Thank you! Is this the link?: http://420edc.com/accessories/glassware/19-22-long-stems/ or are these too long?
Discontinued Zion vaporizer
- Thread starter lwien
- Start date
SloJimFizz
Unknown Member
No, those are random length Chinese ones of lesser quality glass and differing ID of the stem, if I remember correctly.
He got some official ones in a while back and posted on IG about them. Hopefully @cannabis.pro pops in, or you can pm him here. He is well versed on all things RBT.
He got some official ones in a while back and posted on IG about them. Hopefully @cannabis.pro pops in, or you can pm him here. He is well versed on all things RBT.
Those won't fit the Zion wood, they are too long. Zion length is 100mm.
upriver
combustion-free
Never got a reply to email nor the warrantee form, so I sent my defective unit in with a letter. The newsletter that just came out expressing the business trouble is... troubling.
I wish Ryan well, but no matter how you slice it, I am out a couple hundred bucks and a couple years of waiting. I hope other customers all end up having had a good experience. For me this has been fairly uncool from start to finish despite all the euphoric cheerleading here.
Ah well, I'll continue to try to support interesting folks doing interesting work, but I'm calling this one a big loss.
I wish Ryan well, but no matter how you slice it, I am out a couple hundred bucks and a couple years of waiting. I hope other customers all end up having had a good experience. For me this has been fairly uncool from start to finish despite all the euphoric cheerleading here.
Ah well, I'll continue to try to support interesting folks doing interesting work, but I'm calling this one a big loss.
Just got back from a trip to Yosemite. The Zi was the vape to bring.
It was so perfect for camping. Built like a brick and fully contained, I didn't have to worry about throwing it in my bag and when it was time to use it I had all the tools, battery power, and material I needed all in one package. And we all know how well it performs.
I even snuck the vapcap in the Zion, it fits inside the stem so the Zi itself works as a dynastash of sorts. But in truth, didn't bother using the vapcap, I used the Zi for the whole trip.
It's such a shame the Zi didn't end up being profitable. It's a great vape and I think further iteration on its design could lead to an "unbeatable" vape.
It was so perfect for camping. Built like a brick and fully contained, I didn't have to worry about throwing it in my bag and when it was time to use it I had all the tools, battery power, and material I needed all in one package. And we all know how well it performs.
I even snuck the vapcap in the Zion, it fits inside the stem so the Zi itself works as a dynastash of sorts. But in truth, didn't bother using the vapcap, I used the Zi for the whole trip.
It's such a shame the Zi didn't end up being profitable. It's a great vape and I think further iteration on its design could lead to an "unbeatable" vape.
TeeJay1952
Well-Known Member
Tears and rage me Buckos. I was harvesting with daughter and she was pulling on Zamfir and I bitched about goo on wood. She sweeps her arm and knocks my precious to the floor. Hulkette has smashed the glass insert locking stem. I called number on webpage, Ryan answered and said send for repair.
The earth abides and I await
Tee Jay 1952
Shipping Notice today! The return of Zamfir. Justice is not swift but it is certain.
upriver
combustion-free
I still haven't heard a peep, despite sending more mail asking what's up. Super-bummed since this is actually souring me on crowdfunding in general - not just the Zion/RBT. I'm very happy that so many of you "z-crew" have had so much fun with this thing, but I have had nothing but disappointment over a couple years and a couple hundred bucks. Ah well, severe lesson learned. Ever onward!
I suspect you are not sending emails to the correct address.. I am pretty sure Ryan is all caught up.
Sorry didn't mean to imply you were blaming, no animosity intended here! Poor phrasing on my part.
I don't know if the website is accurate but I've communicated with ryan over email through several different addresses over the years, and I could easily see someone using whatever RBT email is in their history or address book instead of checking the website. The website itself is inconsistant, recently it was gone entirely and it seemed all business would be conducted on IG, through multiple IG accounts, but now it's back.
It's hard to keep up, that's all I'm trying to say.
I don't know if the website is accurate but I've communicated with ryan over email through several different addresses over the years, and I could easily see someone using whatever RBT email is in their history or address book instead of checking the website. The website itself is inconsistant, recently it was gone entirely and it seemed all business would be conducted on IG, through multiple IG accounts, but now it's back.
