Plug ins versus Portables - general discussion

[plume]

I've used a plug in Vapor Bros Whip style (read: lots of prep/time) for years and I've found that during the process I generally lose interest in vaporizing herb and simply go back to smoking for weeks at a time - I'll get guilty about smoking for some reason and return to the vaporizer only to become discouraged with it and, yes return to my butane lighter and bowl (yuck, right?)

I think in the interest of being an American consumer perhaps buying something more up-to-date would pique my interest in vaporizing again. Portability is a secondary concern over straight up convenience. I would love to use something on my front porch, the Vapor Bros does not allow for this. That said I want something quality that actually vaporizes and not burns my herbs. Some of these handheld devices reviews are claiming that they're nice portable electronic smoking utensils, and nothing more, in fact I came very close to purchasing a Atmos RX today especially after the stunning review in HighTimes - further inspection revealed that you literally place the herb directly on the heating element and I don't believe that's how you achieve a true vapor. What I've learned with the whip style vaporizer is that there should be some air space/air flow between the heating element and the herb otherwise you've got yourself a fancy and fashionable HOT KNIFE, not an actual vaporizer.

I'd love to hear from some folks who have used whip style vaporizers and who have used more modern devices. Can't we do better than the Volcano's price point and still get something fairly temp accurate? Battery technology is absurd now... what is the best hand held device. What do you think is the best table top plug in device? How does this compare to what I've already used? (whip style vaporizers) any input is appreciated!

 

[Buildozer]

you might like the vapor genie.. its simple, affordable, and portable.. uses a lighter or torch.. you can pick it up and just start vaping.. it has a learning curve.. the solo is an awesome portable.. its supposed to have a long battery life also. you can find it for $160 at PlanetVape.ca using a FC discount code.

 

[FrogBoy138]

What is it about the VB that you don't like is it the grinding or the heat up time? Other then the prep time dose your vaporizer give you good hits. When you ask what's the best "very subjective". are you asking for the biggest hitting vaporizer or conservation maybe the best looking. Yes we can beat the Volcano's price and still get something very temp accurate but this will be way easier if you tell us what your looking for and how much your looking to spend.

 

[clouded vision]

I would definitely give the solo some serious consideration. I had a vapor brothers knock off for years before purchasing a solo & just like you I could never get away from combusting. I finally decided to step it up & buy a solo after my cat threw my steamroller onto my bong taking out both pieces at the same time. I did a significant amount of research before I finally settled on the solo. Like you portability was important to me but stealth wasn't really a huge issue. At $160 from a retailer or as low as $130 shipped on ebay, you really can't get much more for your money. The battery life is as good as any other battery powered vape I know of, the taste is great, it is extremely easy to use (I think even easier than using a combustion piece), there is little to no learning curve, it easily pairs with most water pieces if that's your thing, it is extremely efficient, There are 7 different heat settings that seem to be fairly consistent (I cannot say they are 100% accurate to what arizer claims each setting is as I haven't tested them but it always gives the same effect at each temperature setting so I assume they are fairly close to the advertised temperatures). The only reason I see to get a different portable is if stealth is your number one concern.

 

[plume]

What is it about the VB that you don't like is it the grinding or the heat up time? Other then the prep time dose your vaporizer give you good hits. When you ask what's the best "very subjective". are you asking for the biggest hitting vaporizer or conservation maybe the best looking. Yes we can beat the Volcano's price and still get something very temp accurate but this will be way easier if you tell us what your looking for and how much your looking to spend.

Thank you, fair questions to get to something I might enjoy more. I decided to fire of the VB again just now to remind myself what I like and don't like about it. The heat up time is a little long and basically it's just the entire process. I grind herb whether I'm smoking or vaporizing and use a kief box so that's a non-issue for me. It's the waiting for the element to heat - it takes long conscious draws from the whip to get a good quality hit that's not too smokey but still powerful enough to create the desired effects. I rarely smoke in social settings but it would be cool to be able to simply hand a device to another user with out having to switch positions on the couch. Again being able to use this w/out a plug is probably more important to me than I originally thought. The wife prefers me to use outside even when vaporizing.

