Ive now had a couple of days to sit and give a thorough 'testing' of the two new 'Myrtleglass' stems made exclusively for the Myrtlezap. (Although they WILL work on other similar vapes) Here are pictures of both stems -
http://s886.photobucket.com/albums/ac61/AGBeer_Vape/Myrtlezap Pictures/Myrtleglass/
Upon opening the box, I was pleasantly surprised that Rick had sent me one of each of the stems that he plans to initially offer. The normal handblown, removeable tipped stem. And the 'econo' (with a complementary whip-ripper stem) Both stems had their pros and other pros that I liked more than the other
and both made my vaping session that much more enjoyable.
Both stems are appx 8-9" (Correct me if I am wrong Rick)
The handblown stem is much more visually appealing and asthetically correct against my lips. The only 'complaint' (if you would call it that) with my normal stems, is that midway through the hit my lips would begin to get rather warm, and the stream of hot vapor and air would often irritate my lips/mouth/tounge. With the new glass stem, this is pretty much a non issue with the added length. The bulbous mouthpiece fits comfortably on your lips, and only gets warm enough to make you feel as if the glass is kissing you back as you gently draw in your tasty vapors. The length of your stem appears to give you more 'vapor leverage' yielding larger hits (but cashing your stem in fewer hits) This is also handy when you are blowing your ABV back into its container - do note though that your ABV will come flying out much easier and faster than it does with the standard stems. Top it off that you now have removeable tips that you can interchange while cleaning one, or if you want to have multiple strains in multiple tips (or just quickly be able to share the Mrytleglass experience with a friend) The tips (as Rick had stated) slide into and out of the MG stem with relative ease, and are airtight when inserted. (Although I havent had the urge to try, I would imagine you could insert the tip 'backwards' and have a larger bowl-I wouldnt suggest trying this though) After getting my fill of inserting and removing/interchanging my tips, I settled on leaving one in between sessions. All in all - the simplicity combined with the elegance and beauty of the handblown glass, as well as the pleasure it ADDS to my Zapping experience, this will definitely be on my Xmas list this year.
The 'econo' stem is merely nothing more than a ground glass end of a standard glass tube. Not much to look at eh? Well wait right there! The beauty of this piece is its versatility as well as affordability. Not sure if a glass stem is for you? Want an inexpensive way to experiment with Myrtleglass and your Zap? This might very well be your solution. In essence, this stem works very similar to how the complimentary tubing works that Rick is now sending with his orders. The ground glass end slides snugly over the included 'whip-ripper' mini stem. Hits are comparable to the handblown elegant stems, however now the glass can be pulled from the stem post hit to 'clear the stem' (similar to the slide of a bong) The attached stubby stem can also be used with your favorite glass piece or hit as the Zap normally is. I think for me, the fact that this stem could be pulled from the stubby and 'cleared' made it an early favorite for me. Although the mouthfeel and beauty of the handblown made it my regular that I look forward to using. (Maybe a ground glass end like the econo with a handblown mouthpiece like the nice one?) I know some have mentioned adding a carb to these stems, but IMO having a hole that close to the heat source might make a finger uncomfy (hence why Im a fan of the slide action of this stem)
Stay tuned as Rick will soon be launching his (expanding) line of Myrtleglass @
www.myrtleglass.com (The site may be down while he is finishing the final details)
I hope you found this review helpful, and moreso I hope that you enjoy your Myrtleglass as much as I have. (Its almost like falling in love with my Zap all over again!)
Happy Vaping!
AGB