Discontinued Hopper io

[Reefer Fiend]

How do we know when a Hopper io battery is beginning to fail and should be replaced?

Currently, I own three Hopper io vapes, two titanium and one stainless steel. I primarily use the titanium io vapes that I acquired in June. I am super impressed with the devices and upgrades, as I have two OGs as well (one currently is in HL for warranty repair). The io looks, feels and operates very much like an upgraded 2.0 version of the Grasshopper design.

When using any Hopper vape, about the only direct feedback the user receives is flashing lights. It would be most helpful if Hopper Labs would add a new section to its website to better explain what the flashing lights mean in every instance. There is a little info available in the owner’s instruction sheet, but it’s very limited and does not address all situations a user may experience. Is there somewhere this useful information (and hopefully more) has been posted by Hopper Labs but I am just not seeing it?

So, back to my first question. I rotate the two titanium io vapes from day to day so each one receives about equal usage. In most sessions (one per day), I get about 5~7 decent rips using a PFE and a glass J-hook mouthpiece for cooling. It’s very effective. For the first 3~4 months, I would not see any flashing lights during the session. I charge the unit after each use and set it aside for a day, switching to the 2nd io for the next day. But recently, I have begun to see flashing lights before the session ends. It began with just one io, but now I am experiencing this with both io vapes. The battery in both vapes are about the same age and seeing about the same usage, so the battery life for both vapes should be about the same. Yesterday, the io battery showed 4.22v after charging, dropping to 3.92v after use. Are the flashing lights mid-session telling me that the battery is draining too quickly and about ready to be replaced? It seems that the vape is using decreased power once the lights begin to flash – is that true?

 

[Coombs]

Are the flashing lights mid-session telling me that the battery is draining too quickly and about ready to be replaced? It seems that the vape is using decreased power once the lights begin to flash – is that true?

In my limited experience, the lights flash when the battery is low and temps definitely start to suffer. I would always swap bats when it would flash after I noticed that and never had temp issues. I’d also typically get at least four full bowls before it would flash, sometimes more.

For those interested in the warranty aspect, hopper has already replied to my warranty claim (only opened last night) and is sending out a new body, said it could take around a week before it ships out which is a bummer but I’m impressed with the fast response to my request. Also for those talking about it earlier, I’ve been asked to send the body back once I receive the replacement.

 

[slozukimc]

How do we know when a Hopper io battery is beginning to fail and should be replaced?

Currently, I own three Hopper io vapes, two titanium and one stainless steel. I primarily use the titanium io vapes that I acquired in June. I am super impressed with the devices and upgrades, as I have two OGs as well (one currently is in HL for warranty repair). The io looks, feels and operates very much like an upgraded 2.0 version of the Grasshopper design.

When using any Hopper vape, about the only direct feedback the user receives is flashing lights. It would be most helpful if Hopper Labs would add a new section to its website to better explain what the flashing lights mean in every instance. There is a little info available in the owner’s instruction sheet, but it’s very limited and does not address all situations a user may experience. Is there somewhere this useful information (and hopefully more) has been posted by Hopper Labs but I am just not seeing it?

So, back to my first question. I rotate the two titanium io vapes from day to day so each one receives about equal usage. In most sessions (one per day), I get about 5~7 decent rips using a PFE and a glass J-hook mouthpiece for cooling. It’s very effective. For the first 3~4 months, I would not see any flashing lights during the session. I charge the unit after each use and set it aside for a day, switching to the 2nd io for the next day. But recently, I have begun to see flashing lights before the session ends. It began with just one io, but now I am experiencing this with both io vapes. The battery in both vapes are about the same age and seeing about the same usage, so the battery life for both vapes should be about the same. Yesterday, the io battery showed 4.22v after charging, dropping to 3.92v after use. Are the flashing lights mid-session telling me that the battery is draining too quickly and about ready to be replaced? It seems that the vape is using decreased power once the lights begin to flash – is that true?

Try cleaning the threads and battery contacts and see if performance returns.

 

[Vaping_Casual]

Real quick preamble to get my experience up to speed:
Owned Ti OG Grasshopper happily for many months before issues just like everyone else ("cop lights", no heating, etc. etc.). Fell out of love, bought a used one online, fell back in love, but then failed again.

I waited and waited and waited to see if warranty services would get better and opted out of sending my device in. Post factory burn I figured it was curtains. Seeing the IO and having two dead devices on hand, I figured a trade in may be just what I needed to get out of the rut.

Received my IO on Aug. 13th and began using daily since. Loved it, used it in all my glass in all kinds of ways and enjoy it's punch more than nearly any other vape I've tried. Just this last weekend, right when I was about to leave on a hike and take it with me, tragedy struck once again:

https://imgur.com/Sa1gVww

https://imgur.com/mk6Gb3H

Just shot them an email to register my device since my box didn't come with an ID code. We'll see what happens!

