Discontinued The RBT Milaana (unregulated single 18650)

[ZC]

which ones? Firewood?

Sticky Brick, many log manufacturers, etc. Some of these do charge extra for exotic wood, but not for common wood like walnut or cherry. I'm not against paying more for exotics but I do think some of the pricing difference here is a little out of hand for just having the same Mi made out of Walnut. I mean, we're talking about a $50 price difference between maple and walnut, two species that are priced the same from every other wooden vape maker I can think of.

EDIT: Also, if you're going to have glass color choice it would be nice if regular old "clear" glass was included as an option.

 

[RastaBuddhaTao]

329 for a spalted maple Mi.

Does it tickle my pickle?

Y'know there are other manufacturers that sell wooden vapes that give you a damn selection of species at no extra cost.

This is becoming the Apple of vapes, unoriginal ideas, charged at twice the price!

FUCK CONSUMERS AMIRIGHT?

Hey, your in luck... sale price for the spalted is only $289... Just a 20$ more than your standard Chinese conduction vape. That's like an iPhone at Blackberry pricing.

Thanks to all in advance for continuing to help "Community Fund" this project. @RBTCustomerService is working on plans to ensure FC members are treated special for helping us work towards sustainability.

A special thanks to @realvaped for purchasing the first signature unit at MSRP before it is even made. The build of the unit will be documented in the Vaped.com and Vaped.ca retailer thread coming soon.

Hey, your in luck... sale price for the spalted is only $289... Just a 20$ more than your standard Chinese conduction vape. That's like an iPhone at Blackberry pricing.

Thanks to all in advance for continuing to help "Community Fund" this project. @RBTCustomerService is working on plans to ensure FC members are treated special for helping us work towards sustainability.

A special thanks to @realvaped for purchasing the first signature unit at MSRP before it is even made. The build of the unit will be documented in the Vaped.com and Vaped.ca retailer thread coming soon.

Please don't forget colored glass

The new pricing is across the board to account for the improvements in design and process made over the last six months. This change is across the board with Maple units now at $229.

In the future when demand picks up economies of scale will bring the price down. What we need now is supporters that will pay a little extra to "Community Fund" the cause to get this train rolling. We understand that the new pricing is more than what some people are willing to pay and we respect that. Hopefully they will come back and support us in the future.

Mod note: double post to answer ZC's ?

 

[beiberhole69]

Hmmmmm, well, I'm getting hints of the OG signature but also catching too damn much pumpkin wax. Surprised the camp fire has subsided as much as im perceiving. But I admit I'm not in a very accurately perceptive mindstate. So I'll have to check and recheck back tomorrow to see. But defcon 1 lvl catastrophe is for sured deverted.

 

[Copacetic]

Hmmmmm, well, I'm getting hints of the OG signature but also catching too damn much pumpkin wax. Surprised the camp fire has subsided as much as im perceiving. But I admit I'm not in a very accurately perceptive mindstate. So I'll have to check and recheck back tomorrow to see. But defcon 1 lvl catastrophe is for sured deverted.

Good to hear
The campfire can't be that bad if you are tasting the pumpkin off that brush through it.
Maybe you've dodged the bullet?
Fingers crossed for ya man.


Prices don't seem that bad to me BTW, and I am FAR from wealthy.
We can't expect entry level prices for a top tier vape.

 

[hweezi]

I just don't understand the gap between premium and exotic ?

How is spalted maple exotic ?

which ones? Firewood?

I think Firewood does, I know of Epicvape, Underdog, Dynavap, Sticky Brick Labs all offer variety at no extra cost.

 

[RBTMarketing]

Looks great @RastaBuddhaTao & @RBTCustomerService !

Didn't realize we were getting Aspen and Butternut too, have never even heard of those before, Aspen looks like a greyer Walnut (hard to decide which I like more) and Butternut like a lighter shade of Cherry (again both are so gorgeous) Winner probably still has to go to the spalted maple exotics though, swirls of color and crazy grain patterns are hard to pass up... Select grain would be cool too... Impossible to choose, must have one of each I guess

Haha yeah those new woods are beautiful. I really love the cherry. Such a rich texture.

