Intro: The age old question is, “Silver Bullet or Omega?” and the age old answer is, “They're both amazing!” So I decided to write this review on two inexpensive mods, both dubbed to be perfect for the new vaper. The Lavatube has gotten a lot of publicity in the vaping world since it came out a few months ago. It is a very affordable variable voltage mod that takes an 18650 high drain battery. It has a small screen in which you can adjust your voltage on the fly, much like a cheap version of the Provari (which is why some people call it the poorvari). In the other corner, we have the primitive, yet effective, Madvapes VV Box with it's traditional unregulated knob-style voltage adjustment that takes two protected 14500 batteries. Though the design isn't as sturdy as the Lavatube, it's a very good starting point in the big battery mod realm just like the Lavatube. In this review I will be going over the pros and cons of both.
Lavatube Pros
Voltage Change on the Fly: Like I said earlier, they call this the Poorvari because it's got a similar easy method of changing your voltage whenever you want. There are two buttons right under the screen to click the voltage up and down in increments of 0.1. Furthermore, you can hold down both of these buttons at the same time for a few seconds to lock the voltage in place. I don't use this function, but I'm sure there's someone out there who would appreciate this. I love being able to change the voltage easily because sometimes I wake up early a bit hungover, and my throat is a bit sensitive because I drink straight up liquor, so being able to back the voltage down to a more tolerable “waking up” vape is something I can appreciate. I can take the voltage down on my Madvapes VV box in the morning, but that means I have to dig out my voltage reader and my screwdriver and steady my hand to tune the uber-sensitive knob to the voltage I like, then take the voltage reader and the screwdriver with me so I can change the voltage back to where I normally like it later.
Epic Battery Life: Most veteran vapers can tell you that 18650s have great battery life, and since this mod comes with a good quality regulator, it's no surprise this mod can easily last a 9 hour work day, and then some. If you do what I did, and get 2 batteries, then battery life will never be an issue. There's also a cool feature that they don't tell you about in the description that I use all the time, and that's the battery check. If you click the red button 7 times in a row, it will show the voltage of the battery itself. When the high drain 18650s are fully charged, the voltage is 4.2, and when they reach a voltage of 3.3, that means they're about to die. Being able to check this on the fly is another awesome convenience. The Madvapes VV Box doesn't last a day of work on a single set of batteries without having my Lavatube in my car as a backup.
Kits Available: You can get a Lavatube, an 18650 high drain battery, a universal charger (emphasis on the universal part, since it works on most other batteries you may buy in the future for vaping), a 3.0ohm 510 atty, and a drip tip for 100 bucks. Good ass deal if you ask me, considering a Silver Bullet alone is 90 bucks. The only reason I'm pointing this out is because the Madvapes VV Box doesn't have this option. (Dear Madvapes.com, get on that.)
Lavatube Cons
Too Damn Big: If you stack two 18650 batteries on top of each other, that's about the size of this mod. Its slender, but just too damn long, especially if you put a carto tank on the end. This mod isn't very work friendly, but if you're looking for something to puff on in your car or at home, this is a good option.
Over Regulated: If most of your atties are low resistance, than you're going to have to buy some 3.0 atties. This mod is made to work best at higher resistances, and if you put a low res atty / carto, it claims to drop the voltage down to 3.7v, when in reality it drops it down to 3.1 volts, meaning that you're better off keeping those things on your eGo. The same thing happens when you put a dual coil carto on the Lavatube, it goes by the resistance of one of the coils rather than the combined resistance, so you get that same deep drop in voltage. If you vape this mod at 3.0ohms, though, it performs phenomenally.