It's hard to keep up, that's all I'm trying to say.
I agree. It's been a roller coaster and difficult to keep up with. I'm close with Ryan and I have struggled!
But up to date information is on the site and having spoken to him recently I know he is caught up on emails and warranty work. I know he feels bad about some of the absence around this too and is trying to make it up. It seems with some folks, you will never make them happy (and some of them will troll for a lifetime) but it seems reports here recently have been positive so that's good to hear.
For all the turmoil on these threads over the years my experience has always been ~fine. Sometimes confusing, definitely not top notch customer service, but he always delivered what he said he would and fixed what broke, and made some damn great vapes. Really the only problem I had was with the splinter and I was super early on that one, shit happens.
For me the little annoyances kind of dissolve away when the vapes themselves continue to perform fantastically. They ain't perfect, but they're damn good products and there's a reason others have taken inspiration from them.
I don't think most of the "haters" are really trolling, they're just frustrated with their experience.
For me the little annoyances kind of dissolve away when the vapes themselves continue to perform fantastically. They ain't perfect, but they're damn good products and there's a reason others have taken inspiration from them.
I don't think most of the "haters" are really trolling, they're just frustrated with their experience.
upriver
combustion-free
I've used the warrantee form, I've used the address on the site, and also replied directly to past emails from him.
Also I certainly hope I am not "trolling for a lifetime". I pre-ordered this thing quite early on after glowing reports - through a comedy of errors (which I feel I was pretty patient with), I had 2 misdeliveries (neither my fault) and have had 2 faulty units. Now I have nothing at all, including the money I paid.
I still have a pretty good sense of humor about this! I know how hard it is to run a business (which is why I don't).
I think my experience is worth noting though, especially to contrast the others here who have just been repeatedly singing religious-caliber praises for the whole deal.
SloJimFizz
Unknown Member
Had a little mishap whilst wrestling with my hounds. Knocked the Zion over onto it's button, not sure how long it was running but it was pretty freaking hot when I went to stand it up. 
I've gotten through all the grieving stages, just a flesh wound. Of course it still works like a champ.
I've gotten through all the grieving stages, just a flesh wound. Of course it still works like a champ.
I spoke to Ryan yesterday about your case. He said he would look into it and follow up. I understand you have had some issues. Probably more than anyone else and its all well documented here. There have been plenty of other stories of frustration so I don't think you need to worry about offsetting all the positive.
As @ZC said the RBT gear provides some high quality vapor and for many that helps them forget about some of the other issues. That said you need a working product to get that and so I am trying to get your case looked at to find out what's going on.
And no I don't think you are a lifetime troll. I think you have had an abnormal amount of issues and those are well documented but at least you can say you own the product! You also don't go out of your way to like anything remotely negative towards RBT or get overzealous about competing products to RBT (to the point of claiming supeiority over RBT products when said individuals have not tried either brand). Those are the lifetime trolls I am talking about and we all know who they are.
Whatever the case, feel free to PM me if things are not moving along at this point. I know Ryan still has a lot going but I gave him a bump yesterday and would like to get you up and running again.
@SloJimFizz that sucks about the cosmetic aspect but nice to hear it's still running for you!
.
Mr. Gweilo 420
Dude
I absolutely love my Milaana. As an international customer though it is so hard to keep up with his ever-changing policies. I would happily buy more but he does not make it easy.
TeeJay1952
Well-Known Member
Great is rarely easy.
Ryan teaches you Zen, Patience and eventual Nirvana.
Ryan teaches you Zen, Patience and eventual Nirvana.
upriver
combustion-free
Should be my last post here - just wanted to wrap up:
I've said it a million times, but What A Long, Strange Trip it has been. Getting on 3 years! I still don't have a Zion - never will, and that is ok. I actually told RBT I no longer wanted one because even if repaired, I will not trust the heater to not remain locked on. Twice burned, twice shy. A mechanical switch would really be useful if the Zion were to continue. That said...
