Ascent Vaporizer by DaVinci

I have not found any need for cotton or glass flowers?

Hi, new user here, and have been eyeing the Ascent for a while.

I've read a good amount of this thread, and now my choice of getting one is a little off.

I currently have a Pinnacle, which is my first vape. I love it, but I only got it because of a huge price drop a few weeks ago.

As of now, my main concerns for the ascent is efficiency. with the pinnacle, I load up the bullet with my fluffy herbs, and vape on the high setting. almost completely finishing this (.2?) bullet gets me to the desired place I want to be. I am just wondering if I would need more than that if I was to use the ascent, since I've been hearing that the conduction is actually wasting a lot of the vapor, and also I've read things about leaks from this device.

If anybody has both the Pinnacle (original) and the ascent, any comparasion thoughts?

I have both the og pinnacle and the ascent ...and use both...I like both but use the ascent more. I do pack more material in the ascent..but I dont vape it all at once..where as 1 session on the pinnacle I do finish the bullet.

@bean420 I dont know enough of what you are looking for to make suggestions..all i have are portables... no plug ins..best to ask someone else who has more.

Reflections said:

I have both the og pinnacle and the ascent ...and use both...I like both but use the ascent more. I do pack more material in the ascent..but I dont vape it all at once..where as 1 session on the pinnacle I do finish the bullet.

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For me to be able to get the ascent, i'd have to sell my pinnacle. personally, do you think I should make the switch?

If you love it then why sell it?..I wouldnt sell it to get the ascent..if you want the ascent or another type just start saving !!


p.s. there is an ascent in the classified section here at a good price.

Reflections said:

If you love it then why sell it?..I wouldnt sell it to get the ascent..if you want the ascent or another type just start saving !!

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I really like the OG pinnacle, but my main intentions were to only buy it as a temporary since it was only 80$, I've been looking at the ascent since long before then. If I don't sell my pinnacle for the ascent, then I'll most likely be upgrading to the pinnacle pro.

It's always good to have a back up vaporizer. I have both the Pinnacle Pro and the Ascent.

Both portable vapes are great units. A tough choice.

I think the Pinnacle Pro is easier to use, the flavor is harsh for some without the water too.

They are both small and stealth, the battery life for the Ascent is longer than the Pnp. Also the vapor flavor
Is better with the Ascent. The Pnp uses less herb in my opinion.

If you get the Ascent, make sure you use something inside for heat distribution, like the glass flowers everyone is using or small glass beads.

I really like both units. If you have friends that have both units maybe you can try them both before you decide.

It really depends on your personal preference.

Direcious said:

I really like the OG pinnacle, but my main intentions were to only buy it as a temporary since it was only 80$, I've been looking at the ascent since long before then. If I don't sell my pinnacle for the ascent, then I'll most likely be upgrading to the pinnacle pro.

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So far I've gathered that the PnP fixed most of the issues the OG had. It is definitely worth the upgrade IMO. Sorry that this is off topic!

I want to thank everyone for the replies. I wish that I had visited with you guys before I made the purchase. I know it sounds old...but 249.00 is a lot of money for 2 old baby boomers. I just do not feel that it should need to have cotton and all of the glass flower screens to work efficently. Both hubs and I have tried. We have ground it fine...got a mouthfull. Tried small bud....nothing. The bowl itself gets so hot that I cannot hold it. We are so hooked on using a vaporizer that it is hard to toke on anything else. I sound about 200% better than this time last year. Neither of us sounds like we are coughing up a lung. And it is a wonderful feeling. As a 61 year old nana and a fairly intelligent woman I just get upset when people halfway make something and expect the consumer to figure it out.
Anyway...thanks for the chat and would love to hear from more folks. Keep on puffin'.

bean420 said:

Thanks so much for your reply. I just think if you pay this much for a vaporizer it should work properly without the hassel of flowers and cotton. I am probably just going to try something else. Any suggestions?

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While I understand this view, and it's often stated, I don't agree here. I'm sure DV will maintain their unit works just fine as shipped, meets all the claims......and I think they can prove that.

It's just the some people are never satisfied? "Real men" want bigger clouds. Others have different but similar issues. Folks want more, at least some do and they tend to be quite vocal. This is why I started the series of experiments I reported here that led to the glass flowers idea, to increase production even more. This is far from uncommon, in fact while I don't follow them I'm confident there are Cloud and Volcano owners that use technique to optimize production.

If you want a similar type, cheaper, vape that is easier to load and use I suggest you look at Solo. Be advised before you go there there's a thriving aftermarket in custom stems to 'improve' production (go figure), the difference perhaps being they're no more trouble to use than stock stems. If you look into it, you'll find big fans of "Planet Vape High Efficiency Stems" (PVHES) as well as those who find the stock ones suit them better.

I see it as owners trying to make good vapes better.....better by their personal standards which might not be the same as the next guys. As the saying goes "That's what makes horse races".

