Zephyr Ion

[Heisenberg]

hey bruce, of course you can use my submission for promotion

i'll post the promised review after some more testing. so far the ION has crashed several parties with nicely flavored party bags

 

[stickstones]

Bruce...send me that release as well.

 

[steiner666]

To take care of defects:
Contact me and let me know there is a problem ( a public forum may not be as fast as my email bruce@zephyrvaporizers.com )
provide your mailing address, serial number and name.
We send you a replacement and a call tag
the only thing you are out is a bit of time and a bit of tape

It is true that no amount of ass kissing and backtracking to fix a defective unit will ever be as satisfying as the product working right the first time.

If there are any customers on here who have gotten a defect and replacement could you please relay your experience?

Impressive actually. So you get the customers serial# and shipping info and send them a new one with a shipping label for them to return the defective one? That's much better than how most companies (including 7th Floor, despite how much i love their vapes) handle defective units. They usually wait for the defective unit to arrive and inspect it an then ship a replacement one, which of course takes twice as long. Is this how Zephyr handles all cases of defective/malfunctioning units that are still under the 2 year warranty or just ones that are DOA?

 

[Bruce@Zephyr]

To take care of defects:
Contact me and let me know there is a problem ( a public forum may not be as fast as my email bruce@zephyrvaporizers.com )
provide your mailing address, serial number and name.
We send you a replacement and a call tag
the only thing you are out is a bit of time and a bit of tape

It is true that no amount of ass kissing and backtracking to fix a defective unit will ever be as satisfying as the product working right the first time.

If there are any customers on here who have gotten a defect and replacement could you please relay your experience?

Impressive actually. So you get the customers serial# and shipping info and send them a new one with a shipping label for them to return the defective one? That's much better than how most companies (including 7th Floor, despite how much i love their vapes) handle defective units. They usually wait for the defective unit to arrive and inspect it an then ship a replacement one, which of course takes twice as long. Is this how Zephyr handles all cases of defective/malfunctioning units that are still under the 2 year warranty or just ones that are DOA?

Standard Operating Procedure

 

[SkeletonLips]

Standard Operating Procedure

This is why I am planning on getting one of these for christmas. Service like this. I gotta round out my vape collection with a bag vape. I hate combusting at parties, and this will give me a good reason not to. Great stuff, Bruce.

 

[Lo]

That's a good operating procedure! Props to Zephyr for that policy

 

[lwien]

Just thought I'd add something here regarding the pulling power of the Ion.

My daily workhorse is my PD because of it's super efficiency. I was planning on only using the Ion when I had friends/family over.

I've had the PD on 24/7 for over a year now and it is running pretty warm. My ABV comes out a consistent very dark brown so I've been saving it up to make some qwiso. Anyways, I cleaned some of my PD stems along with my grinder in ISO, let it evaporate and scraped some up, put it on top of some flowers in my glass spoon and combusted. Ok, yeah, it got me high, but the taste wasn't all that great, but the worst thing is, is that I was hung over the whole next day. Just felt out of sorts. The following day, I abstained completely, and the next day, I hit that qwiso again with my pipe and got the same results the following day. Hung over. Kinda fuzzy and not totally in sync.

So ok, I realized that I really don't like smoking qwizo after vaping for so long, so I thought, what in the hell am I going to do with this ABV now. So just for kicks, I loaded up an Ion basket about half full and set the temp to 380. Figured I'd have to go that high being that the PD took just about everything out of it that was there. Filled up a bag, took about 5 hits, and zowie...........super nice buzz.

So, the Ion is no longer relegated to using just when guests are over. It is now used in full rotation to soak everything out of the PD's ABV. No more combusting qwiso for me. The Ion is simply extracting more out of the bud, and here I thought that I was at the pinnacle of efficiency with the PD alone. What a nice surprise. One two punch, first with the PD and then it goes into the Ion.

I just picked up an eighth of Skywalker, an eighth of Green Crack and an eighth of the finest Jack Herer that I have ever seen. Sticks to the fingers and literally sparkles in the sunlight. Huge nugs measuring about 4 to 5 inches long and about 2 and half inches wide. I's a happy camper.