 

[hweezi]

Prices don't seem that bad to me BTW, and I am FAR from wealthy.
We can't expect entry level prices for a top tier vape.

The Mi from what I had gathered being here was the entry level vape from RBT and the Zion being the top tier. Cause yknow that "Zion quality vapor" is what differs from the two.

With out the sale price the thing is 40* dollars of from the damn Zion. I guess it must be just as good now why would I bother with the Zion. Hell what's the premium and exotic Zions going to cost ? It's a whole 60% more wood!!

 

[Bravesst]

Price point is perfect

 

[RastaBuddhaTao]

The Mi from what I had gathered being here was the entry level vape from RBT and the Zion being the top tier. Cause yknow that "Zion quality vapor" is what differs from the two.

With out the sale price the thing is 60 dollars of from the damn Zion. I guess it must be just as good now why would I bother with the Zion. Hell what's the premium and exotic Zions going to cost ? It's a whole 60% more wood!!

Look closer.... Milaana is $229 and Zion is $369. It's totally up to you if you buy an RBT vape or another pure, on-demand, convection wooden vaporizer. Again, we do appreciate your sentiment and will work to bring prices down as volume grows in 2017 to entice addition market share. Thanks to all who are supporting us on our way.


Because of the variation in material caused by the spalling it is hard to machine and losses are high. The the future other exotic woods will have a higher material cost but will process easier which will end up around the same cost. We have one of the largest exotic woods dealers in North America nearby. What exotic woods would people like to see?

Thanks for your questions as they give us a chance to clarify a few things. Keep em coming! Again, per my last post @cwheezy the price increase is Not only for the choice of wood. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding.

 

[hweezi]

So these are sale prices or final prices?

 

[Copacetic]

The Mi from what I had gathered being here was the entry level vape from RBT and the Zion being the top tier. Cause yknow that "Zion quality vapor" is what differs from the two.

With out the sale price the thing is 60 dollars of from the damn Zion. I guess it must be just as good now why would I bother with the Zion. Hell what's the premium and exotic Zions going to cost ? It's a whole 60% more wood!!

I was referring to the Milaana as top tier in comparison to many other manufacturers offerings.
The FF2 is $330 for instance, and I know which vape I'd prefer.
Relative value is in the eye of the beholder though so I respect if you don't agree

 

[Shit Snacks]

I think Firewood does, I know of Epicvape, Underdog, Dynavap, Sticky Brick Labs all offer variety at no extra cost.

kinda apples and oranges, since you don't know about each companies suppliers, rates, sales, and the labor involved. For example Epic and Underdog are older companies and they are turning logs which is a totally different process (oh btw Alan considers spalted maple an exotic for the HI too) while VapCap is tiny and partnered with Ed (plus another source), etc.

The Mi from what I had gathered being here was the entry level vape from RBT and the Zion being the top tier. Cause yknow that "Zion quality vapor" is what differs from the two.

With out the sale price the thing is 40* dollars of from the damn Zion. I guess it must be just as good now why would I bother with the Zion. Hell what's the premium and exotic Zions going to cost ? It's a whole 60% more wood!!

Who even says there will ever be exotic Zions? The cost could indeed be preventative due to the added labor and amount of wood, it had been said they would never be offered while Milaana would some day bc while still labor intensive, it is simpler than Zion. Some people are willing to pay more for fancy wood, some are willing to pay more for performance. Both types must be willing to pay more for a new vape that is still in growth stages... I guess you are not any of these people and that's fine, you've got one already, so you can wait patiently for prices to eventually go down (presuming there are plenty willing to pay more for what is being offered here, as many seem to be)

Look closer.... Milaana is $229 and Zion is $369. It's totally up to you if you buy an RBT vape or another pure, on-demand, convection wooden vaporizer. Again, we do appreciate your sentiment and will work to bring prices down as volume grows in 2017 to entice addition market share. Thanks to all who are supporting us on our way.


Because of the variation in material caused by the spalling it is hard to machine and losses are high. The the future other exotic woods will have a higher material cost but will process easier which will end up around the same cost. We have one of the largest exotic woods dealers in North America nearby. What exotic woods would people like to see?

Thanks for your questions as they give us a chance to clarify a few things. Keep em coming! Again, per my last post @cwheezy the price increase is Not only for the choice of wood. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding.

Yeah it all makes sense to me. People wanted choice, here is the choice. I know I've been interested in fancy exotic Underdogs in the past, but could never really afford them either, it's totally reasonable to charge this much for top tier performance and artistic craftsmanship, some people appreciate it enough to pay extra for it. If aesthetics aren't as important as performance, no reason not to just get the basic maple, it's easier to produce and thus easier to own. Keepin it simple (stupid)!

For other exotics, I've always loved Ambrosia Maple too, Purpleheart and Redheart are always stunning, personally a big fan of Blue Mahoe as well, and I know a lot of people would die to see some Burl options... My own holy grail might be Flame Box Elder though, probably the coolest exotic wood I've ever seen round these parts

 

[Copacetic]

.....
... My own holy grail might be Flame Box Elder though...

You'll put us vegetarians off though!

Mmmmmmm, bacon

 

[vapen00b]

@RastaBuddhaTao Yeah, burl options would be sweet... Amboyna, red mallee?
@Shit Snacks Shit, didn't know that wood -'but OMG...that's really one of my favs instantly...Flame Box Elder FTW!!!
(Just realized I already got 3 Mi's... Damn!)


EDIT
@Copacetic
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, bear!

 

[Copacetic]

@RastaBuddhaTao Yeah, burl options would be sweet... Amboyna, red mallee?
@Shit Snacks Shit, didn't know that wood -'but OMG...that's really one of my favs instantly...Flame Box Elder FTW!!!
(Just realized I already got 3 Mi's... Damn!)


EDIT
@Copacetic
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, bear!

Lololol

 

[Cl4ud3]

LMFAO how many of us went searching after @Shit Snacks 's post and thought fuck that's some nice red wood for a log or vape?

 

[Shit Snacks]

LMFAO how many of us went searching after @Shit Snacks 's post and thought fuck that's some nice red wood for a log or vape?

I love it, good taste in wood, aye?

Can be more pink than red too, judging by this Underdog (it's their ambrosia that I loved too):

Just love me some fantastically colored wood

 

[scottg402]

I don't think anyone should be surprised and/or upset by the prices. If this was a poor performer or massed produced well then maybe. But like many logs out there, it's more or a niche vape at this point. Ryan has already explained that there is more scrap in the process and the wood is more expensive. He is also spending more time on the sanding ect. to provide a finer quality finished product. All of this cost money for a company trying to find their way while they are bleeding money. If sales were stronger Ryan could leverage volume over margin but they are not so this is a way to survive and continue. I understand the desire for the lower cost (as was Ryan's intention at one point as well) but if you never knew of the lower cost in the past and you compare this the vapor quality to some of the other top vapes I think you will agree the price fits.

We have the Milanna in our retail shop in Roswell, GA and some other stores in the ATL area (come see us). So far they haven't sold but we are getting into the busy season so let's see how it goes. I think the different wood choices will help for those interested in an on demand but seek the natural look and feel of wood (talking to you MFLB crowd).

 

[ZC]

but if you never knew of the lower cost in the past and you compare this the vapor quality to some of the other top vapes I think you will agree the price fits.

I think this rings true. It's also not uncommon for startup products to start cheap and rise to a more reasonable price later. Grasshopper did it too. How many kickstarters have you seen where the early adopters get a much better price than the final production units go for?

