I bought one from vaporizerforweed.net last Thursday. I like that outfit - communicative, as in they respond to e-mails with sufficient content and do it quickly too; timely shipping, in a properly protected box, as well. I dunno what's up with the price, maybe Arizer will stick it up my ass if a warranty issue arises. Hopefully I'll never have to find out.
It came today (in exactly a week, from CA to MA). It was a nice surprise (busy at work, so it totally slipped my mind to expect it). Switched it on and saw the battery indicator was at 3. Yay, more than good enough for a bowl before I put it to charge.
I am not sure how much I loaded in the stem. I did not grind it, just picked off the top of a small nug (perhaps it was just enough herb for about 2-2.5 wdz bowls, maybe more). I heated the thing to 7. But started hitting it when it went up to 4. Good vapor, esp as it went higher in temperature, obviously. Got me decently high, perhaps as much as 3-4 wdz stems, if that makes any sense.
I like it. The battery run-time length is an issue that I am extremely worried about. I don't think this vape would last long enough for a day's worth of use for a guy like me. I usually try to stick to a conservative vaping amount, because stuff is so expensive here. But I come from an extremely heavy smoking habit and I eventually revert back to hold habits (before realizing I am just burning money and then come back to earth).
But I think the battery should last for non-idiotic use. Most folks say one indicator level per use. I am guessing that means per 12 minutes of use? I hope that does not mean one indicator level per bowl! If the former, however, then, assuming one does not smoke more than a bowl every time you switch it on (easily done from a speed perspective and should be sufficient, high-wise, for me at least, under normal circumstances when I am not smoking/vaping like an idiot), this should last perhaps 10-15 bowls hopefully? I don't know. But if it does, that may just be good enough for a morning to evening run? I'll try and get an idea for a bowl count per full charge, perhaps, over the next few weeks. That would be very individual data but perhaps better than nothing.
Anyway, not much new information in this attempt at a review, but there it is. I really do like this vape, can see myself using this over the wdz on a consistent basis (even though all I have had from it is a single bowl, which probably means I should come back in a few weeks to validate/invalidate all of this).
Oh, btw, the first stem/whatever-it-is-called-for-the-Solo fit very well in the heating chamber. I have not checked the second. Hang on. Yeah, the second one is fine too.
Also: I tried using it with a 14 mm bong, but the seal is not good enough and hits are very airy. I am going to have to experiment a bit to see if this is going to be convenient/feasible. Would be nice to have this work out of the box.
I do not find the air flow restricted when hitting it direct.
I do find the taste a little off. Not in a plasticky way though. It is kinda like the HA. In the wdz or mflb the experience of the strain is very apparent in the first one or two draws (aroma/taste). With the HA, I always thought the vapor always tasted more like trichomes than the strain's aroma (and all the HA equipment, esp the bags and mouthpiece, smell the same too -- which, somehow, smells different from the resin smell in the bong, which is used with the wdz). At any rate, the smell/taste/aftertaste with the Solo has that exact same smell. I don't like it so much, I will admit. I wonder if whole bud vs ground bud has anything to do with this smell; both the HA and the Solo sessions so far use whole bud not ground, unlike other vapes.
Probably just a coincidence.
(finished off two more bowls while writing the latter half of this. well, third still in progress. i am already pretty vaked though. but onward we persevere. i started a conversation with my wife in the middle of the second bowl and forgot about the vape. heard this loud beep, which is an indication of it autoshutting off i guess. i guess that feature can be helpful, though i have a feeling it is going to be quite annoying as well)
i used no screen, and with whole bud there were no particulates in my mouth.
vapor was not too hot for me (but i don't mind hot vapor so dunno if that affects my judgement)
abv was very dark brown (at 7 temp, each time) on the side of the nug that was to the bottom of the bowl, of course. otherwise, toward the other end, a nice dark golden brown. Upon crushing it just becomes a consistent dark orange/brown. no green whatsoever.
the glass stems do feel a bit flimsy and i get the feeling they will break sooner or later.
if the glass stems prove to be strong enough, and if i can figure out a way to carry them conveniently (which means somehow in my pocket) then this could be portable enough for me. i won't puffing on it in the middle of a crowded train like i have done with the LB, but this vape is considerably more satisfying, high-wise, than the LB. for that alone, as long as i can figure out a way to carry this conveniently and safely, what with glass and all, i would be willing to make the necessary trade offs and carry this with me (though, and probably carry the LB as a backup anyway. that little thing is always going to have its uses).
that is about it i guess.
Or I want it to turn on at my last heating setting instead of at 50 degrees at least when I keep having to turn it back on.
