SideKick by Elev8 Vehicles

[Custom Flower Hardware]

99% sure that the Sidekick is no more convective in operation than the Boundless CFX which has received endless shit for a similar claim. Perhaps Vitolo is basing this partially off results, which may be deceptively convection-"like" as I have found with the Boundless. Very strong radiant heat can provide free-flowing clouds that conduction vapes are traditionally incapable of producing.

I guess it could be considered a morph of the 2, convection/conduction. Same as the mighty. The ring part heats up the chamber as the air comes under the load and passes threw it. The length on the vapor path then cools it considerably, not to mention the bubbler. Makes for a tasty session.

 

[Vitolo]

There are as I said conductive components... but a purely conductive vaporizer depends on a tight pack, and herb being in tight proximity with itself so it can bake in it's chamber.
The Sidekick does not perform like that. It does not work well with tightly packed loads, and as does any convection vape... SideKick requires stirring between hits (Like the SSV itself).
The built in stirring device is there so that hot air can effectively pass through the herb which you are stirring.
A conductive vape does not do all that well with a tiny load sitting loosely in a chamber.
I can use a pinch in the sideKick and get great hits.

I guess it could be considered a morph of the 2, convection/conduction.

I think that was my point.
I have contacted 7th Floor and they will clarify this here in a short time.
Meanwhile.... While we wait research has found a couple of online answers:

With all due respect, this is news to me and not how it was presented.

Actually (and with all due respect) That is EXACTLY how it was presented.
The Indica on it's website describes the unit as a conduction vape..... that if filled very loosely with a small amount of herbal matter will provide some convection activity.
Go to http://www.vaporizerchief.com/sidekick-vaporizer/ and you will find the following:
The SideKick is very interesting and uses convection heating technology to power the vaporizer to heat at the precise levels it gets to.
The entire vaporizer is built out of high quality stainless steel, you will notice the difference in durability from all the resistant materials that the SideKick uses like the stainless steel frame, the all glass vaporization path and the powerful but precise convection heating system makes the SideKick a great start when buying a portable vaporizer.

Then go to 7th Floor website at
http://7thfloorvapes.com/index.php/seventhfloorvapes/vaporizers/handheld/sidekick.html and you will find that 7th Floor itself agrees with my analysis (and other members like @ShayWhiteGrow) that the unit is a hybrid. This information is still on the website, and is 7th Floor LLCs current position:
Stir the bowl with a push of your thumb! The SideKick is a
conduction/convection hybrid vaporizer.

 

[stickstones]

imo, the Sidekick is all or damn near all conduction. I'd love to hear if 7th floor thinks differently and can show us, but while I was doing my testing and was having conversations with them about it it seemed pretty clear that it is conduction. I think they backed off their earlier claims of convection going on.

My conclusion was that it is a conduction vape with a lot of design bells and whistles like the stir took, removable cooling rod and modular design. I love it with whole nuggets and it gets my herbs darker than just about any other vape I have, when used normally.

I don't typically like conduction vapes, but have started to warm up to them for certain situations. The only ones I use are the Sidekick and the Boundless vapes.

 

[YungLeaner]

I don't think a vaporizer needs a tight pack requirement to be labeled conduction. Conduction means that the heat in the vapor comes from the walls of the oven, not from the hot air moving through the oven upon inhale.

 

[MinnBobber]

I don't think a vaporizer needs a tight pack requirement to be labeled conduction. Conduction means that the heat in the vapor comes from the walls of the oven, not from the hot air moving through the oven upon inhale.

..........................................
On a conduction vape : without a tight pack, the heat does not transfer properly from the outer herb areas to the inner herb areas (the center of the chamber).
Outer can be very brown and center ...not.

 

[YungLeaner]

..........................................
On a conduction vape : without a tight pack, the heat does not transfer properly from the outer herb areas to the inner herb areas (the center of the chamber).
Outer can be very brown and center ...not.

I know a tight vape is preferable I was mostly implying that the Sidekick is a conduction, not convection vaporizer

 

[Vitolo]

I messaged back and forth with the owner of 7th Floor LLC... The creator of Da Buddha, Life Saber, SSV, SSSV, and SideKick.
I told him of our conversation here, and he wrote me his take on the topic, and said that I could quote him.
For doing dry herbs it is 80% conduction and 20% convection. For concentrates it is 50/50 conduction/convection.