Bottom line. I highly recommend the Ion, both as a party vape and a vape to use for final extraction.

 

[B.]

I just picked up an eighth of Skywalker, an eighth of Green Crack and an eighth of the finest Jack Herer that I have ever seen. Sticks to the fingers and literally sparkles in the sunlight. Huge nugs measuring about 4 to 5 inches long and about 2 and half inches wide. I's a happy camper.

(drool)

I used to be in a situation where this caliber bud was plentiful...now I'm not. Tis better to have loved and lost, I guess.



I recently met a guy who was all set to buy a volcano as his first vape purchase. I steered him towards this site and told him to consider the Herbal Aire, Extreme Q or Ion instead. He went with an Ion the very next day. I'm still waitin to hear how he likes it...I have to imagine it'll make a pretty great first vape.

 

[deadfowl]

100% Support From Zephyr Ion Customers Do Matter

OK so the wife gets a gift from a friend,she opens it and its the zephyr ion vaporizer. excited to use it, out of the box and away we go, so we thought,only to find it leaking everywhere out the top.Read the manual again checked everything AGAIN and it leaked and leaked.SO I went to the Ion site, where I was able to e-mail my problem to whom it may concern, and with in one hour YES one hour NOT only in contact with us BUT,get this ,a real live person, you know the kind you can actually talk to,I told him our problem ,we trouble shot it for a bit .He was willing to take my address and send me a brand new unit and then i was to send in mine,sorry to say folks but thats rare these days. After talking to him step by step we found that the O-RING was installed wrong,problem solved over the phone.Point is ZEPHYR ION stepped up to the plate for us, and I firmlly believe they will do that for all their customers. THANKS BRUCE

modnote:Merged.

 

[lwien]

That's great, deadfowl. It is a rare thing to get that kind of service. Fortunately, there's some other good vape manufacturers that take care of their customers much like Zephyr does, and then, there's some that don't. I hope that as Zephyr grows, that they don't lose this hands on approach. It's a hard to thing to hang onto.

 

[steiner666]

Needless to say, my decision on a bag vape to buy in the coming months has been greatly and favorably swayed by these latest posts - both the tales of good product support and Iwiens re-vaping info mainly. Thanks for the info, I believe i can make a pretty good informed decision thanks once again to these forums.

 

[Derf]

Sorry I'm not on here as much to stay up to date on the threads. Seems this one was headed off track, glad it was settled down and worked out.

the fact is, customer service in the USA is so shoddy and being given the shaft is such a part of the norm.

I agree, I have noticed this as well. I think people are becoming so obsessed with chasing the bottom line buck- especially with the younger generation that has grown up shopping online instead of in stores, that I think everyone is really only conscious of how much money they save up front, never considering the support they will get later on. Even big-box chain stores that I typically dislike have typically good customer service when it comes to returns and exchanges on defective items, sometimes even without a receipt (they can just scan your credit card).

BTW - despite the bad English of the McDonald's corporation, "I'm Lovin' It!" not only fits my current opinion of the Zephyr Ion, but the support, online presence, and character of the company.

PS - I have the original files of the video I made before.

My daily workhorse is my PD because of it's super efficiency.... just for kicks, I loaded up an Ion basket about half full and set the temp to 380. Figured I'd have to go that high being that the PD took just about everything out of it that was there. Filled up a bag, took about 5 hits, and zowie...........super nice buzz.

Haha, seems you've also discovered this too! The PD is not "super efficient", it just requires less biomass (Bruce's term) than most other vapes to operate. But being a fixed temp vape, it can never take out everything there is in your herb unless the temp is set higher. I've found this of most all fixed temp vapes have this issue. The Ion can go all the way up to like 450 F, and I've personally gone to 420 F. I only use my Iolite when I'm out of the house, but I save what I use in it to recycle through the Ion, and when I'm home, the Ion has become my go-to vape. The PD is now collecting dust, and I'm fine with that - I like being able to walk around with a bag instead of being stuck on the end of the couch next to the wall.

100% Support From Zephyr Ion Customers Do Matter

OK so the wife gets a gift from a friend,she opens it and its the zephyr ion vaporizer. excited to use it, out of the box and away we go, so we thought,only to find it leaking everywhere out the top.Read the manual again checked everything AGAIN and it leaked and leaked.SO I went to the Ion site, where I was able to e-mail my problem to whom it may concern, and with in one hour YES one hour NOT only in contact with us BUT,get this ,a real live person, you know the kind you can actually talk to,I told him our problem ,we trouble shot it for a bit .He was willing to take my address and send me a brand new unit and then i was to send in mine,sorry to say folks but thats rare these days. After talking to him step by step we found that the O-RING was installed wrong,problem solved over the phone.Point is ZEPHYR ION stepped up to the plate for us, and I firmlly believe they will do that for all their customers. THANKS BRUCE

modnote:Merged.

I love hearing these stories. Stories like this reaffirm my belief in the American company. Even if it isn't "made in the USA", the support that goes behind it is really top notch.

 

[lwien]

The Ion can go all the way up to like 450 F....

450? Mine only goes up to 440, but I doubt that I'd ever take it that high.

The PD is now collecting dust, and I'm fine with that - I like being able to walk around with a bag instead of being stuck on the end of the couch next to the wall.

My PD will NEVER collect dust, 'cause for me, one PD stem is all I need for a 3 to 4 hour session, and the Ion just doesn't cut it when using this small of an amount. And as far as walking around with a bag versus hitting a vape that is connected to the wall, I only take one hit every 45 min. or so, so it's not a big deal.

The Ion definitely fits within' my rotation, but it will never take the place of my beloved PD. For me, it's two different vapes for two different purposes

 

[Derf]

The Ion can go all the way up to like 450 F....

450? Mine only goes up to 440, but I doubt that I'd ever take it that high.

You'd be right, I was guessing from memory. Its higher than I would go, and higher than a lot of others go. But the option is there, so you can always take your used herb (ABV) "further" in an Ion than you can in a fixed temp vape.

one PD stem is all I need for a 3 to 4 hour session, and the Ion just doesn't cut it when using this small of an amount. And as far as walking around with a bag versus hitting a vape that is connected to the wall, I only take one hit every 45 min. or so, so it's not a big deal.

Damn, you must have a lot of THC receptors for 1 stem to satisfy you for 3-4 hours. Your brain must be super efficient at absorbing that stuff, because I always need more to feel satisfied. For your needs then it fits fine, for mine it doesn't. The wooden style vapes like the PD are what i started with; my first vape was the Eterra Classic that the PD is modeled after. And when I got other vapes I always thought the baskets looked big in comparison to those little compartments at the end of a stem.

When I used a PD, because the amount I used is so small, I can notice the high coming on much slower. One stem and you might start to feel a little buzz, and then you can stop or keep going. Personally I would keep going to get high because one stem wouldn't get me there (maybe my tolerance is higher? I dunno). But whether I'm using my Iolite or an SSV or whatever, I find that when I vape I'm HIGH. The basket is a little bigger so I use a little more than a PD stem, but I would have packed a couple (2-3) stems anyway to get to the level that I am comfortable at. It's like the difference between buying beer in 6oz bottles vs a 6-pack of 12oz bottles; if you only need 6oz to feel a little light headed and don't want any more right away, then having 6oz bottles available is fine. But if you plan to drink two or three 12-oz bottles anyway to get buzzed, having 6-oz bottles isn't helping any. Different strokes for different folks. My PD isn't what floats my boat.

The Ion is the largest basket I have seen in a vape. But I've found two things: 1) you don't need to fill it very much for it to work, and 2) you don't need to fill the bag up all the way to enjoy it. Sometimes I only fill half a bag and leave the rest of the unfinished herb in the basket to fill a bag later. But mostly I just enjoy getting high. I haven't smoked in years, but I can say that my vaping usage is not much more accelerated due to the use of the Ion as a primary vape. If it is a little accelerated, I would attribute it to the wow factor I get from it being my newest vape and so I use it more frequently, but not that I need to use more to get high.

