Discontinued Pax 2

Status
Not open for further replies.

KeroZen

Chronic vapaholic
Hm it's still a metal hoven and entirely conduction/radiant?

@pakalolo or the others, could you please comment on taste, because to me it was one of the device weak points.
 
KeroZen,

Vaporcussion

Well-Known Member
Yes, the oven lid. I've dropped it in the past and had my load spill out. If it was a full packed bowl it would fall out in one piece, but if it was a smaller looser load, it would be history. I was hoping the Pax 2 would have a hinged lid, but perhaps the deeper bowl means that the lid will sit deeper and be more snug. Also valley squirrel brought up a good point about material getting stuck along the sides.
 

pakalolo

Toolbag v1.1 (candidate)
Staff member
In the interests of being better prepared to answer all your questions, I have just finished .08 g of Cinderella 99 in the Pax 2. :ko: I chose this strain because in my opinion it's the tastiest on my shelf. This was primarily a tasting bowl, so I didn't track how long I spent at each temp setting or how many hits I took. I wanted to know how long the flavour would last.

My biggest criticism of the original Pax was the rapid and drastic loss of flavour, which is a direct consequence of a constant-power conduction design. (The Pax isn't the only device with this problem.) Ploom recognized this issue and came up with the new heater algorithm that I posted about earlier. Does it work? For me, the original Pax was near the bottom when it came to flavour, but the Pax 2 is near the top. The Solo is the only other constant-heat design I've used that manages to deliver good flavour for so long. It rivals pure convection devices that I use. I have a theory about the rerason for this but I'll get to that in another post.

@pakalolo so you're saying there's a major taste/vapor improvement? Does it use the same heating method? Also, how is the smell?

Yeah. Major is a good word. See above.

I haven't (and won't) take it apart so I don't know for sure, but I believe the general heater design is the same. It's still a pure conduction device.

I can't say for sure that the smell is reduced because I haven't devised a way to test that, but I can tell you that I think that it is. The source of the smell from the original Pax was a result of the constant cooking, and the Pax 2 doesn't do that any more.

Pak...I'll be most interested in your opinion on its efficiency. If they have figured out a way to have these ovens not constantly be cooking my herbs I will have to take a look.

Define efficiency. If you mean does it require huge loads, no it doesn't. I used .08 g of medium grind C99. This filled the bowl about two-thirds, since it was pretty fluffy. I did not tamp it down. From that I got maybe 20 hits overall, and it was pretty effective.

If you mean does it get the ABV dark (which some people equate with extraction) then yes it does. I get a nice even dark brown, not as black as I got from my original Pax. I suspect I could have gotten more out of it but I was done.

@pakalolo Does one end of the screen still sort of sit higher than the other or does it fit in there better? I ask because even with the smaller grooves in the og pax screen I occasionally get tiny bits of abv under the screen and in the vapor path because of this. Wouldn't the deeper grooves in the new screen lead to us needing to do more regular maintenance? Other than the mouthpiece issue being gone what will be easier about cleaning the new pax?

The oven shape is a little different (and smaller) but it still has the screen at the bottom. For those unfamiliar with the Pax, it's really the thin metal plate with the scalloped edges that you can see in the picture in my first post. The end over the tube leading to the mouthpiece must be raised slightly to allow vapour flow. Because the scallops on the edges are bigger, I think you're right that there will be an increase in particles getting under it. I don't see this becoming a big problem though, because cleaning this version is simple.

The procedure for oven maintenance is the same as before. I could be wrong but I don't think the increase in particles under the screen will be enough to change the routine. Even if it does, oven cleaning was never difficult or time-consuming. All of the reputation the original Pax has for high maintenance comes from the care and cleaning of the mouthpiece.

I don't know whether dropping it will dump the load. The lid design is different in that it isn't metal so it's about a gram lighter. Other than that it's the same. I think they're using the same super-magnets, so the lighter lid might not fly off as easily. Until someone performs a real drop test (won't be me) we won't know for sure.
 

MeditativeMind

*Insert 'custom title' here*
It took 3 years and all they really did was make it slightly smaller and add extra LEDs.

