pd vs. dbv vs. ssv [ another help me out thread ]

[johnnyganjaseed]

right so earlier today i was one of the people that didn't know anything about vaporizers except that the volcano was "the one" and everything else was a knock off and not worth the money. well after a few hours of research and reading people's opinions i've come down to 3 possible vapes that i'd be willing to buy, i was thinking of going for a bag vaporizer but decided against it because i'm usually smoking by myself before im about to go to bed and when i am with my friends it's only a few of us that do smoke so a whip vape would be fine if i brought it out or direct draw.

i don't have any possible way to try any of these out before actually buying them and everyone here seems pretty chill so i was hoping some people could suggest based on their personal experience one of these vapes that they think would better suit me.

so price wise i wouldn't spend more than ~250 which is what the ssv goes for i believe. it really doesn't take me a lot of weed to get high, i mean i have a REALLY low tolerance (found that out after i stopped smoking blunts and j's and picked up a little pipe and bubbler) BUT i also like to get the most out of my weed, not trying to sound like a cheap ass bum or anything but to me if i can get high one or two more times i would definitely want to do that instead of getting rid of the bud. the reason i bring that up is because i was leaning towards picking up a PD because, it was pretty cheap and seemed like a lot of people liked it, but i also read people saying they were able to throw that same bud into another vape after the PD and get high one or two more times.

i know people say you can take the leftover and cook with it but cooking isn't too much of an option for me because 1) i live with family and i don't really know when the house would be empty and for how long in order for me to cook and get the smell out and 2) ive had some bad experiences eating food with THC in it. it's always hard for me to figure how much to eat even when i get the food from the cannabis clubs from over here. i've od'd twice and it sucks.

and smoking it up defeats the purpose of me vaporizing.

now with the ssv and bdv i've seen people say they're less efficient with the weed than the pd in the sense that you burn through the bowl quicker. now i wasn't sure if there was a certain amount of weed needed to be put in in order for it to be able to vaporize. i know in the PD it's about .2 grams and if i'd have to put in like a .5 or a gram in the ssv or dbv in order to get a proper vape then it's cheaper for me to just keep smoking out of my bubbler (not saying i'd only vaporize to save money but that is one of the perks it seems).

so that's really my dilemma. and if anyone can shoot me any advice it'd be highly appreciated.

also thanks for reading my long ass post.

oh and also it seemed these 3 were all 'safe' meaning no lead and other nasty shit like that that the vapor goes through..but not saying others aren't safe..just these were the 3 i researched the most

 

[stickstones]

I don't own any of these vapes, but with respect to the PD and the SSV, the threads here on those units are sufficient to develop an opinion on them. Give those a read and wait for marcuss' review on dbv.

 

[max]

right so earlier today i was one of the people that didn't know anything about vaporizers except that the volcano was "the one" and everything else was a knock off and not worth the money. well after a few hours of research and reading people's opinions i've come down to 3 possible vapes that i'd be willing to buy

Man, you're fast. Some people take weeks (or more) to narrow it down that much. I assume you've read our SSV and PD threads? Required reading for an informed purchase you know.

i know in the PD it's about .2 grams

No. One tenth of that-10%- .02g. It takes about 10 PD bowls full to get to .2g.

i was leaning towards picking up a PD because, it was pretty cheap and seemed like a lot of people liked it, but i also read people saying they were able to throw that same bud into another vape after the PD and get high one or two more times.

I get the same results putting SSV leftovers through again as I do with the PD, unless I've already raised the temp on the Surfer the first time through. The PD, with the very small bowl (again .02g- not .2) is more efficient than the larger SSV bowl, but the SSV allows you to vape at higher temps if you want to extract every last bit. Raising the temp to do this also introduces more toxins and harsh vapor though, so it's kind of a tradeoff for some people.

i mean i have a REALLY low tolerance

Get the PD.

BUT i also like to get the most out of my weed

Get the SSV.

Just flip a coin.

Seriously man, you need to get both. Just decide which one you want first, and save your lunch money for the other. Also, I'd definitely consider the DBV if you like hands free. You can get a 10% discount on that one too, so you end up getting two great vapes for $300. I'd rather have a 7th Floor vape and a PD than any other single vape on the market. Just my opinion.