Madvapes VV Box Pros
Very Compact: Like every mod you see being reviewed on youtube, the camera makes this box look bigger, when in reality, its about 2/3 the size of a pack of cigarettes, and half as wide. If you can keep a pack of cigs in your pocket every day, then this thing will not only fit like a glove in your pocket, but probably free up some space too. Even if you put a extra set of 14500s in your pocket for backup, they're the same size as AA batteries, and barely take up any space. Putting the Lavatube in your pocket, on the other hand, makes you look like you're daydreaming about things you shouldn't be daydreaming about when you're at work. “Is that a Lavatube in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
Full Range of Voltage: You can vape from 2.9 to 7.0 volts on this device. They say that it goes up to 7.4 volts, but mine doesn't, and I really don't care because my sweet spot is about 5v anyway, give or take. The Lavatube only goes up to 6.0v, FYI, which also doesn't bother me because of what I said in the last sentence. Though I did crank it all the way up one time, took two puffs, and my throat said to me, “Stop it!!!!”
Unregulated: The fact that it doesn't kick the wattage down when you're at too low of a resistance really makes me appreciate Darwinism. I know how to calculate wattage (V^2 / R), and I know not to put it above 15 watts, and if you hurt yourself because you were vaping a 1.3ohm atty at 7.4 volts, then the spirit of Dawin is probably in your room laughing at your dumb ass. Long story short, I'm a big boy now, I can calculate my own wattage. The Lavatube fails in this category because its too regulated, which I talked about earlier.
Cheaper: The Lavatube itself sells for 70 bucks, yet this box sells for 35 bucks... Can't elaborate any more on that category, you get your money's worth, especially if you already own 14500s.
Madvapes VV Box Cons
Battery Life: I cant tell you how many times I've been at work on my last 15 minute break vaping away when all the sudden, the vapor gets less and less until the box is completely dead. The age old rule is that the bigger the battery, the better the life, and visa verse. Knowing that, if you're going to bring this to work with you, bring either a backup pair of batteries, or another PV so you're not stuck bumming cigarettes. Then again, I'm a moderate vaper, and if you vape less than I do, you might not run into this problem.
I forgot my voltage: If you're going to buy this thing, I can't recommend to you enough to get a voltage reader, because otherwise you're basically guessing. The Lavatube is cool because you can see your voltage whenever you vape, much like the high-end 200+ dollar mods like the Monkeyboxx or the Provari (I keep praising the Provari, yet I don't own one >.>). The Madvapes VV Box is cheap and you get what you pay for. The voltage is meant to stay in the same spot for a while, which is why this mod is meant for those who have found their sweet spot on the voltage dial. If you want the same quick changing of the Lavatube, you're going to have to carry around a screwdriver and your voltage reader with you. Also, you'd better have a steady hand because the voltage dial is ultra mega uber sensitive.
No kits available: Like I mentioned earlier, you can get the Lavatube in a nice 100 dollar kit with everything you need to get started. The Madvapes VV Box doesn't have that, and I wish they did for Madvape's sake because if the sophomore vapers knew how awesome this mod was, they'd flock to it like ants on a sugarcube. Here's my suggestion, to the website: Make the mod out of solid metal, and sell it in a kit for the same price as the Lavatube.
And the winner is...
It's a tie. Sorry to be cliche like Grimm Green's Silver Bullet vs. Omega review, but the truth of the matter is they're both good in their own way. It's all a matter if you prefer epic battery life and easy voltage change or compactness and full range of voltage. I hope this conclusion hasn't been too much of a disappointment for you, and I hope any of you newbie vapers out there who are reading this are happy with your next purchase whatever it may be.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Vaping Review: 4 Months Later
Intro:
Well, when I very first started vaping, I told myself I was going to regularly post reviews on my products to give back to #ecf and the ecf forums for all the help they have given me. 4 months later, I haven't written anything since I was vaping boge 808 cartos of a way too high resistance on a knockoff ego battery. So even though they tell you you're not supposed to cut corners, that's what I'm gonna do. Here is a condensed review of the things in my vaping stash that suck, and don't suck.