The VB works well and is a quality device but it's all about having the time and desire to use it, which I often do not have. What I found is that if I can pick it up and put it in my hand quickly and easily, I'll use it. That's why I've always gone back to the bowl. There is also a learning curve to those whip style vaporizers and for me it's not a big deal because I learned quickly what works and what doesn't. Ultimately I'm thinking about portability and convenience in a quality piece. I'd love to spend less than $200 however I'd be willing to spend upwards to $300 if I was assured of quality and durability.

I would definitely give the solo some serious consideration. I had a vapor brothers knock off for years before purchasing a solo & just like you I could never get away from combusting. I finally decided to step it up & buy a solo after my cat threw my steamroller onto my bong taking out both pieces at the same time. I did a significant amount of research before I finally settled on the solo. Like you portability was important to me but stealth wasn't really a huge issue. At $160 from a retailer or as low as $130 shipped on ebay, you really can't get much more for your money. The battery life is as good as any other battery powered vape I know of, the taste is great, it is extremely easy to use (I think even easier than using a combustion piece), there is little to no learning curve, it easily pairs with most water pieces if that's your thing, it is extremely efficient, There are 7 different heat settings that seem to be fairly consistent (I cannot say they are 100% accurate to what arizer claims each setting is as I have tested them but italways gives the same effect at each temperature setting so I assume they are fairly close to the advertised temperatures). The only reason I see to get a different portable is if stealth is your number one concern.

Thanks! I've heard really good things about this unit and it's probably what I'll go for in the end. I'm letting aesthetics influence my decision a bit and the one thing that you mention is that it's not stealthy, and no it is not - but if it's portable enough and works well I think that has to trump aesthetics. I have this vision of a super slim vaporizer that works with flowers (east coast folks don't have the same luxuries) basically an e-cig but until I have access to that sort of thing I need a unit that does flowers well. Thanks again for the input. I have an array of local shops that carry vaporizers, think I'll call around and try to buy local first...


mod note: When possible, please avoid making back-to-back posts in a thread. Use the Edit feature located at the bottom of your posts.

 

[clouded vision]

The more you share, the more the solo seems to be exactly what you are looking for. In addition to everything I posted above, the heat up time is under 3 minutes (including a 30 second period to heat soak your biomass), it is extremely easy to pass around, you might not enjoy the restricted draw at first but it actually makes it easier to get a consistent hit every single time, no more focusing on your draw speed to milk a hit & it is extremely easy to load. All I do is have my herbs pre-ground & I simply dig my stem into a pile of ground herb to load it. If you put a domed screen in the stem, you can pack it as tight as you would like & it comes out evenly browned every single time without having to stir it all.

Just so I don't sound like a shill, the Ascent is supposed to be as good as the solo with an all glass air path & more adjustable temperature control but it also hasn't been released yet (should be any day now though) so it is difficult to say what it will really be like. The only person on here who has tried one is one of the mods pak & he claims it will be a good beginner vape, especially for someone who has used a box vape before, but that leads me to believe that there is little or no draw restriction so you will still be focusing on draw speed to get the best hits.

edit: I just read your additional post, you could also check out the thermovape threads as those look a lot more like an e-cig. If you can find a used T1 it would be in your price range but the cera is much more. I have no experience with either unit but have heard they are both better for oil then flowers, although they are probably the closest to being able to do both oils & flowers efficiently from what I have read. Also you should try to avoid double posts whenever possible by hitting edit at the bottom of your post. It drives the mods crazy.

 

[plume]

you might like the vapor genie.. its simple, affordable, and portable.. uses a lighter or torch.. you can pick it up and just start vaping.. it has a learning curve.. the solo is an awesome portable.. its supposed to have a long battery life also. you can find it for $160 at PlanetVape.ca using a FC discount code.

thank you! that puts it within the "I can justify trying this" price range!

