Discontinued The Grasshopper

[fogbank]

I too have been waiting for a sign of life on both my email(s) to Caroline and my Warranty Request, and hearing that they're active on FaceBook is, well, it's just wrong.

I received a response from Caroline this morning, stating that my batteries would be shipped today.

 

[vapognak]

Not really a fix, more a tip: when inserting the battery into the grasshopper, keep the unit head's up, so you will have to push the battery upward into the unit.
Otherwise - if you let sliding down the battery too fast - you might damage a bit the connexion point where comes the positive pole of the battery.

I think I might have done that and when I look inside the body with a flash light, some of the connecting metal seems off.
I know I'll be more careful from now on.

 

[ZC]

So as I always do with new vapes I handed the grasshopper to a friend saying to try it.

One hit, on 4.2~, and she says "I need to get one of these."

I've showed a lot of vapes to a lot of friends but I've never gotten a response that positive that quickly. Most of my other vapes require some explaining and technique and all that, so they won't get good results right away. But with the hopper, it's click and inhale for great results.

As I've said before, this thing demos really well.

 

[moondog]

Not really a fix, more a tip: when inserting the battery into the grasshopper, keep the unit head's up, so you will have to push the battery upward into the unit.
Otherwise - if you let sliding down the battery too fast - you might damage a bit the connexion point where comes the positive pole of the battery.

I think I might have done that and when I look inside the body with a flash light, some of the connecting metal seems off.
I know I'll be more careful from now on.

I feel like the value of the fixit resource is greatly increased by the inclusion of preventive tips.

 

[Baron23]

I agree that is in our best interest to curb the dissing.

Sorry guys, but I think this is complete and utter BS and that I have every right to expect the same level of competence and performance from any company I just gave $200+ to.

You want to give companies a 'buy' on their behavior just because they are in the cannabis field, then you are going to get the same treatment with no change.

Among my responsibilities are support and satisfaction of my customers and I will tell you that customers expect the right to express, in unvarnished terms, their desires, their satisfactions, and their dissatisfaction. I will also tell you that complaints and customer attitudes are what companies react to. Just smile at them and give them the 420 peace sign and you are going to keep on getting the same deficient treatment that you have been getting.

Just realities of life.

In regards to customer communication, delivery performance, supplier management, QA and reliability engineering, Hopper Labs has sucked so far.

Now, I own a GH. Mine works well. I LOVE this vape. I do NOT love the company and they have not given me any reason to do so.

Feel about it as you like.

 

[Milkytime]

I'll share my CS experience so far has been terrible. Hopper labs/Caroline argued with me and told me that they did not push my dates back when clearly they did (after at least 4-5 push backs already) No apologies just blatantly denying they didn't push it back again and that my order was to be fulfilled in July even though it said June on my account (which they quickly changed after arguing with me) So here we are August with no update and no hopper and my account still says July I wonder how they will tell me I'm wrong this time I email. This is bad CS to tell your costumer they are wrong that should never happen and not even apologize when they have no excuse and we all know they pushed the dates back. Getting real tired of this shit personally.

 

[ZC]

Yeah I'm not really into giving companies a pass just because it's "hard" to start a business.

Other small operations like Dynavap and Underdog provide top notch customer service with a tiny crew. It's not a matter of the business being small or new -it's a matter of the people running it taking CS seriously.

I also believe part of a vaporizer REVIEW forum is to share the good and the bad, if the device is all good and the CS is bad, well that needs to be reflected in the posts here so new customers know what they're getting into.

Don't get me wrong, the BE NICE rule is important and spewing constant hate is not good or useful, but being upfront about a manufacturers failings is just as important as praising their successes.

That all said my few interactions with Hopper Labs have been just fine, but I haven't had to deal with warranty issues yet.

 

[Thcgos]

Grasshopper Pre-order
July Update


Hey Everyone,

It’s been another busy month at Hopper Labs! We’ve added four new Assembly Technicians to the Hopper Labs family and we’re excited to see increasing production rates with their efforts. In the near future, we look forward to bringing on more technicians as we begin another round of hiring.

In addition to Assembly Technicians, we’re happy to welcome a new office worker to assist in the Support Department. We’re working hard to get her up to speed so that we can improve customer service turn around and answer your inquiries faster!

With the additions to our team, we’re also working hard to smooth out the production process. This month we visited our manufacturers to make design improvements and to better the streamline of the supply chain. An efficient supply chain is crucial to our production by ensuring we continuously have parts on hand as we send out Grasshoppers at an increased rate!

This past month we sent approximately 2,000 Grasshoppers out the door during the month of July; about 500 Grasshoppers every week. These shipments covered the pre-orders of June 2015 through August 2015. As we begin to chip away at the pre-orders from September 2015, keep an eye on your email for an address confirmation!

As we enter the final days of summer, we would like to pause to remember that our progress would not have been possible without you, our customers. Thank you for your continued support and patience. You made expanding Hopper Labs less of a hurdle and we look forward to continued production as we enjoy these last summer days!

Sincerely,

The Grasshopper Team

 

[moondog]

Sorry guys, but I think this is complete and utter BS and that I have every right to expect the same level of competence and performance from any company I just gave $200+ to.

You want to give companies a 'buy' on their behavior just because they are in the cannabis field, then you are going to get the same treatment with no change.

Among my responsibilities are support and satisfaction of my customers and I will tell you that customers expect the right to express, in unvarnished terms, their desires, their satisfactions, and their dissatisfaction. I will also tell you that complaints and customer attitudes are what companies react to. Just smile at them and give them the 420 peace sign and you are going to keep on getting the same deficient treatment that you have been getting.

Just realities of life.

In regards to customer communication, delivery performance, supplier management, QA and reliability engineering, Hopper Labs has sucked so far.

Now, I own a GH. Mine works well. I LOVE this vape. I do NOT love the company and they have not given me any reason to do so.

Feel about it as you like.

Wow. I can't remember ever having so many words shoved in my mouth. I don't think anyone is saying you have to change your expectations, or give GHL a "bye" on their behavior, flash peace signs, or change your behavior here.

But there's a wide spectrum between offering feedback/letting a company know where they are letting you down/sharing experiences with others and spewing bile and invective.

But hell, maybe the news that came through in the July update about hiring a new CS staff person and working to tighten up the supply chain ONLY happened because people bitched and moaned and whined and swore and called them names here on FC.

I guess we'll never know until Netflix does an original doc on the subject:

"Hopping Mad: The Story of the Grasshopper and the Rant".

 

[Bdubbdiblets]

Outta left field..

I swear my hoppers are working better than ever all of a sudden..wonder why...I've been wearing the same jeans for a few days now...hmmmm...perhaps I'll never change them.

I think it's funny how nervous and ritualistic these finnacky lil turds have made my sesh's become..if the lights are a certain way or the cats laying in a certain spot...


But Yeesh does it medicate...seriously...and I enjoy Mary's full saturation..I'm rambling. That is all.

(Real talk tho..Sometimes when I know the batt is full but it immediately blinks I slightly loosen the backend while hitting and I get solid blue and solid hit...most the time..don't think this is part of the design )

Really that is all.

 

[Vapor_Eyes]

Wow. First I feel like I posted too negative, and now I'm being told I'm too positive. I think the most powerful thing in the world is forgiveness. And I forgive Hopper Labs for their shortcomings. That doesn't excuse them. I believe that's an important distinction.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will share a story I have been holding off on until now. I didn't want to share it before for the simple fact of being too negative, but I also believe the truth should be shared so it was a hard decision.

When @VapoShop got hoppers in stock I purchased one. I already had a Nitecore D2 and other accessories I purchased waiting for my preorder. I purchased an extra battery from Hopper Labs and a leather sleeve. I asked them to ship it separately from my preorder. The order shipped in a couple days and I got it a couple days after that. Great experience so far.

So a while later (transatlantic ocean voyage + customs purgatory) I get my hopper. I use the battery that is in it and use the other battery I got direct from HL. I charge them in my D2. The next day I realize the wrapper on one of the batteries has a small tear. I'm almost positive it was like that when I received it, but unfortunately I didn't inspect either battery when I received them. I have since learned my lesson. Pro Tip: check new batteries immediately!

I would like to note that batteries from Hopper Labs have no warranty at all.

I sent an email to grasshopper support with a picture explaining that it was a brand new hopper and brand new battery used once. I asked if it was safe to use. I will paraphrase Caroline's reply because of the rules about private conversations. It was basically a stock "don't use torn batteries" answer. No concern at all about my experience with a brand new product from their company. No "I'm so sorry that happened, I'll send a new one out right away."

I replied back that I was disappointed I couldn't use this brand new battery that had only been used once before. I didn't say too much else, at this point I was honestly testing their customer service.

I got no response and after I got sick of waiting I ordered a new battery. I waited and waited for the shipping notification. After a week I got sick of waiting and emailed back, being overly polite, thinking maybe they were just holding it for the preorder, even though throughout the whole ordering process they tell you if you don't choose free shipping it will ship immediately and to disregard the estimated shipping date.

I did get a response from Caroline that my battery would ship the next day. So eight days later they finally shipped a replacement battery to a brand new customer. Not the best first impression.

It was a messed up experience in many ways. I had tried to be prepared and be all set up when my hopper arrived, and yet I was stuck with only one battery for roughly two weeks. Any hopper owner will tell you one battery is less than ideal to say the least.

I felt I should have been more aggressive and upset in my initial email and I may have got a free replacement battery. I'm confident my battery was torn when I received it, there's no way I did that damage. I almost understand not having a warranty (shit, give me a day or two at least), but it should be functional upon arrival. Batteries are cheap and $7 isn't going to break the bank, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth like they don't care about me as a customer.

At the same time I didn't want to post anything too negative on here. I struggled to decide what to do and ended up not posting this story.

The reason I'm posting it now is that I feel it is important to share the truth about the situation.

I also think it is important to forgive HL for their shortcomings. I wish them the best of luck and think they have the best intentions.

I stand by everything I have said previously on this topic, both positive and negative.

The important thing about forgiveness is that we aren't all great at everything we do right away. It's a learning process for all of us. As long as HL continues to work towards improvement they deserve our support. And they have shown they can gradually ramp up production so I'm sure they will improve the customer service experience too.

They have put in an immense amount of work to bring us an amazing vaporizer. Once they fill these orders they will have more time to focus on improving everything else. And I really think the addition to customer support staff is going to make a huge difference.

This is pure conjecture, but I feel the main limitation to HL so far has been funding, and I can't help but feel they could easily find outside funding with such a great proof of concept. So the only logical conclusion is that they are refusing the outside funding so they can do things their way, which is making it a lot harder in the beginning, but gives them much more control.

I for one would much rather deal with these admittedly minor growing pains than have some conglomerate come in and cut corners and reduce performance to save money. They would probably raise the price too.

The Grasshopper is one of the most cutting edge vapes with top tier performance and is also the most affordable battery powered convection vaporizer. That is worth supporting in my opinion.

 

[MoltenTiger]

They were the same gauge, but the Monster Cable is welding cable fine strand and the standard cable looked like #12 solid that was stranded. Everything travels on the surface of the cable, the more strands the less resistance. We're on the same page for the gold, it would have to place in a unit like this.

I'm just hoping Hopper Labs is reading about thier real world use issues and looking at fixes for V2! If they are, the GH2 could be a burden free beast!

Cool, I only just saw this, must have slipped through the gaps.
Makes sense, I appreciate the info.

HL are beyond just listening to issues, they are analysing their warranty returns, visiting parts manufacturers and continue to fine-tune their design. Even better than a V2, is a more robust product.
I am very satisfied with my Hopper still, and it's vulnerability is not something I have ever really been bothered by. Going without it for a few weeks is hard though. That's why I own two ;P
Although I mainly plan on lending my second unit around to help spread the good word about a nicotine and combustion free life to a few friends who could really use it.

 

[Roland Blaze]

Sorry guys, but I think this is complete and utter BS and that I have every right to expect the same level of competence and performance from any company I just gave $200+ to.

You want to give companies a 'buy' on their behavior just because they are in the cannabis field, then you are going to get the same treatment with no change.

Among my responsibilities are support and satisfaction of my customers and I will tell you that customers expect the right to express, in unvarnished terms, their desires, their satisfactions, and their dissatisfaction. I will also tell you that complaints and customer attitudes are what companies react to. Just smile at them and give them the 420 peace sign and you are going to keep on getting the same deficient treatment that you have been getting.

Just realities of life.

In regards to customer communication, delivery performance, supplier management, QA and reliability engineering, Hopper Labs has sucked so far.

Now, I own a GH. Mine works well. I LOVE this vape. I do NOT love the company and they have not given me any reason to do so.

Feel about it as you like.

Couldn't agree more. Sorry but those of you who are justifying this behaviour from hopper labs because your scared of them folding, or not getting your batteries etc is v dissapointing. I think far to many firms like this think we are push overs because of our "hobby" and that we all have a disposble income to spend on such a device. There's no excuse for not knowing how to use "out of office" when your a companys single point of contact on holiday.

On another note.. It's the weekend and I have some herbs and I have lots of vapes . Life could be far worse. Have a great Veekend all.

 

[Baron23]

Wow. I can't remember ever having so many words shoved in my mouth. I don't think anyone is saying you have to change your expectations, or give GHL a "bye" on their behavior, flash peace signs, or change your behavior here.

But there's a wide spectrum between offering feedback/letting a company know where they are letting you down/sharing experiences with others and spewing bile and invective.

But hell, maybe the news that came through in the July update about hiring a new CS staff person and working to tighten up the supply chain ONLY happened because people bitched and moaned and whined and swore and called them names here on FC.

I guess we'll never know until Netflix does an original doc on the subject:

"Hopping Mad: The Story of the Grasshopper and the Rant".

Come on, Moondog. Talking about words being put in mouths... nobody advocated 'spewing bile and invective".

The exact direct quote that I took issue with was: "I agree that is in our best interest to curb the dissing."

I do not think that is an effective and correct approach nor in our best interest but I also said, "feel about it as you like"

Peace to you, brother.

 

[MoltenTiger]

For the record - nothing HL are doing needs any justification.

Perhaps people should research before purchasing?
Perhaps people spending non-disposable income on disposable technology need to reconsider their values?
Perhaps people need to learn to correspond appropriately in order to get what they need done?

I have had great experiences with HL and with my hopper. It has cost me some money in postage for warranty (not to mention material upkeep ). But, all these fine details exist and have done for over a year.
Many people have great experiences with HL, some do not. But in every instance I have seen, they have resolved every issue eventually. That's pretty commendable.

HL and their products justify themselves and it is sad to see the amount of public angst spewed between their instagram, facebook and the reddit page.
Lets try and keep the impatient negativity at bay - not in an effort to 'justify' professional conductivity, but as a means to have more interesting discussion about the device.

Customer service issues are between the company and a particular consumer, keep it that way and present your gossip when the ordeal is over, not before it begins - if you must.
This last comment isn't aimed at anyone, if anything to r/grasshoppervape
It could be a good time to talk about more interesting things, instead of creating a viable platform for contentless posts like the few we've had between

mod note: Please do not address other members' behavior or post content. Either report a post that you feel is in violation of the rules, or ignore it.

 

[Roland Blaze]

Don't feed the troll.. perhaps.

 

[moondog]

Couldn't agree more. Sorry but those of you who are justifying this behaviour from hopper labs because your scared of them folding, or not getting your batteries etc is v dissapointing. I think far to many firms like this think we are push overs because of our "hobby" and that we all have a disposble income to spend on such a device. There's no excuse for not knowing how to use "out of office" when your a companys single point of contact on holiday.

On another note.. It's the weekend and I have some herbs and I have lots of vapes . Life could be far worse. Have a great Veekend all.

Just to be clear, I'm not justifying their behavior. I'm just choosing not to let it ruin my day. I agree there are no valid excuses for not using the communications tools that can greatly improve your company's relations with its customers. But there are plenty of reasons and after almost 40 years in the work force, I'm aware of what they might be.

Come on, Joe. Talking about words being put in mouths... nobody advocated 'spewing bile and invective".

The exact direct quote that I took issue with was: "I agree that is in our best interest to curb the dissing."

I do not think that is an effective and correct approach nor in our best interest but I also said, "feel about it as you like"

Peace to you, brother.

In the interest of clarity:

-I'm not Joe.

-Thinking about the meaning of "dissing", I submit it is possible to report honestly about your negative experiences with GHL without engaging in name calling and negative characterizations, or "dissing". (See Vapor_Eyes post above.) That's all.

-I did not mean to say I think you personally were advocating spewing bile and invective. Sorry if it came out that way. I was talking more generally about the tack some people are choosing to take.

Peace to you as well.

For the record - nothing HL are doing needs any justification.

Perhaps people should research before purchasing?
Perhaps people spending non-disposable income on disposable technology need to reconsider their values?
Perhaps people need to learn to correspond appropriately in order to get what they need done?

I have had great experiences with HL and with my hopper. It has cost me some money in postage for warranty. But, all these fine details exist and have done for over a year.
Many people have great experiences with HL, some do not. But in every instance I have seen, they have resolved every issue eventually. That's pretty commendable.

HL and their products justify themselves and it is sad to see the amount of public angst spewed between their instagram, facebook and the reddit page.
Lets try and keep the impatient negativity at bay - not in an effort to 'justify' professional conductivity, but as a means to have more interesting discussion about the device.

Customer service issues are between the company and a particular consumer, keep it that way and present your gossip when the ordeal is over, not before it begins - if you must.
This last comment isn't aimed at anyone, if anything to r/grasshoppervape

Well said Tiger. Thank you for this.

 

[Mr. Me2]

For comparison's sake, my customer service/communication experience with ghl has consistently been positive. That may be because I emailed Caroline directly, and during a time she was in the office. I wouldn't say I got immediate responses, but always in a reasonable amount of time. And she consistently addressed my query. This is based on several interactions.

Admittedly, I have not had a warranty claim yet (and knock on wood I never need one), but one contact was a scare (I thought it was a warranty claim) for what turned out to be a loose mouthpiece screen. But I got prompt and good direction from her.

@Vapor_Eyes, I'm sorry you weren't treated better regarding your battery. I think for pr reasons alone, they should have just shipped you a replacement battery.

I agree that based on what I read here, not everyone has had the same positive experience. And I wish that wasn't so. I hope it's just part of ghl's growing pains. Considering that they started relatively recently as a couple of "kids" with a great idea, they've done unbelievably well and conquered mountains. I think this (cs) is all part of their growing pains and learning curve. It seems that as they continue, the gh's have improved and I hope/expect other aspects of their business will improve as well.

Having said that, I'm sympathetic to all who have had less than positive cs experience with ghl.

 

[moondog]

Perhaps people spending non-disposable income on disposable technology need to reconsider their values?
Perhaps people need to learn to correspond appropriately in order to get what they need done?

Meant to say in my last post that these two points right here are the crux of the biscuit. Thank you for these.

@Vapor_Eyes, I'm sorry you weren't treated better regarding your battery. I think for pr reasons alone, they should have just shipped you a replacement battery

Totally, totally agree. A $7 creates way more value in customer goodwill. Sometimes it takes a business a while to recognize that sort of thing.

So, having beaten this one to an unrecognizable mess (again), how about we take some time to celebrate the latest round of shipping notices. Here's to September orders being shipped with all due haste!!

 

[slcbdco]

While the GH lies in it, both ends of the GH touch both sides of the dish simultaneously. When the GH 1st makes contact with the dish, the red lights flicker for a few seconds while GH is turned OFF.

Totally normal, nothing to worry about

I think it was @slcbdco who said there's no wrong way to fill this thing. I hope he chimes in since he's one of those who have had a gh the longest. And I KNOW he now says he doesn't even grind. He just breaks off a nug and in it goes!

First, certainly a person can use this thing however they want and you will get different results so it's about experience preference.

My prefeered experience is best possible flavor. For that I find just taking a pinch of a bud, no grinding, really just a small pinch small enough to go in the chamber works great for me.

 

[JoeMama]

I don't know how I did this, but I believe I posted my response to @Baron23 in the Shipping Roll by mistake...

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/the-grasshopper-shipping-poll.18100/page-193#post-1007126

Far as I'm concerned, my poor use of the phrase "Curb the dissing" was understandably misconstrued to mean not to get upset or rightfully say anything forceful or rightfully complain, or rightfully expect better customer service, etc. It only meant, "dissing that only pisses off a vendor doesn't get you what you want".
You can be totally in the right, and they can, indeed SUCK at some things - like not make good on a torn battery (sorry about that experience, @Vapor_Eyes. They're response to you was horrible).

What I just said wasn't dissing. It wasn't invective. It was the truth.

A couple of weeks ago I was admonished by Mod for "attacking" the company. So I know what crossing the line is. It's invective. Not dissing. I should never have used that word.

We now return to our regularly schedule kibitzing.

And Peace to you too, Brother Baron.

 

[Doktor Dub]

Hi GH Experts, i need your help:

My first GH had a defect on the backend after working really good for about 8 months. I have / had the ss model.

I'm very happy to get good service from my vendor (verdampftnochmal.de), who will give me a new one. I have the opportunity to upgrade to the titanium version or choose a different vape.

So what are the pro and cons for ss or titanium?

Thanks for your time!

 

[slcbdco]

I have both and prefer my Ti mostly for the weight difference as I tend to like to fiddle with the grasshopper in my hand ... you know like a pen!

 

[pakalolo]

Don't feed the troll.. perhaps.

Please do not imply that another member is trolling. If you think someone is breaking the rules, report the post and do not respond in public. Use a PM if you feel a response is required. If no rules are broken then simply ignore the post and move on. Thanks for your cooperation.

 

[Baron23]

Hi GH Experts, i need your help:

My first GH had a defect on the backend after working really good for about 8 months. I have / had the ss model.

I'm very happy to get good service from my vendor (verdampftnochmal.de), who will give me a new one. I have the opportunity to upgrade to the titanium version or choose a different vape.

So what are the pro and cons for ss or titanium?

Thanks for your time!

I don't have an SS so can't tell you about any differences. I do have bronze Ti and absolutely love this vape and I like it in Ti very much.

Cheers