Recommended
The Lava Tube: I bought this mod because it was cheap and it was variable voltage. I've been using it for about a week, and I love the fact that I can dial the voltage up or down depending on what kind of throat hit I'm in the mood for. Other than that, I unfortunately don't have a lot to say about this product because I'm yet to get the full effect. By this, I mean that the atty I came with, which was the only HR atty that I own doesn't work well at all. It leaks and burns a lot. So i've mainly been using 2.5 and 2.7 ohms on this thing, which kinda sucks because it is a regulated mod, and the regulator has a tendency to kick the voltage down way too much when vaping at a “dangerous” level. This is especially true with my LR atties which I've grown so fond of in the past 2 months. I think my next review will be specifically on the Lava Tube when I get a decent working 3,0ohm atty or carto.
Bloog 808s w/ Bloog Cartos: When I need a nice compact cig to put in my compact 808 PCC for a night out, this is what I bring with me. I've tried other 808s, and nothing can compare to Bloogs in this category. They are the new generation of 808s, and produce a much better buzz, and much better throat hit than any other 808 i've tried before. If you are looking for a cig-sized vaporizer, this is the only product I can recommend.
Joye Ego 1000mah Passthrough Battery: In my opinion, there's nothing better than the simple joy of being able to use a battery for vaping while it's charging. The ego passthrough battery has a cap that screws off on the bottom that reveals a mini-usb charging port that lets you charge it while you vape it. Its only 2 dollars more than a regular ego battery, it comes with a cable, and whether you know it or not, you probably have a mini-usb cable lying around your house somewhere that you can use as backup since mini-usb is so universal. The battery life is much better than a 650mah, and works great with LR510s and LR306's. Just be aware that though the battery life works for me, I'm not a chain-vaper, so if you vape more than I do you might not get a full day out of it. Despite this, the charging convenience outweighs that fact if you ask me.
Joye LR510 atty: This works great on my ego, and slightly better on my lavatube. I pop this one on when im craving more throat hit and more buzz.
Joye LR306 atty: This works great on my ego, and slightly better on my lavatube . I pop this one on when im craving more flavor and warmer vapor. (FYI: 306's thread perfectly into a 510 connection, so don't bother looking for an adapter)
TheVaporRoom.net: Great prices, and great juices. Some of their juices are kinda meh, but they carry all the essentials for the intermediate vaper like myself. You absolutely cannot go wrong with this site. They will send you a free 15ml bottle of juice with your first order, as well as sample bottles with every other order. When you get your order, you can tell there's a human being who put it together. Each invoice I get with my shipments comes with hand written thank you notes from the store owners themselves. If that's not good old-fashioned brick and mortar customer service, then I dont know what the hell is. Though if there is one recommendation I could make to this site: SELL BOGES CARTOS!!! everyone loves them, and they will sell.
VaporRenu.com: This site exclusively sells US made e-liquid for $8.50 an ounce. They also give you the option to buy it by the pint for $66 dollars, which comes out to $4.50 an ounce, which is a hell of a good bulk deal if you ask me. I bought 4 different flavors from them, and the consistency is perfect to the point where it almost never leaks. My only qualm is that they don't sell sample sized bottles, so if you're a beginner, and don't know what types of juice flavors you like, wait a while before ordering from this site.
Juices that rock: The Vapor Room: TVR Tobacco, Ginger's Tobacco, Virginia, Ginger's RY4, Mango, 555, Smooth Menthol, Sweet Cherry. Vapor4Life: Smilin Special Menthol, Virginia Menthol, Parlament Menthol, Menthol. VaporRenu: Cherry, Extreme Ice.
Not Recommended
Cartridges: They're too complicated. If you want something that's gonna keep you from dripping all day, then go for a cartomizer. They're a much better option.
Smok-Tech HR atty: I know that 510s are notorious for leaking. When I tried 901s, they leaked less than 510s, and they have a hole in them. Despite this, I was given this crappy atty when I ordered my lavatube kit from ecigwizard.com, and this thing leaks worse than anything I have ever used before. Im currently waiting on a replacement for it, and im not happy. I haven't tried volcano's atty for it, but I heard it doesn't leak, so if you get the lavatube, get volcano's 3.0ohm atty with it.... or at least not the smok-tech atty.