 

[Coombs]

What do people buy when they want to get as ripped as their hopper gets them but their hopper is broken?

Having major hopper withdrawals, nothing I have gets me to the same level...

 

[slozukimc]

What do people buy when they want to get as ripped as their hopper gets them but their hopper is broken?

Having major hopper withdrawals, nothing I have gets me to the same level...

A spare Hopper.

 

[MoltenTiger]

What do people buy when they want to get as ripped as their hopper gets them but their hopper is broken?

Having major hopper withdrawals, nothing I have gets me to the same level...

There's always the option of a t break, then the normal stuff works quite well.

The hopper isn't the pinnacle, but it's a sizeable false peak.
In the portable sector, it really is slim pickings for proper potency and ease of use, with actual portability.

I like the dynavap and the StemPod, but it's quite different.
I have a broken TuboX, Lamart probably gets my vote. The TetraX would be interesting. Super open airflow, powerful convection, rapid heat ups.

Then there's TinyMight, and is RBT still kicking?

In all these years, the hopper is sitting in a field of its own.

If there was anything like it, people would jump to it. But it just isn't that simple.


If you're vaping at home, a desktop is the better contender with the hopper, and even then the hopper just laughs at most options.

There's only a couple of reasons I have 4 hoppers - they're amazing, and that money couldn't buy better for my use case.

If you want to make the hopper feel weak, try the Sublimator

Real quick preamble to get my experience up to speed:
Owned Ti OG Grasshopper happily for many months before issues just like everyone else ("cop lights", no heating, etc. etc.). Fell out of love, bought a used one online, fell back in love, but then failed again.

I waited and waited and waited to see if warranty services would get better and opted out of sending my device in. Post factory burn I figured it was curtains. Seeing the IO and having two dead devices on hand, I figured a trade in may be just what I needed to get out of the rut.

Received my IO on Aug. 13th and began using daily since. Loved it, used it in all my glass in all kinds of ways and enjoy it's punch more than nearly any other vape I've tried. Just this last weekend, right when I was about to leave on a hike and take it with me, tragedy struck once again:

https://imgur.com/Sa1gVww

https://imgur.com/mk6Gb3H

Just shot them an email to register my device since my box didn't come with an ID code. We'll see what happens!

This is what happened to my original io back end #294

I described my 3 day ordeal getting the RMA above, easy enough but not lightning fast. These guys remain under the pump.

If you can get the back-end reassembled like in your first pic - that's as far as mine came apart as I was holding it either time, and it just clicked back together. Could be worth a try.

How easy has it been to turn the dial? Any misfiring with the switch?

Make the claim if you can't get it back together or if either of those things were happening

 

[Coombs]

A spare Hopper.

There's always the option of a t break, then the normal stuff works quite well.

The hopper isn't the pinnacle, but it's a sizeable false peak.
In the portable sector, it really is slim pickings for proper potency and ease of use, with actual portability.

I like the dynavap and the StemPod, but it's quite different.
I have a broken TuboX, Lamart probably gets my vote. The TetraX would be interesting. Super open airflow, powerful convection, rapid heat ups.

Then there's TinyMight, and is RBT still kicking?

In all these years, the hopper is sitting in a field of its own.

If there was anything like it, people would jump to it. But it just isn't that simple.


If you're vaping at home, a desktop is the better contender with the hopper, and even then the hopper just laughs at most options.

There's only a couple of reasons I have 4 hoppers - they're amazing, and that money couldn't buy better for my use case.

If you want to make the hopper feel weak, try the Sublimator



This is what happened to my original io back end #294

I described my 3 day ordeal getting the RMA above, easy enough but not lightning fast. These guys remain under the pump.

If you can get the back-end reassembled like in your first pic - that's as far as mine came apart as I was holding it either time, and it just clicked back together. Could be worth a try.

How easy has it been to turn the dial? Any misfiring with the switch?

Make the claim if you can't get it back together or if either of those things were happening

Thank you both. I’ve considered another hopper. Being in Canada the cost of the IO added up quickly though with the exchange, duties and shipping. Not sure I can stomach another one when I got two weeks from the first. There is an OG available at a local Canadian store I could consider.

Will check out the sublimitor. I know this may get me flamed based on some other threads I read but has anyone used the FF 2+? Some folks on Reddit seem to think it can reach similar effects, any want to confirm or deny?

 

[mephisto]

I can confirm that none of the FF lineup ever got me close to the lift provided by a properly functioning hopper/IO. Though the maintenance and upkeep were just as much of a pita. That includes the FF 2+.

 

[Vaporific]

What do people buy when they want to get as ripped as their hopper gets them but their hopper is broken?

A Tinymight. Seriously! Love mine (and IO too).

 

[fogbank]

What do people buy when they want to get as ripped as their hopper gets them but their hopper is broken?

