________________________ Bantam Box Specs and Features: Anodised Aluminium Construction, G10 5.5ml, 2ml Capacity Tank Unit (EU) Dimensions: 55 x 55 x 24.5mm Output Power: 5W - 30W Output Voltage: 1V - 8.0V Resistance Range: 0.4Ω - 3.0Ω Input Voltage: 3.3V - 4.2V Display: 0.49” OLED Quiescent Current: <50uA On-board USB Charging Colours: Silver, Purple, Brown, Red, Black, Orange, Green ___________________________________________________________________ What You Get And What's Available Pre-installed we have a pod style tank with a 5.5ml capacity especially designed for the included nautilus adaptor which will also fit the Billet box. We also received a Boro style tank with pre-installed EUC adaptor and an 18350 battery so the device is ready to go as soon as you receive it. Of course the Boro style A tank will is also compatible with all the available Billet Box bridges including the Vapeshell, Exocet, Xeta, Insider and Crossbow. If i have any con for what's included with the Bantam Box Revision edition it's the fact no rebuildable bridge is included. ___________________________________________________________________ Pod Boro Tank Pre-installed we have a pod influenced Boro style tank with pre-installed Nautilus adaptor and 1.8ohm nautilus coil. The tank has a quick fill port with bung on the front so the glass doesn't need sliding down and we also have a large arch open at the bottom allowing good access to the base of the adaptor to adjust the airflow, yes this nautilus adaptor has adjustable airflow that works very well and knurling on the ring makes adjusting very easy with the tank still installed. ___________________________________________________________________ Drip Tip Adaptors We get two drip tip adaptors one which sits flush and one which gives an higher profile, these adaptors also screw to the top of the Boro tank to secure in place. The fitting is 510 so you can fit your own 510's if you prefer. ___________________________________________________________________ Inside The Device Both panels have notches towards the bottom to help with removal and underneath the panel that houses the fire button is where we can find the USB port if you wish to charge the battery in the device. Removing the other panel gives access to the Boro Tank, navigational buttons and battery. The device accommodates an 18350 battery and a battery ribbon is fitted. ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The small display which is found on top of the device has all the information required and is bright and sharp. Top we have the Wattage, underneath we have to the left the resistance and to the right the pre-heat. At the bottom of the display to the left we have the voltage and finally to the right we have the battery status bar. ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating The Device The device is very simple to operate and is the usual 5 clicks of the fire button to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off. 3 clicks of the fire button flips the display and 3 clicks again flips it back, also pressing both navigational buttons together locks the navigational buttons but the device will still fire. I really don't understand the lock feature as the panel in place will prevent any adjustments so surely if any lock feature locking the fire button would of made more sense. Finally pressing the left navigational button with the fire button scroll through the pre-heats allowing the choice of Normal, Soft or Hard. The wattage adjusts in point one increments between 5W and 30W and round robins. The device will have all the usual safety protections but no information is given, i would imagine firmware upgrades will also be possible but again no information whether the device is upgradeable is given, finally on-board charging is supported. ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience And Thoughts When trying the usual Boro tank with supplied ceramic coil i really found the flavour very muted which surprised me as i normally find ceramic coils superior in flavour. The star of this device though is the Pod influenced Boro Tank with Nautilus adaptor. Filling this tank is so much quicker and a lot less messy than the usual Boro type tanks with sliding glass and with the supplied adaptor having adjustable airflow it's a real winner. The flavour from the Nautilus coil is as expected and possibly still the benchmark for MTL stock coils and readily available. The device has all the same pros and cons as other Billet Box type devices which really are possibly more subjective than with any other device as people like different things and whats a major drawback to some can be quite petty to others with worth while benefits. I must say the whole idea of just fitting different bridges to the same device giving multiple options is something that will appeal to many including me and with this mini type device it adds a stealth option. With the device only accommodation an 18350 battery of course battery life isn't great compared to larger versions but then 18350 batteries are tiny and personally i have no issues carrying a spare safely but then i guess some people just prefer not having to remember and having bigger capacity which is fair enough. Also the original Bantam box included a rebuildable bridge which i really would of preferred also including with the revised version. Not sure how the TPD version has it's capacity reduced (i would guess just a removable bung in the pod type tank with the spare Boro tank being full capacity). The capacity is really good, i have mainly been using the pod style tank with Nautilus coils and it lasts all day before needing to refill. A combination of the Bantam Box and the Nautilus coil is giving me a beautiful MTL vape with airflow halfway at 13W. The draw for me at halfway is semi-loose but the adjustable airflow allows for also a tight and loose draw, really good adjustability! ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Good build quality 7 colour options G10 panels Small and portable Pod style Boro tank (quick to fill) Adjustable airflow with Nautilus adaptor Top flavour Nautilus coil 2 drip tip adaptors included Can fit own 510 Spare Boro tank included EUC coil adaptor included Compatible with many available bridges Battery included Bright, sharp display Easy to navigate Cons No rebuildable bridge included 18350 battery (small capacity) Slight play with panels Included ceramic coil had muted flavour I would once again like to thank Linky from Sacowin for supplying the SXK Bantam Box Revision for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  17. Hi Vapor Talk, In this review i take a look at the SX Auto by YiHi SXmini. The SX Auto was supplied for the purpose of this review by David from YiHi SXmini. Introduction The SX Auto is the third portable device to be released incorporating the latest technology from Yihi, the ESS(Electronic Spray System) Driver integrated with the latest third generation temperature control technology. Don't shoot me if i'm wrong but as far as i can work out both iPV (Pioneer4You) who brought us the first portable device using the technology and VSticking are owned by Yihi SXmini so while SXmini concentrates on high end products we have iPV bringing us more affordable products while the aim of VSticking is to offer luxury but at an affordable price. I made no secret of the fact i love this new technology when i first reviewed the iPV version and was quite blown away when VSticking then brought us a version with a more functional TC DIY mode along with Rebuildable ADA's. The SX Auto was supposed to be released early August and i have been expecting my sample since the end of July but due to YiHi SXMini wanting the device to be as perfect as possible constant updates before release has caused a 5 month delay, in fact their was yet another firmware update since it was sent. The SX Auto offers 3 rather than 2 preset modes for each type of ADA in Auto mode and a more in depth menu system in both Auto Mode and especially in DIY mode than was offered previously, add to this the high end build quality that i can only describe as outstanding and the SX Mini SX Auto is definitely worth a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 SX Auto Device 1 0.2ohm SX-ADA Atomizer 1 0.8ohm SX-ADA Atomizer Silicone cover on each ADA 1 Micro-USB Cable Manual Warranty Card ___________________________________________________________________ What You Get And What's Available? Looking at the back of the boxes that the ADA's come in (2 per box) there are 3 different ADA's available a 0.2ohm Ni and a 0.8ohm SS316 both of which are included and also a 0.6ohm ADA which i assume will also be SS316 that needs to be purchased separately. You don't receive the rebuildable SX-RSA Esea which again is available separately. Extra 3.5ml e-liquid tanks can also be bought separately again with 2 in each box. ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The SX Auto came in the usual White cardboard packaging familiar with SXmini products and i was lucky enough to receive a number of different versions. The options are Antique Bronze, Antique Copper, Carbon Black, Carbon Gun Metal and Elegant Black, all versions look very classy. The Zinc Alloy constructed device has both a high end feel and look to it and even on close study is immaculate. For a small device it has some weight to it but is still very portable and ergonomic in fact it feels quite luxurious in the hand. It has a C type frame with a top cut corner and cylindrical spine. The large protruding fire button has a top cut corner to match the device and towards the bottom of the face of the device we have 2 diagonal pill shaped protruding navigational buttons. Between the fire and navigational buttons we have the screen, the buttons are also zinc alloy that give a stiff satisfying click and we have no rattle or movement whatsoever. Towards the bottom of the cylindrical spine we have the e-liquid tank that can be pulled downwards then moving to the base we can also see the bottom of the e-liquid tank, safety stamps and the USB port, which i wish was anywhere on the device other than the base. ___________________________________________________________________ SX Auto Specs and Features: Powered by the YiHi SX685J processor Battery capacity: 1400mAh Reservoir capacity: 3.5ML Reservoir material: PETG Temperature range: F' 356° - 446° C' 180° - 230° Max Charge: 5V/1A Quiescent Current <1 μA E-liquid pump speed: 15-80 Device size: 81.8*48*20.3mm Colours available: Antique Bronze, Antique Copper, Carbon Black, Carbon Gun Metal, Elegant Black ___________________________________________________________________ How The System Works The SX Auto is a temperature control and bottom feeder device. The YiHi chip also controls the supply of e-liquid to the atomizer by pumping just enough e-liquid as you vape so when you press the fire button it heats the coil while simultaneously spraying the atomizer's build with e-liquid via the electronic pumping system, the system is called ESS (Electronic Spray System) Driver. The idea is that the e-liquid is completely isolated from the heating core apart from when you actually vape so you are always vaporising fresh e-liquid, so giving improved flavour. Although it's a temperature control device it's a proprietary system although unlike the iPV V3-Mini it does have a DIY mode which offers much more TC functionality. In Auto mode the settings have been tailored to suit the available ADA's and is very user friendly so those that only normally vape using power mode will have no issues using the device as it's very simple to use. ___________________________________________________________________ The SX ADA's The SX ADA's look just like little 16mm RDA's and work the same way just are not rebuildable so once you are not getting satisfactory flavour you need to replace it with a new one. The all in one top-cap and mouth section can be turned to adjust airflow and of course it has a BF pin fitted but like with the ELF and SMA ADA's that came with the iPV V3-Mini and VKSma it's not standard 510 threading but proprietary. The threading is much shorter but wider than the usual 510 threading and the connector on top of the device is shallow and has a fixed BF pin, the real bummer here is despite being proprietary like with the iPV V3-Mini and VKSma they have managed to have it a slightly different size so the ADA's from each device are not compatible with each other. Also available is a rebuildable ADA which is called the SX-RSA Esea which is very similar to the rebuildable ADA that is available for the VKSma. Although for those not into rebuildables will find the iPV version a really good device having a rebuildable ADA and DIY mode takes both the VKSma and SX Auto to the next level. ___________________________________________________________________ The E-Liquid Tank The e-liquid tank holds 3.5ml of e-liquid and towards the top there is an indented section to get your finger into for grip, just pull down and it slides out of the device. Looking at the device their is a pipe that feeds all the way down to the bottom, when fitting the tank just feed the pipe into the main hole at the top of the tank and slide back into position, it fits perfectly. Looking at the top of the tank we have a hole which is used for both filling and feeding the pipe into as already described. We also have a second minute hole which allows air to escape or suck air in depending on the requirement, make sure you leave enough volume for the pipe when filling. I found filling and both removing and refitting the tank quick, easy and a 100% mess free experience. ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The display is very simple but sharp and very bright, all the pictures included does show the display to be blurred but it's simply the case that it's too bright for my camera. To the left we have the battery status bar then centre we have the temperature either in Celsius or Fahrenheit depending what unit you have set. Finally we have the wattage boost setting which will be either P1, P2 or P3 depending which you have selected. The display when in DIY mode is very similar but displays the settings you have made including Joules. ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating And Operating SX Auto The device is turned on by 5 clicks of the fire button but turning off needs to be done within the menu system, once on 3 clicks of the fire button locks the device, this locks the entire device and it will not fire, to unlock it's again 3 clicks of the fire button. The device is very easy to use once you have used it for a while but is a device that to get to grips with quickly needs the manual handy and i feel the device could with the addition of a select button be much easier to navigate from the off. With the device on clicking the fire button 5 times changes the display to have your preset highlighted along with the temperature and you can cycle between P1, P2 or P3, another press of the fire button allows the temperature to be set. A further press of the fire button highlights exit but a further press allows you to select the menu which first brings up temperature unit. When the temperature unit is displayed a further press of the fire button gives you the option of shutting the device down and finally it goes to Update for when you want to update the firmware. When on the normal operating screen single pressing up or down alters by one unit the speed of the electronic pump, 15 being the lowest and 80 being the highest. If you find the vape is cutting out due to their not being enough e-liquid being delivered just increase the pumps speed. you can also hold down the up button to pump e-liquid to the atomizer without vaping. If you find the pumps setting is too high causing the deck to flood or giving spit back you can initially hold the down button which will suck the access liquid back into the tank before lowering the speed of the pump to a suitable speed. That's it! Just vape and the e-liquid will automatically be pumped to the atomizer at the same time. The Presets Represent: Ni wire 0.2ohm ADA: P1 = 15-20W P2 = 25-30W P3 = 30-35W SS316 Wire 0.8ohm ADA: P1 = 10.5-12W P2 = 12.5-13.5W P3 = 14-16W The variations in wattage is because it's not a constant output device so the power will decrease (i barely noticed) as the voltage of the battery drops. ___________________________________________________________________ DIY Mode The SX Auto offers DIY mode to use with the rebuildable SX-RSA which to enter you need to press both navigational buttons together. When you first enter DIY mode it briefly shows the software version number before going to the working screen which displays the battery status bar to the left, joules central and wire type to the right. When in DIY mode Pressing the fire button 5 times changes the screen to have joules highlighted left and the temperature to the right. The joules can be altered or another press of the fire button highlights temperature. The menu works the same as when in Auto mode but added to the menu is choosing wire type or TCR, an option to go back to Auto Mode and setting resistance which needs to be done for a new RSA build to work. The DIY Mode really isn't ideal for beginners as it's a bit complicated and if you are not familiar with temp control my only advice would be not be afraid of it and although they are not the same treating Joules as Wattage will uncomplicate things and be a good starting point. ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The SX Auto To start with a bit of background as when i first heard about the ESS Driver technology i read up about it and was immediately intrigued. Also this is the third device i have reviewed using the technology and i have enjoyed using all 3 devices. The SX Auto works exactly the same as the previous 2 devices although the pump is quieter than on the VKSma. The only alterations made to this device are all pro's which are an added preset for each ADA and much more extensive menu system especially using the DIY mode. Being usually an RTA user of course i loved using the device in DIY mode with the rebuildable SX-RSA but even both ADA's gave RDA quality flavour and the way the system works the longevity of the ADA's are different league compared to other disposable products like stock coils and disposable tanks. Although the Ni 0.2ohm is best for DL and the 0.8ohm SS ADA for MTL with the adjustable airflow either can be used with both styles although if using the SS ADA with airflow fully open it does become a cool vape. Although the e-liquid tank holds just 3.5ml of liquid i have been finding due to the way the system micro manages the e-liquid supply it's outlasting a 7ml bottle on a standard bottom feed device. Finally the battery life is very good, because i have used the device for a few hours per day for the past 3 weeks rather than whole days it's difficult to be exact about battery life but i would say most vapers will find it lasting all day with the 0.8ohm ADA although with the 0.2ohm ADA (which i preferred) it will probably need one charge during the day, with the RSA it will depend on the build. The only cons for me is the lack of compatibility between the ADA's for the three available ESS Driver portable devices, the fact the menu system does take some time to get to grips with and the USB port is not Type C. The device took 1 hour 45 minutes to charge and i would of liked that to be nearer 1 hour but it does support pass-through although the USB port is on the base which i also don't like, finally the device is firmware upgradeable. ___________________________________________________________________ Conclusion For me how good is a device is mostly down to how much you enjoy using it so it will be different for everyone. As i started testing the SX Auto late December i can quite honestly say it's the best device i used in 2019! Likes Outstanding build quality Aesthetically pleasing Many classy colour/design options Portable Innovation ESS (Electronic Spray System) Driver Integrated YiHi Chipset Easy to use temperature controlled device (Auto Mode) 3 Wattage presets E-liquid isolated from heating core until you vape Can manually pump e-liquid to atomizer or suck back into tank if needed MTL or Restricted DL Device lock Device can be turned off and on Clean leak resistant BF set-up 3.5ml tank of e-liquid goes a long way due to micro management system Removing, Filling and reinstalling tank very quick, easy and mess free Adjustable airflow RDA flavour ADA's give very good longevity Rebuildable RSA can be purchased separately RSA easy to build and performs well (restricted DL or loose MTL) DIY Mode Very good battery life (1400mAh) Supports pass-through Firmware upgradeable Cons Slight drop off in power towards end of battery life (barely noticeable) Takes 1 hour 45 minutes to charge (could be quicker) USB on base of device and not type C DIY mode not ideal for beginners (a bit complicated setting up) ADA's not compatible with other ESS Driver devices I would once again like to thank David from YiHi SXmini for supplying the SX Auto for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  18. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Preva DNA Kit from Wismec. The WISMEC PREVA DNA Kit was supplied for the purpose of this review by Ella from Sourcemore. Introduction The Wismec Preva DNA Kit is the premium version of the also released standard Preva kit which houses the DNA Go board making it a direct competitor to the Orion. On first looks the Preva DNA has plenty to trump the original Orion DNA Go but then seems a little outdated stacked up against the Orion Plus leaving me a little confused. The Preva DNA is a very good device but just leaves me feeling it needed updating before release to take on the Orion Plus rather than the original Orion which would make it more relevant, but let's take a look anyway! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x PREVA DNA Battery 1 x PREVA SS316 Dual 0.25ohm Cartridge (Pre-installed) 1 x PREVA KTR 0.5ohm Cartridge 1 x USB Cable 1 x User Manual 1 x Warning Card ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Preva DNA came in nice sturdy clear plastic packaging and even when packaged looks a classy premium product. For a pod/AIO device the Preva DNA is heavy but in a good way as it just feels and looks high quality. I will leave most of it's description down to the pictures but must say it has an Aegis look to me and i really do like it both aesthetically and ergonomically. ___________________________________________________________________ Preva DNA Specs and Features: Parameters: Size: 96mm * 43mm * 18.6mm Battery Type: Built-in 1050mAh Rechargeable Battery Cartridge Capacity: 2ml Maximum Wattage Output: 20W Coil Type: 0.25ohm DL Coil and 0.5ohm MTL Coil Three Power Outputs: Low (Yellow), Medium (Green), High (Blue) Multiple Protection: Timeout Protection, Low Voltage Protection, Short Circuit Protection Charging Port: MicroUSB Port-1A Max Current Features: • Proprietary Evolv DNA GO Board • Support advanced power adjustment with maximum support 20W wattage output • Highly durable metal construction with visually striking carbon-fiber designs • Responsive bottom adjustment button with corresponding LED lights • Intuitive LED Battery Life Indicator • 0.25ohm DL and 0.5ohm MTL coil option to meet your different demands for vaping. • Dynamic dual airflow control and Low/High resistance warning • Convenient Sliding Top-Fill Design • Multiple protection mechanisms ensuring vaping safety Colour: Carbon Fiber ___________________________________________________________________ The Pod/Cartridge Included is 2 different pods which are closed so the coil can't be replaced which for me is a big con as i would much sooner replace just the coil when required rather than the whole pod. The pods are tinted but the e-liquid level can be easily seen along with the large amount of cotton used for wicking. The pods have adjustable airflow and the drip tip is a standard 510 fit so you can use your own if you prefer, also the pods have a neat slide open top-fill method i will cover in the next section. The pods look identical but are clearly labelled on the base, the pre-installed pod hosts a 0.25ohm SS316L dual parallel coil for DL, the other hosts a Kanthal 0.50ohm coil for MTL. Looking at the base of the pod we can see the 2 indented contacts to one side and the entire base section is metallic. The pods hold 2ml of e-liquid but there are also 3ml pods available. ___________________________________________________________________ Adjustable Airflow and Filling Underneath where the 510 drip tip gets fitted we have an airflow control ring with dual cyclops which gives quite good adjustability, the ring is quite loose but doesn't move on it's own accord so i quite like it as adjustments can be made with little effort. The top of the pod also has a grooved section that can be slid open to reveal a fair sized fill port. The samples that were sent out had reviewers liking the fill method but not the membrane which meant needle tipped bottles were needed but Wismec listened and the retail version pods do not have a membrane making filling very quick and mess free, excellent job! ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting the pod Unlike the Orion pods that get fitted via a clip the pods on the Preva DNA just get secured via magnets but there is very little play while removing the pod is still very easy. looking inside the pod bay we can see towards one side the spring loaded contacts then a central large magnet and 2 smaller magnets in 2 of the corners. If there is one complaint it's only the very top of the pod that protrudes out of the device so to check your liquid level the pod needs removing from the device. ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating The Preva DNA The device is very user friendly and comes set-up with 3 power settings for each pod out the box plus Replay is also set-up for use with the 0.25 SS316L coil. Down one side of the device we have a large fire button top and then a column of chevrons. Most of the chevrons are grooves and purely there for aesthetics but the bottom chevron is a chevron shaped mode button and the chevron above is the LED indicator. The device is the usual 5 clicks of the fire button to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off and either action is confirmed by the LED flashing White 4 times. To alter settings you just need to use the mode button, click once which will light the LED in the current setting colour and then each further click cycles through the options. Once you have the setting you want just press the fire button to vape, while the fire button is pressed the LED indicates your current setting. The out the box settings are: 0.5ohm Kanthal Pod Yellow = 10W Green = 12W Blue = 14W 0.25ohm SS216L Pod Yellow = 14W Green = 16W Blue = 20W When using the SS316L pod then you can also go into Replay mode which is done by when you take a puff you feel was ideal then hold the mode button down until it lights up in the Replay indication colour and then each future puff will duplicate the puff you liked until Replay is turned off. To turn off Replay again just hold down the mode button until the LED lights in the colour of the setting you are were using before turning Replay on. The first thing those that use Escribe will probably want to do is change the indication colour of Replay as out the box Wismec in their wisdom have set Replay as Green which is also the same Colour used for the middle normal setting. The Indicator LED also shows battery status which can be checked by double clicking the fire button which causes the LED to light in the current status colour, the indications are: Red = 0 - 30% Yellow = 30 - 70% Green = 70 - 95% Aqua = 95 - 100% When charging the device indications are also shown, the Preva DNA charges at 1A which allows the 1050mAh battery to be charged in just over an hour which is very good! Finally the device has plenty of protections which are indicated by various flashes of the LED. ___________________________________________________________________ Protections: Over-charge Protection Short Circuit Protection Over 7s Protection Over-current Protection Low Voltage Protection Dry Burn Protection Temperature Protection ___________________________________________________________________ Replay Mode Replay is still quite a new feature which was introduced by Evolv when they released the DNA 75C chipset and has been met with great enthusiasm. Some say it's temp control, others say it's something quite different and to be honest all i know is temperature plays a big part in it's calculations and it includes anti dry hit technology. Replay is a flavour based feature which you choose to save a recorded puff when the vape and flavour is just how you like it, once a recorded puff is "Replayed" it gives the same recorded puff over and over so if certain recorded calculations can't be met will compensate in other areas of the calculation so the flavour and vape quality should remain the same. Once setup (which is simple) Replay is a pain free user friendly feature unlike full temp control while still giving the same anti dry hit technology. Like the Orion on the Preva DNA it doesn't even need setting up, that's already been done so it can be used straight out the box. I love the replay feature and rarely use any of my DNA devices other than in Replay mode. ___________________________________________________________________ Using With Escribe The great thing about having the DNA Go board is the device can be used with the Escribe DNA Go software allowing all the settings and many other things to be altered to tailor the device to perform how you want it. With the device being fairly new to me for now i have simply altered the Replay indicator colour to Magenta so it's a different colour to the middle power setting but i will probably up the wattage settings for the 0.5ohm Kanthal coil as i am finding the vape a bit on the cool side. ___________________________________________________________________ How it Vapes? And Thoughts! Mixed really, comparing the device to the original Orion this is better without a doubt, just better executed but then i feel it's also a missed opportunity. The device was no doubt designed to go head to head with the Orion and better it and i feel that has been achieved but if while a device is being designed the competition release a better version (Orion Plus) surely you should also aim higher and delay release while improvements are made, that wasn't done which has resulted in a really good device but falls short of the 5 settings and replaceable coils the Orion Plus offers. Just judging the Preva DNA on it's own merits it's possibly the best device i have used from Wismec and build quality is high end. I love it's ease of use and both pods give cracking flavour and good longevity. As long as you don't chain vape any e-liquid can be used but with all that cotton i found if chain vaping is how you vape i wouldn't go higher than 60% VG. The 0.5ohm Kanthal pod really gives a cool vape which could be improved by altering the settings within Escribe but of course you have no Replay option with this pod and as all draws can be achieved (medium MTL, loose MTL and restricted direct lung) with both pods i personally would only be buying the 0.25ohm SS pods in future which give a cracking vape and allow me to use the Replay feature. I love the fill method and that i could use my own 510 if i wanted but for the Preva DNA to go from being a very good device to possibly the best Pod/AIO system Wismec would need to bring out pods that accommodate replaceable coils and a firmware update would be needed to give more settings options and slightly higher top wattage. I found the battery needed charging once during the day but then i vape a lot and comparable to similar devices battery life is very good also charging in just over an hour is more than acceptable. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes High end build quality DNA Go board Alter settings using Escribe Replay feature Replay set-up out the box Aesthetically pleasing and Portable 3 Settings per pod 2 Different pod options Medium MTL, loose MTL or Restricted direct lung (both pods) Adjustable airflow Excellent slide open top-fill method Standard 510 drip-tip fitting (can use own) Supplied drip-tip very comfortable 3ml pods available 1A charging (charges in just over an hour) Good battery life Settings indications Battery Status indication Multiple protections No leaking whatsoever Pods fit securely Cons Coils can't be replaced in Pods 0.5ohm Pod can't be used with Replay 0.5ohm coil gives cool vape 3 settings per pod compared to 5 settings with Orion Plus (comparison) Out the box Replay indication colour the same as medium setting Need to remove pod to see juice level I would once again like to thank Ella from Sourcemore for supplying the WISMEC PREVA DNA Kit for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  19. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Diesel RTA from Timesvape. The Diesel RTA was supplied for the purpose of this review by Pearl from Cigabuy. Introduction The Diesel is yet another collaboration AmbitionZVaper is involved with, this time with Timesvape. The Disesel is a top airflow dual coil RTA which seems a mish mash of previous RTA's that i'm sure people will spot and shows no innovation whatsoever. After saying that it doesn't mean the end result will be poor and on first look the Diesel may shape up to be quite a good dual coil RTA, let's find out. ___________________________________________________________________ In the Box Contents: 1 Diesel RTA 1 Spare 5ml Glass 1 User Manual 1 Spare Parts ___________________________________________________________________ Upgraded When the Diesel was first released i seem to remember both the pre-installed straight tube and included 5ml bubble tube where polycarbonate, there was only 2 colour options and the deck was a in your face Gold coloured/plated affair! The Diesel now comes with both a 2ml and 5ml glass tube, comes in 6 colour options and at least the Gunmetal option i received has a Stainless Steel build deck. ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics The Diesel was packaged in a cardboard box with viewing window positioned to see just the RTA without opening. I received the Gunmetal version, the other options are Stainless Steel, Matte Black, Gold, Blue and Rainbow, the RTA comes pre-installed with a 2ml straight glass and smoked very low profile 810 drip tip. The RTA although 25ml at the base immediately tapers out to be a 27mm RTA and with the bubble glass installed has it's diameter increased further. A lot of metal is on show up top where we have the airflow control section and top-cap and the RTA is much heavier than average. We have dual cyclops slots with also some vertical grooves for grip, above is the top-cap which has aggressive fine knurling that gives really good grip. The base see's the same aggressive knurling for grip before it tapers as mentioned to the base. Looking at the base we have printed safety marks and branding, the Gold plated 510 protrudes. Finally looking through the glass section "DIESEL" is printed on the outer chamber which is domed at the top. ___________________________________________________________________ Diesel RTA Specs and Features: 25mm Diameter 27mm Widest Point 2ml Standard Glass Capacity 5ml Capacity Bubble tube Pyrex Glass Reinforcement Superior Stainless Steel Construction Threaded Top Refill System - Dual Fill Ports Dual Slotted Top Airflow Control Ring - Leak-Proof Elevated Postless Build Deck - Terminals on Floor of Build Deck Side Secured via Flathead Screws Dual Coil Configuration PEEK Insulator 48 Hole Build Deck Airflow - Half Pipe Shaped Domed Flavor Cap 810 Widebore Drip Tip 510 Connection Available in: Stainless Steel, Matte Black, Gold, Blue, Gunmetal, Rainbow ___________________________________________________________________ The Diesel's Various Parts The Diesel comprises of a very low profile 810 which just isn't practical and no alternative is provided, i can see most people instantly fitting one of their own. We then have the top-cap that has quite short threading but screws deep down below the airflow control section which means filling is a breeze because if any liquid is spilt it will still find it's way down into the fill slots. The top-cap also has the chimney attached which is just press fitted into the inner chamber, likewise the inner chamber is just press fitted into the main chamber so comes out very easily, but once the tank is together everything is fine. Next we have the airflow control section which is just the control ring as most of how the top airflow works is included in the top-cap section. This is followed by the chamber with attached juice port plate which has dual kidney ports, as mentioned we then have an inner chamber that just press fits into place. The glass tube gets secured and sealed top and bottom with o-rings and as well as the pre-installed 2ml glass a 5ml bubble glass is also included. Finally we have the base section with postless raised deck with impressive if not original honeycomb halfpipe walls. Finally in the bag of spares we have a useless little blue screwdriver, spare flathead (rubbish) grub screws and plenty of o-rings and finally a couple of spare insulators. No coils or cotton is included which is a big con for me as any rebuildable atty should come with everything needed to do at least one build! ___________________________________________________________________ Filling Filling the Diesel is the very common method of unscrewing the top-cap to reveal two good sized kidney shaped fill ports. The threading isn't long so only about 3 turns before it's off and the ports are recessed into the top section so any spilt liquid will still find it's way through the ports. When the top-cap is unscrewed the chimney is actually attached to the top-cap which is a first for me and the only issue i had was as in the second picture sometimes the airflow control ring stays attached to the fill plate when removing the top-cap but that's nothing major. ___________________________________________________________________ The Airflow The Diesel allows air into the RTA via the top dual cyclops airflow control ring which moves with a nice tolerance but has no stopper and as mentioned sometimes stays attached to the tank when removing the top-cap. As mentioned when the top-cap is removed the central chimney section is attached and looking around the surround of the chimney we have two kidney shaped (similar to the fill ports) openings which allow the air that has entered through the control ring to travel over the top of the inner chamber but within the outer. The inner chamber just gets press fitted into the outer chimney and sometimes when unscrewing the base the inner chamber also comes with it but again not really an issue and having the inner chamber this way does help with cleaning. Because the inner chamber isn't fixed though does mean the two cutout sections either side of the inner chamber needs lining up with the already mentioned kidney shaped airflow inlets on the underneath of the top-cap. The deck has 2 halfpipe walls either side which are straight rather than curved to the contour of the outer chamber so when they are lined up with the cutouts of the inner chamber cavities are formed between the airflow walls and the outer chamber so now the airflow can go through the honeycomb outlets of the walls directed at the coils. The walls either side consist of 3 rows of 8 holes to hit the side of the coils before we then have a lower recessed section with a further 2 rows of 5 holes directed at the underside of the coils giving plenty of coverage. Finally the inner chamber is domed to encourage flavour and both the large airflow walls and having an inner chamber reduces the space again which in theory is another ingredient towards getting good flavour. ___________________________________________________________________ Deck and Build As already mentioned the deck has 2 large airflow walls which are split between negative and positive and then the terminals are on the floor of the deck giving us a postless design, the deck is also raised GTA style. With the leads just getting slotted into the terminals from above then screwed tight from the sides in theory it should be a very easy build but i actually found it a little awkward. To reach the screw heads the screwdriver needs to travel quite a way into the opening before reaching the head and when undoing it's very easy to over undo as the heads don't reach anything like flush with the openings before you run out of threading and the grub screw falls out. Twice i had a screw fall out and on one of those occasions the very small screw was never found so first build and already on a spare, it doesn't help either that they are flathead screws which i don't know anyone who likes them so why they keep appearing on decks is beyond me. Once you do get the leads tightened it's plain sailing as you can use a coiling rod or fit for purpose tool to get your coils in the best position using the halfpipe walls as a guide. I forgot to mention because it's postless in regards fixing your leads they will need to be pre-cut and i would suggest 5.5mm but 5mm or 6mm will also allow for good positioning. Wicking is straightforward being a floating deck as we have a nice size void with containment rail to just poke your cotton ends through, very forgiving! The build i did was using a pair of coils labelled as Kanthal Aliens 3ID 0.45ohms and the final build came out to 0.20ohm. ___________________________________________________________________ How it Vaped and My Thoughts! To start with i love the look of the RTA with the pre-installed 2ml glass and low profile Smoked drip tip but the capacity really needed increasing and the drip tip might look great but is just too low profile to be comfortable, unfortunately i found the tank to look ugly with the bubble glass and more practical drip tip but that's the way it needed to be. Mainly due to the screws i found the build a bit more awkward than it should of been but lining your coils up is easy using the airflow halfpipes as a guide and also the terminals are a fair size so thick wire could be used. The inner chamber and the airflow control ring both occasionally come off with the deck and top-cap but once the tank is screwed together everything works fine and the airflow control ring moves smoothly with a nice tolerance. The airflow is restricted as would be expected from a top airflow honeycomb style but not as restricted as i thought it would be and fully open there was too much air for me so needed the airflow a third closed for the restriction i like. The Diesel gives a good balance between flavour and cloud but is a Jack of all trades and master of none as there are far better RTA's for flavour or cloud. where it does shine is the smoothness of the airflow being very smooth however you have it set, it's also a surprisingly quiet tank. Other things i like is the large capacity with the bubble glass and the airflow design makes it about as leakproof as a tank can get, the final disappointment is although the Diesel overall is quite unique as a package there is no innovation as it just previous executed ideas being combined and packaged as something new! ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Good machining Good top fill method Can fit own 810 drip tip 6 colour options Now with glass tubes rather than polycarbonate Leak resistant top airflow design Honeycomb halfpipe airflow giving side and bottom coverage Airflow control ring moves smoothly with nice resistance Coils can easily be positioned into good position Will allow use of thick wire Airflow very smooth Less restriction than expected Good balance between flavour and cloud 5ml Capacity (with bubble glass) Inner chamber being press fitted makes cleaning the tank very easy Quiet Cons Short Grub screws set well into side of deck (easily can undo too much and they fall out) Flathead screws Supplied Drip Tip looks nice but not comfortable and no alternative included Tank looks quite ugly with bubble glass (in my opinion) Airflow control ring sometimes stays attached to tank when top-cap removed Inner chamber sometimes comes away with deck No coils or cotton included Although decent flavour and cloud far from special No innovation I would once again like to thank Pearl from Cigabuy for supplying the Timesvape Diesel RTA for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  20. Hi Vapor Talk members, in this review i take a look at the Aegis X 200W TC Kit with Zeus Sub-ohm Tank from Geekvape. The Aegis X 200W TC Kit with Zeus Sub-ohm Tank was supplied for the purpose of this review by Clay from Geekvape. Introduction When the original Aegis was released their was a bit of a buzz about it, almost indestructible, firing time to rival the Drag and battery options that included a 26650. Then more recently we had the Legend a dual battery version followed by the Mini and Solo giving smaller options with either an inbuilt battery or single 18650. The Aegis range of devices just keep coming with 3 more released almost simultaneously, the Aegis Squonk adding a squonking option, Aegis Boost giving an Pod/AIO to the Aegis family and This the Aegis X which is a dual 18650 200W TC device with full face colour screen and a brand new menu system, Is the Aegis X the ultimate Aegis? I give my opinion! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 5ml Standard Edition 1 x Geekvape Aegis X MOD 1 x Zeus Sub-Ohm Tank (Pre-installed: Mesh Z2 Coil 0.2ohm, 70-80W, capacity 5ml) 1 x Mesh Z1 coil (0.4ohm, 60-70W) 1 x Spare Regular Glass Tube 3.5ml 1 x USB Cable 1 x Spare Parts Pack 1 x User Manual 2ml TPD Edition 1 x Geekvape Aegis X MOD 1 x Zeus Sub-Ohm Tank (Pre-installed: Mesh Z2 Coil 0.2ohm, 70-80W, capacity 2ml) 1 x Mesh Z1 coil (0.4ohm, 60-70W) 1 x Spare Regular Glass Tube 2ml 1 x USB Cable 1 x Spare Parts Pack 1 x User Manual ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Aegis X Kit came in cardboard box with sleeve packaging and once opened i was met by the familiar Aegis Look apart from one side which has a full face colour screen. Like the other Aegis devices the X's aesthetics are very busy due to the use of many different durable materials making the device look as solid as it is in practice. The materials used include, LSR Silicone, Die-Cast Aluminium, Die-Cast Zinc Alloy, Leather and Stainless Steel. I received the Green & Black version which is actually all Black apart from the metallic Green Bracket, it came with a Black Sub-ohm Tank. The Aegis X colour options are Stealth Black, Gunmetal & Camo, Classic Silver, Gold & Black, Green & Black, Rainbow & Black, Red & Black and Signature Orange, all versions come with a Zeus Sub-ohm Tank to suit. Looking at the device from the side opposite the screen we have the familiar metallic bracket with leather covering the spine but ending short of sweeping around the entire spine as we have a full face screen one side. The face of the device has the familiar light switch fire button and further down very tactile navigational buttons. The base houses the sealed battery door with grooved sliding catch then moving up top we have a central Gold plated, spring loaded 510. To one side on the top of the device we have a large deep fitting silicone bung to one side that seals the micro USB port. The device has great ergonomics being equally as comfortable finger or thumb firing with either hand. The build quality is as good as it gets and the Aegis X is one sturdy, robust mod but i am finding it a bit too heavy personally for carrying around with me. ___________________________________________________________________ Zeus Sub-ohm Tank Specs and Features: Size: 26 x 42.5mm (Not including Drip tip) Materials: Stainless Steel, Silicone Glass Capacity: 5ml(Spare glass tube 3.5ml) /2ml TPD version Drip tip type: 810 Drip Tip Filling Method: Top Fill Airflow: Top to Bottom Mesh Z1 coil 0.4ohm (60-70W) Mesh Z2 coil 0.2ohm (70-80W)(pre-installed) Innovative quick change prebuilt coil system Z mesh coil, purer flavor & great clouds Direct Top Airflow & Top-to-Bottom Airflow with leak-proof function Quick slide coil design for easy operation Updated fill port design for liquid spillage resistance Thread: 510 Colours: Black, Gunmetal, Stainless Steel, Red, Blue, Gold, Rainbow ___________________________________________________________________ Zeus Sub-ohm Tank Various Parts Starting at the top we have a wide bore goon fit delrin 810 drip tip which can be swapped for one of your own if you prefer, no second option or 510 adaptor is provided unless it's included with the retail version but the pre-installed 810 i have no issues with. The top-cap