Tinymight and Nomad comparisons?

[Temple]

I have been trying to find some comparisons of the two vapes in the title. Thinking about maybe getting a Nomad II and would like to hear people impressions of each.

 

[GoldenBud]

I think they both can finish a 0.1g bowl in 2-4 hits. both are made by known manufacturers in the vaping scene. i dunno if the Nomad has a cooling unit, TM got it. I think it is easier to put a battery in the Nomad.
Nomad is completely made by the manufacturer, even the screws, he makes them.
I don't think Nomad has a session mode, the TM has it. I think Nomad has only on-demand mode
both 100% convection..

**Never tried these devices, but tell us what you're looking in a device.

 

[Vaporware]

I have been trying to find some comparisons of the two vapes in the title. Thinking about maybe getting a Nomad II and would like to hear people impressions of each.

I don’t have my Nomad yet, but I have read the entire thread along with the TinyMight thread, so take my for what it’s worth.

There are actually a number of things I think the TinyMight may have picked up from the Nomad, but here are the main differences I see between them:

1. The Nomad is unregulated while the TM has a circuit board and battery/temperature regulation which is not necessarily *better* but is easier to get consistent results from without practice.

2. That circuit board and other components are in the TM’s air path. It probably shouldn’t matter much since the heater is above (and attached to) the circuit board, but you are breathing in whatever comes off of it every time you use it.

The Nomad has a much simpler design with just the Nichrome heater, its PEEK or wood base, the wood and metal bottom of the device and the battery exposed to the air path (the battery is not near the heater).

Both have glass and screens in the vapor path, but the TM by default has a cooling unit made of stainless steel parts.

With the cooling unit in the TM may have cooler vapor, but there are stems and stem mods to cool the Nomad more too. Without extra cooking the Nomad seems to be much easier to take with just the straight glass stem and screens.

3. The TinyMight is a little larger, including the stem and heater, and that is likely why it’s harder to take without the cooling unit. That also means it can probably deliver more dense vapor faster.

The Nomad can still extract quickly and deliver clouds though, especially with the medium/high heater, so don’t think it’s underpowered.

If you’re looking for the hardest hit from a single draw though, the TM with the larger heater is probably going to win there.

4. The Nomad has 2 different heaters (Dan or others could make more), and you can switch them out very quickly and easily. Very few vaporizers have that option.

The more powerful heater may give you more chance of combusting, but if you learn how to use it you may be able to get into similar territory to the TM on hard single hits...this is an area I haven’t heard enough about.

5. Some people seem to taste Nichrome and not like it, but most people say the Nomad delivers very good flavor.

Most say TM’s is...good, some love it, and some don’t like it very much.

Some of the problem there could come from TM parts not being shipped clean enough and adding unpleasant tastes for some who haven’t thoroughly cleaned theirs, but there could be other factors here too (including the cooling unit).

6. The TinyMight generally seems like a well made device. There are some issues people point out like light leaking through places it shouldn’t, screws and the temp dial not sitting flush with the bottom for everyone, etc. but it’s probably among the better made artisan vapes out there.

The Nomad on the other hand is worth the price of entry just as a piece of art, let alone a functional vaporizer!

There is such amazing attention to detail in every aspect, and you can see it in the design and build processes laid out in the thread and in emails to buyers showing the progress of their specific batch of Nomads.

Everything from the body and the button (which is much more conveniently placed than the TM’s in my opinion) to the little screw that holds the bridge in place on the Nomad Is is carefully planned out and executed in beautiful detail.

I honestly don’t know of any other device that is built with as much care and precision. That’s not to take anything away from Ed, Alan, Ville or any of the other people making artisan vapes, but I think even they are surprised at the amount of detail and work that Dan puts into every aspect of every Nomad.

Ultimately I don’t think either one is a bad choice. I paid for my Nomad well before the TM appeared, but I don’t regret that at all. I still might pick up a TM to try at some point, but I’ve desktops with a lot more power than any portable if I need that so I should be fine either way, and my guess is you would be too.

I’m sure I didn’t cover everything, so if you have more questions I’ll try to answer, or hopefully some of the few people who have both can give you a better comparison of actual usage.

 

[Summer]

Isn't the Nomad 2 gonna be a regulated vape?

The user feedback issues with the TM are being addressed piece-meal in future batches.

 

[Siebter]

Isn't the Nomad 2 gonna be a regulated vape?

No, I think it's still an unregulated device.

And I think that's the major difference between the Nomad and the TM (plus the manufacturing process, that sets the Nomad apart from pretty much any other device on the market). A mechanical device will demand the user to work with the fire button, the draw speed and -length, the charge of the battery etc., while a regulated device is much more fool-proof. Which doesn't mean one is better than the other of course, but it results in a different handling and therefore experience.