They've done nothing to effectively improve the efficiency or vapor quality. I had high hopes for Ploom.... they really are the Apple of the vaporizer world. A good looking, well-built, over priced piece of uselessness.

If you enjoy playing games using the LEDs on your MP3 player shaped vaporizer, this is for you.

But if you value vapor quality or efficiency or anything else other than a small, good looking device with pretty colours, this is not for you.

mod note: This post was moved from the Pax thread.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
MeditativeMind,
  • Like
Reactions: wm762

stickstones

Vapor concierge
Define efficiency.

For this unit I am most interested in how it compares to the original with regard to continuing to cook your load throughout the session. My biggest gripe about conduction vapes in general is how they continue to cook your load between hits. This new tech with the mouth sensor sounds like it might work, or at least diminish the effect.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

OnCloud8

Vapor Vixen
@pakalolo I have two questions from the pics you posted, if you would be so kind:

I see a lot of debris and white fibers on the mouthpieces, did they come out of the box like that? It always makes me nervous about a product designed to be inhaled through that comes out of the box dirty...

The logo on the "screen"? how is that achieved? the metal is dented in to make the shape of the pax logo in the center there? or are little pieces of something glued on to the "screen" to make that logo? Seems like a weird place for brandig, right in the chamber like that...unless is enhances efficiency somehow?

Thanks for the info so far!
 
OnCloud8,

tranceporter

The Cloud Conductor
Looks like I'll be gifting my Pax to the girlfriend now.. :D

I've had my Pax for three years and i've taken it everywhere that I can't easily plug my EVO or Cloud into. I've never had nearly as many issues as some people on this forum have had but Ploom's customer service is top notch.

The Pax 2 looks to be an improvement in all areas over the original. I didn't really think it needed to be any smaller as I can completely conceal it in the palm of my hand but this seems to be the trend with electronics nowadays.

I'm REALLY trying not to spend a shitload of money on vapes/accessories this year but the force is strong with this one..
 

pakalolo

Toolbag v1.1 (candidate)
Staff member
@pakalolo is stirring still %100 necessary in order to not waste herb

I didn't stir and I got nice even ABV.

@pakalolo , a lot of this sounds good. I have two questions from the pics you posted, if you would be so kind:

I see a lot of debris and white fibers on the mouthpieces, did they come out of the box like that? It always makes me nervous about a product designed to be inhaled through that comes out of the box dirty...

The logo on the "screen"? how is that achieved? the metal is pushed in? or something is glued on to place it there? Seems like a weird place to place branding, right in the chamber like that...unless is enhances efficiency somehow?

Thanks for the info so far!

A lot? Doesn't seem like a lot to me. To be honest, I'm not sure where the debris came from. I have a cat with white hair, and these parts are silicone. I'm not saying it didn't come out of the box but the odds heavily favour that it got picked up from my handling. I should also point out that the quick Photoshop processing I did would emphasize anything like that. I just examined the MP I've been using and it's pretty clean.

The logo is punched into the screen. I don't see how it could be functional. The original Pax screen is covered in logos, probably to give a screen-like appearance. They weren't functional either.

It took 3 years and all they really did was make it slightly smaller and add extra LEDs.

They've done nothing to effectively improve the efficiency or vapor quality. I had high hopes for Ploom.... they really are the Apple of the vaporizer world. A good looking, well-built, over priced piece of uselessness.

If you enjoy playing games using the LEDs on your MP3 player shaped vaporizer, this is for you.

But if you value vapor quality or efficiency or anything else other than a small, good looking device with pretty colours, this is not for you.

I'm taking issue with this. I've tried one, you haven't. I don't know what you mean by vapour quality, but if you include flavour (a major component in my definition) then they've made enormous improvements. I don't know what you mean by efficiency either, but see my previous post on this point.

I suspect you might not have posted that had you been in the right thread, by the way.
 
Last edited:

mestizo

Well-Known Member
It took 3 years and all they really did was make it slightly smaller and add extra LEDs.

They've done nothing to effectively improve the efficiency or vapor quality. I had high hopes for Ploom.... they really are the Apple of the vaporizer world. A good looking, well-built, over priced piece of uselessness.