 

[FrogBoy138]

The Solo, sounds like it will do most of what you want even a little faster heat up time. I would think your going to pay much more a LHS maybe $220. Good luck

 

[clouded vision]

My LHS has a solo for $300, I couldn't believe it considering I paid less than half that

 

[plume]

The Solo, sounds like it will do most of what you want even a little faster heat up time. I would think your going to pay much more a LHS maybe $220. Good luck

as much as I love supporting local folks, you're right. The deals on eBay are too enticing. almost $100 less.

I just pulled the trigger on the SOLO. thanks for the input, I'll post a follow up once I get it in my hands and try it out!

Mod note: When possible, please avoid making back-to-back posts in a thread. Use the Edit feature located at the bottom of your posts. Posts merged.

 

[vaporonly]

I've never used a VB so I don't know how good it is, but my SSV is a whip vape and I didn't find myself switching back to smoking because of the prep and that it takes longer then combusting.

All vaporizers from a cold start are going to take longer then shoving your meds in a pipe and sparking it up, it's just a fact of life.

I leave my SSV on all day and night sometimes, and when it's already heated it's quick to start vaping. Log vapes can be left on 24/7 for a ready to go experience.

Not sure where I'm going with this but there is some prep and some heatup time with vaporizing, and you often have to pay more attention to your draw.

Also check out the The Hammer, it's a portable vape that heats up rather quickly

 

[plume]

there's also something a little esoteric about pulling a hit of proper smoke into your lungs now and then. I was fairly religious about my VB for quite some time, I enjoyed the process, the ritual of it all. Now I'm quick and dirty again I guess? Will see how the Solo works for me.

 

[Egzoset]

Salutations Plume,

...something more up-to-date would pique my interest in vaporizing again.

Hummm... This reminds me of my own quest for the missing link, good luck!

...

As a former smoker though you may like to give fire a real try.

 

[pakalolo]

All vaporizers from a cold start are going to take longer then shoving your meds in a pipe and sparking it up, it's just a fact of life.

This is not correct. I have within my reach three vapourizers that produce vapour within 5 seconds: the Palm 2.0, the MFLB, and the FlashVAPE. The FV with the Stage 2 3.7V battery used inverted requires no learning curve whatsoever and has a unrestricted draw that lets you pull as hard as you like without affecting the vapour production.

 

[Egzoset]

Salutations,

...within my reach three vapourizers that produce vapour within 5 seconds: the Palm 2.0, the MFLB, and the FlashVAPE.

Interresting, all 3 are operating on similar principles, exept the FV-S2 which took this just a little bit further. Relatively to self-moisturization, running on electricity means there's no H2O added as in an ideal butane-burning reaction so i wonder if my herb's naturally-contained water would prove to be sufficient when released is such short delay, even this brief - but quite frankly i'd fear i'd still risk finding it too dry for my own taste.

 

[vaporonly]

This is not correct. I have within my reach three vapourizers that produce vapour within 5 seconds: the Palm 2.0, the MFLB, and the FlashVAPE. The FV with the Stage 2 3.7V battery used inverted requires no learning curve whatsoever and has a unrestricted draw that lets you pull as hard as you like without affecting the vapour production.

i understand where you are coming from and I'm glad you point this out because those are the quick ones, but I will stay with my opinion that even those 5 secs are going to be longer then the time it would take to bring a lighter up to meds and start combustion right?

If the intricacies of a whip vape have the OP going back to combusting, I would imagine the MFLB would as well. And even with the quick start up time the MFLB from my experience takes a long time for it to take me to the level I want to be.

I hope the OP enjoys his Solo!

 

[Egzoset]

Salutations Vaporonly,

...I will stay with my opinion that even those 5 secs are going to be longer then the time it would take to bring a lighter up to meds and start combustion right?

