Vaporific
All who wander are not lost...
I’ve since corrected it. Very funny - you made my dayI hate it when I do that.
"Fuck You, Foot!!"
. Hope you’re doing well. 
Discontinued Hopper io
- Thread starter VegNVape
- Start date
. Hope you’re doing well. 
Jason Mendoza
Well-Known Member
Came here to see if I was alone. Nope. I haven't received my plain hopper ordered 4/20 yet either. I emailed 2 days ago to cancel. Haven't heard back. I was anticipating it so I bought one from Reddit for 100. Wasn't sure if it would even work. It does. It is a really cool device but...
EDIT: I just looked again and there is a tracking number via usps. Says shipped. To be delivered by June 7. I have not been notified by them or updated once since I ordered.
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Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
It's hilarious because automatic shipping notification emails are so easy to set up, they cannot even do the minimum! Maybe they'll ship mine if I email to cancel now lol
jabba
Well-Known Member
They are really very difficult to deal with. I'm sure that there is an explanation for HL's ineptitudes....and I'd bet the explanation would be a real head scratcher. You know...something like....HL meets at 8am M-F for a company wide sesh before the work day begins.
They are, however, consistent. Consistently late, consistently discourteous, consistently inept, and unabashedly shameful as it relates to the simplest quality control. Either they are doing A LOT more business than I think they are....or they are pissing on at least 50% of their customer base consistently.
They could have a brilliant company if it weren't for their inexcusable ineptitudes. No doubt chalk this one up to poor management. I've been a fan boy for YEARS. I still think the product is unmatched in many ways. Fool me once shame on you....fool me twice shame on me. I'm very near the end of my rope with HL. So near in fact that I would rather just suffer without than to deal with another lengthy warranty claim saga regurgitation of their latest months long attempt at repairs. Yes....MONTHS LONG.
They are, however, consistent. Consistently late, consistently discourteous, consistently inept, and unabashedly shameful as it relates to the simplest quality control. Either they are doing A LOT more business than I think they are....or they are pissing on at least 50% of their customer base consistently.
They could have a brilliant company if it weren't for their inexcusable ineptitudes. No doubt chalk this one up to poor management. I've been a fan boy for YEARS. I still think the product is unmatched in many ways. Fool me once shame on you....fool me twice shame on me. I'm very near the end of my rope with HL. So near in fact that I would rather just suffer without than to deal with another lengthy warranty claim saga regurgitation of their latest months long attempt at repairs. Yes....MONTHS LONG.
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
Yeah I think they must have some secret big investors, because they are so much worse than so many other companies that have failed in the past several years? Who knows!
JBone65
Well-Known Member
I'm guessing they are contracting out the manufacturing process for various components, presumably in Asia, so the profit margin per unit could be a relatively high percentage of the price. Could be a small group of dedicated (stoned?) workers, apparently none with marketing skills. They have a great product in a booming global market, IMO among the best portable convention devices with many millions of potential customers. I wonder how fast sales really are growing. That might explain the problem. We know they could sell more devices with faster service, and better QA/QC, but it sounds like they're selling them as fast as they can make them as is. Maybe they can't grow fast enough to get ahead.
Jason Mendoza
Well-Known Member
After receiving my used Hopper, I've used it more than I usually use, trying to get to know its personality. I see the infatuation. It is everything I wanted in a vape from the very beginning. Maybe if I'd had it all this time, I'd have less vapes trying to fill the Hopper's shoes. I am already in a honeymoon phase with it. I hope the new one performs optimally.
I understand why owners feel hate when it stops working, then HL leaves them SOL. I would feel bitter, like a lover scorned.
I'm just guessing here but maybe the engineers at HL are too book smart and lack people skills. Not an excuse, just a ponder.
I understand why owners feel hate when it stops working, then HL leaves them SOL. I would feel bitter, like a lover scorned.
