Discontinued Pax Vaporizer by Ploom

[JCat]

250USD? No way.

35USD absolute max to manufacture. In China?

105 retail seems to be the sweet spot for a quality portable to really succeed.

Not sure where you're getting your numbers ... I tried all kinds of portable vapes and the first and only one I really like so far is the Solo which is $229 ... from my research and experience $200-$300 seems to be the magic number for portable vapes.

And the PAX is not made in China based on the research I've done it's made in the US by a couple guys from Stanford.

 

[mvapes]

250USD? No way.

35USD absolute max to manufacture. In China?

105 retail seems to be the sweet spot for a quality portable to really succeed.

Seriously? Of course I'd like it to be cheaper but in all reality 250 seems fair to me if this unit does what its supposed to. Who are we to judge manufacturing costs in justifying a products price point. I paid 300 bucks for my PlayStation 3 - what was the manufacturing cost on that? Now don't get me wrong das, mark-up sucks - we would all agree with that, but lets be fair to the manufacturer and try to understand that marketing, testing, distribution, logistics, amongst other uncontrollable's and overhead play a role in that regardless of where its built. If the PAX stands up to the solo, the TV, the Wispr, etc - then we may have a real game changer here.

 

[MarchLM]

Haha ps3 comparisment was awesome

 

[WatTyler]

Is that the one that is a loss leader?

 

[weedemon]

thank for your input Jcat! sounds like you are familiar with quite a few portables already! ever saw the Thermovape? it's like a slightly more powerful mflb imo.

 

[JCat]

thank for your input Jcat! sounds like you are familiar with quite a few portables already! ever saw the Thermovape? it's like a slightly more powerful mflb imo.

I haven't tried a ThermoVape although I would love to ... when I first decided to switch to vaporizing I went on the hunt for a good portable after loving my Extreme Q -- my first vaporizer (a little over a year ago ... after deciding enough messing around with pharmaceuticals and I should get my card and use what's always worked for medicine ...)

I've bought a lot of vaporizers but really can't afford to just keep buying them so have to try to be selective ... vaporizers I would love to try that I haven't tried yet:
- Cloud!!!!!!
- Log style vape: ie. HI, Underdog, RockZap, ...
- ThermoVape
- HMK Ti Swing
- Oracle
- SSV
- ...

Main at home vape is my Volcano and Solo for on the go (although I do occasionally use the other vapes for fun and just to change it up!) Pretty sure the VXC is going to replace my Volcano as my main at home vape ... we'll see ... hopefully I won't be let down.

I'm sort of the "vaporizer go-to guy" around town as I've tried a lot of them and it's a small community of <10,000 so word spreads ... right now I have a hard time recommending anything but the Solo as a portable.

Some concerns around the ThermoVape I have:
- Bowl will be too small
- Batteries won't last long enough
- Worried it won't deliver thick enough clouds for my liking ... like the MFLB

... one of those things ... if I tried one and really like it I'd drop $200 on it right away, however, don't really want to spend $200 on it to find out it doesn't live up to my expectations (like some other vaporizers I've bought in my slightly manic vaporizer buying frenzies!)

 

[weedemon]

gonna send you a pm to continue this conversation

 

[monacokid]

constantly checking this forum for a video update, cant wait to see one which should be up today or in a few days!

 

[Vicki]

you're maybe right, but this one also has instructions in it:

People keep saying they can't wait for a member review, and that's understandable as I want the same thing. However, you should check out this video. I think it shows a lot about this particular vaporizer. I doubt anyone here will make a video actually hitting it because then they would have to show their face. This video is just as good, IMHO.

 

[Adobewan]

@Vicki
This is a strong informative video but a performance video is not only what many on FC are waiting for, but it is the best way to get those units flying off the shelves. I've done marketing for many years and I still do not understand why a manufacturer with a product that lives up to their words, doesn't load it up with some tobacco or mint and show the loading, vapor production, load longevity, and cleaning. Nothing illegal about that, they can show their faces and increase their connection with the forum members/potential customers.
I'm guessing there are half a dozen or more members, with cash in hand, waiting to see if this or a soon to be released inhaler-type vape is going to be the one to get this current handful. I know for a fact there is one such member.