 

[imamcfatty]

I get that the company might be a little new and could use the money but the price increase across the board seems a little outrageous. The technology is not that complicated, there's no regulation at all. It's basically wood and a battery. I was already a little on the fence with 190 but an extra 40$ for a couple different cuts in the wood? Plus the new option with "select grain" seems like an easy way to sell products with defects in the wood, unless you pay for "select grain." Just trying to offer a different opinion for discussion. I'm still looking forward to getting one but I might have to hold out a bit longer until the reviews on the "new" Milaanas start coming out.

 

[hippogriff]

I get that the company might be a little new and could use the money but the price increase across the board seems a little outrageous. The technology is not that complicated, there's no regulation at all. It's basically wood and a battery. I was already a little on the fence with 190 but an extra 40$ for a couple different cuts in the wood? Plus the new option with "select grain" seems like an easy way to sell products with defects in the wood, unless you pay for "select grain." Just trying to offer a different opinion for discussion. I'm still looking forward to getting one but I might have to hold out a bit longer until the reviews on the "new" Milaanas start coming out.

Yeah, but what's the basis for your value? We are still a tiny niche market, a very small sample, and each maker of electric convection portables is pretty unique. Firefly has volume and heavy outsourcing and is still the most expensive option, Firewood is a one-man operation so a complex design is relatively inexpensive because one man is willing, Grasshopper is a big mess that miraculously continues, that's the rest of the market, leaving RBT designing a scalable but local production to get started. Everyone's doing what they need to do so their situation and production continues, how do you compare? Materials doesn't follow for me, maybe production processes...

 

[imamcfatty]

Yeah, but what's the basis for your value? We are still a tiny niche market, a very small sample, and each maker of electric convection portables is pretty unique. Firefly has volume and heavy outsourcing and is still the most expensive option, Firewood is a one-man operation so a complex design is relatively inexpensive because one man is willing, Grasshopper is a big mess that miraculously continues, that's the rest of the market, leaving RBT designing a scalable but local production to get started. Everyone's doing what they need to do so their situation and production continues, how do you compare? Materials doesn't follow for me, maybe production processes...

My thoughts are mostly coming from a general consumer perspective, and not an enthusiast point of view. Yes, I can agree that its possible the price increase is necessary for them to continue as a company for a relatively new product in the small world of vaporizers, but it could be better communicated. Possibly they discovered their pricing on their earlier runs were unsustainable, or maybe its actually worth the $40 extra for what they improved.

When I was looking to purchase one of the $190 ones throughout the past few weeks, I contacted the company through email with a couple questions. I later receive an email back that all of a sudden the price jumped up $40. I couldn't really find any news of a new model coming out beforehand, other than from recent pictures on FC/twitter with new wood types. I only wished they would have communicated this better than having to find out from an email that I had to send personally, and also to find out that the price increase happened maybe an hour after I received the information.

I look forward to seeing reviews of the upgraded model in comparison to an older one though. While I do know exactly what changed between the two models, I don't have a previous model to gauge the improvements that have been made, which I was told:

Improvements in "finicky fit and finish items" - feels better in-hand?
Glass better adheres to bottom cap - less concern for glue melting?
Heater that is tuned slighter hotter - heats faster
Recessed heater glass - ?

 

[Bdubbdiblets]

Are the Mi's being sold currently from online retailers and already out in the wild not the newest models?

I'm a happy hopper but man hard not to want wanna these things...

 

[imamcfatty]

Are the Mi's being sold currently from online retailers and already out in the wild not the newest models?

I'm a happy hopper but man hard not to want wanna these things...

From what I understand, updated model (10/28/16) out now on Vaped.com @ $229. For upcoming wood variation models, available soon at RBT website.

 

[beiberhole69]

Well, I've been pretty hung over all day so I haven't been puffin much, but got a bowl or two in and it's almost tasting totally regular. Even on the later hits. If you stick your nose in the female glass joint there is a faint firey smell. The later hits do have a bit of a different taste, I think. Maybe a hint of the wax still. Gonna iso the screen with a qtip again. I took a few pics of the damage:

http://m.imgur.com/a/Wzk3t

I guess it's a good thing I had a couple sessions before I left. Not having a full charged battery probably saved me.