I was sent a Milaana and a Splinter Z for my troubles. I should probably take my thoughts on those to the appropriate venues but:
They both work very well. The Milaana is essentially what I wanted the Zion to be. I don't go "out and about" with my vapes all that much, so the lack of onboard storage is not a problem. I didn't get to use the Zion enough to know if I really wanted to dial in a setting, so the manual control is fine with me. I'm plenty comfortable with that from other vapes. I suppose the dual battery nature of the Zion could have proven itself valuable over time, but without really having much to compare to, the Milaana heats up fast enough and hits hard enough for me.
The Splinter Z is also promising. It is definitely a bit awkward and I worry about damaging the threaded connection with the crazy leverage possible, but it does what it advertises. Kindof cool how it tuns into a surprisingly large wand with an extended mouthpiece (still have the one I commissioned for the Zion from Oregon Glass Blower). I have to confess it tentatively works a bit better than the Divine Tribe herb chamber I've been playing with. Also much easier to load. Still working to dial in settings for it, but it Works Real Good already.
I am still not super-happy with this whole process, but am happy enough in the end.
My concluding thoughts:
1) I love supporting crowdfunded projects. I understand the risks involved. I love supporting cottage-industry craftspeople, and also understand that in today's world they are always fighting an uphill battle. I am willing to absorb some of that in order to support them and invite their artifacts into my life. I am doing all I can to not let my difficulties in this experience sour my outlook here.
2) RBT seems to be capable of wonderful products - He seems to have a sharp mind for electromechanical design and the aesthetics (being preference, of course) are solid enough. Props to him for having the grit and gumption to take an idea and run with it. The world is increasingly hostile to indie makers - looks at how even RBT has to move this project to China. So does Divine Tribe. Sucks, but that is where we are. I really hope this pans out and lets the RBT vision flourish, and I hope an extra eye to supervising quality proves that offshore projects can work out properly.
3) The customer service was astonishingly bad - I don't say that lightly. Dropping the ball is one thing, it is/was the dismissive attitude displayed here and elsewhere that was a real turn-off. That said, when Ryan is present, he's enjoyable to talk to and obviously a thoughtful man. I believe he is indeed coming from a good place and simply overwhelmed, understandably. Hindsight is 20/20, but he should have turned over the customer and public outreach to someone else the moment he started feeling bogged down. Showing negative emotions on behalf of a company in public is never a great move. Ryan has shown some real strides here, and that should not go without recognition. He seems to have personally chilled a bit, and has taken the steps to get some help in the support effort, and that is very smart.
4) The "fan boy" thing here really was a bit of a problem. The enthusiasm is great, these are cool products! It is great to explain the joy you're finding. The borderline censorship of criticism and the seemingly-reasonable people chased away from this forum is really cringey though. I can take it or leave it, and apologize if even mentioning this again is a problem. We'd all do the "community" a huge favor by entertaining various points of view. I'm no fan of trolls, and wouldn't tolerate them on my forum, but dissent can be quite healthy and I'd implore all of you, in any forum or venue, to look at criticism as an opportunity to grow a little. I'd like to think a niche discussion like we have here is already a coarse filter for connecting with those who have similar passions, and we should default to assuming decent intentions. Those raising concerns are doing just that - having concerns and wanting to talk about them. Let's help those folks out by using facts and reason and a supportive vibe.
5) Despite all of my patience, I still missed the Zion train, but in the end I don't really care. I just want to support small makers instead of MegaVapeCorp, and really, I just want some devices which work for me. I now have a couple nice little choices, and don't hold hard feelings. In fact, I am open to the idea that I am better off with the Milaana over the Zion, and the Splinter Z is a nice plus.
Go well, my dudes!
I've said it a million times, but What A Long, Strange Trip it has been. Getting on 3 years! I still don't have a Zion - never will, and that is ok. I actually told RBT I no longer wanted one because even if repaired, I will not trust the heater to not remain locked on. Twice burned, twice shy. A mechanical switch would really be useful if the Zion were to continue. That said...