I'm just guessing here but maybe the engineers at HL are too book smart and lack people skills. Not an excuse, just a ponder.
vapviking
Old & In the Way
I don't see why company-wide tokes is a problem.
I worked at a large lumber yard and used to joke about company-wide Tai Chi every morning. Most people there didn't have a clue what I was even talking about. I'm pretty sure those same peeps wouldn't go for the tokes, either
Hopper Labs started out as 3 guys with a dream. A very lofty, maybe unrealistic dream, but that hasn't stopped them. Gotta assume one or all of them loves some cannabis, a lot.
All their claims for years were that there was no 'outside' funding, but since the (battery?) fire late 2019 it has been rumored that some deep pockets have been "helping" to get through the rebirth, a la the io launch.
If that's the case, I'd say that has kept them alive to this point, but I believe the perilous times are not far ahead; we have to see how the dependability has improved, for which we need a little more track record: data.
In the guise of hip engineers with slogans of "made in USA", these guys have pursued a ruthless form of capitalism, one that stresses the importance of the 'survival' of the company and business over certain other, let's say, more ethical, more people-friendly behavior. And so they easily rationalize letting broken hoppers pile up around them as they continue to sell new ones with the lifetime warranty. But I don't doubt that they have tried to see a future where all is caught up, customers all satisfied, etc., etc.
But even LL Bean has let go of the lifetime satisfaction guarantee. C'mon, this is a temperamental electronic device, not a 5/8" box end wrench from Sears. And where is Sears now, to replace my broken wrench with the lifetime warranty? Ha!
Many aspects of this business have the trappings of Ponzi/Pyramid scheme. I think they walk a fine line in this regard.
My negative tone here doesn't mean I think these guys are assholes; on the contrary, I think they're probably pretty nice guys, as far as that goes, just a bit mis-directed. While I tend to be a reluctant capitalist at best, I think these guys just embrace it and try to ignore or 'move on' from the trail behind them.
The io is my favored device, all day long; it really is special. I know there are others now to equal it, but I've been on this ride so long, I really do hope the dream endures.
Opinion, I don't think there are many more than the three of them still, running in circles and changing hats all day long, to put out the fires at their feet.
I worked at a large lumber yard and used to joke about company-wide Tai Chi every morning. Most people there didn't have a clue what I was even talking about. I'm pretty sure those same peeps wouldn't go for the tokes, either
Hopper Labs started out as 3 guys with a dream. A very lofty, maybe unrealistic dream, but that hasn't stopped them. Gotta assume one or all of them loves some cannabis, a lot.
All their claims for years were that there was no 'outside' funding, but since the (battery?) fire late 2019 it has been rumored that some deep pockets have been "helping" to get through the rebirth, a la the io launch.
If that's the case, I'd say that has kept them alive to this point, but I believe the perilous times are not far ahead; we have to see how the dependability has improved, for which we need a little more track record: data.
In the guise of hip engineers with slogans of "made in USA", these guys have pursued a ruthless form of capitalism, one that stresses the importance of the 'survival' of the company and business over certain other, let's say, more ethical, more people-friendly behavior. And so they easily rationalize letting broken hoppers pile up around them as they continue to sell new ones with the lifetime warranty. But I don't doubt that they have tried to see a future where all is caught up, customers all satisfied, etc., etc.
But even LL Bean has let go of the lifetime satisfaction guarantee. C'mon, this is a temperamental electronic device, not a 5/8" box end wrench from Sears. And where is Sears now, to replace my broken wrench with the lifetime warranty? Ha!
Many aspects of this business have the trappings of Ponzi/Pyramid scheme. I think they walk a fine line in this regard.
My negative tone here doesn't mean I think these guys are assholes; on the contrary, I think they're probably pretty nice guys, as far as that goes, just a bit mis-directed. While I tend to be a reluctant capitalist at best, I think these guys just embrace it and try to ignore or 'move on' from the trail behind them.
