Ascent Vaporizer by Da Vinci (pre-sale thread)

[Tweek]

Congratz Shmoo,

DV, thank you so much for offering up the consolation prize, and believe me, it's much appreciated, but in all honesty, I will never use the gift certificate so if ya can, please offer it to someone who came in close to me. I'd just hate to see it go to waste.

Again, thank you so much for running the contest. Much appreciated.

I love this man.

Congrats guys! And great reviews so far folks!

 

[craizen]

When I took it to my lhs owner his knee jerk reaction was that it is too big.

I don't think it is too big. I wouldn't want it any bigger, and smaller is always welcome, but this size works for me and really disguises well as a cell phone with a case on it.

Could you show the Pax, the Ascent, and the Arizer Solo side by side for me please? Or could anyone that has the Ascent currently put them side by side. I'm a little curious based on your post how big it is now. I have seen how it looks in the hands of Slim and in Nika, but I wanted to see a more accurate size of it due to people's hands being smaller or larger and this could kind of skew how the Ascent size looks.

Thank you!

 

[TheHerbalReview]

Wow, Sticks/SliM I've been caught up at work the last two days... But I'm really fortunate to have read over all of your input; didn't want you to think I was ignoring you guys!

I've made the mistake of posting up a review too quickly in the past; before I'd got the chance to get a good feel. Fortunately, all the input behind the scenes and pointers from those guys^^^ made things a lot easier to jump into. To be honest, I was very let down my first time using the Ascent. I loaded it a bout 1/4th of the way before heading off to work and vaped on the way to work. I like to keep my temp between 375 and 385 depending which vape I'm using... So I set the Ascent to 375 and got some pretty whispy vapor. The next 5 hours at work were frustrating to say the least. I knew the Ascent page was blowing up on FC and I had no way of contacting the guys that are lucky enough to have review units.

Fortunately, I got home and read all of the feedback from SliM and Sticks, and was able to completely reverse my experience. I generally am a low temp guy, but for some reason, I'm able to start around 400 and work my way up to 420 by the end of my session; no problem. When it hits the 410-20 range; it was kicking my ass!

Also, my first session's herb was VERY finely ground. I don't see anyone needing to use the extra screens.

Edit: my second session's trench was packed very full... I'd guesstimate .2 or .3; worked much more efficiently when tightly packed!

 

[Medical Mark]

Hey sticks sounds like you really like this thing hey, well tell me something it made you laugh because it is better then you ever expected and it produced better vapor then the solo, pinnacle which made you a happy man? Or what? lol.
I was really mpressed with the pinnacle its ease and effectiveness despite overly big clouds(vapor) but was so easy to use and efficiency to boot, again despite the wispy to moderate clouds it produced but again so easy to use and the results were excellent and very effective.
I know you thought the pinnacle was effective and medicated with little effort so in comparison to the PN I suppose by your reaction it surpassed the PN in ease and effect and also vapor production? Just wondering mind ya it has no oil capability so as for herb its a real winner in taste, ease, vapor quality, portability and stealth.
Sounds like a well rounded vape with lts of potential buti too wonder about the oil canister sucking up some of the heat in the bowl and hitting the high temps needed for oil to effectively vaperizer, its more of a radiation effect when in the canister as it essentially is being heated by the glass canister not the actual heated bowl. It would be nice to see one of you do some oil in this thing.
Either way I'm very impressed and have many different vapes the solo, pax and pinnacle (portables) which I like solo being the least used to small of a chamber and restrictive air path makes it very slow and it doesn't last long enough for me to medicate effectively but it tastes great better then the other 2 vapes.
I hope your saying it tastes better then all of them and it compares in chamber size to the Pax being very large compared to others like the PN which is the smallest and by far most efficient in my opinion anyway. I can't wait to have one in my hand I have alot of oil and herb too put it through its paces.
Oh ya so its a combination of conduction, radiation and convection too right and no one has burnt any herb yet right? Radiating heat from the outside in then air paying over and through the herb thus conduction starts when its turned on then as it heats up heat begins to radiate(radiation) throughtheplant matter from the outside inward and then as you draw on the unit air passies through the plant matter. Now if the air isn't heated then it isn't a true convection process because it is cold air moving through a allready heated chamber.
But if the air is also heated which would be in principle the most effective like a three edged sword all principles of vaporization working together to produce consistant heat to optimize vapor production.
Anyway it sounds like cold air passes through the heated chamber which heat has radiated through the material and thus releases the vapor through the mouth piece. Now the fact that slim could reverse his unit and blow through it and produce a consistant amount of vapor for that period of time with out it becoming more wispy thinner shows me the chamber has a consistant heat source which doesn't cool as quick. I know the pax starts hard thick but as you draw it gets very twisty very quick just try it on a water tool heater can't keep up. Looks like this isn't the case with the ascent.
Right on keep it coming guys.
Cheers medical mark

 

[TheHerbalReview]

Right on keep it coming guys.
Cheers medical mark

Mark you've got to space out your posts a little bit man... I really want to read all of them, but they intimidate the shit ou of me.

 

[VaporBaked]

Wouldent moving the cold air thru the heated bowl create heated air? Dont all the convection based units start with cold air and gets heated as it crosses the heater?

Quoted from Mark "Now if the air isn't heated then it isn't a true convection process because it is cold air moving through a allready heated chamber"

Please help me understand this

 

[Jimmy]

they should make a reducer bowl that pops out the grill or something on thee ascent and drops in the bowl for vaping smaller amounts.. nvrmind save that for the ascent 2.0 actually lol

 

[stickstones]

it seems to me that there may be some heating going on of the air before it enters the bowl. The grill doesn't get hot, but it gets warm enough to make me think there might be some heat for the air...but I don't know.

earlier I blew into the stem at the end of the second session with today's bowl (which got about four more good hits) and saw some vapor and bits fly out. I then sucked it back in and got some bits in my mouth...but it had stirred the bowl and I got an extra hit out of it. Nice way to stir until I removed the glass stem and saw all the bits in it! But it was so easy to just pop out the dirty air path and pop in the other clean one while this one soaks. Literally took me two minutes.

now here's what has me really excited...I just used cotton as a bottom and top spacer and put only one scoop of herb in the middle (I generally put about 2 to 2.5 scoops in my Cloud ELB and it gets 1/2 to 3/4 full...so one scoop ain't much). I put enough cotton in there to pack it tight. The thing heated up to 221C quickly and I got so many good hits out of it I had to stop for fear I was vaping cotton (even though it tasted like weed)! I dumped out the bowl and there was my white cotton with a layer of very evenly browned duff still lightly whisping vapor. Then I put a whole bowl of cotton in there just to make sure and got nothing. [I've only used cotton like this once, but I think it is safe, as that's how Vitolo vapes some of his oils.] So my next bowl will be that same cotton bowl at a nice, low temp. Anyone know for certain as to whether cotton is safe here? If not, what can I use as a spacer?

I'll get a pic up later of all my portables next to each other for you guys.

 

[Chill Dude]

Edit: my second session's trench was packed very full... I'd guesstimate .2 or .3; worked much more efficiently when tightly packed!

So according to all the reviewers: you, Sticks and Slim there seems to be a consensus that the Ascent has much better performance with larger loads. That's disappointing to me as I typically load .10 to .15g loads. As Sticks mentioned, a possible solution would be to add some sort of spacer or pad to increase performance of the Ascent with small loads. This is a big issue as there are many users that rate herb efficiency at the top of their criteria for a new vape purchase.

 

[Green_Weed]

I also usually only load .10 to .15 g

 

[Poopman525]

I had my first great session this afternoon. Yesterday I packed a tight load with some kief in the middle, so I fully expected to get melted. I hit it today for about ten or fifteen minutes and ended up turning it off before it was done because I was whacked. I will go back later today and see what else I can get out of it. At one point one of the hits made me chuckle as it was what I was looking for. I finished the session thinking this is how I feel after a good Solo session.

When I took it to my lhs owner his knee jerk reaction was that it is too big. People really like the size of the Pax and he has been enjoying his. All his friends are using spacers and oil pads to pack smaller loads with pretty good success. I would love to see a spacer for this unit. and I wonder if an oil pad would work better than the canisters. We need to get someone with some oil to use this thing.

I don't think it is too big. I wouldn't want it any bigger, and smaller is always welcome, but this size works for me and really disguises well as a cell phone with a case on it. But this thing has features in spades. I love the display with the battery meter and the thermometer to let you know it is warming up. The temp change is quick and responsive. Someone asked about one degree changes...I have no idea and usually do five to ten degree jumps. But those changes are quick and noticeable.

I've gotta give DV kudos for aggressively going after a design many thought wouldn't work. We have an all-glass airpath for a unit that does both flowers and oils. It heats up in under a minute and can hit any digital temp dialed in. It has battery life for all day long (I estimate seven to ten sessions easily out of a single charge) and can hit hard. Fits in your pocket and can be had for $250. That's a really fucking impressive spec list, folks.

Wow! Sounds like this thing is everything we've hoped for and more. Great review man! I think you're right about the air heating up as it goes through, kind of like the Plenty. But it's most likely a combination like everyone is saying. Is it really necessary to stir or do you think you could get through a session without stirring it without wasting any tweed? Yes, I am that lazy.

 

[VaporBaked]

I know with my NO2 I will load it right up and tamp it in with the end of my pinky. I am able to get 2 sessions out of it. During the first session I will get it going good for 4-5 hits and than turn it off for another 1 or 2 hits (its still producing vapor) so it cools it down. I can pack it small, but its not as fun and the vapor is not as good. Is this gonna kind of work the same way? can you add this to your testing!?

 

[WakeAndVape]

I agree, load size does play a role! Thats why the mflb still holds a special place in my heart (even though I use my pax more) i want to know how close the Ascent is to the size of the iphone??? Some of the earlier videos make it seem smaller for some reason.
Also some 'oil' reviews woild be much appreciated since that is an important factor in choosing this vape (even though i know i5 has been stated before

 

[lwien]

Maybe DV can come up with an accessory to limit the volume of the bowl for those that don't want to load up a full bowl yet want to maintain performance, eh?

I guess it's a balancing act. Do you provide a bowl big enough so that when you're out and about, you don't have to constantly refill it, or provide a bowl small enough to increase efficiency? Why not provide both and advertise that the Ascent is both convenient AND efficient on top of all of the other great things that this vape can do.

Either that, or offer an "efficiency pod" as an accessory and generate a bit of extra profit (kind of on the same line as 7th Floor offering up different size WPA's for the LSV)

 

[poonman]

Instead of stirring , how about shaking the Ascent .
Would that work ?

 

[stickstones]

I'm waiting on my size comparison pics to upload and then I will post them.

guys...efficiency is at the top of my list as well. The cotton thing has me stoked and I have bowl loaded and ready at 195. All I gotta do is go outside and turn it on and try it out. If it works out well, I will be hard pressed to find anything wrong with this vape.

Also, I have some ISO I will try and boil down so I can run some oil through the can...we'll see if anything comes out of that reclaim.

EDIT: so far I don't see much need to stir, but it's easy enough to do if you want to.

 

[VaporBaked]

Instead of stirring , how about shaking the Ascent .
Would that work ?

Seems like after its shook it might start releasing pieces of herb thru the mouth piece? (unless of course your using the screen)

 

[lwien]

delete.....

 

[Medical Mark]

Sorry herbal I'm just a little ADHD and get going anyway I like the idea of heated air hitting the chamber first then passin through the material that is allready heated though conduction which starts the vaporization process and as the process of vaporization and heat starts radiating through the chamber the heated air then passes though the material at a consistant heat producing optimal vapor production if they say the chamber has a variant of 1 degree that probably why conduction heats the chamber then radiation moves the heat though it and as you in draw on the unit and air moves trough convection takes place by actually moving and release the botanicals from being slightly dormant hanging outs the chamber and the moving heated air seals the deal moving the vapor a a consistant temp.
Nice job DV I really like this whole three edged sword conduction, radiation and convection all in one heating chamber nice. Lol
It seems to me its the best of all worlds in vaporization seems to me everyone likes tis thing and it work very well. Awesome.

By the way cotton is fine that's what I used in my extreme q, my plenty has pads for oils maybe some like that mesch pad in the plenty might work well also buy cotton works fine I know a old timer who has a compassion club and he vapes with cotton for years now he swears by it and ivetried it also with oils and works well.

Cheers medical mark

 

[stickstones]

well that worked great! a small load sandwiched between cotton at 195C got me four or five satisfying hits with a respectable visible exhale. I then opened up to check it out and it had more left but I couldn't get it packed again while it was hot. next one will be like this with a shutoff and comeback at 220C.

btw, there is a magnetic element to the bottom enclosure, so keep it away from things sensitive to that shit.

fucking photos won't transfer.

it took me all of five bowls with this thing to have a new favorite portable. now I'm gonna tube it up to my bubbler and see how it performs.

did I mention it works while charging?

