Puffco proxy vs. evolv cricket

SquirrelMaster

Well-Known Member
Yesterday was my first day with the Cricket. Started this morning at 4:20am with little Jiminy.

I'll be able to provide you with a better answer as the days go on, but so far my takeaway is this. The Cricket screams quality. Temperature control is spot on. It's tiny and is barely noticeable in my pocket. Flavor is 👌.
 

florduh

Well-Known Member
me and @Oil420FL still waiting for someone to directly compare the Proxy and the Cricket.

696100049d96ea29462071e5f2a38ffd.jpg
 

biohacker

HREAM
I think the Proxy is out for me now for two reasons:

1. the heatup time (30s?). I was using 5s with the cricket for a while, and while okay, I am now at 0s and love it way more!

2. session vape. Once the proxy is up to temp it stays there right? So if you're not hitting it, it's still heating the walls? I like being able to take a rip with the cricket, and then it cools quick and I don't feel "rushed" to chain hit, because of rapidly deteriorating flavour.

Seems like out of the box the proxy also needs a 3mm pearl and better even a ball cap for a much better experience. Considering its cost, and for me needing a WPA also, and hearing reports that the cricket flavour is way better, potential pooling, and all that silicone, I think i'll just grab an instant heat up lightning pen instead for a fraction of the cost.

Still will keep a watchful eye out on it, but the proxy has dropped way down my vas list until the price plummets.
 

invertedisdead

PHASE3
Manufacturer
You're going to get "pooling" with any device if you don't completely vaporize what you load. That's temperature dependent more than device dependent. You could have a puddle even from a ruby or SiC dab if you go in too low to finish it. I think the Cricket has more surface area, but the Proxy has a more conductive surface.

IMHO the biggest flaw with the Proxy is really no different from what I see on the Cricket, you get oil condensing into places you can't clean between dabs without a full teardown, and that oil is still cooking between every dab you load. I doubt either can honestly compete with a car washed banger for absolute peak flavor, but the convenience and ease of use for these newer e-rigs is pretty impressive.
 

florduh

Well-Known Member
I doubt either can honestly compete with a car washed banger for absolute peak flavor, but the convenience and ease of use for these newer e-rigs is pretty impressive.

I watched Troy's video on how he uses and cleans his Terp Slurper. I'm sure it tastes wonderful. But his whole process of dunking the thing in ISO and killing multiple q-tips every time was wild to me.

I do want my dabs to taste good. But there's diminishing returns at a certain point.

As far as a pearl in the Proxy.... I think it's mostly beneficial for lower temps and larger dabs. If you pump it up to higher temps with decently small dabs and it's a great one or two hitter.

The heat up time is high coming from crucible wax pens. But it takes about as much time as a cold start torch dab.
 

Cheebsy

Microbe minion
The heat up time is high coming from crucible wax pens. But it takes about as much time as a cold start torch dab.
I remember you attributing comfortable dry concentrate hits to a short heat up time and less residual heat in the device. Does the proxy not suffer in this regard? If not, Do you think it's because you don't inhale from above the dabbing surface keeping a lot of the vapour path cooler?

I'm getting quite tempted by either the proxy or the cricket, the lighting pen is nice but I need a bit more vapour path to get comfortable hits making it slightly less portable.
 

florduh

Well-Known Member
I remember you attributing comfortable dry concentrate hits to a short heat up time and less residual heat in the device. Does the proxy not suffer in this regard? If not, Do you think it's because you don't inhale from above the dabbing surface keeping a lot of the vapour path cooler?

Yeah you're correct on both. The pipe setup radiates heat upwards into the carb cap rather than directly into a mouthpiece like every other wax pen.

The actual heating element embedded into the cup is much smaller than something like the DTv5. It's also a slightly smaller cup. My feeling is this helps with the radiant heat issue as well.

The Proxy is small, but the stem is longer than every other stock wax pen. And if the stock isn't long enough...

proxy-wizard-promo-1.png



I'm getting quite tempted by either the proxy or the cricket, the lighting pen is nice but I need a bit more vapour path to get comfortable hits making it slightly less portable.

I don't think anyone's complained about the Cricket being too hot. The Cricket is probably a more convenient portable too since it's not made out of glass.

I imagine there's some comparison reviews coming out soon that might help you decide.
 

biohacker

HREAM
So I was chatting with a dude on the Evolv discord a little while ago that got his Cricket, and also owns a Proxy and Lightning Pen. He said that the Cricket beats them both in every category for on the go use, and is his favourite of them all. Since i've been considering a Proxy and LP, I of course had a few questions, and after our brief convo i've pretty much crossed them both off my VAS list.

I'll just copy quote

"I'm still unsure about the proxy because I haven't been using it as much as I should due to getting all these devices in such a short time span. I did notice that when the proxy vapor outlet is facing away from the the stem, I can taste the silicon. It's awful. When I position the outlet facing the stem, it does taste much better. I need to use it more though. As for the LP, at this point it's a back up to the Cricket. It tastes and hits great but for on the go you need to bring a dab jar and tool which kinda puts a damper on the portability factor. The Proxy really is different from the two as it is strictly a home device and you can put much bigger dabs in it."

Is the issue because the Proxy hasn't been 'worked in'? I'm sensitive, and didn't like the peak pro due to silicone. I could taste it affecting my dab purity. The Xmax Qomo was absolutely repulsive with rubber stench.

"Yeah if you're sensitive to silicon and couldn't use the pro for that reason then I would stay away from the proxy. I can smell the silicon even when it's cold. The LP you just need to load really tiny dabs. I mean it, they have to be extremely small, but it will still rip."

"Yeah if you have a cricket you're not missing much with the LP"

So yeah due to the silicone of the proxy and the ultra micro dab size of the LP I think i'll just stick with my chirper for now, and consider the core 2 for bigger dabs and vas quenching lol

What do you think? I keep hearing conflicting reports on the silicone but perhaps it all just comes down to sensitivity?
 

BabyFacedFinster

Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing.
So I was chatting with a dude on the Evolv discord a little while ago that got his Cricket, and also owns a Proxy and Lightning Pen. He said that the Cricket beats them both in every category for on the go use, and is his favourite of them all. Since i've been considering a Proxy and LP, I of course had a few questions, and after our brief convo i've pretty much crossed them both off my VAS list.

I'll just copy quote

"I'm still unsure about the proxy because I haven't been using it as much as I should due to getting all these devices in such a short time span. I did notice that when the proxy vapor outlet is facing away from the the stem, I can taste the silicon. It's awful. When I position the outlet facing the stem, it does taste much better. I need to use it more though. As for the LP, at this point it's a back up to the Cricket. It tastes and hits great but for on the go you need to bring a dab jar and tool which kinda puts a damper on the portability factor. The Proxy really is different from the two as it is strictly a home device and you can put much bigger dabs in it."

Is the issue because the Proxy hasn't been 'worked in'? I'm sensitive, and didn't like the peak pro due to silicone. I could taste it affecting my dab purity. The Xmax Qomo was absolutely repulsive with rubber stench.

"Yeah if you're sensitive to silicon and couldn't use the pro for that reason then I would stay away from the proxy. I can smell the silicon even when it's cold. The LP you just need to load really tiny dabs. I mean it, they have to be extremely small, but it will still rip."

"Yeah if you have a cricket you're not missing much with the LP"

So yeah due to the silicone of the proxy and the ultra micro dab size of the LP I think i'll just stick with my chirper for now, and consider the core 2 for bigger dabs and vas quenching lol

What do you think? I keep hearing conflicting reports on the silicone but perhaps it all just comes down to sensitivity?

These comparisons can be mesmerizing, and I think some of it is in the eyes of the beholder.

I don't have a Proxy because for the cost, I didn't see what it gives me beyond my Core erig. They're just about as poorly portable, although I use my Core with water, you're not sticking either one in a pocket. For half the price, when my Core dies (and it hasn't after daily use for 2 years) I'll prob replace it with a Core 2. I've already up-modded it with the V5 and all the Core 2 trimmings anyway. And when on sale, you can get a Core 2 for around $120 or less. That's around the cost of two Proxy heater replacements.

The LP has promise if the cooling factor is improved. I find that even with a RWW dimpled glass stem, the hits tend to be hot for me. Until that, it sits in a drawer. Even for using out and about, you still need to bring a toothpick or tiny dab tool and a q-tip to load and clean. I get better stealth from my trusty OG Terp pen. Just smear that tip in your jar, rip it with the cap on, and then no cleaning in between hits. And the hits aren't hot at all, something that I still can't explain but it's true.

The Cricket is fun, and is quite different from the other two. I don't think it's gonna replace my Core, but it platoons with it very well. The Cricket does two things the Core can't. It is much more portable for out and about, AND the Cricket nails flavor town. The Cricket brings out terp flavor in the first two hits that are much more muted with the Core. The Core hits are more intense and a bit cooler than the cricket. The Core bucket just needs a quick wipe with a dry qtip, the Cricket requires a bit more detail in cleaning with a qtip and some iso, and sometimes a iso wipe.

None of them completely replace any other.
 

JCat

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
So I was chatting with a dude on the Evolv discord a little while ago that got his Cricket, and also owns a Proxy and Lightning Pen. He said that the Cricket beats them both in every category for on the go use, and is his favourite of them all. Since i've been considering a Proxy and LP, I of course had a few questions, and after our brief convo i've pretty much crossed them both off my VAS list.

I'll just copy quote

"I'm still unsure about the proxy because I haven't been using it as much as I should due to getting all these devices in such a short time span. I did notice that when the proxy vapor outlet is facing away from the the stem, I can taste the silicon. It's awful. When I position the outlet facing the stem, it does taste much better. I need to use it more though. As for the LP, at this point it's a back up to the Cricket. It tastes and hits great but for on the go you need to bring a dab jar and tool which kinda puts a damper on the portability factor. The Proxy really is different from the two as it is strictly a home device and you can put much bigger dabs in it."

Is the issue because the Proxy hasn't been 'worked in'? I'm sensitive, and didn't like the peak pro due to silicone. I could taste it affecting my dab purity. The Xmax Qomo was absolutely repulsive with rubber stench.

"Yeah if you're sensitive to silicon and couldn't use the pro for that reason then I would stay away from the proxy. I can smell the silicon even when it's cold. The LP you just need to load really tiny dabs. I mean it, they have to be extremely small, but it will still rip."

"Yeah if you have a cricket you're not missing much with the LP"

So yeah due to the silicone of the proxy and the ultra micro dab size of the LP I think i'll just stick with my chirper for now, and consider the core 2 for bigger dabs and vas quenching lol

What do you think? I keep hearing conflicting reports on the silicone but perhaps it all just comes down to sensitivity?
Personally, I much prefer the Proxy over the cricket, in pretty much every category; and have not noticed any silicone taste at all (not sure how the Core would be different then the proxy in terms of silicone, they both have a bunch just like the Peak and all of these devices, although the amount varies).

I will post a more detailed comparison when I get a chance, but after a week of use of my Cricket, I find it's just sitting there and I don't have much desire to use it or take it with me for on-the-go. I find it messy, it's not efficient due to the loss due to splatter, under the tub, etc. It's an extremally high maintenance device in my opinion, as far as frequency of maintenance required including removing tub etc., vs the proxy that you can use a week straight with dozens of dabs and just wiping down clean. Deep cleaning the proxy is also a breeze (although I've only done my 3d chamber once and likely didn't have to, but the rest is super easy to clean and just stays clean for my usage)

I find the flavour on the Proxy to be much better than the Cricket as well ... really brings out the terps in my different rosins; I even bought some nice fresh frozen hash rosin to try, and also much prefer the Proxy to the Cricket with that.

The efficiency on the Proxy is also much better, I can put a reasonable size dab in there (1/2 rice to rice size), and get 3-4 really nice milky hits on green, or I can boost it up to white and boost mode to get 1-2 really dense hits. It's just a really great dry device so far. And I just keep reaching for it due to the fact that its a pleasure to use, and just puff on at green while watching a show or something.

I really want to like the Cricket, but find I can't get more than one ok tasting hit at best ... and regardless of temperature, quantity, draw speed, different materials, etc., although changing these things can make it acceptable, that's about the best I could get it to. I find I can get acceptable flavour, performance, efficiency, clouds, but that's about it (and acceptable is likely generous ... personally I find the qualify of all those things to be maybe even be a little less than acceptable ... maybe useable is a closer term)

Anyways ... after a week of use of the Crikcet, and a month with the Proxy, still love my Proxy, and thinking about selling my Cricket as I doubt I will really use it.

Honestly, after a few weeks of use, the Proxy still comes out pretty much daily along with my enail/banger/ruby, and/or a bottomless banger with v5.
 

invertedisdead

PHASE3
Manufacturer
From the Evolv thread:

Its engineered plastic, however, not sure of the type.

The Ti tub has a low thermal conductivity and it's air gapped from the plastic housing according to Evolv.

Kinda looks like PEEK.

The silicone in the Proxy is air gapped from the heater too, but the vapor still makes contact with all these surfaces, as evidenced by any condensation present.
 

Vapetothegrave

Vape2thegrave
Company Rep
Personally, I much prefer the Proxy over the cricket, in pretty much every category; and have not noticed any silicone taste at all (not sure how the Core would be different then the proxy in terms of silicone, they both have a bunch just like the Peak and all of these devices, although the amount varies).

I will post a more detailed comparison when I get a chance, but after a week of use of my Cricket, I find it's just sitting there and I don't have much desire to use it or take it with me for on-the-go. I find it messy, it's not efficient due to the loss due to splatter, under the tub, etc. It's an extremally high maintenance device in my opinion, as far as frequency of maintenance required including removing tub etc., vs the proxy that you can use a week straight with dozens of dabs and just wiping down clean. Deep cleaning the proxy is also a breeze (although I've only done my 3d chamber once and likely didn't have to, but the rest is super easy to clean and just stays clean for my usage)

I find the flavour on the Proxy to be much better than the Cricket as well ... really brings out the terps in my different rosins; I even bought some nice fresh frozen hash rosin to try, and also much prefer the Proxy to the Cricket with that.

The efficiency on the Proxy is also much better, I can put a reasonable size dab in there (1/2 rice to rice size), and get 3-4 really nice milky hits on green, or I can boost it up to white and boost mode to get 1-2 really dense hits. It's just a really great dry device so far. And I just keep reaching for it due to the fact that its a pleasure to use, and just puff on at green while watching a show or something.

I really want to like the Cricket, but find I can't get more than one ok tasting hit at best ... and regardless of temperature, quantity, draw speed, different materials, etc., although changing these things can make it acceptable, that's about the best I could get it to. I find I can get acceptable flavour, performance, efficiency, clouds, but that's about it (and acceptable is likely generous ... personally I find the qualify of all those things to be maybe even be a little less than acceptable ... maybe useable is a closer term)

Anyways ... after a week of use of the Crikcet, and a month with the Proxy, still love my Proxy, and thinking about selling my Cricket as I doubt I will really use it.

Honestly, after a few weeks of use, the Proxy still comes out pretty much daily along with my enail/banger/ruby, and/or a bottomless banger with v5.
Thank you for the detailed review! I've been on the fence about purchasing since the price drop to 250$ but I ultimately felt since I have a proxy already I would just be creating another use case for me that I would need to fill. Glad to hear I'm not missing out that much.
 

StoneyBeached

Well-Known Member
I dabbled in concentrates for a very short time and had a puffco peak, but I never liked it so I am not sure a Proxy would be something I am interested in. The Cricket seems to be more up my alley, small form factor, quick 1 or 2 hits on demand. Can anyone who has one speak to the cleaning? Are the heat up and cool down times really as advertised? In the summer I am big on hiking, how is the battery life, would it last all day? Thank you in advance!
 

Vapetothegrave

Vape2thegrave
Company Rep
I dabbled in concentrates for a very short time and had a puffco peak, but I never liked it so I am not sure a Proxy would be something I am interested in. The Cricket seems to be more up my alley, small form factor, quick 1 or 2 hits on demand. Can anyone who has one speak to the cleaning? Are the heat up and cool down times really as advertised? In the summer I am big on hiking, how is the battery life, would it last all day? Thank you in advance!
I wouldn't compare the peak to the proxy, I also disliked the peak. The airflow and atomizer are way better on the proxy than any peak IMO. Even with the 3D chamber.

I'd more look at the form factor and what you are looking for there. the proxy is not pocketable like the cricket but is still very easily brought around.
 
Vapetothegrave,
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