Having lived with both the PD and SSV for many months now, I'd hate to have to do without either one. If I were you I'd go with the DB and PD. Get the SSV and you'll probably want some custom glass and end up spending $300-350 just on that one vape.

Get both units (DBV or SSV + PD) and you'll have the best of both worlds, plus some nice portability with the Coke can sized PD.

 

[stonemonkey55]

Max, I see how it is, you answer other people's questions but not mine

Just kidding...

So the PD stems hold .02 grams? Wow, so with a gram, you can fill 50 of the little stems? I can now see why this is such an efficient machine. I would say that my SSV bowls, I will use .25 grams for each session, maybe just a tad less. My question is, does the PD give you a stronger high if say, you use 12 PD stems versus vaping thru the SSV using the same amount of medicine? I saw some youtube videos and was astounded at how much vapor is actually released when hitting the PD, very similar to what I can get from the SSV. I don't know if it was the lighting or what, but I was expecting to see smaller exhalations of vapor.

 

[Beezleb]

Some pluses and minuses in my opinion but the first thing to consider is what best suits your smoking style. Matching a vape that fits you will in my opinion make your choice a more positive one.

Flexibility, The PD forces you into using only so much at one time, like it or not the loss of the flexibility of doing a small bowl versus a large bowl if I want is important to me.

Speed, The PD takes up to 30 minutes to heat up, that is really unheard of these days. The SSV and DB in about a minute or so at most. I do not notice any heat fluctuations with my db but im also not monitoring the heck out of it either. I understand the PD is very good at holding its temperature but the fact that you have to essentially leave it on all day is something I dislike. Some people like that but hey, I turn on my DB and by the time I fill the wand its ready to go. No need to leave on all day running electricity though all these units can be left on, an early model of the SSV has been said to be running for almost 6 years or so, though I only heard this.

Customization, if your into customized glass, well the SSV or DB are the only clear choice but the PD has some options in wood type I think. I am sure you could get creative if you wanted too.

Service & Workmanship, both are great but I have heard of a few shipping issues with the SSV and DB but they were properly corrected. I have heard nothing negative and all positive about the PD in this area.

Smoking Style, the whip vapes like the SSV and DB fit more my style of imbibing where as the PD is more of an electronic one hitter in my opinion, and a good one hitter it seems to be at that. I say ask yourself what vape best suits your style and go from their.

I think whatever choice you make you will be happy as long as it fits your smoking style. They are all certainly quality vapes and they will do their job just fine.

 

[vtac]

johnnyganjaseed

That was fast.

From the criteria you put out your post, I would say go with the PD no question. I've inspected a lot of PD remains under magnification and believe me every bit of goodness IS extracted. Material is left bone dry crispy, perfectly browned and anything that remains is not going to be tasty or very healthy. You could smoke the remains and get 'more' out too.

I only have a 0.1g scale but from testing with that, I think that 0.02g per PD bowl might be a bit low. 3 or 4 bowls per 0.1g seems to be closer in my testing. I think max weighed them after vaping so that could explain that. (I'm weighing ground bud, not stems etc.)

My question is, does the PD give you a stronger high if say, you use 12 PD stems versus vaping thru the SSV using the same amount of medicine?

In my experience yes. Why? Because of the SSV's bigger bowl, yes you DO get bigger hits which for me means you don't hold them in as long.

Beezlb, believe it or not, but back before I had the PD and only had the SSV I probably would have said some similar things. However, having lived with both now for a while I would totally eat my words.

 

[stonemonkey55]

vtac, thanks for the response. That is very informative and eye opening. I had always felt that smaller bowls were more efficient but there is a bit of laziness in me when I vape which is why sometimes I don't vape two smaller bowls and just vape one big bowl. So you feel that although you get bigger hits with the SSV, because you aren't holding it in as long as you would with smaller PD hits, it doesn't hit you as hard, is that a correct assumption?

Well, I just sold my Extreme and was going to buy an I-inhale, but now I will mull over the decision to get a PD or i-inhale. Thanks for the feedback.

i will leave you with one questions tho, if you could only keep the SSV or PD, which would you keep. I know this is completely subjective, just wanted to get your opinion

 

[stickstones]

beezleb...have you played around with letting your DB warm up a little more? I wonder if you get different results. The Extreme boasts being able to warm up in a couple minutes, but I find the hits are thicker and more consistent if I let it warm up for about 20 minutes. Point being, I know you can hit your DB after one or two minutes of warm up, but does it work better if given longer, like mine?