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

You do vids, sticks? Would like to see this puppy in the tube!

 

[Slightly Medicated]

Sticks uses about 4 times less medicine per month then I do. We kind of talked about it earlier. For me the efficiency is spot on. Anything smaller and I would need to do more then one session... which kind of starts to make the device more annoying to use.

I got back from the farmers market. I ended up getting some awesome organic strawberry and rhubarb plants... 2nd year cutting's no less so I will be able to harvest fruit this year!

I got about 6 sessions out of a fully charged battery. I probably could have gotten one more, but I wanted to charge it for the show tonight.

I feel like this portable will probably become my default. It fits my needs quite well. When I was out today I started at 400F and worked my way up to 415F and finished there. Gives me a little less sedation and a better medicated state for walking around at the farmers market.

I love how many needs and usage expectations people have for vaporizers. It just goes to show that what is going to hit every requirement for one person might be not work for another person.

I usually monitor my loads in the beginning with a new device.

The Ascent is between .27 to .4 (I probably load a little over .3)
The PAX is between .3 to .55
The INH004 is between .2 to .3
The Cloud is about .27 to 3.3
I have problems fitting enough herb in the Pinnacle... I tended to pack it tight around .25 or so.
I also have problems with the Solo... I tend to pack it full and do about 2-3 stems. So each one is about .15 and I end up doing .3 to .45 a session.

For me anything below .2 a session will start to wear off in about 30-45 minutes. After .3 I start getting an hour or more of relief with most portables.

It does not extract as well as the cloud, but in terms of my other portables it is up there in the top 2 or 3... like I said still forming my opinions, but I am really impressed.

I find I hit the device more like an INH004 or Solo then I do a PAX. I breath with my lungs instead of drawing with your mouth. At this point in time, I like the way you hit the Ascent much more then the PAX.

About the size. I have an iPhone 4 with a 12 South Book Book Case:

It is a little less wide then the iPhone itself. It is the same thickness and height as my iPhone and BookBook case combined. Fits in my front shirt pocket well.

Sticks is right the grill does get warm so the air entering the device gets warmed up some. I don't know if this affects performance at all? After a session I was able to put it back in my first shirt pocket with out any discomfort. It was warm, but not warm enough that it was uncomfortable for me.

 

[Medical Mark]

Nice sticks I. Sure this thing will perform well with the bubbler

 

[sam reynolds]

it seems to me that there may be some heating going on of the air before it enters the bowl. The grill doesn't get hot, but it gets warm enough to make me think there might be some heat for the air...but I don't know.

earlier I blew into the stem at the end of the second session with today's bowl (which got about four more good hits) and saw some vapor and bits fly out. I then sucked it back in and got some bits in my mouth...but it had stirred the bowl and I got an extra hit out of it. Nice way to stir until I removed the glass stem and saw all the bits in it! But it was so easy to just pop out the dirty air path and pop in the other clean one while this one soaks. Literally took me two minutes.

now here's what has me really excited...I just used cotton as a bottom and top spacer and put only one scoop of herb in the middle (I generally put about 2 to 2.5 scoops in my Cloud ELB and it gets 1/2 to 3/4 full...so one scoop ain't much). I put enough cotton in there to pack it tight. The thing heated up to 221C quickly and I got so many good hits out of it I had to stop for fear I was vaping cotton (even though it tasted like weed)! I dumped out the bowl and there was my white cotton with a layer of very evenly browned duff still lightly whisping vapor. Then I put a whole bowl of cotton in there just to make sure and got nothing. [I've only used cotton like this once, but I think it is safe, as that's how Vitolo vapes some of his oils.] So my next bowl will be that same cotton bowl at a nice, low temp. Anyone know for certain as to whether cotton is safe here? If not, what can I use as a spacer?

I'll get a pic up later of all my portables next to each other for you guys.

What kind of cotton do you use? Balls? Pads? Curious how this works.

 

[11eleven11]

Hmm I wonder if they could make a mini-bowl that can simply be placed right on top of the original bigger bowl to lessen the volume in there. That'd probably work. If it were like that I'd even leave my ABV in the original bowl under it for more of a kick.

2 suggestions for possibly increasing efficiency with smaller loads:

1) Why not just leave some ABV in there? Just pack some green onto the brown. Admittedly, this would affect the taste. That doesn't bother me though.
2) Put some glass beads in there.