Not that this applies, and I don't want to start getting on people's financial toes, but my mom once told me a story that she worked in a hospital and was talking to a doctor about his new sports car he just bought (think it was a Jaguar or something) and my mom asked what kind of gas mileage it got. The doctor said "if you have to ask, it's too expensive for you."

 

[lwien]

Damn, you must have a lot of THC receptors for 1 stem to satisfy you for 3-4 hours. Your brain must be super efficient at absorbing that stuff, because I always need more to feel satisfied. For your needs then it fits fine, for mine it doesn't.

Yeah, it kinda runs the gamut here. There are PD users here, like myself, where one stem does the trick, and others that require multiple stems. Seems to be about 50/50. I ran a poll on it awhile ago. Tolerance, quality of bud, and age, I believe are the main contributing factors.

So yeah, the PD will remain my workhorse and the Ion will be used both in party situations and in putting on the final touches in THC extraction. For my needs, they co-exist really well together.

But yeah, if I routinely needed 3 or 4 stems to get me to where I wanted to be, the PD would not be my vape of choice.

Love my Ion though. It's the only bag vape that I've ever used and I can't fathom how spending any more money for a bag vape would fill bags any better or any faster or any easier.

Now I'm just waiting for their whip option and wondering if the VB mini-whip would work with it and how efficient that would be? Vaporizing experimentation is fun, eh?

 

[d3x]

I just wanted to make a quick post. Some people have mentioned that the amber light bothers them when the unit is powered off, and certainly it does bother me. My solution was to hook it up to a power strip with individual switches to control power on/off to each plug. Now, when i'm done, I simply turn the unit 'off' with the power button, and then flip the switch on the power strip to fully power the Ion down (note - if you want a less expensive solution, get a cheap power strip with an on/off switch for the entire thing, and just plug the Ion in, as some of the other strips get pricey, and you can get those for 3 or 4 dollars).

And I want to add that while I was at first a bit uncomfortable using the Ion because of plastics, etc (plus the airflow isn't as smooth as my Buddha's, but I believe that is because of the air filter, which I am more than fine with), I am now loving it. That 'new vape' teflon smell did indeed go away after about a day, and now it tastes fantastic. I have been using it with my Buddha's whip and it is by far my preferred method for consuming my legal herbs =)

Oh and I signed up with the link provided by Bruce for the whips. I am a big glass fan, and that's the one thing the Ion has not.... so really excited about the whip!

Happy vapin.

 

[Derf]

I love forums!

and I'm totally vaked right now!!

I just love how you can come in and pick up a conversation that has been slowly evolving over hours, days, even weeks. And everyone will pretty much listen to what you say [read: type]... Its like being one of the referees during a sports game, when they turn on their little announcement headset and speak to the stadium. Or like my psych 101 class, where the prof lectures to a room of ~1000 people.

Wish I had something to say, but I feel like Hal9000 in 2001 Space Odyssey, when Hal says "Dave... my mind is going"

Actually the one thing I was going to say was, does anyone else feel really weird speaking out against the Ion? I mean, I guess it is just they way I was raised, but I feel a little like it's looking the gift horse in the mouth. Can I, or we, really not like anything about a free vape? Ok, so giving it praise is easy, it's obviously very professional and we're all impressed with it - we've all found a use for it, I doubt anyone would give theirs to a friend. But can any of us feel like there is room for improvement, or help make it better? I think it's really a little hard for me, but I think if I had a more unbiased view (like that it wasn't MY vaporizer), I could see the things that I would be "cons" for a pros & cons analysis... it could be a positive thing for Zephyr and us, if they choose to listen to our feedback. So I challenge anyone/all of us to think about and pose some creative criticism of anything they do not like about it in the hopes that Zephyr can benefit from the feedback.