screws off (the usual bayonet design so just a slight turn needed) as does the base section. The glass can be wiggled free as it's secured top and bottom with o-rings and can be replaced with the straight 3.5ml glass (the TPD version comes with 2ml glass only but you do get a spare). The airflow control ring can also be easily removed which leaves the juice port and airflow intake section with attached double walled chamber. The coils get press fitted into the chamber and the base section has a positive plate for the bottom of the coil to make contact with. We get all the usual spare o-rings and also a coil removal tool which is a nice touch but personally i didn't find any need for it. ___________________________________________________________________ The Airflow The Zeus Subohm Tank has a top to bottom airflow system with large dual airflow slots that are fully adjustable. You also have an double walled chamber so the air comes in through the slots, down the cavity between the two chamber walls and into the base section. Now we have the air in the base section just as you would if the tank had bottom airflow slots and this air enters the coil head from underneath in the usual manner giving bottom airflow, it's just taking the top to bottom airflow concept of the Zeus RTA's and implementing it in the least complicated way. I don't like to say leakproof but the system gives the Zeus Subohm tank the same leak resistance that we have seen with the Zeus RTA's. ___________________________________________________________________ The Coils and Fitting Them The Zeus Subohm tank has 2 available coils which are both kanthal mesh and included. Pre-installed we have the Z2 0.2ohm mesh coil head which is rated between 70-80W. The other included coil is the Z1 0.4ohm coil head which has a rating between 60-70W, the specs are etched onto the coil head shell. The mesh is more of a Notch style giving plenty of surface area with large gaps between so wicking will be no issue as was once the case with the first generation notch style designs, the coils also have 4 very large wicking holes. The coil head simply gets press fitted into the chamber and pulled out to remove, if you have any problems pulling the coil head out you do receive a tool to help but i have had no issues. Looking on the chamber we can see 2 large wicking ports to allow e-liquid to surround the coil head as the chambers main purpose was to deliver airflow from the top to the bottom and having plug in coils is cleverly taking advantage of having the chamber present. ___________________________________________________________________ Filling The Tank I need to be picky with the Zeus Subohm tank to find cons so here'e one, and that's the airflow control ring is slightly loose. It actually turns nicely with stoppers and i have no issues with it's operation but when removing the top-cap sometimes the control ring also jumps off the tank, it's nothing major and mine is a sample version. The top-cap is less than half a turn and it's off, it's the same bayonet design Geekvape have used on previously Zeus atty's. Once off the 2 kidney shaped fill ports are revealed which are quite narrow so large nozzles and glass droppers won't fit but most standard nozzles will be fine. Luckily there is quite a deep channel between the edge of the tank and air pipe section so it won't be messy if using larger nozzles, as any juice will gather in the channel and find it's way into the ports. Once filled just position the bayonet tabs in place push down and give it a slight turn. ___________________________________________________________________ Aegis X Specs and Features: Battery: 2x 18650 Cell (not included) Input Voltage: 6.2V-8.4V Output Voltage: 0.1-12V Output Wattage: 5-200W Resistance Range: 0.05Ω-3Ω Display: 2.4 inch OLED screen Charger: USB 5V 2A Output mode: Power/VPC/TC/TCR/Bypass Temperature range: 100℃~315℃ / 200℉~600℉ 200W max power by dual 18650 batteries Innovative AS 2.0 chipset for strong power support VW/TC/VPC modes, high speed & accurate operation Waterproof/Dustproof/Shockproof design for stable use Clear Colour OLED display for details tracking Thread: 510 Colours: Stealth Black, Gunmetal & Camo, Classic Silver, Gold & Black, Green & Black, Rainbow & Black, Red & Black, Signature Orange ___________________________________________________________________ Waterproof, Dustproof and Shockproof It's a great durable mod and although no-one including Geekvape will suggest going diving with it or throwing the device from a 9th floor window you would have to go some to break the device by accident. Made from many different durable materials (6 in total) including army grade silicone it will take some knocks. The device is IP67 waterproof which means it will withstand being immersed in water up to 1 meter in depth for up to 30 mins and there's some clever ways the Aegis X is a fully operating device yet waterproof. When looking at the device you might think well water will get in there, there and there etc but there is a way it is kept sealed everywhere. ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Batteries The Aegis X accommodates dual 18650 batteries that get fitted via the bottom battery hatch door. We have a strong grooved catch which needs pulling back to allow the door to open on it's spring. The catch is sturdy and needs quite a strong pull and also closing the door takes a bit of effort but for me not really a con because to keep this kind of design waterproof it has to be done this way and it does make it extremely secure so no chance of this door opening on it's own. Battery orientation is labelled at the bottom of the tubes but is just embossed small on the inside of the door so we have a Gold on Gold situation which isn't very visible and i would of liked this much clearer. ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The Aegis X has a high definition full face 2.4inch display which makes it very easy to read and the use of colour and excellent layout makes the display very aesthetically pleasing. Their is a choice of 3 themes but all present the same information in pretty much the same way so i will describe the layout with the default theme mine came with. At the top of the display to either side we have the battery status indication bars then all the rest of the information has a central orientation. Next we have the Memory slot being used then underneath this to the left is the mode then next to this the preheat if in Power mode or supplementary information in other modes. To complete the upper section of the display we then have wattage, temperature or voltage depending which mode you are in. The bottom half of the display has the coil resistance then underneath this the voltage which shows wattage instead in TC or Bypass modes. Next is the Amps followed finally by the puff count which changes to the time of your puff when vaping. ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating the Aegis X The Aegis X is the usual 5 clicks of the fire button to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off and once on there is some combination key press functions. Pressing both navigational buttons together locks the navigational keys but the device will still fire, also pressing both navigational buttons and fire together turns the screen off as this is stealth mode but again the device will still fire. The device uses memory slots as your working screens so you have to be using a memory slot but each one of the 4 slots can be set up as you wish and the one in use can be altered on the fly just like you would alter any other regulated device. To start altering your working screen or change memory slots is 3 clicks of the fire button which highlights the memory slot which now can be altered with the navigational buttons. Whether you wish to change the memory slot or not once ready another click of the fire button highlights the mode and you now can scroll through the different options which are Power, VPC (custom curve), Bypass, TC SS, TC Ni, TC Ti and TCR although you can alter TCR value on the different TC wire screens. Pressing fire again highlights the preheat (or TCR value) which can be changed between standard, powerful of soft and another press of the fire button highlights the coil resistance and allows you to lock it. Finally pressing the fire button again highlights puffs for resetting or setting a puff limit. So all the basic vaping settings are on this first level and is very user friendly but we do have more settings which takes a bit of getting use to accessing and feel the overall menu could flow better. To access the other settings we first need to press the fire button 3 times as before to be in the menu system and then hold down both navigational buttons for 3 seconds, we then get the other settings displayed in a list which are Auto, Theme, Colour, Version, ABB and Reset. Version and Reset are self explanatory so i will move to Auto which gives you the option if the device asks you if it's an old or new coil. ABB is for the device to use your batteries balanced and i guess this would need to be on for balanced charging. Theme allows you to choose between 3 different display themes and colour allows you to choose between 5 different display colours. I like what the device offers and the main settings are user friendly but wish the extra settings could be accessed in a much more user friendly way allowing the whole menu system to flow better. ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The Aegis X Kit I must state i did not use the device in temp control and have no access to data so simply reviewed the device as i experienced it (best way in my opinion, humans vape, computers don't). The screen is massive and the display is so easy to read and being able to customise it is a big pro, after saying that their will be those who couldn't care less for a massive screen and would prefer the Legend. I did wonder about the ergonomics with having the screen one side but it feels great in the hand but found it too heavy for my liking to carry around with me. As mentioned accessing the extra settings is a bit disjointed but once you have the display how you want it going into these settings will rarely be needed as all the vaping settings, changing modes etc are all done on the first level from the working screen which is a very easy user friendly way of doing things. The device fires instantly and with impressive ramp up and all the various wattage's i vaped at seemed very accurate as did the resistance readings. The curves feature works great and just like it's build quality it's a solid performer. The Zeus Subohm Tank hasn't tarnished the Zeus name at all as this is right up there with the best subohm tanks available. Like the Zeus X the Subohm tank version gives bags of air and i have to agree with the the coils ratings with airflow fully open which gave decent flavour and copious vapor with both coils. Much preferring a more restrictive vape i needed the airflow only a third open for the restriction i like and found with more restriction came even more flavour (again with both coils) very similar to what i get from the Freemax Fireluke 2, with no experimental wicking material on show i can only put it down to the large surface area with the design of the Geekvape Z coils. Apart from finding the 0.4ohm Z1 better at lower wattage than the 0.2ohm Z2 i really found very little difference between the 2 coils. With the restriction i like the 0.2ohm Z2 coil i found best at 60W and the 0.4ohm Z1 coil at 45W both below the coils ratings but that suited me fine and much more efficient on battery life, i must say the airflow is noticeably smooth throughout. The 5ml capacity (standard version) is decent but just like the Zeus RTA's this tank ploughs through the juice but all that vapor is giving bags of flavour, the gap in flavour between subohm tanks (the best ones) and both RTA's and RDA's you can get a thin piece of paper between they have improved that much over the last 18 months, Cracking Subohm Tank! I also tested the Aegis X with various RTA's including the original single coil Zeus. Of course with how durable the device is and having an IP67 waterproof rating added to just how solidly the device performs the Aegis X is a cracking device but it doesn't seem to have the greatest battery life. It's possibly a bit unfair as i have just been reviewing a couple of Ultroner devices that have simple efficient boards but the battery life while not being shocking by any means i found to definitely be below average for a dual 18650 device. Back to pros and the Aegis X will accommodate up to a 28mm Atty without overhang and is fully firmware upgradeable. The device also supports 2A balanced charging although i really wouldn't recommend charging inside any device unless it's your only option, on top of that if the silicone plug that keeps the USB watertight is constantly being removed i would imagine over time that seal would become compromised. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Top notch build quality IP67 rating (waterproof, dustproof, shockproof) 8 Colour options Feels great in either hand Light switch style fire button Secure battery door 2.4inch Colour screen 3 Display themes 5 Display colours Top tier of menu system user friendly Performed Solidly in power mode Curves feature worked great Bypass mode TC (not tested) AS 2.0 Chipset, Fires instantly with impressive ramp up 28mm Atty fits with no overhang Supports balanced charging at 2A (wouldn't recommend) Firmware upgradeable Included Zeus is excellent Sub-ohm tank Supplied coils very good flavour Decent longevity Quick top-fill method Top airflow, leakproof design 5ml Capacity Spare glass 2 coils included Cons Heavy device Battery life under par Would of preferred it paired with the Zeus or Alpha Tank Poorly marked battery orientation on battery door Full menu system could flow better Airflow control ring sometimes popped off when removing the top-cap Ploughs through juice (as flavour tanks tend to) I would once again like to thank Clay from Geekvape for supplying the Aegis X with Zeus Sub-ohm Kit for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  21. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Charon Baby Pod Kit 750mAh from Smoant. The Charon Baby Pod Kit was supplied for the purpose of this review by Jessi from Smoant. Introduction Smoant are one of the most popular vaping manufacturers especially when it comes to mods and have released some of the most popular devices over the last few years. Here we have their latest pod/AIO offering which is an area they have been more inconsistent until the Pasito. Smoant have two main ranges they are best known for which are the Battlestar and Charon devices. So after the release of the Battlestar Baby Pod Kit which despite it's very simple nature impressed me it's no surprise we now have the Charon Baby Pod Kit which is identical in it's main specs and uses the same pods and coils, so let's see how the Charon Baby stacks up! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x Charon Baby Mod 1 x Type-C USB cable ( lanyard ) 1 x 0.6ohm mesh coil ( pre-installed ) 1 x 1.2ohm Ni80 coil 1 x Cartridge 1 x User Manual 1 x Warranty Card 1 x Certificated Card ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics I received what looks like the retail version which came in a sturdy cardboard box with outer cardboard sleeve but there was a sample sticker which is worth bearing in mind. On the front of the sleeve there is a picture of the device in the colour that matches the colour of the device which is in the box. I received the Blue version, it's also available in Black and Stainless Steel. The device is rectangular with curved edges and has a very metallic chassis which attracts fingerprints. Front and back we have some very nice designs on panels which have been achieved by using CPR Technology which gives very glossy bright colours with incredible detail but unlike the chassis doesn't attract fingerprints. Down one edge of the device we have an LED indicator light towards the bottom. The pods mouthpiece protrudes out of the top of the device but the tank section is hidden within the pod bay and we have no viewing window. On the opposite side to the protruding pod we have an opening and another opening on the side to feed through the included lanyard. Moving to the bottom we have a type C USB port which i'm happy about, i just wish it wasn't situated on the base. Like most small pod/AIO devices it's nice and portable and not sure what the metallic material is but it has more weight to it than expected. The panels have a couple of very nice vibrant designs and the paint finish on the chassis seems high quality and durable, also there is a plain Black option if you prefer solid colours. ___________________________________________________________________ Charon Baby Specs and Features: Size: 73x44x19mm Weight: 87g Battery Capacity: 750mAh Power output: 10/15 W Charging: 5V/0.8A Charging Port: Type-C Charging Time: 45-60 minute Powered by a 750mAh built-in battery with long-time endurance LED indicator: Red 5%-30%, Blue 30%-60%, White 60%-100% Over time protection (8 seconds) Short circuit protection Low power protection Compatible with 2 types of coil: 0.6ohm mesh coil and 1.2ohm Ni-80 coil Adopting airflow design and leakproof design to provide cloudy flavour The Ant Smart Chip that adjusts and delivers automatically the output Compact size for easy daily carry CPR technology for colourful and durable stunning finish Battlestar Baby Pod Specs: Capacity: 2.0ml Material: PCTG Coil: Mesh Coil (0.6ohm, 15W) / Ni80 Coil (1.2ohm, 10w) Colours: Black, Stainless Steel, Blue ___________________________________________________________________ The Pod/Cartridge The pod is one piece but is made up of a rectangular top mouth section and lower much larger rectangular tank section which has a capacity of 2ml. The Pod is tinted but with a good look the juice level can be seen, if a quick glance to see your juice level was to cause visibility issues it's a non issue as to see what juice is in the pod it needs removing from the device anyway. You only receive one pod but that's fine because the coils are replaceable and 2 coil heads are included. On one side of the pod we have a silicone strip with attached fill bung, the bottom edge of the strip acts as a flap that can be easily gripped to lift up to reveal the fill port. The fill port is a good size compared to most pods so as long as you take a bit of care filling can be mess free, the smaller the nozzle the easier and quicker filling is. Moving to the bottom of the pod we can see the circular positive with negative surround with peek between the two. The base has a metallic casing with some sought of coating, also on the base to one side we have the small opening that leads to the membrane switch. Moving back up top to the mouthpiece we have your inhale opening and then to one side a much smaller opening, studying the pod you can see this small opening feeds the opening for the membrane switch via a pipe that goes right down to the bottom of the pod. The pod has fixed airflow that can't be adjusted so any variant in the airflow can only be achieved by the bore of the installed coil, the Charon Baby pods house replaceable coils. ___________________________________________________________________ The Coils As mentioned the coils are replaceable and their are two different coils available both of which are included. We have the pre-installed 0.6ohm mesh coil head and also a Ni80 regular 1.2ohm vertical round wire coil head. The coil head and base section with positive and negative that comes into contact with the device are all in one so the coil doesn't get screwed into the base section as usual, instead a whole new base + coil is installed each time, the coil head with attached base easily pulls out of the bottom of the pod to remove and to install are simply press fitted. ___________________________________________________________________ Installing The Pod Looking inside the pods deep bay we can see the positive and negative Gold plated, spring loaded contacts to one side and to the other side the small opening to the membrane switch with metal surround. We have a magnet in each corner to secure the pod which should give a very secure fit but whether the coating i described on the metallic base of the pod is weakening the magnetic pull i'm not sure but the pod has plenty of play and can be removed with no effort at all. To be honest because the pod doesn't come out during vaping and the contacts stay connected giving a good vape how loose the pod is doesn't concern me as it constantly needs removing anyway to check your juice level, but the side to side play did bug me slightly at times. ___________________________________________________________________ The Lanyard/USB Charging You receive a rather nice Lanyard that doubles up as your charging cable but as i have never ever seen a single person using a lanyard with a vaping device (despite them being regularly included) i don't think this will convert people, but still it's a nice touch and well thought out. But wait, it's also a tape measure now this is quite neat! Taking the plastic end piece off which clips on and off reveals both ends to your type C USB cable which can then be used to charge the device. Charging took approximately an hour which is acceptable and it does support pass through although this will slightly alter the charge time as charging pauses when taking a draw. When charging the device shows charging indication by how the LED behaves, the indications are: Red Blinking 5% - 30% Blue Blinking 30% - 60% White Blinking 60% - 95% Solid White 95% - 100% ___________________________________________________________________ Using The Charon Baby The Charon Baby is a very simple draw activated device that has no settings or physical button so you simply take a draw to vape. The device auto detects which of the coils is installed and then delivers the appropriate constant wattage output for that coil. With the 0.6 mesh coil installed it gives 15W constant output and when the 1.2ohm coil is installed the constant output is 10W. The device does give battery status indication and when i first saw it had four levels i thought great! but then realised that was only for charging and it has the usual 3 levels we see on most of these types of devices, the indications are the following: Red 5% - 30% Blue 30% - 60% White 60% - 100% The LED also flashes when a safety protection kicks in, protections include: Over time protection (8 seconds) Short circuit protection Low power protection ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The Charon Baby I wish the pods fitted more securely in the device and there was a viewing window to see your liquid as it is a pain needing to pull the pod out to check the juice level, if there was a viewing window then the pods being tinted would be another con but as this isn't the case it's a non issue because with the pod pulled out the liquid can be clearly seen inside the pod. For the size of the device i found the battery life very good with the 1.2ohm coil and also acceptable when using the 0.6ohm coil, also an hour to charge is par for a 750mAh battery so no issues there. Having the separate air pipe down to the membrane switch makes the device very responsive and the constant output gives a reliable vape. When it comes to the draw i wouldn't recommend this to either a DL vaper or to someone trying to quit cigarettes as it covers everything in-between which actually will suit many who like the loose MTL style. The 0.6 mesh coil does give a DL draw but it's very restrictive and i found it much better as a very loose MTL, the 1.2ohm coil is tighter due to the narrower bore in the coil head but doesn't quite give a tight enough draw for someone quitting the stinkies as it's more of a medium looseness. The LED indicator lights up when you take a draw to show battery status, i could easily see the light while vaping and it's both a good size and bright. When it comes to possibly the most important areas like the Battlestar Baby the Charon Baby is a winner (no surprise as the pods and coils are identical), the flavour i have been getting from both coil heads has been fantastic, which is giving the best flavour? it really is too close to call. Again when it comes to longevity i didn't know if i got lucky with the coils i received with the Battlestar version and lightning i doubt would strike twice so can confirm they last twice as long as i would consider acceptable. I tend to describe a device and say how i personally found it but fall short of saying whether i would recommend it as i believe vapers should seek out as many reviews as possible and also do their own research to come to a decision. Occasionally though i break this rule so if you like your looser MTL draw just based on the flavour and longevity of the coil heads alone i have to say i would spend my money on this. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Very nice build quality Durable quality finish Colourful CPR Designs Portable Fair battery life Auto detect coil Constant wattage output (consistent vape) Switch responsive Very nice looser MTL draw Battery status indication nicely spaced out Simple device Decent size fill port with silicone bung Excellent flavour from both coils Excellent longevity both coils Replaceable coils Both 0.6ohm mesh coil and 1.2ohm Ni80 regular coil included Included Lanyard, also USB cable and tape measure Type C USB Charges in about 1 hour Supports pass through Cons Pod doesn't fit very securely (ok during use) Need to remove pod to see juice level No settings and can't switch device off Limited vape range mid MTL draw to Very restricted DL vape (not an ideal DL vape in my opinion) Fixed airflow USB port on base Chassis is fingerprint magnet I would once again like to thank Jessi for supplying the Charon Baby Pod Kit for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  22. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the VINCI X 70W Pod Kit from Voopoo. The Voopoo VINCI X 70W Pod Kit was supplied for the purpose of this review by Terry from Vapor Shop Direct. Introduction Voopoo and Smok seem to be having a *** for tat battle at the moment when it comes to the latest fad, the pod mod. Both manufacturers are coming out with devices so similar and released so close together it's hard to tell which manufacturer as a double agent on it's payroll (probably both lol). This though is pushing both manufacturers to outdo each other which is to our benefit as in my opinion although not perfect the pod mod devices are pretty damn good! The Vinci X is a cuboid shaped pod mod with screen, fully adjustable wattage and a larger version of the Vinci. Unlike the Vinci we no longer have the draw activated option but the X version accommodates an external 18650 battery increasing both it's top wattage capabilities to 70W and increasing battery life considerably. Featuring the storing of the last 14 day puff data and smart wattage including only allowing adjusting within the coil heads recommended wattage parameters it's no wonder vapers have shown great interest. Coming in 7 colour/design options to suit most tastes, the Voopoo Vinci X is worth a good look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: Standard Edition 1 x VOOPOO VINCI X Device 1 x VINCI Pod(5.5ml) 1 x PnP 0.6ohm Coil 1 x PnP 0.3ohm Coil 1 x USB Cable 1 x Warranty Card 1 x User Manual 1 x GENE CHIP Card TPD Edition 1 x VOOPOO VINCI X Device 1 x VINCI Pod(2ml) 1 x PnP 0.6ohm Coil 1 x PnP 0.3ohm Coil 1 x USB Cable 1 x Warranty Card 1 x User Manual 1 x GENE CHIP Card ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Vinci X comes in a cardboard box with outer cardboard sleeve and when opened we find the Vinci X with empty pod attached in the top layer. I received the Space Gray version, the colour/design options are Ink, Tealblue, Scarlet, Dazzling Green, Space Gray, Carbon Fiber and Aurora, depending which version 3 sides have either colourful designs or more plain classic finishes such as Carbon Fiber for example. like with the original Vinci and Smok RPM 40 the form factor reminds me of the Cube X from OBS but the Vinci X is also pretty much the same size as the Cube-X to allow the accommodation of a single 18650 battery. Apart from the bigger size the Vinci X as the same look as the Vinci apart from a slightly protruding face section. Up top we have the protruding pod with 360 degree view of your e-liquid and squared off mouthpiece. If the other versions have the same glossy mirrored finish as the Space Gray version i received then expect a fingerprint magnet but overall the finish seems durable and the build quality is very good. On the face we have a Black panel which houses a round protruding fire button at the top and vertical navigational rocker towards the bottom, between the fire button and navigational rocker we have a large coloured screen. Finally right at the bottom of the face we have the micro USB port, both sides are plain and on the rear we have some branding. Both sides towards the top we have 3 small slots cutout to allow air to the pod/cartridge and moving to the base we have an old school battery cap with central protruding section for turning. Despite being larger than most pod/AIO devices it's still an ergonomic, portable size and feels a nice weight in the hand although it's size might be an issue for some which part of the attraction of a pod/AIO device is the stealth aspect. ___________________________________________________________________ Vinci X Specs and Features: Size: 117 x 29.5 x 25.3mm Power Range: 5 - 70W Capacity: 5.5ml / 2ml (TPD) Resistance Range: 0.1 - 3.0Ω Output Voltage: 3.2 - 4.2V Battery: Single 18650 (not included) Material: Zinc Alloy + PCTG Coils: Suitable for PnP coils Dual airflow options Side-fill 70W power with single 18650 battery PUFF curve record 2-week Usage data E-liquid & nic-salt compatible and visible juice level Intelligently adjust power to match coils 0.96-inch TFT color screen Colours/Designs: Ink, Tealblue, Scarlet, Dazzling Green, Space Gray, Carbon Fiber, Aurora ___________________________________________________________________ The Pods/Cartridges The pods are clear and a cube shape with Black squared off mouthpiece, on one side of the pod/cartridge we have a large bung that can be pulled out via the outer edge leaving the bung still attached to the pod/cartridge. The fill port is a nice large size but you need to make sure the pod/cartridge is on it's side then you can fill quickly and absolutely mess free. Looking at the base of the pod/cartridge with installed coil you can see the large round central positive and negative surround spit in 2 parts (allowing the pod to be fitted 2 different ways). The pod/cartridge has no adjustable airflow but if you look at both sides of the device we have 3 slots cutout each side to allow plenty of air to get to the pod/cartridge which can also be turned 180 degrees to restrict the air but airflow will mostly be dictated by the bore of the coil head. Also on the base of the pod we have a magnet on each corner as the pod/cartridge is secured in the device via these. ___________________________________________________________________ The Coils The coils as the name PnP would suggest just get press fitted into place and to remove simply pull free, the lower o-ring on the coil head is for the seal to (hopefully) avoid any leaking. You get 2 coils included neither of which are pre-installed in the included pod/cartridge. You receive the PnP-VM1 0.3ohm coil head recommended between 32-40W and the PnP-WM4 0.6ohm coil head recommended between 20-28W. It does say in the marketing the PnP-VM1 is best suited for freebase and the PnP VM4 for nicotine salts but in my opinion there are better PnP coil options for nicotine salts and i personally would only be using freebase with both supplied coils. The Vinci X is compatible with all PnP Voopoo coils which includes a couple of MTL options although with the airflow mainly relying on the bore of the coil head for restriction i can't see a tight MTL will be possible with the Vinci X, there is also an RBA coil head available. With all the compatible coils not allowing the device to go up to it's full 70W capacity then i would imagine more coil options will be on the way! ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Pod/Cartridge Looking inside the pods bay we can see the positive and negative Gold plated, spring loaded contacts on a slightly raised central section, we can also see the airflow cutouts both sides on the bay walls. We have a magnet each corner to line up with the magnets on the base of the pod. The pod fits very securely with minimum play and one of the big pros for me is plenty of the pod protrudes giving 360 degree visibility so you can see your juice level at all times. ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Battery We have an old school battery cap that screws internally into the threading and once the thread is caught then i must say it is very smooth. On the inside of the battery cap negative is clearly marked, so good job there. Once the battery cap is screwed back in place you can turn the centre section of the cap to slacken or tighten on to the battery for the perfect fit, Good job all round! ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The colour display is very bright and impressively sharp and i do like how colour is used well to maintain quite a classy display. Top left we have "VOOPOO" then top right we have the battery status bar. Underneath we have the wattage and "W" unit, above the "W" we have a padlock which is in the unlock position during normal use and locked position when the device is locked. Underneath the already described we have your daily puff count followed by the duration of your last vape, both have a coloured surround. Bottom left we have "P" for power and then to the right of this we have the resistance followed by the voltage. ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating The Vinci X The Vinci X may have a pod/cartridge that fits to the device but the device operates just like any other variable wattage regulated device. The device is the usual 5 clicks to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off and once on the wattage can be adjusted in 1W increments from 5W to 70W (or the wattage will go up to the coils recommended wattage), it doesn't round robin. We do have a number of combination key press features which include pressing up and down together brings up your 14 day puff data. Other combination key press features are fire and down clears puffs (the puff counter resets automatically at the start of each day), fire and up locks the whole device including the fire button and finally fire, up and down allows you to set the time, as you would expect the device has the usual safety protections and if one kicks in a message is displayed on the screen. ___________________________________________________________________ Protections: 10s Overtime Protection Short Circuit Protection Overcharge Protection Max Power Protection Output Over-current Protection Over Discharge Protection Over-temperature Protection Battery Reverse Protection ___________________________________________________________________ Smart Wattage The Vinci X based on the resistance of the coil adjusts to a recommended wattage when a coil head is first installed, it also doesn't allow the wattage to be adjusted higher than the recommended wattage parameters for whichever coil is installed. I find this feature one of the biggest pros for the device as it prevents frying your coils but because the feature can't be switched off or overridden it can become one of it's biggest cons. For example i was fine with the 0.6ohm coil which allows the wattage to be adjusted up to 28W as i found this coil head perfect at 25W but when it came to using the 0.3ohm coil it only allowed up to 40W but at this wattage i really felt i needed an extra 5W for my preference which the device just doesn't allow. It's a weird situation because it's a 70W device yet out the box the device will only give 40W max and looking at the other coil options it seems only an appropriate build in the RBA head will allow any higher than 40W. ___________________________________________________________________ My Experience Using The Vinci X And Thoughts! The first thing to mention is i received the 2ml TPD version and i would recommend sourcing the 5.5ml pods to use as i did find i was needing to fill very often especially as one of the things i have found with the Vinci devices is when the juice starts getting quite low you can get some gurgling that only filling the pod solves. I have the standard version of the Vinci with the 5.5ml pods which gives plenty of capacity and at least 4ml of e-liquid before any gurgling but with the 2ml pods it's only giving about 1.5ml of liquid before it needs to be filled because of the issue. Not being able to turn the smart wattage off is another con for me and it makes it only a 40W device out the box although the smart wattage feature it'self is a very good if not new idea. A more petty con for the device is it's size as if one of the main reasons for someone using pod/AIO devices is the stealthy size then i have single battery normal mods smaller than this with the benefit of being able to fit whatever atty i like and not being tied to proprietary pods and coils. The final and biggest con for me is the pods do leak slightly both with the 5.5ml pod i already have and the 2ml pod. After saying that the pods bay does look well sealed so it's not a major problem and doesn't affect the devices performance but i personally hate any leaking of any kind so others might not see it as such an issue. So it's not perfect but the Voopoo Vinci X also has many pros and the device overall is a winner! The draw with the supplied coils is restricted direct lung with the choice of just slightly more restriction by rotating the pod 180 degrees, as expected the 0.6ohm coil head offers more restriction but is still not MTL. There are a couple of MTL coil heads available with narrower bores that should allow for MTL but don't expect a tight MTL, because it just isn't going to accommodate that and the mouthpiece really is not suited to a tight draw. Accommodating an 18650 battery allows the Vinci X to last most vapers if not all day certainly most of it and is a massive pro for the device. Other pros include having a clear pod with 360 degree visibility so you can see your juice level at all times and 5.5ml capacity with the standard pods. The display is another big win and i do like the 14 day puff data feature, again although i wish it had an option to turn the feature off i do think the smart wattage is a good feature. Despite the slight leaking i found filling the pod to be very quick and mess free, so another pro for that. The Vinci X PnP coils are very good i haven't used one yet that hasn't given top flavour with barely any break-in time and good longevity. The pick for me was the 0.6ohm coil which i found best at 25W, the 0.3ohm coil also gave cracking flavour but wish i could of bumped the wattage up to 45W which it doesn't allow due to the already mentioned smart wattage feature. Although i personally do not recommend charging the battery in the device unless it's your only option the Vinci X does support on-board charging but doesn't support pass-through, while charging the screen display's both a battery status bar and also gives the battery charge as a percentage. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Good build quality Nice looking device 7 colour/design options Ergonomic and portable (even if large for pod/AIO device) 5.5ml capacity pod (standard version) 2 different mesh PnP coils included Barely any break-in period Excellent flavour both coils Good longevity Restrictive direct lung Dual airflow options Other coil options including MTL RBA coil head available Sharp, bright, colour screen Nice looking display 70W max wattage (needs appropriate build in RBA head or future coils) Adjusts in 1W increments Smart Wattage 14 day puff data Device can be locked 360 degree juice visibility Large fill port (fill mess free) Accommodates 18650 battery On-board charging Firmware upgradeable Cons Large for pod/AIO device Some leaking from pods (bay looks well sealed design) Need filling often with 2ml pod Smart wattage can't be turned off Non Adjustable airflow Only 40W device out the box (due to available coils in relation to smart wattage) Fingerprint magnet I would once again like to thank Terry from Vapor Shop Direct for supplying the VOOPOO VINCI X 70W Pod Kit for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  23. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Fetch Mini Pod Kit from Smok. The SMOK Fetch Mini Pod Kit was supplied for the purpose of this review by Ella from Sourcemore. Introduction Smok haven't been quite as prolific of late but have recently brought out a few devices including a couple of pod mod devices. the Fetch Mini is really just the RPM 40 Pod Mod but in a mini box mod form while also introducing a classy 2.5D arc edge glass finish. The pod mod with screen and fully adjustable wattage is the way i believe the market will go in regards pod/AIO devices in 2020 with the market reaching saturation point when it comes to the smaller, simple pod devices. The Fetch Mini has adjustable wattage which can be adjusted up to 40W, a display that can be customised and comes with 2 different pods/cartridges, one which accommodates replaceable RPM coils and the other accommodates Nord coils so the available coil options are multiple. With a 1200mAh in-built battery, an RPM RBA available and coming in 10 colour options, let's give it a look! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x SMOK Fetch Device (1200mAh) pre-installed empty 3.7ml RPM Pod (2ml TPD) 1 x Nord Empty 3.7ml pod (2ml TPD) 1 x SMOK RPM Mesh 0.4Ω Coil 1 x SMOK Nord Regular 0.6Ω Coil 1 x USB Cable 1 x User Manual ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Fetch Mini comes in cardboard box packaging and on opening i was met by a classy looking mini pod mod. I received the Dark Brown glass version device but it's available in various plain and Acrylic versions with 2.5D arc edge glass panels both sides and the colour/design beneath uses combined AG Process and AF optical coating so the overall effect is different texture and shades showing through the glass as the light catches from different angles. The device is very box shaped with one top corner being completed by the protruding section of the pod. The face of the device has a protruding large clicky square fire button towards the top and towards the bottom navigational buttons which combined form an horizontal pill shape. Between the fire and navigational buttons we have a large colour TFT Screen, and at the very bottom of the face a micro USB port. The device is a nice weight for it's size and has a quality feel about it, plenty of branding is on show which will not appeal to everyone and it needs mentioning it's one hell of a fingerprint magnet. The Fetch Mini gets swallowed by the hand and is very comfortable to carry about. ___________________________________________________________________ Fetch Mini Specs and Features: Size: 76mm x 42.8mm x 18.4mm E-juice Capacity: 3.7ml (2ml TPD) Battery Capacity: 1200mAh Output Voltage: 0.5V - 4.1V Output Wattage: 5W - 40W Charging: 1.2A Max Supports RPM and Nord coil heads Resistance Range: 0.3-2.5ohm Firing Time: 0.001s Screen: 0.96" TFT Screen Charging Port: Micro USB Charging 2.5D arc edge glass on both panels Variable wattage support up to 40W With dustproof and waterproof functions 0.96" TFT Screen display to show you specific vape data Easy bottom filling design Colours: Black, Green, Orange, Blue, Dark Brown, Acrylic Fluid Purple, Acrylic Fluid Green, Acrylic Fluid Blue, Acrylic Fluid Gold, Acrylic Fluid Red ___________________________________________________________________ 2 Different Pods/Cartridges You receive 2 different cartridges and while they both appear to have the same dimensions each house a different family of coils which itself must change the pod/cartridge capacity. Both Pods/Cartridges are 2ml with the TPD version although i don't see how they can have exactly the same capacity as the RPM coils are bigger than the Nord which surely reduces capacity. With the standard version the Pod/Cartridge that accommodates the RPM family of coils has a capacity of 3.7ml (really slightly less due to size of coil) and can be identified by being a tinted pod/cartridge with a Red fill bung which says "RPM" on it. The pod/cartridge that houses the Nord coils also have a 3.7ml capacity and can be identified by having a frosted but much more transparent finish and a Black fill bung which says "NORD" on it. Although the RPM pod/cartridge has a tinted appearance there is no issues with seeing the e-liquid inside, with both pods/cartridges the coils get press fitted with attached base section into the pod/cartridge. ___________________________________________________________________ The Pods/Cartridges The pods are a rectangular shape with fixed plastic top section that includes a cylindrical mouthpiece and i have already explained the differences between the 2 pods/cartridges you receive. On the base of the pod/cartridge we have a large horizontal T shaped bung that can be pulled out via the top of the T leaving the bung still attached to the pod/cartridge. The fill port like on the RPM is one of the biggest i have seen on a pod/cartridge and you can fill it very quickly and absolutely mess free, my only issue is with the bung itself which does seal very well but is not the easiest to pull out or fix back in place. Looking at the base of the pod/cartridge with installed coil you can see the round central positive and negative surround. The pods/cartridges have no adjustable airflow but if you look at the pod and device air enters the pod both at the top on the opposite side to the mouthpiece (this gets directed internally eventually feeding the bottom of the coil) and at the bottom on the opposite side so plenty of air gets to the coils so airflow will be solely dictated by the bore of the coil head. Also either side of the fill bung we have large magnets which are used for securing the pod in the device, these magnets though contribute to the awkwardness of removing and securing the bung in place, i really wish the pod/cartridge had a top-fill method. ___________________________________________________________________ The Coils You get 2 coils included neither of which are pre-installed in the included pods/cartridges. We get the RPM 0.4ohm Mesh coil with a recommended wattage of 25W and the Nord regular 0.6ohm dual coil recommended at 20W. Being able to use both RPM and Nord coils gives plenty of available options: ___________________________________________________________________ RBA Available If you spotted it bottom left on the picture of the available coil heads you would of noticed there is an RPM RBA head available which will spark an interest i'm sure. The RBA comes with wire and cotton to do a 0.6ohm build and when doing other builds you need to make sure the minimum resistance is 0.25ohm, it's a real shame this isn't included in the kit. ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Pod/Cartridge Looking inside the pods bay we can see the positive and negative Gold plated, spring loaded contacts in the lower section and a QR code in the upper. We can also see how everything is well sealed and indeed it is both a waterproof and dustproof bay which is a big pro just in case there is a build up of liquid. The inside of the bay like the rest of the chassis is Zinc Alloy and we have the already mentioned large magnets on the base of the pod/cartridge which give a very good play free, secure fit, A really good job! Although the pod fits very securely it can be easily grabbed and pulled free which is a good job really as to see your juice level you need to remove the pod which for me is a big con. ___________________________________________________________________ The Display The colour display is very bright and impressively sharp with all the information needed on show. Top left we have a padlock and then top right we have the battery status bar. Underneath we have the wattage and below this a wavy line. Underneath the line positioned centrally we have the time of your vape which stays displayed until your next puff is taken. Next we have resistance followed by voltage and then your puff count. Bottom left we have a painting pallet icon followed by 6 different coloured squares in an horizontal row. The main information is in white but added icons and the mentioned wavy line can be customised to be one of 6 colours. ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating The Fetch Mini The Fetch Mini may have a pod/cartridge that fits to the device but the device operates just like any other variable wattage regulated device. The device is the usual 5 clicks to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off and once on the wattage can be adjusted in 1W increments from 5W to 40W, it doesn't round robin. We do have a number of combination key press features which include pressing fire and left together resets the puff counter and fire and right together moves to the next colour option if you want to change the colour of certain items on the screen, the colours to choose from are Red, Orange, Blue, Magenta, Green and White. Pressing the fire button 3 times locks the whole device so it will not fire, alternatively you can lock just the navigational buttons by pressing them both at the same time. Finally as expected the device has the usual safety protections and if one kicks in a message is displayed on the screen. ___________________________________________________________________ Protections: High-Temperature Protection 8 Seconds Cutoff Short Circuit Protection Low Voltage Protection ___________________________________________________________________ Charging The Fetch Mini charged at just over 1A and each time i charged it was completed in just over an hour. While charging we have both a status bar and the charge given as a percentage and it also allowed me to vape while charging. About an hour for a 1200mAh battery device is about par so no complaints there but i feel all devices of whatever kind should now be coming with type C USB. ___________________________________________________________________ How It Vapes and My Thoughts! Like the RPM 40 the device is cracking, it really is much better than i was expecting. I have also been testing the Voopoo Vinci which i bought and am hoping to find time to review and although the Fetch Mini has a completely different form to the Vinci like the RPM 40 it is so very similar. I have also been testing the Vinci X which i will be writing a review for but as far as just the Vinci is concerned reading all the hype i thought it would be much better than both the Smok RPM 40 and Fetch Mini but from trying all devices i have to come to the conclusion it's just anti Smok opinion. Personally leaking pods are a big issue to me with the Vinci and the Fetch Mini stayed bone dry, a big pro. There are so many coil options including an available RBA for the Fetch Mini which should appeal, so in my opinion both the RPM 40 and Fetch Mini are not inferior to the Vinci with both the Smok and Voopoo devices having certain things in their favours making them very close. The Draw using the Fetch Mini is a restricted direct lung with the bore on the coil heads determining just how restrictive, some of the coil heads might allow for MTL but considering the air the pods are getting it's going to be a loose MTL at best and the bore on the mouthpiece is quite large and not really suitable for tight draws. The device fires as quick as any modern regulated device and hit's set wattage instantly, i found it performed excellently and really have no complaints. The Nord coil performed great giving solid flavour although i have used Nord coils in the past so knew what i was going to get but the pick was the RPM Mesh coil which gave really good flavour which lasted for 6 refills before any sought of drop off but even now the flavour is far too good to toss the coil just yet. I was fine with the 20W recommendation with the Nord coil but found the 25W for the RPM coil didn't give a cool vape but just felt a bit more warmth would be ideal, i bumped the wattage up to 30W and this was much better and the coil took the extra wattage comfortably in it's stride, while testing 70VG liquid it even wicked perfectly ok with a bit of chain vaping at 35W. I used both 50/50 and 70%VG juices and both coils handled both well and as mentioned the RPM coil had no problems wicking well over it's recommended wattage. I also like the shape, size and weight of the device it's ideal for a carry about, i feel charging was about par for a 1200mAh battery and supporting pass-through is a pro. Other things i like is the display (including customisation), the amount of coil options available and also having an available RBA head but i really think the Fetch Mini would gain much more interest if this was included. When it comes to battery life it is what it is, about half the capacity of a single 18650 device so if it's your main device vaping at 20+ Watts then obviously it will need charging during the day. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Nice build quality Glass panels using 2.5D arc edge glass Combined AG process and AF optical coating for nice visual effect Acrylic versions now available Plenty of colour options Portable, ergonomic device Supports Nord and RPM coils Both Nord and RPM pod/cartridge included Large fill port (mess free filling) RBA head available Various restricted DL draws (dependant on coil used) Good flavour (supplied Nord Coil) Very good flavour (supplied RPM coil) Longevity above average both supplied coils Adjustable wattage 5W-40W (1W increments) Puff counter (can be reset) Sharp, bright, colour display Display can be customised Large capacity both pods/cartridges (standard version) 1A charging Supports Pass-through Detected no leaking or condensation inside pod/cartridge bay waterproof and Dustproof bay design Cons Need to remove pod/cartridge to see juice level removing and replacing fill bung a bit awkward No adjustable airflow Not really suitable for MTL (loose MTL at best with available coils) Proprietary Mouthpiece Fingerprint magnet RBA head not included Micro USB NOT Type C I would once again like to thank Ella from Sourcemore for supplying the SMOK Fetch Mini Pod Kit for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  24. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the Expromizer V4 MTL RTA from Exvape. The Exvape Expromizer V4 MTL RTA was supplied for the purpose of this review by Pearl from Cigabuy. Introduction The Expromizer V4 MTL RTA is the fourth generation of the Expromizer RTA from the German manufacturer Exvape. Compared to V3 it is an extra 1mm in diameter while being shorter and has more of a modern aesthetic look which i much prefer. While keeping the same deck and now much more straightforward juice flow, version four actually simplifies the design having less small parts while introducing top to bottom airflow. I didn't review but did buy "Fire" version 3 and at that time it gave the most satisfactory MTL vape i had experienced, hopefully V4 will at least keep the same performance while adding a leak resistant airflow system making it a sure fire winner! ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1 x eXrpomizer V4 1 x O-ring kit 1 x screwdriver 2 x M2 replacement screws - 1 x spare glass tank (Pyrex) 1 x Drip Tip attachment (black) 1 x instruction manual ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics The Expromizer came in a cardboard box with cardboard sleeve. I received the Polished version which is extremely shiny with a slippy finish and wouldn't be my personal choice as both the Matte Black and Brushed versions look much nicer and will match up with many more devices. The RTA despite only having a 2ml capacity is quite large for a MTL RTA being 23mm in diameter but much taller than the average. On the top airflow section we have a long narrow slot revealing a series of 6 airflow hole inlets and both the airflow control ring and top-cap has slight texturing but the surface is too slippy for it to help much with grip. The top surface of the top-cap is flat and then we have a protruding central section to accommodate the 2 piece 510 drip tip. The installed drip tip has a lower Stainless Steel section with Ultem tip but the tip can be switched for a Black Delrin one. The bottom section has a pronounced central textured band that even with the Polished version does help with grip, this is for turning the base to adjust the juice flow control. I went for the Ultem look which i know isn't everyone's cup of tea but through the Ultem the juice control and "EX" etched on the chimney can still be seen but are much more visible with the Pyrex section installed instead. Moving to the base we have etched branding, safety marks and serial number, we have a Gold plated protruding 510. The build quality is excellent and really can't fault the machining and threading i just wish it didn't come so tightly screwed together. ___________________________________________________________________ Expromizer V4 Specs and Features: Type: Single Coil MTL RTA Material: Stainless Steel Material (Glass): Pyrex / Acyl Material (Drip Tip): Stainless Steel + Black (POM) / Yellow (PEI) Height (without Drip Tip): 43 mm Height (with Drip Tip): 56 mm Diameter: 23 mm Capacity: 2 ml Weight: 76g MTL RTA with top to bottom airflow design Precise liquid control and airflow control Big single coil building deck for easy DIY Convenient top filling cap without leakage Thread: 510 Colours: Brushed, Polished, Black ___________________________________________________________________ Taking The Expromizer V4 Apart And It's Various Parts! When i first went to use the RTA everything was very tight and with having the slippy polished version (which gives little grip) it took two hours trying various methods to get the top cap free of the fill plate/airflow section before i gave up the risk free approach and got an adjustable spanner risking damaging the finish. Eventually i got it undone and although the rest of the tank i got apart with much less hassle there is a lot of o-rings in use throughout the design so with it all in bits including removing the airflow control ring i gave all the o-rings a good lubrication with e-liquid which is all it took to have everything moving with nice tolerances. With all it's various parts and having both top to bottom airflow and juice flow control some might see the RTA as being over engineered but compared to V3 i found it much more simplified so it will be less daunting to newer vapers. The drip tip is a 2 piece MTL 510 with an Ultem tip pre-installed but a Black delrin tip is also included. Also we have a 2ml Ultem tank section pre-installed but also a pyrex 2ml tank is also included. The RTA comprises of 2 piece drip tip, top cap, fill and airflow section, double walled chamber with attached air pipe, tank section, deck which unscrews from the base, base section and 510 pin. We get all the usual spare o-rings and screws but no coil/coils or cotton which is a pet hate of mine, all rebuildables should come with everything that is needed to do at least one build. ___________________________________________________________________ The Airflow The Expromizer V4 MTL RTA has top to bottom airflow and we have one long narrow slot on the airflow control ring and on the tank it'self we have a series of 6 small holes all the same size. The ring can be adjusted to have all six holes open, just one hole open or any amount between depending how tight you like your draw. The Chamber is doubled walled so the air feeds in through the inlets and into the cavity between the two walls of the chamber. At the bottom on the underside of the chamber we can see 3 small holes either side (so 6 in total). The underside of the chamber sits to the outside of the deck and underneath a circular channel get's created. The air comes through the six holes into the circular channel that surrounds the deck section and we have 4 small rectangular cutout sections spaced evenly that allows the air to enter underneath the deck and up through the 1.8mm air outlet situated directly underneath where your coil will be positioned. It's how the air enters the circular chamber before feeding underneath the deck that also allows the Expromizer to have juice control as nothing needs lining up allowing the base section (with screwed in deck) or main tank to be turned without effecting airflow. The last thing to point out when it comes to encouraging flavour along with the airflow although from the outside the chamber looks quite large because we have a lot going on and it's got a thick double wall the chamber it'self is quite reduced with a conical ceiling. ___________________________________________________________________ Juice Flow Control The chamber has 2 slots one either side and the outside of the deck has 3 holes either side going from the smallest to the biggest, this allows the chamber slot to be lined up with different combinations of the holes to suit the PG/VG ratio of the liquid you are using and also to close the juice flow entirely when filling to avoid the chamber being flooded. The inside of the chamber screws to the outside of the deck which as explained also creates a channel for the air but the outer wall extends down and has a shelf that sits on the base section so the Ultem or Pyrex tank section can be secured and sealed to a seated o-ring situated on this shelf. This allows the tank and deck to be turned against each other while the tank is secured together by either turning the tank or base section which is how the juice control is operated. I found it easiest to alter the juice control by turning the base when not on a device using the textured band for grip but when the RTA is secured on the device the tank it'self can be turned. ___________________________________________________________________ Filling The Expromizer V4 utilises a top-fill method for adding e-liquid to the tank. As explained earlier in manufacture the threading had been fastened so tight it took quite some drama to get it free, after saying that the polished finish on mine doesn't help to get any grip and how tight they come may vary. Once off though all that was needed was a bit of lubrication and since it's been fine. The top-cap threads to the inner protruding central piece of the fill plate section rather than the outer edge where it is sealed with an o-ring. The threading is quite long so it takes a good few turns to free but when unscrewing and screwing back it's noticeable how smooth the threading is. In the fill plate we have dual large kidney shaped fill ports and the tank holds 2ml of liquid. ___________________________________________________________________ The Deck And Build Although the diameter of the RTA is 23mm the deck itself is the sought of size more akin to a 22mm diameter RTA. It has shallow open posts opposite each other that have a central good quality philips grub screw on each and uses the screw heads as clamps making it a very easy build with no way your leads can pop out while fastening down. Just slip your leads in place and while holding your coil in position fasten the clamps (screw heads) down and then snip your leads. If needed use a coiling rod or fit for purpose tool to improve your coil placement then you just need to wick it. Because of the juice flow control allowing adjustment even for high VG liquids the wicking channels are bigger than you would expect on a MTL RTA and because i didn't want to pack cotton down and suffocate the flow but still make sure the whole wicking channel has cotton to avoid flooding i wicked it the following way. I cut the cotton ends bow tie style so the ends would just reach the bottom of the channels and then fluffed my ends trying not to remove any cotton, then i simply teased the cotton into the channels making sure they had full coverage. ___________________________________________________________________ How It Vapes And Thoughts! Once i managed to get the tank fully undone and got all the o-rings lubricated the tank comes apart and reassembles with ease. Even after lubrication when the tank is first being used both the airflow control ring and adjusting the juice flow control is a little tight but it doesn't take much time before it settles down to have really nice tolerances, not too tight but not too loose. In the past i have only really used juice flow control on tanks for closing when filling and then opening back up once filled and of course that can also be done on the Expromizer V4. But i really like how it can be adjusted to suit the e-liquids PG/VG ratio, i used some 50/50 nic salts and then used both 70Vg and 80VG and had it wicking perfectly with all (yes 80VG with an authentic MTL tank). The draw you can achieve pretty much covers the full MTL spectrum giving a loose MTL draw fully open (but not restricted DL) right down to just a little tighter than a cigarette pull with just one hole open. I wouldn't say i got a super tight draw when experimenting but it gives tight enough to satisfy the vast majority of MTL vapers. The airflow is silky smooth however the airflow is set and you could vape this in Church, it's noticeably quiet. With the top to bottom airflow preventing leaking and improved juice flow control i would of been satisfied if V4 matched V3 for flavour and the only disappointment for me is i can't remember where i put V3 to compare because V4 seems likes it's actually trumping V3, i'm getting fantastic flavour. The threading on the top-cap is as smooth as the airflow but it does have quite long threading so filling takes a little time but that's a very minor thing. Apart from how tight the tank was when i first received it the only other cons i can think of is that it doesn't come supplied with coil/coils and cotton and a bit larger capacity would be nice. After saying that i wouldn't want the tank any larger or be fitting a bubble glass so i suppose the trade off is a 2ml capacity which at least makes it TPD compliant. In This picture the Build is with a superfine MTL Fused Clapton 32ga*2+38ga Ni80 ID 2.6mm 6 wraps. Came out at 1.29ohms 3 airflow holes open and 2 largest juice holes with a 70VG juice for a medium MTL draw at 16W, for a warm but not hot smooth vape full of flavour. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Excellent build quality Impressive machining and threading Heavy (thick metal not flimsy) 3 Colour options Once settled perfect tolerances Top-fill Very easy build Leak resistant top to bottom airflow Juice flow control works great Can use any PG/VG ratio e-liquid Suffered no leaking or flooding whatsoever Ultem or Pyrex tank option (both included) Utlem and Delrin tips included 2 piece quality MTL 510 Fit your own 510 if you prefer Draw tight MTL right through to loose MTL Silky smooth airflow Noticeably quiet Fantastic flavour TPD compliant Cons Struggled to fully undo tank on arrival Takes a little use before tolerances settle down Comes without everything needed to do a build Threading on top-cap quite long (quite petty) A bit larger capacity would be nice I would once again like to thank Pearl from Cigabuy for providing the Exvape Expromizer V4 MTL RTA for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
  25. Hi Vapor Talk members, In this review i take a look at the DYADIC SQUONK MOD from Wotofo. The DYADIC SQUONK MOD was supplied for the purpose of this review by Antonio from Wotofo. Introduction Wotofo more known for their atty's including the Profile tend to take their time with many prototypes whenever releasing devices so they usually are very decent. The Dyadic project with Tony B is a collaboration which started back when Tony B was working on the original Pulse and Wotofo were working along with Mike Vapes on the Recurve squonk device so the Dyadic has been a long term project. The Dyadic is a simple power only dual 18650 squonk mod with a 200W top wattage and large capacity squonk bottle with side-fill. With it's symmetrical curved design and made to be has compact as possible it certainly has a unique look. The Dyadic has a large colour screen, large fire and navigational buttons and a velvety rubberised finish to it's removable panels, let's give it a look. ___________________________________________________________________ In The Box Contents: 1pc Dyadic Squonk Mod 1pc USB Charging Cable 1pc User Manual 2pcs Squonk Bottle (one pre-installed in the mod) ___________________________________________________________________ Aesthetics and Ergonomics The Dyadic comes in the usual Black and Wotofo Green cardboard packaging with clear plastic lid so the device can be clearly seen before opening. The device isn't exactly small as room is needed for a squonk bottle and dual batteries but it's space saving design makes it quite compact all things considered. I received the Black version, the colour options are Black, Silver, Gunmetal, Blue and Red, all versions have a shiny Gunmetal chassis with the side panels being the colour of choice. The side panels have a velvety rubberised coating which seems durable and feels very pleasant. The face of the device has a very large rectangular Gunmetal coloured fire button towards the top followed by a large colour screen. Further down we have the two large square Gunmetal coloured navigational buttons followed by a standard micro USB port (not type C), all buttons also have the rubberised coating and there is no button rattle whatsoever. The two removable side panels can be told apart by the cutout section in one exposing the smoked coloured squonk bottle, moving to the base we have plenty of branding and venting. Moving up top we have a strange shaped 510 plate with a spring loaded quite stiff 510. The 510 is to one side rather than central to keep the height of the device down and this choice i feel will divide opinion between those that want the device as small as possible and those that like to fit large atty's, we also have "DYADIC" printed on top of the device. The device is curved front and back and both sides giving it a rounded ergonomic form, the position of the fire button and symmetrical design means it's comfortable to hold and fire in either hand with either the thumb or finger. ___________________________________________________________________ Dyadic Features: Industry-leading inner chip, has an instant fire speed of 0.0001s Regulated mod that’s able to fire down to 0.05ohm. So it supports your pro-level dual coil setup Featuring an easy-to-loosen connector design, there’re no more stuck-on-mod tragedies With dual 18650 battery setup, it works longer and outputs steadier Side-filling 8.5ml squonk bottle, on-mod refilling becomes more convenient Whether you prefer left hand or right hand, it’s both super easy to operate Velvet rubber coating surface, plus solid and clicky buttons Dyadic Specifications: Dimensions: 82.4mm*61mm*37.3mm Display: TFT 0.96inch colour screen Body Material: zinc alloy + velvet rubber coating Battery Type: dual 18650 battery (not included) Working Voltage: 6.6-8.4V Wattage Range: 5-200W Resistance Range: 0.05-3.0ohm Max Charging Current: 1800mA±150mA Squonk Bottle Capacity: 8.5ml Connector Threading: 510 thread Working Modes: STANDARD/ POWERFUL/ POWERFUL+ Colours: Black, Silver, Gunmetal, Blue, Red ___________________________________________________________________ The Panels Both side panels come free with a tug but are very secure and are not going to come free by accident. Each panel has protruding notches with round indents both inner sides top and bottom. On the device with a panel removed we have spring loaded ball bearings top and bottom both front and back which fasten inside the indents of the panel when pressed in place. The design is very simple but seems durable and makes for a very secure movement free fit while removing and the putting the panels back in place can be done very quickly. ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Squonk Bottle we have the squonk bottle pre-installed but this is fitted in the standard way of having a protruding tube that feeds into the bottle fitting over the pipe in the device so it can be pulled free very easily for cleaning and maintenance purposes. We also receive a spare bottle and tubing but without a spare lid with fill bung which is a bit shabby. The next section is about the side-fill and really filling in the traditional way of removing the bottle and unscrewing the lid to fill isn't a good idea. Fitting the large capacity silicone bottle is a tight squeeze so once filled there is no way it can be fitted back into place without constantly putting pressure on the bottle which will cause e-liquid to come out the 510 making a mess, even with an atty in place there will just be too much liquid coming through the 510 for it not to end in tears. Another thing i like about the bottle being quite a standard bottle but then a side-fill system being fitted to the lid is the bottle will fit many other squonk devices allowing you to take advantage of the side-fill method. ___________________________________________________________________ Filling I do like the fill method a lot, just pull the side panel free, remove the bung that's on the side of the bottle's lid (the bung stays attached) and fill through the side fill port, i also like the 8.5ml capacity. filling the Dyadic can be both quick and mess free but certain steps need to be taken because if you overfill like i did once, what a mess i made! First you do need to tilt the device to fill more easily and quickly but the most important thing is being in good enough light you can see the juice level. These smokey or charcoal coloured silicone bottles are very common because they are aesthetically pleasing and the juice level can be seen by where we have juice it's a darker shade but in certain light it can be hard to see the darker and lighter shades. So as i mentioned if you do overfill it's going to be very messy but if you have the patience just to make sure you have a good enough light source to see the juice level then happy days as you should be able to fill both quickly and mess free. ___________________________________________________________________ The Chip and 510 I don't know what chip is being utilised in the device but it does point out in the marketing it's an industry leading chip and can fire down to 0.05ohms (not for me but it can if that appeals to you) it also claims a 0.0001s firing speed. Also in the marketing it points out it has an "Easy-to-loosen connector design ensures no more stuck-on-mod trouble". The plate is more of a rectangular design and must admit atty's screw on and off with no bother but then i find this with most mods and can't say i'm noticing anything special going on! ___________________________________________________________________ Fitting The Batteries The dual 18650 batteries rather than fitted side by side get fitted with one set back from the other, also with the space saving design both the battery and squonk bottle panels need removing for full access which is a small thing but a minor con. I've already described how the panels fit in place and a big pro for that but yet again battery orientation is Black on Black which bugs me, we do have a battery ribbon fitted for easy removal. ___________________________________________________________________ The display I love the display, it's big, clear, bright, uncluttered and has everything in large and medium sized fonts, i also like they haven't gone over the top on the use of colour maintaining a classy look. At the top we have the mode Standard, Powerful or Powerful+, underneath this in very large font we have the wattage. Underneath the wattage to the right we have "W" and then moving to a central orientation we have resistance followed by voltage. Finally we have two horizontal elongated battery status bars at the bottom of the display. ___________________________________________________________________ Navigating The Dyadic The device has been designed to be simple and user friendly which will be to many vapers liking while others will wish it had more features. The device is the usual 5 clicks of the fire button to turn on and 5 clicks to turn off and once on we have just one combination key press feature which is both navigational buttons together locks and unlocks the whole device, when locked the device can't fire. The device is power mode only but you can choose between Standard, Powerful or powerful+, pressing the fire button and up together changes the setting with Powerful giving an extra 5W of power for the first 2 seconds of your vape and Powerful+ giving an extra 10W of power for the same duration. Although the Dyadic has a colour screen, colour is used very little with just the mode and "W" for wattage being in colour, when in Standard mode these items are Green, they are orange when using Powerful and when in Powerful+ mode they are Red. The wattage scrolls in 1W increments which i like and scrolls at a nice speed, not too slow but not too fast that you overshoot the target wattage by much (it doesn't round robin), of course it also has all the usual safety protections. ___________________________________________________________________ Protections: Automatic Atomizer Recognition Low Resistance Protection Low Voltage Protection Overheating Protection Short Circuit Protection 10s Auto Cutoff Protection ___________________________________________________________________ How It Performed And Thoughts! The first thing to point out is i do not have access to data so whether this achieves the full 200W (doubtful) it certainly seemed very accurate at all the wattage's i vaped at. The large fire button is in a comfortable position and needs a firm press which i like. The device fires instantly and hit's set wattage with no delay and i really didn't have any use for the Powerful and Powerful+ modes as i was happy enough with it's impressive ramp up but for those that like a bit more wattage at the beginning of your vape you have that option. The display is very nice and even those with eyesight which is not the best should have no worries reading everything on the screen. The old school BF system works reliably and after learning the lesson to make sure the light is good enough to see the juice level i was able to fill the bottle quickly and mess free, i also like the 8.5ml capacity. The device is very ergonomic with nice rubberised feel and i didn't find it too bulky for out and about unlike most dual battery squonk devices. Needing to remove both panels to change the batteries is a small con but the panels pull off and can be put back on very quickly with no hassles. Obviously not suitable for TC users or those that prefer feature rich devices but for those looking for a simple dual battery 18650 BF device who just prefer dialing in the wattage and vaping then this is well worth considering. The specs has the charging rate of 1800mA±150mA so just over 1.5A or just under 2A depending on if you are a glass half empty or half full person but anyway although i don't recommend charging batteries in the device it's going to charge quickly but again wish it had Type C USB. I both like the compact form and short height of the device but wish it had a centred 510 allowing for large atty's, unfortunately the design doesn't allow for both and the goals of the device was to have a simple to use compact device so any atty over 25mm will overhang. Finally with the device being so simple i did expect really good battery life but am finding it about par compared to other dual 18650 devices. ___________________________________________________________________ Likes Excellent build quality No Rattles or movement whatsoever Velvety Rubberised durable coating Unique look (as far as i am aware) Aesthetically pleasing (subjective) 5 Colour options Compact Very ergonomic Fire very comfortably with either hand and with either finger or thumb Bottle can be removed easily for cleaning and maintenance Side-Fill design 8.5ml Capacity Fill quickly and mess free (as long as care is taken) Bottle can be used in other BF devices taking advantage of fill method Panels fit very securely, can also be removed and put back in place very quickly Simple power only device Standard, Powerful and Powerful+ modes Large Clear Display with large font usage BF system works reliably High Performance Fires instantly with instant ramp up Firm large fire button Quick charging Cons Need good light to see juice level Both panels need removing to install/remove batteries 510 to the side (atty's over 25mm will overhang) Not suitable for TC users or those that like feature rich devices No reason if care's taken not to fill mess free, but if you overfill it's very messy Not type C USB Spare bottle has no lid Black on Black labelled battery orientation I would once again like to thank Antonio from Wotofo for supplying the Dyadic Squonk Mod for the purpose of this review. ___________________________________________________________________
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