Just to throw in an extra
here...
I don't think you'll find too many here that agree with the SSV being the "best vape." You might find some saying that the Cloud is the "best vape" but it costs upwards of $400 - about twice as much as you'd pay for a log vape. The Cloud was designed from the ground up for vaporization; virtually all other vapes reappropriate some other existing technology and apply it to vaporization; the Cloud is computer controlled, has a large bowl size, browns herb consistently, etc. Personally, I'm going to wait until the Cloud 2.0 before I decide whether to jump on the Vapexhale bandwagon.
Log vape technology has progressed ENORMOUSLY in the last 12 - 18 months. When I first joined FC, the most popular log vape was the Purple Days, which was based on the original log vape design from the 1970s. You had to drag very slowly, with a lot of draw restriction (think milkshake), for a very long time, to get anything resembling a "big hit."
Just a few months after I got my Purple Days, a slew of new log vape makers started popping up on FC, including the Underdog (UD), Heat Island (HI), Wychwood (WW) and others. All of these have a lot in common, but I can speak to the HI based on personal experience. Compared to the Purple Days, the new logs have:
-much better airflow
-hotter operating temperature
-more instant vapor production
-bigger hits
-smaller form factor
-bigger bowl size (optional - the HI has MANY types of stems available)
I use the HI with a bubbler and the experience is remarkably similar to smoking, minus the combustion. The HI (or any modern log vape) can be thought of as a Bic lighter that's on a cord. Apply the HI to the stem sitting in the bong by turning the HI upside down (numerous Youtube videos demonstrate this), draw at a normal, comfortable speed, and watch the vapor plume up out of the water. No 30-second draw necessary, I milk my can in 3 seconds usually. Pull, stem, inhale, pass HI and bubbler to your buddy. Really, the ONLY thing different from a smoking experience is that the HI (lighter) is on a cord.
Given the power, convenience, stealth, power saving and space saving of modern log vapes, not to mention the fact that they can safely be left on 24/7 and always ready to hit, many would say that the SSV is obsolete at this point.
Edit: It's also quite popular these days to use a variable voltage power supply to power a log vape. This allows you to adjust the temperature from very thin, wispy, flavorful hits to damn near cashing the entire bowl in one draw, or anything in between.
Edit 2: Another reason why modern logs rock is their easy compatibility with glass, which has to do not just with the stem/vape interface design but also with their small size. There are many glass pieces that cannot be used with the Cloud because it's too large. The HI is small, very light weight and maneuverable - I can't think of a glass piece you couldn't use it with, so long as it accepts a 14mm slide.
OH, one last thing - durability. I've dropped my Maple Burl HI probably 50 times onto hardwood flooring. I've accidentally swung it around by the cord many times as well. Dropped it and caught it by the cord. I'm talking sloppy, who-gives-a-shit type stuff. Not a single dent, scratch or blemish. No interruption in operation. The thing could be cleaned a tad and sold as new. Try that with an SSV