The io is my favored device, all day long; it really is special. I know there are others now to equal it, but I've been on this ride so long, I really do hope the dream endures.
Opinion, I don't think there are many more than the three of them still, running in circles and changing hats all day long, to put out the fires at their feet.
jabba
Well-Known Member
Good post..and I don't disagree. At the end of the day within the world of capitalism even HUGE factors like 'being a nice guy' or creating a truly 'special' product are meaningless without some basic tenets of customer service and quality control. For years (pre io) I was relatively problem free and completely beguiled by the Hopper....despite the battery availability etc. At that time I was reading a steady flow of customer complaints here on FC and in other places relating to any variety of HL practices...and I was dubious as to whether these were shills with motives or genuine customers with 'real' issues. It didn't take me long into the io rabbit hole and 2021 to answer that question for myself. I wasn't exactly gobsmacked...but I was indeed disappointed.
I have little doubt that at some point in the time-line of HL's journey over the last several years....they were capable....based on the product alone....to have taken over the portable battery operated vape market. A working hopper was to a Pax what a Porsche is to a VW Bug. I think that the Hopper was in fact so far ahead of its time...that HL Management would have to be near neglectful to have NOT succeeded within their market-place in a much much 'bigger' way.
I don't claim to be any type of insider whatsoever. I'm just an old stoner with an eye for form and a feel for functionality. A working Hopper has it in spades. Despite literally YEARS of production, HL seems to have been unable to improve the reliability of their units and worse yet, they are unable to reliably ship units and replacement parts...at times even batteries. Hell...they can't even reliably respond to customers. There is very little true consistency unit to unit. It is difficult to file this under 'bad luck'.
I am a native user only. I remember when the heartier soles began modifying, using glass, adding external power and more. At that time I thought to myself "these folks are all having problems with their units and they and wondering why.....at a time when I was using natively and just chugging along carefree". I had thought at that time that perhaps these other use cases were 'abuse' to the Hoppers...that their units were just so heavily used...I had assumed a fair chunk of the complaints may have been deserved user problems rather than equipment failures. I'm not so sure anymore.
Like you I think the device is 'special'....and I like mine quite a bit. It ain't perfect...it can be harsh and hot....my one unit behaves entirely different from my other unit...I have had trouble getting a newly received unit to function....I have waited months for assistance on a brand new unit. My real problem is that I don't want to have to deal with HL's customer service any longer and I am tired of being lied to and treated poorly. In any other areas of my life....this type of treatment is entirely unacceptable. I don't typically 'sign up' to be abused....and I am no longer providing excuses for HL. Their marketing and service are nothing short of reclusive!....it's crazy! Unfortunately I think this is likely a recipe for failure. It is a shame. I'll hope for better.
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JBone65
Well-Known Member
It's not clear what's going on with them. My fingers are crossed that it won't break today, but my io has performed flawlessly almost 9 months.
I'm guessing the average user isn't monitoring a forum such as this and wouldn't know very much about dissatisfied customers and the range of SQ problems. Before I found this site, I was totally satisfied, happily vaping away in private and wondering why there weren't more positive YouTube videos on the io.
Is HL unable to grow fast enough, are they experiencing production delays, are they selling stuff before they have it in stock, are they selling too many material and color options? In the end, it all falls on management's shoulders. HL probably could've managed the situation a lot better.
As it stands, I really enjoy my io and will probably remain a loyal customer until I can't, or at least until I can justify an alternative. Word of mouth will sell good products, but I'm not finding one io video or review on YouTube with more than 1000 views, and even these few are weak and >1 year old. Maybe I'm not searching correctly, but as far as YouTube is concerned it's looking like a dead product.
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Jason Mendoza
Well-Known Member
Both very good posts. I enjoyed reading y’all’s insight. Reading about the problems backed up my initial opinion. They spent so much energy on marketing aesthetics. Bote paddle boards, and yeti did the same. Especially in comparison to other long term vape companies. It was telling. If I hadn’t read the negatives I would have waited anyway.
vapviking
Old & In the Way
Anyone recall how long HL has been taking credit/debit cards and not only Paypal transactions? Is it very recent?