Having major hopper withdrawals, nothing I have gets me to the same level...

I can second the TinyMight recommendation on the basis of performance, however acquiring one, and getting support for one may prove to be more problematic.

After that I would recommend the V-Leaf Go. It is cheap (about $70 USD) and is true convection. It has a smaller bowl than the GH and is good for microdosing. It has a pretty low capacity battery that needs to be charged frequently. But it is pretty efficient at extracting and can pack a punch

 

[Coombs]

I can second the TinyMight recommendation on the basis of performance, however acquiring one, and getting support for one may prove to be more problematic.

After that I would recommend the V-Leaf Go. It is cheap (about $70 USD) and is true convection. It has a smaller bowl than the GH and is good for microdosing. It has a pretty low capacity battery that needs to be charged frequently. But it is pretty efficient at extracting and can pack a punch

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ve considered the V-leaf for a backup due to the price alone. Would you say it provides the same or near the same effects of the hopper?

The effects of the hopper was as if I took a several month THC break. I hadn’t felt those kind of effects in years and it caught me off guard to say the least. Leaves me craving better from all my vapes.....

 

[Vaporific]

In deference to the IO it would take less time to get another one than the Tinymight right now. The IO however is 40-50 (USD$) more than the TM, and the TM has an adjustable load size with the Cooling Unit in the stock stems for every preference. VLeaf sounds good but a smaller chamber than the IO wouldn’t do me much good yet I’m also looking for a new, inexpensive vape (VAS? nah!) as Hopper type of backup. Too bad my OG Hopper isn’t getting much love since I got the IO a few weeks ago.

Temperature is key here, for me anyway. The IO has a different range than the OG Hopper and getting nice effects with the IO has been a little challenging for me since I’m mostly a native user and the IO vapor tends to be too hot for me (seldom with the Tinymight). Not sure what temps the VLeaf runs at. Something to consider (at least I would)

 

[Vaping_Casual]

This is what happened to my original io back end #294

I described my 3 day ordeal getting the RMA above, easy enough but not lightning fast. These guys remain under the pump.

If you can get the back-end reassembled like in your first pic - that's as far as mine came apart as I was holding it either time, and it just clicked back together. Could be worth a try.

How easy has it been to turn the dial? Any misfiring with the switch?

Make the claim if you can't get it back together or if either of those things were happening

I have a back end in the late #300's myself. I'll have to read your RMA ordeal. So far they emailed me back, got my hopper registered, and responded to my initial email saying "Thanks for contacting us. We can replace the backend right away for you.". I opened an RMA ticket and will probably send them a follow up email today confirming that they have everything needed. I'm not in a particularly huge rush so I don't really mind that it's gonna take a few days to get sent out.

Just before the dial popped off it was hard to turn the dial. 2 months of daily use and no other dial issues up until 30 seconds before the break. I was getting some battery drop off issues, even if I would clean my threads, but that's the only real "problem" that I was experiencing. I could not get it back together since it seems that the notched collar on the top requires a precise fit into the part below. Something is making it such that it won't slide down. No biggie, I guess, since its not really my doing at all lol.

 

[fogbank]

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ve considered the V-leaf for a backup due to the price alone. Would you say it provides the same or near the same effects of the hopper?

The effects of the hopper was as if I took a several month THC break. I hadn’t felt those kind of effects in years and it caught me off guard to say the least. Leaves me craving better from all my vapes.....

I think that a more detailed discussion would take place in a separate "comparison" thread, but to answer your question briefly I would say that the V-Leaf Go can provide nearly the same effects as the IO, but in my experience it is very dependent on the battery charge. I charge mine after each use, so it's always fully charged. Otherwise it doesn't seem to perform as well.

Also I find that whenever I use an alternate vape to the OG or IO Hoppers I seem to get stronger effects, but that could just be due to differences in the vape profiles. You get used to the Hopper and when you try an alternate it hits you hard because it has a little bit different profile.

 

[Coombs]

Well I picked up a vleaf. Found one local for 49.99 CDN. Figured I couldn’t pass it up even if it just becomes a hopper backup at that price. Charging it up!

Really appreciate everyone’s input. I’ll update once I’ve given her a rip.

 

[ShadowLink12]

Anyone who owns both the titanium and SS IO willing to weigh in on the heat differences? I am sold on the extra weight and the finish being more to my liking, but I plan on using native (probably with the PFE), and am concerned about the extra heat of the SS. Will usually just be taking a couple quick hits of a CBD dominant strain to chill for the night once the kid goes to bed. Is the extra heat of the SS during the hit/on the lips, or is it more that the hopper body/chamber/tip takes longer to cool down after a few hit session?