 

[JCat]

@Vicki
This is a strong informative video but a performance video is not only what many on FC are waiting for, but it is the best way to get those units flying off the shelves. I've done marketing for many years and I still do not understand why a manufacturer with a product that lives up to their words, doesn't load it up with some tobacco or mint and show the loading, vapor production, load longevity, and cleaning. Nothing illegal about that, they can show their faces and increase their connection with the forum members/potential customers.
I'm guessing there are half a dozen or more members, with cash in hand, waiting to see if this or a soon to be released inhaler-type vape is going to be the one to get this current handful. I know for a fact there is one such member.

I actually think the laws forbid the manufacturer to market the product with tobacco inside of it (tobacco advertising laws are pretty strict!)

And as for with some nice cannabis ... that's what we're waiting for in these forums

 

[Adobewan]

Good point, thanks JCat, let's leave it at mint then.
A number of MFs have given cloud demonstrations on the forum and not been busted, so there is a way.

 

[Slightly Medicated]

Hey everyone. The device is here. I have it on the charger as we speak. I already have some initial impressions/observations. The device is very sleek. I really like the looks of it. The mouth piece feels cheap in comparison to the rest of the unit. Maybe that is because the body is such a high quality brushed aluminum metal type material. Maybe it makes the plastic stand out more.

I do have concerns about the bottom cap. Although I don't think it will fall off easily. I could see your keys pressing on the lid in such a way that it pivots open. Once the unit is pivoted open it is easy to break the magnetic seal. I am afraid just the right movement in a shirt/pant pocket might cause things to fall apart. Remember this is speculation on my part. I think if it is in a pocket by itself then that should not be an issue.

The mouth piece on/off button/clicky thing will take some time to get used to. It works differently then I imagined. If you imagine there are three positions A B and C. A is when the mouthpiece is up and the unit is on. B is when the mouth piece is stored down inside the unit. C is when you push the unit down to pop the mouth piece up. To open the unit you push the mouthpiece from B to C and then it pops in to position A. When you close the mouth piece you are supposed to slowly close it until it clicks at position B. If you are not careful you can push back through to position C and it will pop right back up in to position A. If you do it fast and are not careful you can easily click through to C while trying to close to make the unit open again. I spent the first 30 seconds just clicking the mouth piece trying to close it. This motion feels wrong for some reason. I think I expected it to work like a click top ball point pen. Once you figure out how to close the unit though it is not as big of an issue.

The charger stand is so light that the weight of the cord can cause it to fall off the table. It feels very cheap and plastic. Also it is proprietary... meaning the DC plug goes into the stand. The stand has two prongs that charge the unit. If you loose the stand you can't charge the unit with DC end of the power cord.

The shaking makes a little rattle noise. I guess the motion sensor is a little metal ball inside a chamber that has sensors on either end of the chamber. When you shake the device it activates the sensors. It works well. I could shake the device and see it needed to be charged before the first use.

The herb chamber and the device in general look smaller then I would have imagined. I was thinking of a in between the size of the Solo and the VaporBlunt. It is actually quite small. I would say more in line with the thickness of a DaVinci but the height of a Solo.

I imagine I need about 45 mins to charge before I do my initial testing and make my video for you guys! So far I am hopeful that the device will preform. I hope this initial assessment was helpful.

 

[MarchLM]

Oh boy, make many video today 8)

 

[JCat]

Very excited to see this!!! The anticipation is almost TOO MUCH!!!

 

[Benny Lava]

come on, charger

 

[MarchLM]

However by first impressions , its wayyyy to expensive ... 100 is a max , if DAVINCI delivers oilcans, two cillinders (bottom mj , upper for mint(for example) , digital control, snorkel, and possibility to use while chargin ... Heard from folks its possible to get it for 170$ on hemp fest or smth .... 100$ Ploom - and u have a happy buyyer ...

2h battery life is much, but dony lie to your self - we all know- this crap-plastick dock will get broken

And im not even talkin bouy shitty mouthpiece ... How to u think is this one stage process will be able to start the device in pocket ?! bowl looka cool but i have a prediction theres gonna be more than one hussle with that

 

[Slightly Medicated]

However by first impressions , its wayyyy to expensive ... 100 is a max , if DAVINCI delivers oilcans, two cillinders (bottom mj , upper for mint(for example) , digital control, snorkel, and possibility to use while chargin ... Heard from folks its possible to get it for 170$ on hemp fest or smth .... 100$ Ploom - and u have a happy buyyer ...