There's been a banner on the website for a few days that says,
"We are currently experiencing payment processor issues. Please email support@thehopper.io for help with any payment issues and a discount!"
What business lets this condition persist for days?
Could this be the next big Ransomware hack story?
Nah..........
There's been a banner on the website for a few days that says,
"We are currently experiencing payment processor issues. Please email support@thehopper.io for help with any payment issues and a discount!"
What business lets this condition persist for days?
Could this be the next big Ransomware hack story?
Nah..........
jabba
Well-Known Member
Perhaps they have had an atypical quantity of chargeback requests and the c.c. companies have become impatient and therefore restrictive. Just spit balling.
Jason Mendoza
Well-Known Member
I was curious too when I saw that last week. I'm glad I changed my payment from paypal to cc.
My hopper came Saturday. I have no idea if it is ss or titanium by looking at it. The mouth piece gets too hot to touch bare. I use the silicone cover. How much difference should there be between SS and titanium? Might not be worth the extra $50 for Ti.
The serial number will be HT for Ti or HS for SS. The ring on the back end of all models is SS. If that ring matches the rest you have SS. If not then Ti.
JBone65
Well-Known Member
The mouthpiece will get hot if getting back to back hits, one reason it's not good in a group session. It should also get hot if you crank it up and really pull on it, but it only gets warm with long draws at medium and low temps every hour or two. Mine gives an excellent hit on a fresh load at the minimum temperature. I gradually increase the temperature and eventually "cook" the load on 10th and 11th hit. It's the same every load, like clockwork. My perspective is probably different from most, but would expect to see a lot of expensive vapor drifting away if getting fresh loads super hot. I guess this was a long winded way of suggesting that you might not want to get it so hot once you get used to it. You can get stoned as shit without getting it super hot IMO.
I should also mention that hitting a fresh load on low temp is mostly flavor, but it's special. If looking for vapor I usually start seeing a lot of vapor about the 3rd hit which would be the second mark on the dial.
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Vaporific
All who wander are not lost...
Unless the battery is close to drained I always get vapor on the first draw of a fresh load with my TI IO, now going 9+ months strong. Nary an issue, works every time. I start at 2.7 and make a few steps to 3.5, all natively (native frontend) and no silcone and my unit doesn’t get hot and neither does the frontend that much. I often take back-to-back draws too and the IO’s frontend stays cooler than my OG’s frontend. I’m also running my IO at lower temps than my OG too believe it or not (you can’t really compare the heater in both as the IO does throw more power - which is why my IO temp range is lower). Definitely start at a low temp if you want flavor. I usually kill a load in 3-5 draws and average about 4 loads per batt, maybe start a 5th with one of the newer ones. Love my IO as it’s used almost daily. And it’s my favorite on-the-go portable vape as well as regular home use.
Jason Mendoza
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the tips guys. I'll check my hopper and update. Would ya'll help me with this one? The 15 sec auto shut off is too short. I don't want to wear out the clicker as another user suggested. This made sense to me as mechanical tools are rated for a certain number of cycles or clicks. 15 sec is like hot boxing in a high school bathroom stall. What do y'all do?
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
The clicker is rated for many many many many clicks so it won't fail, that is not a common failure point I don't think? Shouldn't be something to protect, in fact because you should be clicking it off to clear your hits, from the vapor and the heat, this is more proper on demand convection vaping style, you know? You are using it is more like a session style, which seems less effective here, especially for managing the heat!
JBone65
Well-Known Member
I normally draw for about 15 sec before I get the hit I want. Then I click it off and keep drawing to cool it down. The element heats on demand so it isn't doing much unless you're pulling air thru it. Why keep the element hot when you're not drawing vapor? Since it's io, there's no waiting anyway. I also tend to hold my hits longer than 15 seconds, so wouldn't hit it that soon in any event.
