Honestly the grasshopper isn't stealthy in a way that matters. Could it pass as a pen, sure? But a lot of people would see a pen like that and immediately ask about it. It looks more like a "conversation starter" pen, not a bic you use everyday. Secondly, after use, it reeks. If you're using this thing in public, people can smell it on you. They might be polite, but they can smell it.
The click is loud, the lights are bright. On top of that if you use the standard tip without the silicone cover it's unbearably hot after a couple hits, so you either use the silicone or the PFE, both of which make it look like it's not a pen.
People have seen my grasshopper and said "Oh wow is that a vape?" Nobody has assumed it's actually a pen.
The hopper's punch to me, comes from having an excellent, powerful heater that heats the chamber evenly and quickly while excelling with a fast draw speed. That part of the tech is absolutely incredible. But the stealth idea is nonsense, the batteries are a huge Achilles heel.
I definitely get it for the launch product, the smaller size made it sexy and impressive. If the initial hopper was an 18650 a lot less people would have pre-ordered and tried it. But now that they're expanding out to multiple models, a bigger model that fixes the shortcomings of the OG hopper is a no-brainer.
If hopper made a standard 18650 model I would pre-order it immediately. Hell, if it was a plug-in desktop model with no batteries I would do the same. The same batteries in the IO makes it to me, the same product as the standard hopper. I see no reason to upgrade when it doesn't fix the main problem the hopper has. The little quality of life improvements on the IO looks nice, but honestly feel more like a revision than a new product.
As you say, back when it launched it was (and still is) sexy and impressive. I have personally (a few years ago) walked thru a security station, had my glasses case opened, viewed and shut and the guy didn't blink an eye. Some people have assumed it's a pen or maybe a laser pointer. Just speaking to your perception that nobody thinks it's a pen.
Of course stealth is a matter of degree.
I also think it's not a particularly smelly vape, and I currently live in a house where smell matters...
Other than the supply chain glitches (major!) I'm not too unhappy with the battery being proprietary. Lately I almost never take the battery out, just pop it on the standard charger after most uses. Having multiple hoppers is the better answer for me, a heavier user.
Imo, Grasshopper's Achilles Heel is the fact that it can not stay clean internally over time. I believe this eventually fucks with the heat sensor and possible other components -- and certainly the draw resistance.
Yesterday I decided to blow out (with canned air) my nicest og, a ti that's been running great since last serviced in Oct. '19. The draw resistance was noticeable, so it was time. Since then, it won't heat up; quick flash of red then straight to blue (with clicking!) but no heat develops. Did I break it using one of HL's prescribed maintenance procedures? Crap, I think this means heat sensor issue (though I'm no hopper doctor).
I do agree that the io seems as much or more like a revision than a new product.
I happen to still applaud HL's efforts and stick-to-it-tive-ness. They are working their way inexorably toward the original vision and goal, it just hasn't been very graceful...
EDIT:
I am still working on reviving the downed ti.
In fairness to HL and recommended method: I forgot to swab out the chamber before blowing it out. I may have forced some particles intom the heater area. I have just swabbed with a lot of alcohaol and blew it out some more** and there are signs of life -- some heat and an easier draw, so I may be getting somewhere here. Will report back later. I had
almost talked myself into a new 420 vape!
**Thanks to
@VegNVape for pointing out to me that most air in a can is not simply air, but contains a lot of nastys. Having already used it once yesterday to break the ti unit, I'm able to rationalize using again today. But it probably should not be widely used around breathing equipment, like lungs...