I was sent a Milaana and a Splinter Z for my troubles. I should probably take my thoughts on those to the appropriate venues but:
They both work very well. The Milaana is essentially what I wanted the Zion to be. I don't go "out and about" with my vapes all that much, so the lack of onboard storage is not a problem. I didn't get to use the Zion enough to know if I really wanted to dial in a setting, so the manual control is fine with me. I'm plenty comfortable with that from other vapes. I suppose the dual battery nature of the Zion could have proven itself valuable over time, but without really having much to compare to, the Milaana heats up fast enough and hits hard enough for me.
The Splinter Z is also promising. It is definitely a bit awkward and I worry about damaging the threaded connection with the crazy leverage possible, but it does what it advertises. Kindof cool how it tuns into a surprisingly large wand with an extended mouthpiece (still have the one I commissioned for the Zion from Oregon Glass Blower). I have to confess it tentatively works a bit better than the Divine Tribe herb chamber I've been playing with. Also much easier to load. Still working to dial in settings for it, but it Works Real Good already.
I am still not super-happy with this whole process, but am happy enough in the end.
My concluding thoughts:
1) I love supporting crowdfunded projects. I understand the risks involved. I love supporting cottage-industry craftspeople, and also understand that in today's world they are always fighting an uphill battle. I am willing to absorb some of that in order to support them and invite their artifacts into my life. I am doing all I can to not let my difficulties in this experience sour my outlook here.
2) RBT seems to be capable of wonderful products - He seems to have a sharp mind for electromechanical design and the aesthetics (being preference, of course) are solid enough. Props to him for having the grit and gumption to take an idea and run with it. The world is increasingly hostile to indie makers - looks at how even RBT has to move this project to China. So does Divine Tribe. Sucks, but that is where we are. I really hope this pans out and lets the RBT vision flourish, and I hope an extra eye to supervising quality proves that offshore projects can work out properly.
3) The customer service was astonishingly bad - I don't say that lightly. Dropping the ball is one thing, it is/was the dismissive attitude displayed here and elsewhere that was a real turn-off. That said, when Ryan is present, he's enjoyable to talk to and obviously a thoughtful man. I believe he is indeed coming from a good place and simply overwhelmed, understandably. Hindsight is 20/20, but he should have turned over the customer and public outreach to someone else the moment he started feeling bogged down. Showing negative emotions on behalf of a company in public is never a great move. Ryan has shown some real strides here, and that should not go without recognition. He seems to have personally chilled a bit, and has taken the steps to get some help in the support effort, and that is very smart.
4) The "fan boy" thing here really was a bit of a problem. The enthusiasm is great, these are cool products! It is great to explain the joy you're finding. The borderline censorship of criticism and the seemingly-reasonable people chased away from this forum is really cringey though. I can take it or leave it, and apologize if even mentioning this again is a problem. We'd all do the "community" a huge favor by entertaining various points of view. I'm no fan of trolls, and wouldn't tolerate them on my forum, but dissent can be quite healthy and I'd implore all of you, in any forum or venue, to look at criticism as an opportunity to grow a little. I'd like to think a niche discussion like we have here is already a coarse filter for connecting with those who have similar passions, and we should default to assuming decent intentions. Those raising concerns are doing just that - having concerns and wanting to talk about them. Let's help those folks out by using facts and reason and a supportive vibe.
5) Despite all of my patience, I still missed the Zion train, but in the end I don't really care. I just want to support small makers instead of MegaVapeCorp, and really, I just want some devices which work for me. I now have a couple nice little choices, and don't hold hard feelings. In fact, I am open to the idea that I am better off with the Milaana over the Zion, and the Splinter Z is a nice plus.
Go well, my dudes!
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
One of the parts was discontinued while demand had also been too low to justify the costly time consuming build
KeroZen
Chronic vapaholic
@Shit Snacks: I checked directly on Murata site just the other day and the OKR is still in production and recommended for new designs. So that argument was moot it appears.
But yes, it's too labor intensive to build and not profitable as a product, unless he manages to have it mass produced in China too.
But yes, it's too labor intensive to build and not profitable as a product, unless he manages to have it mass produced in China too.
AJS
Calm Consistency
Do it.