When I got my first GH, I was preoccupied with visible vapor. I tried to force it to make heavy clouds like a disposable pen (disposable pens burn oil). Realized I only need to heat the load enough to mobilize the precise amount of thc I want, any more is wasteful, like burning 2-3 hits in a one-hit pipe. Found that progressing up the temperature scale would gradually release more and more thc, with minimal waste.
vapviking
Old & In the Way
Yes, as @slozukimc says, the easiest way is to see the difference between the back end ring ( always ss) and the ti body.
One fun way to tell a ti mouthpiece from a ss? Try to balance the front end, to stand it on it's tapered face. A ti will balance in this position, a ss will not; different centers of gravity.
The prescribed use is to turn off with every draw, actually before the end of the draw; the few seconds after the click-off will still deliver vapor , help clear vapor from the chamber, and begin to cool things down in the mp.
This next part is not easy to explain, sorry if this doesn't make sense initially. After years of use, this whole idea has come to fore, first stated and understood by @MoltenTiger a few months back. I hope he can chime in here and make up for any deficiencies in my explanation!
The clicker itself seems to have two "cycles". One, I guess, can be called the "normal" is that the clicker will turn io on with a full click, then off when fully clicked. By "fully clicked" I mean depressing all the way until click is heard/felt, then releasing.
If io is allowed to time out, and it powers off without being clicked, I will call this "going out of cycle". When io has powered down this way, you can then get the lights to go on (and power to be 'on') with only a partial press (not fully depressed until clicked). When in this cycle, you can (theorectically) save on clicks by just holding the button in that partial position. If you do click fully, io will turn on and run until auto shutoff occurs. io will be returned to "normal" cycle.
I have always viewed this "out of cycle" behavior to be a negative aspect of this device. If in this mode, for instance, io can power up quite easily at unwanted times, like while in a pocket or purse; it only requires a light press of the clicker button. I prefer to have more control than that. I always check (before I put io away) to see if a partial click is lighting things up. If it is, there are two ways to 'reset' to normal mode.
First is to click it fully on and wait for auto shutoff, as described above.
The second (I prefer, its quicker and uses less power) is to unscrew the back end a turn or two (enough to break contact with battery) and fully click once, then retighten.
Animatedpotato007
New Member
Well, it’s been 2 months now since I ordered a color TI in April. At the time, the expected ship date was April. That rolled into May, as customer support responded to my emails saying it would be shipped next week, then it was week after next, and so on and so forth. At one point, they responded stating it was the grey color that was holding up the order, so I told them I would take another color if I could please get it sooner.
It has now been 3 weeks since radio silence from hopper labs customer support. They are no longer responding to my emails, and I am left wondering if I will ever get my color TI. It amazes me that I don’t see even more people posting on here wondering where their order is, as I am certain they screwed over many others with their “Expected April Ship Date”. This is ridiculous hopper labs.
It has now been 3 weeks since radio silence from hopper labs customer support. They are no longer responding to my emails, and I am left wondering if I will ever get my color TI. It amazes me that I don’t see even more people posting on here wondering where their order is, as I am certain they screwed over many others with their “Expected April Ship Date”. This is ridiculous hopper labs.
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
Yep yep, deliberately misleading customers to maintain sales, stringing you along by email as well, blaming it on the color haha so far only a purple has shipped as far as I know in this time frame... I am so close to emailing to cancel my blue, chances are they end up shipping it before they refund though!
This is pretty much standard operating procedure for HL.
expect to be treated worse than any other company has ever treated you; no matter what they tell you, until you actually physically see proof of it happening, at best there is a 50% chance of it being true.
those of us that have been along for the ride for a # of years expect this at this point. Read back in the Grasshopper thread if you want to see hundreds of pages of people complaining …
if I were you I would switch to plain Ti or cancel …