EDIT: I should add, I have (more like had, not functioning great) the OG titanium hopper and did not have trouble with how hot it got hitting without silicon cover

 

[MoltenTiger]

Anyone who owns both the titanium and SS IO willing to weigh in on the heat differences? I am sold on the extra weight and the finish being more to my liking, but I plan on using native (probably with the PFE), and am concerned about the extra heat of the SS. Will usually just be taking a couple quick hits of a CBD dominant strain to chill for the night once the kid goes to bed. Is the extra heat of the SS during the hit/on the lips, or is it more that the hopper body/chamber/tip takes longer to cool down after a few hit session?

EDIT: I should add, I have (more like had, not functioning great) the OG titanium hopper and did not have trouble with how hot it got hitting without silicon cover

you can always fit a Ti mouthpiece negating any potential material differences.

I'm not convinced there's any true or meaningful difference considering all variables, and these things probably still perform a bit between any individual model.
I'm going to trade my broken legacy in for an SS io to see for myself, and to roll the dice to see if I can get a darker ABV producer. Two ios with a claisen adapter will be a lot of fun too.

How dark did your OG get the herb? If it was dark brown, you should have no issues with the io, but I don't know - it's pretty hard to say. I definitely prefer using it with cooling, as even then the vapour itself is more pleasant for the big hits I go for. It's just nicer and smoother.

However for CBD usage, I think you will have a good time.
CBD flower is for the most part expertly cultivated, and the cannabinoid profiles and proportions will lend themselves perfectly for quick hopper tokes. And quick tokes I find are the way to go for direct hits. I normally use the bong and take long and multiple tokes in quick succession, but that's the thing, the usage is flexible. I have only tried CBD flower in the legacy, I was surprised what it did considering I don't have medicinal access and rely on the underground, which varies a bunch. Huge and long lasting clouds, insane amounts of terpenes, and a really nice mellow effect. Awesome stuff.

 

[Coombs]

Hit a few vleaf bowls. Having some combustion issues but I posted in the vleaf thread so I won’t rehash here.

Impressive how easy it is to get massive vapor with this thing. Flavour and effects are not hopper levels for me though. With flavour not even close and effects a notch or two lower. I kind of expected the flavour part for the price/build of the vape so hopefully I can dial my use in to remove the combustion and it will do the job while I wait for my part to arrive

 

[Shogun.]

How dark can you get the avb on this thing? I like to get mine chocolate brown
Do you find that you have to stir to get even heating? My vapcap checks those but looking for on demand convection portable.
Narrowed down to the io or p80

 

[slozukimc]

How dark can you get the avb on this thing? I like to get mine chocolate brown
Do you find that you have to stir to get even heating? My vapcap checks those but looking for on demand convection portable.
Narrowed down to the io or p80

My OG will get that dark but not the IO. That works well for me as my lungs don’t seem to like it when I roast the herb darker. I get very powerful effects from the IO on a little over 4 and kind of a sandy brown AVB.

 

[Vaporific]

Used my IO exclusively yesterday, natively of course, and got pretty baked. I’ve been adjusting my technique a bit to use it at a higher temp (@ 3.5). My unit continues to work nearly flawlessly 4+ weeks and all threads are still silky smooth. AVB is consistent a fairly dark, darker and more consistent than with my OG Hopper (both are Ti). The IO frontend doesn’t get gunked up like the OG Hopper frontend; i do brush them regularly. I haven’t soaked the IO frontend in ISO yet but it’s due for a cleaning soon.

I’m hoping to use my OG Hopper again soon since the IO is getting all the Hopper attention. I want to up the temp on the OG with my revised technique and see if this works better. You can definitely discern the power difference between the two; vapor has been excellent with the IO and has been moderate and occasionally inconsistent with the OG (AVB too - OG has never been consistent here as well).

 

[Coombs]

Anyone have thoughts on why it is super easy to combust on a vleaf but not hopper? I’ve got my draw down on the vleaf to one/two hits max through the bong and I don’t combust (but pretty close).

Does the hopper regulate heat in some way to use less when temps get to high? Was that a sign mine was never really working? When my hopper and draw were working, I could rip a bong 4/5 times easy on one bowl and get very dark herb but never combust and like most vapes I’ve had just noticed vapor production dropped once I had fully extracted.

Just trying to understand what is different about these two convection vapes that would lead to this.

 

[slozukimc]

Anyone have thoughts on why it is super easy to combust on a vleaf but not hopper? I’ve got my draw down on the vleaf to one/two hits max through the bong and I don’t combust (but pretty close).

Does the hopper regulate heat in some way to use less when temps get to high? Was that a sign mine was never really working? When my hopper and draw were working, I could rip a bong 4/5 times easy on one bowl and get very dark herb but never combust and like most vapes I’ve had just noticed vapor production dropped once I had fully extracted.

Just trying to understand what is different about these two convection vapes that would lead to this.

Much better temp control and air flow in the Hopper.

 

[ChooChooCharlie]