He believes the air is heated by the outside of the heater, then as it passes through the heater it is using some heated air.
He said:

I think convection is more efficient for your herbs as it only vapes when air goes over it, while conduction vapes all the time. If by that definition, it is conduction. On the other hand, convection is inefficient when it comes to power. I think if you know you herbs are always being vaped while the SK is on, there is not a lot of waste in the vape as you are extracting regularly.

I was always convection convection as all our table top units are convection. As I started to make a portable I had to abandon all convection as I could not get it to work in a nice small form factor.

One thing I learned after doing this, is for concentrates to work really well, you kinda have to have the conduction. So, some how in my opinion nature granted us the perfect design for both herbs and concentrates.

Now with the ability to stir the bowl, I wonder if that helps make the SK more of a convection. In my opinion, after using the SK for months now and the SSV for a decade, I now feel conduction, convection means not so much as long as you can always stir the bowl, and the herbs are heated to the temp allowing vape. As long as a vape works I think it is good. I think the SK is the best on the market as it works well with both herbs and concentrates, and is very easy to clean, switch between herbs and oils, has the ability to run near forever with the ability to change the batteries, oh and 7th Floor made it with love and passion.

 

[subway13029]

Alright guys I'm in on the sidekick..got me a handy dandy unit to put through the paces and see how I like this baby..first impressions are it is a solid feeling vape..it has definitely got some weight..might be one of my heaviest portables..it is up there with minivap and battery attached..but it fits in the hand nice with its curves and I really like the accessories and the ability to take it apart to clean..so enough of first impressions..ill be back later to give a review of how I like her..and tips or tricks to this thing?

 

[Vitolo]

..and tips or tricks to this thing?

A medium grind (like oregano), and do not overpack the unit, so the stir works well.
The unit is fast to heat up.. so don't go get a drink while waiting for it to arrive at temperature.
Take note of the flavor!

(PAX buttons come to mind)

The Pax Button (on Pax 1) was a nightmare.

I know a tight vape is preferable I was mostly implying that the Sidekick is a conduction, not convection vaporizer

and you are correct, according to the creator of this vaporizer.
Those that felt it a convection system are not wrong, however, as some convection goes on.
Some portables like the Pax have no convection going on at all.
7th Floor LLC has it going on.

 

[YungLeaner]

A medium grind (like oregano), and do not overpack the unit, so the stir works well.
The unit is fast to heat up.. so don't go get a drink while waiting for it to arrive at temperature.
Take note of the flavor!

The Pax Button (on Pax 1) was a nightmare.

and you are correct, according to the creator of this vaporizer.
Those that felt it a convection system are not wrong, however, as some convection goes on.
Some portables like the Pax have no convection going on at all.
7th Floor LLC has it going on.

Yeah, I know from my experience w/ Boundless that just a little bit of convection can make a world of difference in a portable. The conduction + convection combo is killer through water pipes and anyone looking for clouds

 

[KeroZen]

Thank you for the clarification @Vitolo, this is more in line with what I remembered from the beginning of this thread.

Also don't get me wrong, I'm one of those people who actually like conduction vapes. I prefer convection overall but when I'm away from home, say at the office or in transit, I prefer a good "mostly conduction" session, doing the temperature stepping and lasting 15-20 minutes. I think I like the pace, taking a little sip, then getting back to what I'm doing, then another sip etc. It's somewhat akin to smoking a cigarette where you don't usually take large hits (at least I didn't when I used to smoke)

I think the Sidekick is surely great, albeit subjectively highly priced... But the market is distorted with all these cheap asian vapes, it's impossible to beat them on price. I just didn't buy one because I think as I said in the early pages that it doesn't offer anything that I don't already have. But for someone looking for a new "mostly conduction" vape right now, it's is a model I could see myself recommending.

 

[Fat Freddy]

But the market is distorted with all these cheap asian vapes, it's impossible to beat them on price.

I would add to that salient point that to the extent the word "distorted" implies a temporary condition or state, that such word choice is largely an inaccurate descriptor in this instance and that in reality the economics of "east meets west" in the vaporizer market currently is in actuality a transition moving toward a new equilibrium in the market wherein prices in the west are pulled downward and the Asian prices are pushed upward. I mean, when you think about it, why should the geo-economics of the vaporizer market behave any differently than other electronic, consumer markets?


.

 

[stickstones]

it doesn't offer anything that I don't already have

Here's where I think you might be surprised. It has a lot of new things to offer the conduction market, including a wonderfully effective after path that chills the vapor excellently, replaceable batteries, color and glass options and the stir tool. I think the design is fantastic and effective. I just wish it had a convection heater in it. It's not my favorite vapor, but I think it can be called the Mercedes of conduction vapes. It's certainly priced like it.

 

[KeroZen]

Yes you are right, it appears to have at least two important improvements over your average ceramic oven vape. Let's say it would be an upgrade compared to some stuff I already have, but the price is too high for the perceived gain that it would offer me.

Now if I had not already a shitload of conduction vapes, maybe it would be a different story...

 

[Jack Sprat]

I would add to that salient point that to the extent the word "distorted" implies a temporary condition or state, that such word choice is largely an inaccurate descriptor in this instance and that in reality the economics of "east meets west" in the vaporizer market currently is in actuality a transition moving toward a new equilibrium in the market wherein prices in the west are pulled downward and the Asian prices are pushed upward. I mean, when you think about it, why should the geo-economics of the vaporizer market behave any differently than other electronic, consumer markets?


.

The Sidekick is made in China, which seems relevant to this conversation.

 

[Vitolo]

Some are listed as 'Final assembly and testing is performed at our Colorado Springs factory' which I take to mean that they are made in another country, presumably China, and a few finishing touches are added in the US.

The body of Da Buddha, the Life Saber, The Silver Surfer, and SideKick are outsourced
Each unit is assembled and tested by American workers - not in China
You have already mentioned this in 6 separate posts in this one thread.
We get it.... you do not like that the parts are built in China.

(I mention China only to point out the vastly lower production costs of products made there versus those made in Western industrialized countries.)

I find the marketing of this vape to be rather disingenuous and off-putting. To trumpet that the glass mouthpiece is made in the US, while ignoring that the rest is made in China seems to be meant to mislead one to think that the whole thing is US made.

They use terms like 'assembled in the US' as the Chinese parts of their higher end vapes are screwed together in the US.

Aside from liking the convection table top units from 7th Floor, what interests people in this rather pricy Chinese made conduction vape?

If you would stop focusing on your one single point, and read the posts between your complaints, you will read the answer, and see why people are so interested in it!

The Sidekick is made in China, which seems relevant to this conversation.

Parts of the SideKick Housing are made in China.
No need to repeat or paraphrase this sentiment again.
(to be fair... I see that you are fast to criticize anything that is made in China)
The following are all from different Vaporizer threads:

For what it's worth, the FF2 is made in China.

no need for things going back to China.

Also, beware buying from China

deals out of China be original products, in any industry

 

[lwien]

The Sidekick is made in China, which seems relevant to this conversation.

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/chinese-made-products.21288/

 

[Vitolo]

I just tried packing the SK as I would pack a traditional conduction vape.
I packed it good and tight.
The first couple of stirs were tight, but to my surprise as the load vaped, it became easier and easier to stir.
It was a good, and long session.
The load came out pretty finely powdered (and dark), from the constant stir under heat.
I prefer the not so tightly packed fine/medium grind, for taste and for ease of use.

 

[Vapetologist]

I don't see anywhere in this thread that deals with pass-through. Bueller?

 

[Vitolo]

I do not see any pass through potential here, the way things stand.. The batteries remove for charging, and the battery door is the contact as well as the entrance to the removable vortex pathway.
I imagine you are referring to vaping while plugged in.
I use the SSV if I want to be "wall bound", and the SideKick for freedom.

 

[mayan]

Hi Vitolo, thanks for your posts...as a fellow SideKicker, I find them helpful. I'm curious...what's your go-to temp?

 

[Vitolo]

Hi Vitolo, thanks for your posts...as a fellow SideKicker, I find them helpful. I'm curious...what's your go-to temp?

6
I was going at 7.5 but I found that the flavor at 6 was supreme, and the load lasts a bit longer at 6!

 

[mayan]

6
I was going at 7.5 but I found that the flavor at 6 was supreme, and the load lasts a bit longer at 6!

Thanks, Vitolo...yep...that just about tracks my experience. Started at the default for a bit and then drifted downwards to 5.5 - 6.5 (and occasionally up to 7). That gives me great gouts of cloud and a whole lot less really baked material at the outset.

 

[Fat Freddy]

VaporWarehouse has the SK for $240 during 420 sale.

https://www.vaporwarehouse.com/store/shopcart.aspx


.

 

[Custom Flower Hardware]

Yea my sweet spot with flower has been starting on 5.5 ending on 7. Tastes awesome!!