While I see some similarities, I think the Nomad and the Tinymight are very different kind of animals on many levels.

 

[Vaporware]

Isn't the Nomad 2 gonna be a regulated vape?

The user feedback issues with the TM are being addressed piece-meal in future batches.

The first batch of Nomad IIs is already underway and functionally it is just about the same. Identical interchangeable heaters, very similar electrical circuit, etc.

I think the main reasons for the switch to Nomad II were to make them faster to build and to make it easier to access the heater/battery and lock the device. I posted a little more about it in response to someone in the Nomad thread recently, and of course Dan’s own posts are much more informative and authoritative.

No, I think it's still an unregulated device.

And I think that's the major difference between the Nomad and the TM (plus the manufacturing process, that sets the Nomad apart from pretty much any other device on the market). A mechanical device will demand the user to work with the fire button, the draw speed and -length, the charge of the battery etc., while a regulated device is much more fool-proof. Which doesn't mean one is better than the other of course, but it results in a different handling and therefore experience.

While I see some similarities, I think the Nomad and the Tinymight are very different kind of animals on many levels.

I think you’re basically right, but with the low/medium heater in a Nomad you can hold the button down for your whole draw with very little risk of problems so it’s less daunting than most unregulated devices.

 

[Siebter]

I think you’re basically right, but with the low/medium heater in a Nomad you can hold the button down for your whole draw with very little risk of problems so it’s less daunting than most unregulated devices.

Interesting, I didn't know those different heaters have such an impact. Cool.

But I'm sure the Nomad will still ask for a bit more interaction or let's say mindfulness than the TM typically does – as I said, that's not a bad thing at all, it's just a different experience. That „analogue“ approach is actually one major reason why I keep the Nomad on my radar. :-)

 

[sickmanfraud]

2. That circuit board and other components are in the TM’s air path. It probably shouldn’t matter much since the heater is above (and attached to) the circuit board, but you are breathing in whatever comes off of it every time you use it.

I believe you are mistaken about the air path.

There are tiny holes drilled all around the top piece that holds the red O-ring (the one to seal the stem).

I believe the air enters through those holes and then is drawn through the heater but not near the board which is at the very bottom of the unit.

 

[Vaporware]

I believe you are mistaken about the air path.

There are tiny holes drilled all around the top piece that holds the red O-ring (the one to seal the stem).

I believe the air enters through those holes and then is drawn through the heater but not near the board which is at the very bottom of the unit.

There was some discussion about this as we got some pictures of the internals (check out page 107, a post linked from there on page 40, etc. in the TM thread). You are right about the air intake being on the top, and any air the comes through the electronics is doing so *before* being heated, but the best info I could find says that there is some exposure to air coming through the electronics.

There have also been people saying they could taste residue that was on parts only open to the air through the bottom such as the screw, so if that was in fact the source of that taste it’s more evidence that some air is passing through that cavity before being heated.

This is probably not a huge problem and hasn’t stopped me from having some interest in the TM, but it is still a little concerning to me and I would prefer complete isolation of the air path.

Edit:

Here’s a link to some of the discussion:

TinyMight Vaporizer - Page 107

 

[Siebter]

There was some discussion about this as we got some pictures of the internals (check out page 107, a post linked from there on page 40, etc. in the TM thread). You are right about the air intake being on the top, and any air the comes through the electronics is doing so *before* being heated, but the best info I could find says that there is some exposure to air coming through the electronics.

I don't think that is quite accurate; when I suck really hard on the TM, I can feel the air being drawn through those tiny holes mentioned, but I don't feel any suction at the bottom, for example the usb port (even when blocking those holes too). The might be some electronics exposed to air, but I don't see that air being moved when drawing, as the suction coming from the holes to the heater is much stronger.

There have also been people saying they could taste residue that was on parts only open to the air through the bottom such as the screw, so if that was in fact the source of that taste it’s more evidence that some air is passing through that cavity before being heated.

The screw is not in the air path, though. I'm not sure where those perceptions come from; I'm not oversensitive towards smells, but I have quite a good nose, however, I never picked up anything bad.

 

[flammy]

I have been trying to find some comparisons of the two vapes in the title. Thinking about maybe getting a Nomad II and would like to hear people impressions of each.

I don't have a TM but I do have a Nomad I which performs the same as the Nomad II will.

I think its very hard to compare these two devices since they are so different but IMO the biggest question you need to ask yourself is whether you want regulated or unregulated. Typically this decision is a tough one because most unregulated devices require technique and even pulsing the button. However on the Nomad (w/ low heater), technique is still needed its much simpler than other unregulated devices and most should be able to get it easily in one sitting.