There are no doubt better and worse vapes per individual needs, but I'm not sure there's a 'best vape' unless/unitl we agree on the standard? It's what works well for you that counts really. What pleases others is at best only a guide.

Good luck with it, IMO the worst vape is still better than the best blazing.

OF

OF, I guess the question is, does the Ascent satisfy many without any kinds of mods whatsoever or does it require those mods for most users? Imma gonna post up a pole.

If there are many, or even some, who use the Ascent stock, than I'd agree that the DV works as advertised, but if most, if not all, use mods to get satisfaction, than I'd say that DV still has some work to do, eh?

lwien said:

OF, I guess the question is, does the Ascent satisfy many without any kinds of mods whatsoever or does it require those mods for most users? Imma gonna post up a pole.

If there are many, or even some, who use the Ascent stock, than I'd agree that the DV works as advertised, but if most, if not all, use mods to get satisfaction, than I'd say that DV still has some work to do, eh?

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I understand, I think, what you're saying but don't agree.

DV is in no way obligated to satisfy anyone past fulfilling the conditions of the sale. How suitable those are to the customer's wants is not their responsibility but the customers in the end. Capitalism is based on 'buyer beware', the responsibility for an informed buying decision is on the buying end once the conditions of the seller honestly representing his product and upholding the purchase contract are satisfied.

If there is sufficient demand for a different performance profile that simply represents an opportunity for some sharp maker to toss his hat into the ring. PnP does not make the original Pinnacle any lesser a product for those who bought it to do the job it's doing.

I also don't think we represent the average owners at all. W9 does a HUGE volume of business, but only a tiny percent of them post on FC. I suggest the overwhelming majority of them are using their units as shipped. And there's way more of them than us. DV (and anyone else who wants to stay in business) focuses on them, not us. What we say is important and all, but customers feed the bulldog.

While I agree it's unfortunate to some that flowers or whatever aren't included. Or that the bowl isn't smaller. Or easier to load. Or the unit isn't cooler. But I also understand (I think) why DV doesn't rush to do so. I can just here the gripes.....'these things break'.....'they should have made them bigger/smaller/different'.......'it should work without them'........it should hold more/less (AKA 'doesn't get me where I need to be')...... And so on through a no doubt endless list? Opening cans of worms is a downside here too.

For sure trying to please all people all the time ruined my love life......

Anyway, I'm glad we have the Free Market providing such choices for us. Lots of good choices to pick from. I'm also kinda stoked that places like this exist so those willing to put the effort into improving their enjoyment of the gear have that resource.

OF

There are quite a few people that are using the Ascent as-is, and are perfectly happy with it.


Then, there's another class of us that are using the oil jar, using cotton, and/or using glass flowers. I think, and please correct me if I am wrong, that the fundamental distinction between this group and the former group is the size of the load each group is advantaging.

The Ascent has a big bowl. (Someone above mentioned the Pinnacle bullet by comparison, which is a fraction of the size.) Some people like and/or need a much larger load. (or they'll get more sessions off of 1 full load). I think for those people everything is fine as is.

I know for me (for personally/solo vaping), I fall in to the latter group, and don't mind customizing my experience with secondary tools (or "magic tricks" as I think Dreamerr likes to say).

I don't mind as A) it's become part of the ritual now and I kinda like it, but, more importantly, B) I gain the advantage of a *LOT* more flexibility out of it this way. If I want a larger load, I don't have to resort to secondary sessions, which is what one would be restricted to if the bowl was small. Or (and this is more common), if I'm going out for a night with friends, I can load a much larger bowl and be all set to share.

So, I'm glad for the large bowl, as it grants me a lot of flexibility. Tossing in as many or as few "extras" in to maximize efficiency for a variety of load sizes, seems like a small price to pay for having a device that could address a large range of needs.

I think DV has done a great job in general regarding bowl size. This has been rehashed over and over on this forum but you have the option of packing a large bowl or fitting with various spacers to facilitate smaller quantities. I prefer larger loads but I don't feel throwing in a glass flower or two and some cotton to be a big deal. The Ascent is not a weed hog unless you want it to be however I'm a weed hog so conservation of herb is not important to me yet guys like Lwien manage to get results from very small loads.
Another issue is the heat in your hand . I have never found it so hot as to be dangerous or even uncomfortable , in fact the warmth almost feels pleasant in my hand.
I own five vapes , two hand held and three tabletop non portables and they all have hotspots which can easily be avoided if necessary.

Nunavut Tripper said:

The Ascent is not a weed hog unless you want it to be....

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That all depends on what you're comparing it to. Being that the bud is constantly being cooked as it's heating up, between hits and as it's cooling down, for me, as compared to my PD and even my LSV, the Ascent is a weed hog even though I didn't want it to be.

lwien said:

That all depends on what you're comparing it to. Being that the bud is constantly being cooked as it's heating up, between hits and as it's cooling down, for me, as compared to my PD and even my LSV, the Ascent is a weed hog even though I didn't want it to be.