For example: I don't like that the LCD display stays lit red when it is off. 5 minutes after I turn it off, fine - I'll consider it telling me that it is still warm inside and as a warning to not get burned. But after 5 or 10 minutes turn off! Oh, how I wish I was a computer programmer so i could just change the code in those circuits, but alas, I can only appeal to the Gods at Zephyr to let it be so. Also, two tools that this product could really use are a small brush akin to the types in beard shaver kits, and a funnel. The brush is to brush off the screens and basket of used herb, which always seems to accumulate there. The funnel would be to make loading the baskets easier. We all have grinders, some 2-3 inches across, but then to get it from the grinder to the vaporizer you have to dump it onto a piece of paper, fold it in half and slide it into the 1-inch basket. It's like when you buy a coffee machine they give you the little spoon: give us a little funnel please! And lets hope sales take off at Zephyr and they can hire a computer programmer to work on an iphone app!

 

[lwien]

Like d3x above, I have mine hooked up to a switched power strip that I turn on or off, so that red light is a non-issue for me.

The brush and funnel is a good idea. It would be nice if there were some detailed instructions in the manual on how to clean it, that is, the best way to take out the screens and not to put the O ring in backwards like some of them come installed from the factory. Also, some detailed instructions on how to replace the bag on the valves would be nice too.

All these things can be done without an increase in production costs and would just add to the ease of use to an already very user friendly product.

From an operational point of view, I can't think of anything that I would like to see improvement on. But then, this is my very first bag vape, so I don't have anything to compare it to.

 

[Bruce@Zephyr]

Derf, Lwien,
I like where this is going,....


Feedback to improve on the ION is not only appreciated it is hoped for. As much as I can agree that there is "no best vape", I can also want the ION to be the best it can be.

The always on amber light,.. probably my biggest pet peeve of the ION... it is needed and perhaps Heisnberg can back me up here,.. for EU electric standards. We are trying to get the ion rated/certified for both EU and USA electrical standards. Better to do this from the start than to try and backtrack on it later. *To give it spin,.. "the light is on to let you know that as with all electronics, if it is plugged in, it is drawing power. To conserve energy plug into a power strip and turn the whole strip off when not in use. It is also a good idea to do this with your cell phone charger and your laptop."

instruction booklet revisions are underway, We are also working on a video guide as some folks are more visual.
We will be including a brush in future models and from my understanding some pre-alcohol-dipped q-tips are now included in current models.
we are toying with a glass coated nipple to replace the teflon tip.

We are toying with a removable cord (external power source) so the same unit can be used in other countries easier.

Would improvement suggestions warrant it's own thread?

on a slightly side note,.. I do hope that those who have gotten a free Ion {not really free, everyone who got one without charge, paid for it with their creativity, insight and work, well earned in my opinion} would not hold back on any of their impressions just because it was free. I only want honest feedback, nobody here is looking to get stroked. I think nothing is perfect and constant improvement is part of the process. I do value what the end users of the ION have to say.

**edit** I never thought about including a spoon,.. perhaps a flexible tray and a grinder.....?

 

[lwien]

Hey Bruce, when you have the new manual completed, could you post up a PDF of it on your site so that us early "adapters" and those of us who have a tough time screwing in a lightbulb like myself can download it? Thanks.

What specifically are the pre-dipped qtips used for?

Also, why the change on the nipple? (lol.......everytime I see the word nipple, I keep thinking about Ren & Stimpy)

 

[Bruce@Zephyr]

The cotton swabs (I guess I should be careful of using trademarks we don't own) are to clean the nipple heheh the only part that really gets dirty that I have noticed.

I prefer to reclaim the oils that build up on the nipple hehe but others like it squeaky clean

We will certainly make the new instruction manual very accessible and will put it up online for all to see and have easy access to.

There is a segment out there that will ONLY use glass for their medicinal purposes,... the glass nipple will be to accommodate those folks. I personally think it should be an add-on item but it turns out glass costs less than Teflon.

 

[stickstones]

I like the removable plug idea. My Extreme has this and it makes it easy to unplug. Glass nipple is interesting. Personally, I prefer the durability of teflon, but I am not a glass purist. If I am correct, this would still leave the SS basket and maybe some ceramic from the heating element in the airpath. Do your med users have a problem with these?