Beyond that aspect here are a few other differences to take into consideration:

Build quality on Nomad II will be much better.
Materials used in Nomad II will be much better.
The maker of the Nomad II is an active and well respected member of the community.
Every part of the Nomad II is manufactured by the maker himself.
The air path is extremely clean in the Nomad II (beyond the heater, its just glass).
Nomad II is smaller and is realistically pocketable.
Nomad II should be much more durable long term as there are no circuit boards and it utilizes all mechanical connections vs wires (eg. Milaana).
Nomad II is on demand only.
Nomad is a tried and tested device that has been in production longer.
This is subjective but I find the Nomad to be much more atheistically pleasing.
Lastly, the Nomad is more expensive.

You might look at that list and think that I think the TM is trash but that's not the point that I'm trying to make. The Nomad is just extremely unique. Very hard to compare this device to any others currently available. Just the experience of going through a custom build is a topic worthy of discussion in itself. The TM does very much intrigue me but I remained sidelined for the moment until they are offered stateside with stateside support.

If anything check out both threads and you'll get a better feel based on feedback from its respective users. One thing to keep in mind that might make this decision much easier is that the Nomad II has a wait list and its deep. This said, given that the Nomad II will not have sleeves, its anticipated that the list will move along at a much faster pace. Knowing the time that Dan puts into the Nomad I sleeves, I can definitely see this being the case so while others have been waiting for over a year, your wait time might be less but you shouldn't count on getting one within 6 months (assuming you get on list now).

 

[Vaporware]

I don't think that is quite accurate; when I suck really hard on the TM, I can feel the air being drawn through those tiny holes mentioned, but I don't feel any suction at the bottom, for example the usb port (even when blocking those holes too). The might be some electronics exposed to air, but I don't see that air being moved when drawing, as the suction coming from the holes to the heater is much stronger.



The screw is not in the air path, though. I'm not sure where those perceptions come from; I'm not oversensitive towards smells, but I have quite a good nose, however, I never picked up anything bad.

Since I don’t have a TinyMight the thread is a better source than me, but here are a couple of relevant posts.

Info about holes allowing air in from the bottom compartment, purportedly passed along from Ville himself:

The electronics sits on the metal plate at the bottom of the device. An small part of the electronics board is in the same air space than the airflow compartiment separated by a sheet of wood. The airflow is not completelly isolated since there are two holes in the sheet of wood, one for the coil connection and the other one to let the red led light pass thought the compartiment to the top of the glass stem.
I asked to the owner and he say that all parts and solder are according to specification following the RoHS directive and the air flow is not passing mainly through the electronics board and the hot air does not touch it. He also explained to me that the only harmful material when burned is the solder stop mask located in the battery contact spring but is on the other compartiment.

The screw issue I was talking about (I think the screws are being cleaned better before shipping now by the way):

I also disassembled mine for deep cleaning,after discussing the precautions i should take with the maker. He advises agains removing the bottom plates (i did anyway) cause there is a bit of play of aligning the button and the usb port,etc. I can confirm that there was not need to be removed,everything downthere was sqeeky clean.He expressed concern that it is probably the tip of the screw that was realeasing the gun powder smell as it is near the one of the intake holes.Now after i cleaned it, and q-tipped the channel with ethanol the smell is 99% gone,maybe that last 1% is just my sweat making reactions with the aluminum,i couldnt care for it less,now i feel free from it. He also said there are some people that have messed up their units by doing disassembly and rendered them unusable.As for the dirty CUs and stem.
Have you ever poured hot water on a stove ? It forms balls and runs off it. It is similar with oil but since it is more viscous it is to less extent. Anyway dabbers know very well that if you overheat your dabs you not only make them harsh but also make most of them end in the banger joint. Reclaim is much less when temp stepped. When you are blasting the oils with more heat than they need they run from the herb and drip down the screen to your CUs/stems.
My screen is 2.5cm away from the heater ,when it was closer 5.5-5.8 was also my prefered temp now i use 6-6.3

You are right that the main air intake is through the holes in the top, but I’ve seen a lot of indications that some air that’s passed over the electronics on the bottom (and even the screw) also makes it into the air path.

If you’ve seen evidence that it’s completely isolated I’d like to see it too, but so far everything I’ve seen says that it’s not.

Again I’m not sure this is a real cause for concern at all, but it is something people should know about so they can make their own decisions about whether or not that air path is acceptable to them.

 

[Siebter]

If you’ve seen evidence that it’s completely isolated I’d like to see it too, but so far everything I’ve seen says that it’s not.

I never said it was perfectly isolated, I said that the air intake from those small holes is just vastly bigger than from anywhere else. Again: even when I cover all holes I don't feel any suction coming from the USB port or anywhere else.

 

[Vaporware]

I never said it was perfectly isolated, I said that the air intake from those small holes is just vastly bigger than from anywhere else. Again: even when I cover all holes I don't feel any suction coming from the USB port or anywhere else.

Okay, I’m not arguing with any of that. I agree the main air intake is from the top.