2h battery life is much, but dony lie to your self - we all know- this crap-plastick dock will get broken

And im not even talkin bouy shitty mouthpiece ... How to u think is this one stage process will be able to start the device in pocket ?! bowl looka cool but i have a prediction theres gonna be more than one hussle with that

$100 is too little to pay for this device. $200-$250 feels about a comfortable range from my first impressions. I am sure once it gets wider distribution the price will go down as retailers compete for customers. I still am letting it charge & have not used it. I can tell just by the build quality that at $100 they would not be making much of a profit. The Ploom they sell for like $70 or less. The reason they do this is because it uses the proprietary tobacco pods. They make continuing revenue off the pods. The PAX is a one time sale for them. Once they sell us a PAX we fill it with our own plant material of our choice. They no longer see revenue.

Personally, I think the device is worth the price so far. It is the nicest looking portable vaporizer I have ever seen. Even though I made the original evaluation about the plastic and the stand. It still feels like a very well built device.

 

[MarchLM]

Ok , 180 would be cool

 

[CentiZen]

Very jealous SM, looking forward to the video.

 

[Vicki]

@Vicki
This is a strong informative video but a performance video is not only what many on FC are waiting for, but it is the best way to get those units flying off the shelves. I've done marketing for many years and I still do not understand why a manufacturer with a product that lives up to their words, doesn't load it up with some tobacco or mint and show the loading, vapor production, load longevity, and cleaning. Nothing illegal about that, they can show their faces and increase their connection with the forum members/potential customers.
I'm guessing there are half a dozen or more members, with cash in hand, waiting to see if this or a soon to be released inhaler-type vape is going to be the one to get this current handful. I know for a fact there is one such member.

Yeah, they could use mint or even tobacco, you're right! It is confusing as to why they don't.

This video gives a pretty good idea what the vaporizer is like, and that's what I liked. Seeing it being used would just be a bonus to me.

 

[VaporBoxed]

Hey slightly medicated i have a suggestion. I was thinking, maybe there is a position D when pushed in even further. Have you tried holding the mouthpiece down for like 5 to 10 seconds until the indicator light flashes colors or something. this is the only way i could think the party mode could be activated. I cannot find anywhere how to turn on this party mode or if it is even real.

 

[pakalolo]

It's not fair to criticize Ploom for the price. No one here has any real idea of the manufacturing costs. Materials and assembly are only part of the price; there is also R&D and marketing.

It is fair to say you wouldn't pay that much for that product. I wouldn't, unless someone shows that this is a vastly superior device to the cheaper alternatives, which I don't think will happen. That, however, is a statement about me, not the manufacturer. The fact is that we live in a capitalistic society and Ploom can charge whatever they like. No one forces you to buy it.

 

[JCat]

How big is the herb chamber in comparison with the Solo? (now that you can actually see it in person ...)

 

[Slightly Medicated]

Hey slightly medicated i have a suggestion. I was thinking, maybe there is a position D when pushed in even further. Have you tried holding the mouthpiece down for like 5 to 10 seconds until the indicator light flashes colors or something. this is the only way i could think the party mode could be activated. I cannot find anywhere how to turn on this party mode or if it is even real.

The party mode is real. I asked them about it. They would not tell me how to turn it on. I have OCD and I have actually destroyed devices trying to figure out how to activate ester egg functions. I am not trying to hard because I don't want to end up taking the device apart. My theory so far is it has to do with clicking the temperature setting in a certain way. I figured if I stumble across it I will know. There are so many different colors on the device it is hard for me to keep track of what color means what right now. I might have even turned it on already but not noticed because I was oblivious to the color meaning it is in party mode. Purple, White, Yellow, Orange, Red, and Green are the colors I have seen so far.

I just got done doing the initial run. I am editing the video now. It should be ready in a bit. I did some size comparisons, and tested the device out. I did two draws on each heat sitting with a full loaded chamber. I have not tested a half loaded chamber yet.