My Ion would get more use if it had a whip and the screen would turn off. The screen is a dealbreaker for me as I have kids all over the place. I used to leave my Extreme plugged in all the time and when it was off the screen would turn off, and I think there might have been a little light somewhere that turned on...very unobtrusive. I almost exclusively use whips/tubes rather than bags because I can't benefit from carrying a bag around my crowded house. Not an indictment against bags, as I would love to be in a position to enjoy them more. I would like to take more advantage of the Ion's accurate temp control, but these things make it unstealthy enough to where it is just too convenient to use other vapes. Because of this, I haven't used the Ion enough to thoroughly check out the leaks I was noticing.

Example. The other night my honey wanted to hit some with me. I would love to have broken out the Ion and made a bag for her, but it's just too easy to pass her the PD, even though it is harder for a newbie to hit. Now if the Ion had a whip and was dark enough, I could place it somewhere in the room and we both could enjoy it without worrying if a kid was gonna come in at some point and see a bright glowing light that raises curiosity.

The Ion works very well and is not made to be stealthy. But I think that, with just a few modifications, the stealth factor could be significantly raised to make it more accessible to those who require some discretion.

 

[Derf]

Derf, Lwien,
I like where this is going,....


**edit** I never thought about including a spoon,.. perhaps a flexible tray and a grinder.....?

Thanks, I'm glad. I was a little afraid starting such a discussion could be misconstrued as a bashing session, and I was coming from a good place when I was thinking about how I could give an unbiased review and say anything negative, and then if I didn't give any negatives, would it be an honest review, and what the purpose of even mentioning negatives would be besides helping potential buyers decided on a purchase. Anyway.... !!! (was that a run-on sentence?)

I'm all for accessories... especially if they are useful. Like I dig the 10 foot bag, but honestly I can never really see throwing a pot-party to use it. Personally, my lifestyle is pretty quiet about doing it; my girlfriend doesn't even like me doing it, so I put the Ion away in the office where she doesn't see it. I thought that was bad, until StickStones said he and his lady have to keep it from the kids running around. That guy could really use the light off feature!
I guess it's all relative: to some the 10' bag might be useful, and to some it may be the stealth factor. A spoon could be useful if you have your herb pre ground-up and keep it all (or a lot) like that. I'm actually picturing a particular type of spoon, something like this:

where there is a tube connected to it, and each spoon full would fill like 1/4 or 1/3 of a full basket, and the back end of the tube would be open, so you just scoop up your herb, let it fall down the tube, and into the basket. But, maybe the connection to "medicine" is too strong there? I dunno.

Ok, so I like that "spin" that you put on about being energy conscious, but, and I don't know if this is a flaw on that thinking, but, if the LCD is off, it wouldn't use any power, so how would I save power by unplugging it? I'm wondering if this is possible: if it receives UL licensing in the US, can these vaporizers be retroactively programmed to turn off the LCD? And what are the chances that installing an on-off rocker switch on the backside would void my warranty

Just kidding.

I wonder how you reclaim resin from the nipple. Does it come off for cleaning/soaking? Oh, and how's this come to you for stealth... put two stickers of eyes on either side of the silver logo sticker, and the thing looks like a fat Buddha statue, or something from Easter Island. Then you just need to throw a nappy 'round its lower section like a skirt and you've got some weird piece of art (at best), or some weird toy (at worst). If Zephyr has any sense of humor, they should include a sheet of stickers of different eyes and mouths to put on your Ion! You could make like different faces with them, like a Mr Potato Head... One could be a sleepy face, one could be a smiley face, or a happy face... with glasses...

What do you think of 30 seconds with a pair of scissors and a sticky note???

Ok, maybe that was a dumb idea. ...But if you use it I was FULL credit.

Oh, and is this model being sold in Europe? And if so, how is America in favor of vaporizers compared with Europe? Is one area just an emerging area, or is it huge in some area?

 

[Beezleb]

Vapolantern!

 

[Bruce@Zephyr]

uuummmmmm I am speecheless,.. well mostly speecheless,... I do like the sticker idea a lot..."pimp my ion"

maybe there is another contest in the making hahah