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Constant cooking is an issue with all conduction vapes yet you seem to get great mileage from small loads.

Nunavut Tripper said:

Constant cooking is an issue with all conduction vapes yet you seem to get great mileage from small loads.

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That's not correct. I have three different conduction designs within arm's reach that only heat up when you want a hit: LB, FV, and Volta. They all get great mileage out of small loads, too.

Edit: Using an oil jar for a spacer with a small load should count as using it stock.

Nunavut Tripper said:

Constant cooking is an issue with all conduction vapes yet you seem to get great mileage from small loads.

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Because I don't use conduction based vapes unless they are instant on and instant off.

My Wood one won't turn on. Bought it 2 weeks ago. Already dead. Hope to get a replacement one soon.

Does anyone know where I can get Da Vinci ascent accessories outside of DaVinci's official site. It's 50+ dollars shipping for anything regardless of size to Australia.

Got my Ascent for a couple of weeks now and want to jump in on the discussion if it's good as-is and all improvements discussed here are just nerdy and not necessary.

..imo:

- bowl size is a good compromise and there are always people who would enjoy larger or smaller ones. To me, a smaller one would be an issue as you wouldn't be able to share an appropriate session with more than one, but

- a spacer that fits and works well would be nice to have coming with it. Don't like the jar as a spacer at all. But saying this would be nice, not unalterable.

- a filter avoiding particles being sucked up is the only thing I really think should be there ex works!
I really don't grind my stuff to dust, not at all, but there are always particles on my tongue if I use it as it is, and they get sucked up in the space between the glass and the silicone as well, creating a mess there.
This could have been avoided so easily during the construction that I don't get forgetting that part..
I tried different methods of putting a cotton ball in the glass parts but haven't found a way to make it stay in place/don't get sucked up while not creating too much of air resistance.
Metal screens too fiddly.
Cotton on top of the bowl it is for now, but want to try the Storz&Bickel metal filter as well.


Besides that, my initial impression remains: not really a cloud machine but still good medication effect, so not really unsatisfied but not stoked too.

Couldn't find any glass flowers over here though.. now I really have to order this penny product in the US and have it shipped thousand of miles.. don't like..ecologically.
But I can already imagine that handling those glass flowers + the cotton on top is a bit more of fiddling than I wanted for a portable vape..

Oh and never let the surface of the Ascent get in contact with any Iso - fucks up the decor foil instantly

Osn Dosn said:

Got my Ascent for a couple of weeks now and want to jump in on the discussion if it's good as-is and all improvements discussed here are just nerdy and not necessary.

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Nerdy and not necessary? That argument could be applied to the whole concept of this site simply because I think that most people would consider all of us and this site as "nerdy and unnecessary". It comes with the territory of being a site primarily composed of enthusiasts and that would apply to any subject matter including vaporizers. Hell, I would think that the general "smoking" community would look at vaporizers as a whole as being nerdy and unnecessary.

But................as a service to the manufacturers and the end users, this site as well as most all of the discussions and debates that take place here serve a very important purpose, both to inform and to expose, and to that end, the discussions taking place here in regards to the Ascent, while being perceived by some as being nerdy, is far from unnecessary.

True story. Bad choice of words. Just wanted to differentiate between the two options "it is good as it is and all improvements here are..improvements" and "it isn't good as it is and the improvements here are not only improvements but necessary to make it work properly".
But your welcome for the opportunity to philosophize.

Osn Dosn said:

But your welcome for the opportunity to philosophize.

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One of my hobbies.

It's just that when you frame one side of the debate in negative terms like "nerdy" and "unnecessary", I felt this needed a bit of perspective.

Osn Dosn said:

- a spacer that fits and works well would be nice to have coming with it. Don't like the jar as a spacer at all. But saying this would be nice, not unalterable.

Couldn't find any glass flowers over here though.. now I really have to order this penny product in the US and have it shipped thousand of miles.. don't like..ecologically.
But I can already imagine that handling those glass flowers + the cotton on top is a bit more of fiddling than I wanted for a portable vape..

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Any bulk (spacer) to take up volume can help in some cases, but the idea behind the flowers is to not just 'take up space' but to increase the heat available to make vapor. The do this by more mass of hot glass in the game and LOTS more surface area to rapidly transfer the heat. You can actually get 'thicker clouds' with smaller loads this way. IMO worth working for. I believe everyone who's reported trying has reported improvements?

Guys have reported finding good international deals on EBay, perhaps someone can post one or you can search back some and find them?

As far as breaking them goes, I've had no experience here. I've used them dozens to times and haven't managed to break one yet......I think Nigel can help you out here?

I dump the whole load, ABV and flowers, into the top of a tin then pluck the flowers out and reload them when cool. Easy to do by fingers.

Good luck with it. IMO worth trying.

OF