TopVapor Juices: There's no flavor in these juices, and when you get one that has some flavor, its usually a crappy one. I enjoyed their minthol, but later discovered that vaporrenu's Extreme Ice blows this flavor clear out of the water. Its pretty much the same flavor, but much better and much more mentholy and refeshing.
Liberty-flights ego battery: It sucks. See below for more details
Liberty-Flights.com – They're prices suck, and getting a decent deal from them is contingent on you writing reviews for their products. The one thing I can say about this site though, is that they give you like, 50c credit for every review you write, and I don't think they moderate the reviews coming in, so all you have to do is click on whatever product you bought and write “HURRDURR!!! I R VAPEHURRRR!!!!” and you get 50 cents in liberty flights money. Still though their prices really suck, their juices really suck, and when I bought my first “joye” ego battery, I later found out it wasn't a Joye. I thought people didn't get away with false advertising that bad anymore, but I guess I'm the sucker for trusting these schmucks.
Juices that suck: Topvapor: Vanilla Tobacco. The Vapor Room: Vanilla Tobacco, Clove, crème de Menthe, EC Tobacco Menthol. Vapor4Life: Gunslinger, Wowboy, Cinnamon Roll. All VG juices from Liberty-Flights.com excluding Original Red. Anything by Dekang
Final Thought:
And there you have it. Kind of a long review despite being condensed, but I'm making up for lost time here. Any product that I've talked about before that I didn't mention in this review falls under the “meh...” category, meaning that I didn't have enough good or bad things to say about them that were worth talking about. Thanks for reading, and happy vaping, everyone!
Well, when I very first started vaping, I told myself I was going to regularly post reviews on my products to give back to #ecf and the ecf forums for all the help they have given me. 4 months later, I haven't written anything since I was vaping boge 808 cartos of a way too high resistance on a knockoff ego battery. So even though they tell you you're not supposed to cut corners, that's what I'm gonna do. Here is a condensed review of the things in my vaping stash that suck, and don't suck.
Recommended
The Lava Tube: I bought this mod because it was cheap and it was variable voltage. I've been using it for about a week, and I love the fact that I can dial the voltage up or down depending on what kind of throat hit I'm in the mood for. Other than that, I unfortunately don't have a lot to say about this product because I'm yet to get the full effect. By this, I mean that the atty I came with, which was the only HR atty that I own doesn't work well at all. It leaks and burns a lot. So i've mainly been using 2.5 and 2.7 ohms on this thing, which kinda sucks because it is a regulated mod, and the regulator has a tendency to kick the voltage down way too much when vaping at a “dangerous” level. This is especially true with my LR atties which I've grown so fond of in the past 2 months. I think my next review will be specifically on the Lava Tube when I get a decent working 3,0ohm atty or carto.
Bloog 808s w/ Bloog Cartos: When I need a nice compact cig to put in my compact 808 PCC for a night out, this is what I bring with me. I've tried other 808s, and nothing can compare to Bloogs in this category. They are the new generation of 808s, and produce a much better buzz, and much better throat hit than any other 808 i've tried before. If you are looking for a cig-sized vaporizer, this is the only product I can recommend.
Joye Ego 1000mah Passthrough Battery: In my opinion, there's nothing better than the simple joy of being able to use a battery for vaping while it's charging. The ego passthrough battery has a cap that screws off on the bottom that reveals a mini-usb charging port that lets you charge it while you vape it. Its only 2 dollars more than a regular ego battery, it comes with a cable, and whether you know it or not, you probably have a mini-usb cable lying around your house somewhere that you can use as backup since mini-usb is so universal. The battery life is much better than a 650mah, and works great with LR510s and LR306's. Just be aware that though the battery life works for me, I'm not a chain-vaper, so if you vape more than I do you might not get a full day out of it. Despite this, the charging convenience outweighs that fact if you ask me.