I never gawked at the 30 min warm up time of the PD, simply because I already let my E warm up for 20. And, in reality, it usually gets even longer. My usual night goes like this:

-turn on the E to warm up
-hit the Genie while waiting
-get a snack and check out what's on the tube
-forget the E is warming up
-remember the E is warming up, 40 minutes later
-take a huge hit from the E
-repeat until passed out

 

[tokinGLX]

i cant really add anything new to the thread, everybody else has about summed it up.
you are trying to decide between two completely different styles of vapes, so you have to decide based on what you think will best fit your preffered method of vaping.

either way you go, you are going to end up with a great vaporizer.




in my personal opinion, your best bet is to spend a little more moolah to pick up a buddha AND a pd. if you start using one of them exclusively after you have really gotten to know both vapes, then you can probably find a friend of three who will be willing to buy the other one off your hands for a reasonable price.

 

[vtac]

vtac, thanks for the response. That is very informative and eye opening. I had always felt that smaller bowls were more efficient but there is a bit of laziness in me when I vape which is why sometimes I don't vape two smaller bowls and just vape one big bowl. So you feel that although you get bigger hits with the SSV, because you aren't holding it in as long as you would with smaller PD hits, it doesn't hit you as hard, is that a correct assumption?

Well, I just sold my Extreme and was going to buy an I-inhale, but now I will mull over the decision to get a PD or i-inhale. Thanks for the feedback.

i will leave you with one questions tho, if you could only keep the SSV or PD, which would you keep. I know this is completely subjective, just wanted to get your opinion

No problem.

I have access to some good bud, but it isn't free and I'm not made of money. I love the SSV but with really good bud and especially if my tolerance is low and I only want a small buzz, I find that sometimes I don't even finish the bowl. Of course you can finish it up later but as you know, the second and subsequent hits are never as tasty. I think those are the reasons I personally prefer the PD at this point in my vapor career.

Yes, your assumption is correct. And yes, sometimes it's more fun to vape 3 or 5 (fresh) bowls than 1 big one.

About the 1 minute heat up time for the DBV, haven't used it, but with the SSV, it's 5+ minutes in my experience. Gotta allow time for the glass heater cover to get hot.

P.S. I will third the recommendation to get both the PD and a 7th floor vape. Take your time and enjoy.

 

[max]

Max, I see how it is, you answer other people's questions but not mine

Well, if you asked me to rehash something that's already been thoroughly discussed, I probably declined. Otherwise, I don't know what you're referring to. Did I miss something?

My question is, does the PD give you a stronger high if say, you use 12 PD stems versus vaping thru the SSV using the same amount of medicine?

If the vapes are efficient, and assuming you can approximate the same temp, there should be no difference. One vape doesn't produce a 'better high' than another.

Because of the SSV's bigger bowl, yes you DO get bigger hits which for me means you don't hold them in as long.

But that would be determined by the user, not the vape. Last night I was vaping some high quality herb in the Surfer, and purposely refrained from taking my normal big hits in order to be more efficient. I also have some mediocre weed that I don't really enjoy in the PD (unless I'm just looking to take the edge off), and use almost exclusively in the SSV. I take big hits and don't strain myself trying to hold it in very long. That allows me to enjoy watching my vapor exhales, and I do enjoy that.

I think that 0.02g per PD bowl might be a bit low. 3 or 4 bowls per 0.1g seems to be closer in my testing. I think max weighed them after vaping so that could explain that.

Weighed after vaping? C'mon, give me a little credit for common sense. I loaded 10 bowls, dumping each bowl after loading, and weighed all 10 on my .01 Durascale. The total was .21g. Of course, herb consistency is a factor, as well as dryness, and how tightly it's packed. I've been meaning to do another weight test, so I'll do that tonight. I'll even try 2 or 3 different varieties of weed.

About the 1 minute heat up time for the DBV, haven't used it, but with the SSV, it's 5+ minutes in my experience. Gotta allow time for the glass heater cover to get hot.

