OK, I've come full circle here... finally made it through literally every single post in this thread. (OK, technically I quickly skimmed through some stretches, but still.) So I thought I'd reply to my very first post, now that I have over two months' experience with this thing...
Perhaps it won't surprise anyone here, but we've since upped our consumption a bit.
Nothing crazy, maybe 3-5x per week in the evenings, but it's rarely only a "weekend thing" any more.
I think there is a bit of nuance to getting the best out of a log-style vape. Or at least for me, coming from a device like the Solo/Air, I fell into an "expectation trap", thinking the Nano might be like an Air++. But it's really kind of an apples/oranges thing. Sure they're both vapes, and even look somewhat similar, but the differences in the way you use them and the mechanism by which they work are not insignificant. Also, with our fairly low usage, it's really hard to appreciate the differences. It wasn't until I used the Air and the Nano on back-to-back nights that I became "enlightened".
In short, the lesson here: if you're a relatively infrequent user coming from a convenient portable (like the Air/Solo), understand that a log-style vape is a fairly different animal.
Indeed I would still call the Air more convenient, and that likely goes for just about any portable. However, for me, the log-style vape is no longer inconvenient, just different. It's a combination of having a process I'm now used to, and also acquiring a decent little case for everything. With regards to whining about all the "stuff" I had to lug out of hiding and into my vaping spot (cables, pick, stems, stash, ABV bag, log itself...), I ran across
this post in the Underdog thread. UD doesn't directly sell that case any more, but you can buy it direct from
MCM Electronics, search for "EVA Case" if the link doesn't work. I went with part number 22-25670. It was $12 and a game-changer for me. I've seen lots of love for the Pelican-style hardshell cases, which are certainly nice. But I wanted something simple and cheap. This is perfect.
This is definitely an issue of perspective and expectations. I was coming from the Arizer Air, which is a session-style vape. Meaning, it takes me a whole 10-minute session and multiple rips to get where I need to be. The Nano is closer to a "one hitter" style, where I only need maybe two or three rips to get where I want to be. The Nano's ability to extract the "magic" from the flowers is indeed leagues beyond the Arizer Air. The first hit or two from the Nano is indeed unparalleled in flavor. I don't think I'm a flavor chaser by any means, but it's hard not to appreciate just how tasty those initial hits are. Not that the Air has bad flavor, but it's kind of underwhelming after experiencing the Nano.
That said, the flavor does go downhill pretty quickly. However, I'm pretty sure I rip off a load beyond what most people would do. When I dump the load, I want it to be completely spent. So while after one to three tasty hits, the latter hits aren't that great. But steady improvements in my technique have gotten me away from pure nastiness. And as I said, I'm pretty sure most people would call it done before me.
Another cool thing I've noticed, and I believe this is a result of the dramatically more potent vapor coming out of the log: the effects are a bit delayed, but when it comes on, it's strong and quick. With the Air, since I was taking more, less potent hits, the effects kind of crept up slowly but steadily over the course of the 10-minute session. With the Nano, I take one or two hits, sit back and wait a minute or so... wait for it... BOOM, there it is!
OK, this still bothers me. And I actually bought an Underdog, which uses 12 VDC and a
dramatically smaller cable. And for me, it makes all the difference. Before I got the UD, I did put an extension cord on the Nano cable. This allowed me to pass the Nano to my wife. So the cord (dimmer and all) would pass over the couch arm, over me, then on to her. And every time I took the Nano off the table sitting next to me, that thick cord with the dimmer came along. I just couldn't get past it. I've mentioned this here (and elaborated in
this thread), I'm pretty sure the Nano cord doesn't need to be as thick as it is. I envision a "modular" approach to the cables, where you get two cables (pick your lengths) and one dimmer. One cable goes from the wall to the dimmer, and the second cable goes from the dimmer to the Nano. 22 AWG cable I think is still overkill; multi-strand 24 AWG I think is ideal in terms of electrical requirements and is so much more ergonomic. Add a fuse to the dimmer that is rated slightly below the current capacity of the cable so that it will blow before cable thickness becomes an issue. I actually intend to make such a cable/dimmer myself, but now that I have the UD I'm not in a big hurry.
Anyway, cable issues aside, I'm finally fully on board with the log-style vapes! During my "whining" phase (initial posts), I had to
force myself to use the Nano over the Air, because I didn't want to give up on it after spending the money. I also wanted to make my way through this entire thread, thinking I might pick up some more tips or ideas that would improve the experience for me. At any rate, for the last couple weeks or so, it's no longer a matter of
forcing myself to keep with the log vape; it's my
preference. I haven't felt the desire to use the Air in quite a while.
Here are some random tips that are most relevant to me. Most have been mentioned before, but it took me two months plus reading 700 posts to "get it", so a little more repetition can't hurt. Unless otherwise noted, these tips apply equally to both the Nano and the UD:
- Let the device heat up for a good 20-30 minutes before use, if you want the best consistency. I think compared to the UD, the Nano can start producing vapor sooner. But to reach an "equilibrium" state, they both need a fairly long warm up time.
- Many posts here have talked about the "standard" screen depth as measured by the notch on the E-Pick. I push my screen back an extra millimeter or two beyond that (i.e. move load a bit farther away from the heater). This is clearly a personal preference thing, but it seems like I have a tendency to over-roast or char otherwise.
- I like a slowish, deliberate draw. I find this somewhat ironic, actually. With the Air I am forced to take a slow draw due to airflow restriction and the weaker heater. The Nano/UD have virtually no draw restriction, but I find the overall hits to be smoother, and the effects better when I take a deliberately slow draw with the log vapes. I don't know if it's the slow draw or if I've just gotten used to it, but going dry with a log vape used to irritate my throat a bit, but I don't have that any more.
- Less is indeed more, in terms of product. I use what I assume is a medium grind (whatever comes out of the freebie PuffItUp grinder I have), and loosely fill about half way between the screen and end of stem. Then I lightly tamp it down with the blunt end of a chopstick.
- Just to emphasize what I said above: if you're like me, and can't keep your stuff out in the open all the time (have to "hide" it when not in use), then getting some kind of box/container for everything is a game-changer in terms of convenience. It goes from being an annoying collection of stuff to shuffle around, to pretty damn convenient. You could go super cheap and use an old shoe box. But for $13, that MCM Electronics EVA case has adjustable compartments and is all but purpose-built for log-style vapes.
- Keep those screens clean! I find that I can't really go by sight as to when I should clean the screens. That is, they still "look" fairly clean when they really need to be washed. I forgot who posted this (sorry), but I use a little rubbing alcohol with sea salt in a leak proof container. Drop the screens in the alcohol salt bath, shake a bit, rinse screens with water and they're good as new. Quick and easy!
