Puffco Peak or Focusvape Carta

Hi, i am debating with myself if i should get one of the above "Smartrigs". (Dr Dabber Switch is out because of size / form for me...)

For me, there is quite a bit NOT to love with these devices (initial cost, costs for replacement parts,
proprietary system / glass, material safety and so on...) and i always felt that quartz and torch is tried and tested.
Despite this, in my current living situation rig and torch or an eNail setup is not always possible so i would like to have something for a quick Dab / session which gives a real dab but can be put away fast and easy.
Right now i use a Saionara TAF Atomizer for this, works quite well but I would like to step up :-)

I am also interested in general thoughts to this and perhaps alternatives but especialy in the Opinion of members who used both....

I guess quite some people are interested in this question, so feel free to rename this Thread to Smartrig Comparison or something like that.

Thanks in advance for your time & have a great day!

I have had practically every device in this category, excluding the switch)

The peak, which I purchased in March of 2018, was the best I had ever owned. Atomizers were hit or miss, and I could never find a quartz insert that I really liked. I did find a SiC that became my DD. After going thru 1/2 dozen atomizers in 9 months, I found a replacement heater set from bonsai to be the ticket.

Then the Carta came out, and I haven’t touched my peak since. The app on the carta makes such a big difference. The heat up time is also so much better. Battery life, pass thru, and replaceable, all are better.

Really, get the carta, an atomizer repair kit, and a couple of nice jars of concentrate and be stoked you got the best device at the better price.

I have a Peak and while I like it allot now that I have added custom glass and a fitted Sic dish , it can be unreliable for the fact that the atomizers can go at any time. That also goes for the Carta . I have yet to try a Carta but see many people like both the Carta and Peak for certain reasons. I'm sticking with my Peak for now as it does have a larger dish. I don't need a App but it's cool the Carta has it and I do see both devices have issues. If I was to do it all again with whats out right now on the market I'd prob get a Dr. Dabber switch , even though its a bit bigger. I know it gets better battery life but the big plus for me with it is not having to replace atomizers at all and I happen to like that.

Modnote: Edited out reply to deleted post

The Rio is a lot of fun

Doktor Dub said:

Hi, i am debating with myself if i should get one of the above "Smartrigs". (Dr Dabber Switch is out because of size / form for me...)

For me, there is quite a bit NOT to love with these devices (initial cost, costs for replacement parts,
proprietary system / glass, material safety and so on...) and i always felt that quartz and torch is tried and tested.
Despite this, in my current living situation rig and torch or an eNail setup is not always possible so i would like to have something for a quick Dab / session which gives a real dab but can be put away fast and easy.
Right now i use a Saionara TAF Atomizer for this, works quite well but I would like to step up :-)

I am also interested in general thoughts to this and perhaps alternatives but especialy in the Opinion of members who used both....

I guess quite some people are interested in this question, so feel free to rename this Thread to Smartrig Comparison or something like that.

Thanks in advance for your time & have a great day!

Click to expand...

As far as Peak vs Carta - reliability seems to be a mixed bag for either. I'm on my third Carta, the first two haven't lasted long enough to re-charge the battery. Others have had great luck with hundreds of dabs. just no telling which side of the coin you'll get....


I'd wait a little bit to see how the AVS M22 atomizer turns out, I believe it's gonna have a bigger bucket than either.

Thanks for all answers till now, still hope to get some insight from people who have used both intensivly...

Perhaps @mrbonsai420 ?

@Hoosier
Sounds like the Carta could be the one for me... together with the Pricedifference... i just have to admit the Peak appeals to me much more aesthetical...

@Justpassedu
Great that you like your Peak still, i totally get the benefits of the Switch but this one is not for me, thanks for your thoughts

@bossman
The Rio looks great indeed and probably hits better then all these "Smartrigs" but doesnt help in my situation - i could also continue to use my Rig / Banger / Torch. But i dig the idea and concept!

@invertedisdead
Thanks for your answer, i will definetly get whatever i decide from a reputable shop with possible warranty issues in mind. Now i research the AVS M22

Have a great day!

... so it seems i will get a Carta soon... any additional thoughts on this matter...?

I still think it is quite much money but would be so practical in my living situation and most users seem pretty satisfied... the Carta could become the best friend of the dabpress...

Thank You.....I've been pondering this decision for awhile....Looks like I'll be ordering a Carta..Peace

Doktor Dub said:

...

I still think it is quite much money but would be so practical in my living situation and most users seem pretty satisfied... the Carta could become the best friend of the dabpress...

Click to expand...

I do think they are both pricey, especially if you are basing that off of how much they cost to make

however in the long run I feel like its saved me money. I have had my peak for a little over a year and have gone through 3 atomizers (2 Of those i broke being stupid)

In a year id go through at least 2 quartz bangers and who knows how many cans of butane. 2 american bangers alone are $300+

I feel like the Carta is pretty wasteful compared to my e-nail. It would be fine for someone looking for a quick dab, but I wouldn't consider it a replacement for my desktop setup at all.

Maybe I just expect too much... but I haven't been able to get a good tasting hit out of my Carta. IMO it heats up too fast and violently, whereas the Peak heats up slower and more progressively like a real up-temp dab, makes the vapor taste a lot better in my experience.

FWIW the Carta app doesn't work with any of my mobile devices. The onboard temperatures are quite random, maybe the Carta works great with the app? But without it, it's pretty rough. Like 130F between each temperature setting, too high to really dial in a great hit without the app. Even the Peak's 50F increments leave room to be desired. IMO it's a toss up - to me the Peak is better stock, but the Carta could theoretically be better with the app control.

The battery life on the Carta is kinda short. Probably fine for one person, not the best option for group seshes. I'm a fan of user replaceable batteries, but the design choice of 18350's over 18650's seems like an oversight to me.

The Carta glass is a lot better than the Peak's, makes me want a Peak with an aftermarket attachment.

Have you tried the Poseidon bubbler for the Sai ? Mine should be here today but I figured that it would have to hit similar to the peaks (I have tried one).

invertedisdead said:

I feel like the Carta is pretty wasteful compared to my e-nail. It would be fine for someone looking for a quick dab, but I wouldn't consider it a replacement for my desktop setup at all.


The battery life on the Carta is kinda short. Probably fine for one person, not the best option for group seshes. I'm a fan of user replaceable batteries, but the design choice of 18350's over 18650's seems like an oversight to me.

The Carta glass is a lot better than the Peak's, makes me want a Peak with an aftermarket attachment.

Click to expand...

I am a heavy dabber and the peak completely replaced my bangers and enail. i used a torch more than my enail but havent really used either in a year.

I actually just got a rig back from repair i love and took 1 hit and went back to using the peak.

I do have an aftermarket attachment which i feel def improved the performance for me.

As far as the batteries go i dont think it was oversight really as much as it was about conserving size. I feel like in order to use 18650s the bases would have to be dr dabber switch sized.