Joye LR510 atty: This works great on my ego, and slightly better on my lavatube. I pop this one on when im craving more throat hit and more buzz.
Joye LR306 atty: This works great on my ego, and slightly better on my lavatube . I pop this one on when im craving more flavor and warmer vapor. (FYI: 306's thread perfectly into a 510 connection, so don't bother looking for an adapter)
TheVaporRoom.net: Great prices, and great juices. Some of their juices are kinda meh, but they carry all the essentials for the intermediate vaper like myself. You absolutely cannot go wrong with this site. They will send you a free 15ml bottle of juice with your first order, as well as sample bottles with every other order. When you get your order, you can tell there's a human being who put it together. Each invoice I get with my shipments comes with hand written thank you notes from the store owners themselves. If that's not good old-fashioned brick and mortar customer service, then I dont know what the hell is. Though if there is one recommendation I could make to this site: SELL BOGES CARTOS!!! everyone loves them, and they will sell.
VaporRenu.com: This site exclusively sells US made e-liquid for $8.50 an ounce. They also give you the option to buy it by the pint for $66 dollars, which comes out to $4.50 an ounce, which is a hell of a good bulk deal if you ask me. I bought 4 different flavors from them, and the consistency is perfect to the point where it almost never leaks. My only qualm is that they don't sell sample sized bottles, so if you're a beginner, and don't know what types of juice flavors you like, wait a while before ordering from this site.
Juices that rock: The Vapor Room: TVR Tobacco, Ginger's Tobacco, Virginia, Ginger's RY4, Mango, 555, Smooth Menthol, Sweet Cherry. Vapor4Life: Smilin Special Menthol, Virginia Menthol, Parlament Menthol, Menthol. VaporRenu: Cherry, Extreme Ice.
Not Recommended
Cartridges: They're too complicated. If you want something that's gonna keep you from dripping all day, then go for a cartomizer. They're a much better option.
Smok-Tech HR atty: I know that 510s are notorious for leaking. When I tried 901s, they leaked less than 510s, and they have a hole in them. Despite this, I was given this crappy atty when I ordered my lavatube kit from ecigwizard.com, and this thing leaks worse than anything I have ever used before. Im currently waiting on a replacement for it, and im not happy. I haven't tried volcano's atty for it, but I heard it doesn't leak, so if you get the lavatube, get volcano's 3.0ohm atty with it.... or at least not the smok-tech atty.
TopVapor Juices: There's no flavor in these juices, and when you get one that has some flavor, its usually a crappy one. I enjoyed their minthol, but later discovered that vaporrenu's Extreme Ice blows this flavor clear out of the water. Its pretty much the same flavor, but much better and much more mentholy and refeshing.
Liberty-flights ego battery: It sucks. See below for more details
Liberty-Flights.com – They're prices suck, and getting a decent deal from them is contingent on you writing reviews for their products. The one thing I can say about this site though, is that they give you like, 50c credit for every review you write, and I don't think they moderate the reviews coming in, so all you have to do is click on whatever product you bought and write “HURRDURR!!! I R VAPEHURRRR!!!!” and you get 50 cents in liberty flights money. Still though their prices really suck, their juices really suck, and when I bought my first “joye” ego battery, I later found out it wasn't a Joye. I thought people didn't get away with false advertising that bad anymore, but I guess I'm the sucker for trusting these schmucks.
Juices that suck: Topvapor: Vanilla Tobacco. The Vapor Room: Vanilla Tobacco, Clove, crème de Menthe, EC Tobacco Menthol. Vapor4Life: Gunslinger, Wowboy, Cinnamon Roll. All VG juices from Liberty-Flights.com excluding Original Red. Anything by Dekang
Final Thought:
And there you have it. Kind of a long review despite being condensed, but I'm making up for lost time here. Any product that I've talked about before that I didn't mention in this review falls under the “meh...” category, meaning that I didn't have enough good or bad things to say about them that were worth talking about. Thanks for reading, and happy vaping, everyone!
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