At the moment using my "2-Stones" 3rd modded version of the VaporGenie i'd argue that 5 seconds is slightly more time than i seem to require in order to turn my front "foamy rock" sufficiently red (a few more seconds being devoted to inhalation completion with my fire source removed). A whole "1 Hit" session in "turbo" mode lasts about the same as before but fuel consumption went down and a blue flame might improve that even more, yet i manage to avoid combustion more and more as i climb the learning curve. In any case, a few seconds wouldn't matter to me but dryness sure does so perhaps the MLFB ain't too bad since it comes with a bong adapter as i recall, after all...

As a result i happen to be very curious to see what the OP thinks about this. The Arizer Solo looks like a portable HerbalAire to me and i vividly remember trying to moisturize my HA cannabic vapour...

 

[mvapes]

I could totally see where speed is so hard to judge between combustion and vapor. It's actually hard to judge cause some members have clouds and log's that are going 24/7. On the other hand simply packing a bowl vs a stem or an elb is a completely different story.

 

[Egzoset]

Salutations MVapes,

...simply packing a bowl vs a stem or an elb is a completely different story.

Do you really find that hard to tell when combustion occured after removing the top ball of a VG (to look at a spent bowl), for example?

I could totally see where speed is so hard to judge between combustion and vapor.

The last time i tried to measure my timing it seemed to range between ~6 to 10 seconds (max.) for a single "1 Hit" session; approximately 50 % to 2/3rd of the initial time was dedicated to "turbo" style heating (preferably torching...) and the rest was for inhalation using residual energy only. I think i rarely heat for much longer than 4 seconds and when i do that's a consequence of using my Lotus Gaucho which is clearly defective, or some other poor choice of lighter that won't provide a stable flame. The Lotus feels too hot anyway, instead i've come to prefer the operating range of my Xikar but the tank is too small or it's leaking, whatever... My point is that under some favourable conditions i'm obtaining a satisfying score and i can always tell when i've combusted just by checking the bowl.

 

[pakalolo]

i understand where you are coming from and I'm glad you point this out because those are the quick ones, but I will stay with my opinion that even those 5 secs are going to be longer then the time it would take to bring a lighter up to meds and start combustion right?

The FV is actually finished producing a hit after 5 seconds in Stage 1 (conduction) mode. I think the difference even for the other devices is insignificant.

 

[Meghan]

I love my Solo and think it's a fine vape to quit combustion, but I would also echo that a log style vaporizer (like my fave, the Underdog) makes vaping a no-brainer. Mine are on 24/7, so all that's required to take my first hit is loading my stem (if I haven't already pre-loaded, which I often do), which takes about the same amount of time as loading a bowl. Draw speed is still a consideration, to some extent, but to me, that's just a mental adjustment one must make to get the most out of vaping vs. combustion. If the OP has access to oils, a pen like the O-PHOS will also provide nice, big instantaneous hits. After the initial loading of a cartridge (which might take 5-10 minutes), you get roughly 400 hits, which could last you quite a while, depending on your usage.

I smoked for 14 years and have been vaping for under three months. I find it no more difficult in any way.

 

[plume]

I received the Solo unit yesterday after finding one on eBay. I was a little skeptical and almost wished I had gotten through a reputable site but it seems just fine. Came in a plain cardboard package w/ just a quick run down on how to insert the glass stem into the unit. Charged it, fired it up and I'd say there's zero learning curve. It actually creates a higher quality, better tasting vapor than my old VB box with 1/4 less fuss. So far I love it and have no desire for the bowl thus far. Thanks for all the input, glad I took the time to research this.

 

[FrogBoy138]

I'm glad you enjoy your new tool the main reason to buy from a authorized dealer is warranty.
When you buy from ebay the warranty is voided most of the time. Rumor has it Arizer will sometimes honor it anyways. Good luck keep it fully charged and the battery will last much longer!

 

[vaporonly]

good to hear you're happy with it! enjoy, I'd like to get a solo at some point...