Yeah, there's a difference between minimum warmup time and effective warmup. Personally, I don't understand downgrading a vape for heat up time. If a few minutes are such a big deal use a timer or drive faster on your way home.

the PD is more of an electronic one hitter in my opinion

I have never cleared a full PD bowl with one hit, although there are times when I wish I could. Depending on what's loaded, I get anywhere from 3 good hits to about 8, if I've got some kief topping off the bowl. I really don't like to count hits though, since it's so dependent on the user. Definitely not a one hitter though, with a fully loaded bowl.

 

[vtac]

But that would be determined by the user, not the vape.

Guess I should have typed 'I don't' instead of 'you don't', I did preface that sentence with 'in my experience' and that typo with 'which for me'.

C'mon, give me a little credit for common sense.

You? Common sense? Sorry, it was my recollection that you mentioned you weighed the spent product. Pretty sure you also said counting hits and bowls was somewhat silly due to all the variables. I agree!

 

[Acolyte of Zinglon]

also, if money is a real issue dont be too quick to overlook the lighter heated vapes, the vaporgenie and vaporstar, im looking at getting a pd myself, but im on a limited budget and it doesnt really seem as if the moneys going to come together as soon as id like, and in that case, im getting a vaporstar
also its nice to have a lighter based one for portability, as you can take them anywhere and not have to worry about electricity, the only limitation is how much butane you have in your lighter

otherwise, the pd and the ssv just seem to complete each other, the pd is super efficient and will get you further on any amount of material, but sometimes you just want to get as much thc in your blood in as short of time as possible, and thats where the ssv shines

 

[Volcano South]

I just wanted to comment about bag style not being the best for a single person.

Honestly, it doesn't bother me. I've made a "baby bag" and "large bag" in addition to my factory S&B bags. Also, I'd find it hardpressed to wait 30 minutes before I could vape. That, in my opinion, is a little on the excessive side.

 

[stonemonkey55]

max, i was just joking around. i was asking you if you had to make a choice, and you could only keep one, which would it be, PD or SSV? I actually wrote it in another thread, ahhhh nevermind...

 

[max]

But that would be determined by the user, not the vape.

Guess I should have typed 'I don't' instead of 'you don't', I did preface that sentence with 'in my experience' and that typo with 'which for me'.

I will admit it is difficult to restrain myself from taking big SSV hits. I probably wouldn't have been using it for my good stuff last night if my wife wasn't such a PD hog. :/ So I'll agree with you that, with normal use, it's so much easier to be efficient with the PD, vs. the SSV. I can't bring myself to drive my sports car like I drive a sedan either. It's just no fuckin' fun. :/

You? Common sense? Sorry, it was my recollection that you mentioned you weighed the spent product. Pretty sure you also said counting hits and bowls was somewhat silly due to all the variables. I agree!

You recollect incorrectly. Yeah, even with the PD, I hate to count hits. How big is a hit? My big hit is someone else's medium hit. But with such a small bowl, determining the average bowl size is much more practical. I'm glad you brought it up. You gave my procrastinating ass a swift kick and I will do some loading and weighing tonight and report my results in the PD thread.

max, i was just joking around. i was asking you if you had to make a choice, and you could only keep one, which would it be, PD or SSV? I actually wrote it in another thread, ahhhh nevermind...

I did see a question in the new vapes thread from you, but I assumed you meant the I-Inhale (since that's what we were mostly talking about) vs. the PD. As for the PD vs. SSV, first of all there are at least 4 people I know of who own both-me, vtac, jeffp (MIA from the forum), and partially veiled. Vaporcloud also has a big hitter (Vaporite) and still enjoys using the PD as well. I can't speak for anyone else (though I know that all of us are using both units), but as I've said before, if I could only have one vape, it would be the PD. It just does too many things well. I would miss the big SSV hits, but big hits aren't the #1 issue for me. The PD is a classic and a bargain, and if Tom and Pam ever turn over the rights to it to someone else, it'll either be much more expensive or lower quality. My advice-get one while it's cheap. Hell, get two. I've already bought enough wood for two more PDs. Hey Tom! Get ready for a package in the mail.

 

[johnnyganjaseed]

haha whoa this was a lot more responses than i expected to get so.

first, thanks max for pointing out that it was .02 grams and not .2 grams that really helped me make my decision as i can really see the efficiency of the PD and with the bowls that small i can easily assess how much more weed i want to get me where i want to be at that time.

second, thanks for everyone else that responded as it helped me make my decision even more. i've decided, since everyone pretty much says you can't compare the ssv/bdv to the pd because they compliment each other, that ill being going with the PD first.

i figured id go with the PD first because, like i said previously most of the time im smoking solo before im going to go to bed and i figure if my friends want to start vapeing with me more often id just sell the PD and grab a SSV, or keep the PD and get the DB ( depending on my employment at the time ). also since its my first vape and it's just a "plug n play" type vape it'll be easier for me instead of having to adjust the temps n all that stuff.

so once i hear back from this company letting me know if i got this job or not i'll be ordering a PD . id order it now but im gona be waaaay to tempted to use it if i comes before i have to take a drug test for this job.

thanks again for all the replies. great forum by the way. ill definitely be sticking around

 

[max]

Wise decision johnny. It is a great vaporizer, and yes, do hang around because we are indeed a great forum.

 

[Beezleb]

beezleb...have you played around with letting your DB warm up a little more? I wonder if you get different results. The Extreme boasts being able to warm up in a couple minutes, but I find the hits are thicker and more consistent if I let it warm up for about 20 minutes. Point being, I know you can hit your DB after one or two minutes of warm up, but does it work better if given longer, like mine?

I never gawked at the 30 min warm up time of the PD, simply because I already let my E warm up for 20. And, in reality, it usually gets even longer. My usual night goes like this:

-turn on the E to warm up
-hit the Genie while waiting
-get a snack and check out what's on the tube
-forget the E is warming up
-remember the E is warming up, 40 minutes later
-take a huge hit from the E
-repeat until passed out

Ive had my buddha for about 6 months and used it every way possible so to speak. I notice no difference between starting it up and if its been on awhile.

The DB heats up as close to instantly as I think you can get. Literally I turn the DB on and cut up my plant material and by the time I put it into the wand im good to go.

 

[Purple-Days]

And get that DBV too !

No hurry, JGS. You have narrowed it down. But be sure to get both some day.

 

[SpiralArchitect]

It is a great vaporizer, and yes, do hang around because we are indeed a great forum.

You got one thing right, the PD is a great vaporizer.

We aren't a 'great forum' though. We fucking rock.

Enjoy the PD dude, let us know how it fulfills (and exceeds) any (aspiring or hardcore) vaporists dreams!

 

[Purple-Days]

Thanks SA, this place is the best. A bit more cerebral and tolerant than most flame pits, by about, cubed.

And thanks to everyone who posted.

Just for anybody jumping in... The PD takes thirty minutes to heat to the vapor zone... At about 45 minutes and there-after (forever?) the unit is at full operating temps. Does that sound crazy? Depends...

The unit is meant to be left on 24/7 (but can be used in other ways). After initial warm-up it is ready to go at an instant, there is zero pre-heat time. Always ready. It's less than 8 watts.

Some folks use a timer to pre-heat the unit for their favorite vaping times, like 45 minutes before you get off work. Or a countdown timer set at bedtime, so the unit is ready at wake-up. Up to you to save the world, or not...

On the bowl size : Dunno??? I haven't owned a scale in a while. We used fingers to judge a bag...

I thought .02 sounded low, but I'm scientist enough to take a single test at it's face value. I figured more in the 20-25 bowls per gram, but that was just an un-educated guess. Just an eyeball figure. ( talking- ground, dry, un-vaped weight)

 

[stonemonkey55]

Tom, you got a new customer, I'll be placing my order shortly...can't wait!

 

[stickstones]

Tom, I placed question this in another thread but will here as well...Does the PD have a way to let me know it is sufficiently warmed up via the LED or some other way?
Thanks!

 

[vaporcloud]

Stick, the LED doesn't indicate if the PD is up to temp. The only way is to check the clock when you turn it on

I can't see the issue with leaving the PD on 24x7. I do ... the heater doesn't seem to mind one bit ... th wood stays warm which is kinda cool ... and the hits are pure and tasty.

I can't add much that hasn't already been said.

Either of these 3 vapes would be good. You gotta throw in the VaporCannon as well. The warranty and happy owners testimony to a great vape

My perfect combo would be the PD and DBV. Can't see the point in fancy whips