If you enjoy playing games using the LEDs on your MP3 player shaped vaporizer, this is for you.

But if you value vapor quality or efficiency or anything else other than a small, good looking device with pretty colours, this is not for you.

mod note: This post was moved from the Pax thread.
Please read the post above yours.
I understand your post was moved from the PAX thread, that's why I made the suggestion.
 
mestizo,

Kalessin

Well-Known Member
@pakalolo How does the mouthpiece fit into the device? Is it just well fitted, or is it magnetized, or something else?
 
Kalessin,

OnCloud8

Vapor Vixen
A lot? Doesn't seem like a lot to me. To be honest, I'm not sure where the debris came from. I have a cat with white hair, and these parts are silicone. I'm not saying it didn't come out of the box but the odds heavily favour that it got picked up from my handling. I should also point out that the quick Photoshop processing I did would emphasize anything like that. I just examined the MP I've been using and it's pretty clean.

Oh yeah, a cat with white hair explains it, was actually my guess looking at the photos. I have a silicone whip and it almost seems to magnetically attract hair and abv crumbs, so yeah, pick it up once around the cat and it would get like that. I'm constantly wiping mine with iso, perhaps that's why they include a bottle of it with the kit.

Hmm, the price is kinda steep, but maybe not based on your reports of good flavor, and the size reduction, and smaller bowl....I am tempted, but will probably wait for more reviews to come in.
 
Last edited:
OnCloud8,

pakalolo

Toolbag v1.1 (candidate)
Staff member
@pakalolo How does the mouthpiece fit into the device? Is it just well fitted, or is it magnetized, or something else?

It's just a friction fit. It's pretty snug so the flared one is not likely to pop out accidentally, even in your pocket. I don't see how the flat one could come out by itself under any circumstances. You have to remove it.
 
pakalolo,

fft

Well-Known Member
On a call with the media about PAX 2, PAX Labs just also announced an unnamed eCig system to be released soon...Ploom was a tobacco based system that they recently sold off to JTI, and this e-liquid system has a proprietary liquid that uses salts(?) to accelerate the nicotine delivery.

Whoa...the Pax 2 took me completely by surprise. I missed the fact that JTI/Ploom split from PAX last month (see this press release). Apparently, JTI after its minority investment in 2011/12 would not let Ploom make devices that appealed to the cannabis market (i.e. PAX) even though the Pax was far and away the best seller. JTI got out, leaving PAX Labs Inc. as the new company name, and here we are 3 weeks later with a Pax 2! I predict Pax Labs will come out with more new products for the cannabis vape market now that it has ditched JTI and the shackles have been taken off.

Still hard to beat that Pax form factor - and Pax2 looks better from that standpoint. Glad to hear taste and that whole mouthpiece fiasco have been addressed. I'll want to see some of the longer term reviews but here's hoping that its a winner.
 

pakalolo

Toolbag v1.1 (candidate)
Staff member
I missed the fact that JTI/Ploom split from PAX last month

I missed that too, and I've been chatting with them so don't feel bad. JTI's loss in my opinion. Pax is in a growth market, JTI is in a market that is being actively suppressed in many countries—but that's for another thread. As I understood it, the JTI deal was the reason the Pax wasn't officially available in Europe. I hope that will change now.
 

Erikim

Well-Known Member
Hmmmm interested to see how much the improvements have changed the overall experience with the pax. The gripes with the first model is the reason why I purchased an alfa by goboof instead.

The alfa is a great portable vape no doubt, but the pax 2 just looks so great. Hopefully it performs as well as it looks. I look forward to seeing a comparison between the two. Now I've got a baddd urge to pull the trigger on a pax2 lol.
 

Justpassedu

Well-Known Member
Always liked my Pax but sold it quick due to the battery not being replaceable and the fact it got dirty and was a pain to clean with very heavy use. This new design looks promising minus the same old non user replaceable battery. I was never a huge flavor chaser , as long as I get medicated nice and got some decent clouds I have always been happy. Now the question is do I need another vape ? The answer is no but Vas is always kicking in , so many new promising products coming to the market. The Pax 2 is def on my list along with the grasshopper , just trying to hold out until they release both to see what people think.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom