Discontinued The Grasshopper

[Vaporific]

That's the line I've been taking. And also that they're incompetent engineers.

Not so much incompetence with engineering and design because the Hopper is indeed a great idea. Rather their quality control is not where it needs to be. It's that plain and simple - from the original orders several years ago to the state of RMA backlog and percentage of those being sent in again or not working at all or working the same as before the RMA. Way too many issues with quality if their backlog is so prominent and pronounced. I won't even go into customer service and marketing, the former being pathetic and the latter scarce as of late.

The fact that batteries may take 2-4 months to fulfill is mind-numbing. That's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Really!?!

If they turn things around, it'll likely be a few more years. That's a big IF. And then let's hope there's a verion 2.0 - though I'll wait a couple of years for it being on the market before I buy another product from them again.

 

[Cheesequake]

I'd not use any electronics that has open sparks/shorts when using lithium ion batteries. You have a bomb in your hand and next to your face.

Must not be too dangerous. No hopper explosions in the 4ish years they've been around.

 

[Steam22]

Long time lurker.. thought I’d post my experiences with the Grasshopper as it differs a bit from the average post here. For context, I also have a Firefly 2, an Arizer Go, and some others— they generally work well and have different pluses and minuses. I have couple of Ti Hoppers. I am usually the only user, I don’t chase clouds, if anything I’m more of a micro doser and take a few hits through the evening.. perhaps 2 small bowls a day. The two hoppers are different vintages, one early one more recent. They both work great and I’ve had no issues. I have a few batteries I rotate and have always charged them externally. I keep the hoppers clean. At this point, it’s the only vape I use.. tastes great and is incredibly quick and discrete. They’re also great when out and about, one can take a quick hit without notice. I guess I’ve been lucky compared to many here, and I may not be pushing the units as hard as some. For my purposes, it’s hard to imagine a better setup.

 

[Mr. Me2]

Long time lurker.. thought I’d post my experiences with the Grasshopper as it differs a bit from the average post here. For context, I also have a Firefly 2, an Arizer Go, and some others— they generally work well and have different pluses and minuses. I have couple of Ti Hoppers. I am usually the only user, I don’t chase clouds, if anything I’m more of a micro doser and take a few hits through the evening.. perhaps 2 small bowls a day. The two hoppers are different vintages, one early one more recent. They both work great and I’ve had no issues. I have a few batteries I rotate and have always charged them externally. I keep the hoppers clean. At this point, it’s the only vape I use.. tastes great and is incredibly quick and discrete. They’re also great when out and about, one can take a quick hit without notice. I guess I’ve been lucky compared to many here, and I may not be pushing the units as hard as some. For my purposes, it’s hard to imagine a better setup.

I admit it. I’m always happy to hear from happy hopper owners.

 

[Cheesequake]

and I may not be pushing the units as hard as some.

Irrelevant. Hopper reliability has absolutely 0 to do with usage.

Also my previously repaired unit that was working pretty decently has been acting up. Spun the back end back and forth about a hundred times and it eventually got really tight and hard to turn. Now no flickering and the heat is way more consistent. Hoppers are fucking weird and I'm pretty sure the people who make them don't even understand exactly how they work.

The other unit I just got back works now after some fiddling but the lights still flicker like crazy and it's not very consistent. Back end still getting hot but not like it was when I received it.

 

[InhaleExhale]

Must not be too dangerous. No hopper explosions in the 4ish years they've been around.

I guess dangers about lithium ion explosions are overrated. I also appear to have missed where visibly arcing/sparking/potential short-circuiting was defined as "normal grasshopper" behavior. If using an obviously malfunctioning Grasshopper is worth more than your teeth or eyes...

 

[habitat-fc]

Irrelevant. Hopper reliability has absolutely 0 to do with usage.

I disagree, I have a similar experience to @Steam22 and there has been lots of reports of lighter Hopper users units lasting for years.

 

[MoltenTiger]

Must not be too dangerous. No hopper explosions in the 4ish years they've been around.

There has been at least one fire though!

I disagree, I have a similar experience to @Steam22 and there has been lots of reports of lighter Hopper users units lasting for years.

Yeah, usage plays a part. But also, some Grasshoppers have had faulty components - so in that case, there'd normally be a product recall, the amount of usage is irrelevant.
Some people lucked out.
Given enough time (lots) it'll come right.

Sounds like they've honed in on what's going wrong for the most part, it's been almost a year since I got my newest device and it's sublime. Rip roaring big clouds for 317 days and counting.
Still, the design has a lot of potential for fail points. So many custom parts it's quite ridiculous. But is it ever worth it when it works..?
Very glad to have mine for the approaching harvest season at least.

 

[Maninthemachine]

They still putting out monthly “updates “?

 

[Cheesequake]

I disagree, I have a similar experience to @Steam22 and there has been lots of reports of lighter Hopper users units lasting for years.

Just because you had a similar experience doesn't mean it's the norm. There's people with hoppers who have been ripping them through water every day for more than a year and their hoppers continue to work fine. Then there's people who receive them broken before they even use them. Then there's people that receive a working unit only for if to break after a week or 2 of light usage. I stick by what I said that usage plays 0 part in how long your hopper will last. Unless your usage is letting it sit in a drawer. Heck even then there's no guarantee it's gonna fire up and work perfectly the next time you want to use it.

 

[habitat-fc]

Im sorry but the chance of usage having 0% to do with any failure is slim to nothing imo in a mechanical device. I’m not saying usage is the cause of all failures just that it has a part to play.

 

[triskelion]

Bad methodology and user errorkaboom!

 

[GrandWazoo]

Did I mention the Dynavaps? I have been using them almost exclusively in the Hopper's absence, and can't seem to stop buying them. Now there's a company I can get enthusiastic about. Their designs and materials just keep getting better and better with time, and they do everything in house. Their all-metal vapes are basically indestructible. They have no batteries to recharge, or back ends to die. They make a line of accessories, and they're all in stock pretty much all the time. And they're beautiful. And their customer service and shipping are lightning fast. And they've never lied to me.

I had the same experience , in may it will be one year that my SS is in RMA purgatory, but I take it easy because got two Dynavaps , and I'm sure 100% they work and work great. And also if repaired and perfectly working , shall I take the GH with me abroad as the only vape ? Answer is sure NO. Because , if you are not billionaire , that's the most important question : am I sure that it works ? Any electrical tool can have a short or an issue , and GH is a master in this field . Anyway I'll be glad when (if) my GH comes back , and I have about 12 batteries for the round . As for now , it's a long long time that I don't use my recharger and feel free and that's beautiful , not having the daily battery-charge routine.

 

[Vaporific]

I admit it. I’m always happy to hear from happy hopper owners.

Honestly, me too. They are few and far between on this thread as of late. As much as I like to knock HL and self-deprecate my current situation (currently in RMA - what else is new?), I'm secretly rooting for them to succeed. Or at least right the ship the next couple of years and perhaps, PERHAPS, come out with a new version similar to the original. Oh, and to get my RMA'd unit back ASAP. That would be icing on the vape cake.

As for the usage/failure disdussion, I would think usage plays a part. If I had two Hoppers (I only have one which is in, ahem, RMA) and drew on one by mouth and the other connected to a water pipe or bong, the draw strength would be different with the water pipe/bong setup likely incurring more draw thereby affecting any moving parts (i.e. fan) and possibly the circuitry. I'm no engineer nor do I own water pipes - I have a bong from college in a box in my attic which I rehab'd several years ago for kicks and haven't touched it since - but I would think the increased draw strength over time would take its toll without any internal maintenance. I could be off base but it seems logical that stronger draw strength over time would increase wear and operational efficiency from what I've experienced. And given the fragility of the design and many having various issues with it, while some have not (good for them!), and battery variability(! - yes, this is key I think), usage plays a roll. I know many on here use WPAs and such and I wonder how hot their units get under that durress, and how it impacts longevity and performance.

Not looking to argue but as tough as the external design is, the internals and battery are variables under different uasge situations.

Just some food for thought. Which reminds me it's dinner time and time to pack a bowl...

 

[TheBandit]

I'm always happy to hear from happy Hopper owners as well. I'd love to be one of them. I am enthusiastic about the product; it's insanely good when it works. But mine doesn't work, and they don't seem especially good at fixing it. That's the maddening thing. If the Hopper was a total dud, there wouldn't be so many disgruntled customers out there. But because it works so well when it actually works, it justifiably created a huge buzz before the tsunami of RMAs hit Hopper Labs and buried them with the blinking husks of dead vaporizers. I am honestly surprised that they were able to survive, but I'm still pulling for them. Even though they suck and I hate them.

On a related note, my 2019 M shows up today.

 

[InhaleExhale]

If you guys are looking for happy hopper experiences, my buddy has 2 units that he's been using since fall 2017 and spring 2018. He isn't a daily user and he has an Evo too so it's not under heavy use. He likes lower temp vaping and keeps the dial just under the 4th notch. His newer unit has always had flickering blue lights when drawing (no red) but there is heat and extraction so chalk it up to whatever! Uses them for on-the-go and never for group sessions.

I think fall 2017 was about the time GHL started experimenting with improved heaters and shortly thereafter brought their their manufacturing to "in house". Early 2018 was when they were officially closed (but still taking orders!). He ordered both units with a bunch of spare batteries and so he hopes to be set for a while. Uses an Xtar VP2 charger for recharges and got the leather pouch and loading funnel from Delta3DStudios.

I only keep up with this thread for him, as I prefer the DynaVap for on-the-go powerful extraction. He's happy with the Grasshoppers and that his work as he's aware of many of the duds that are reported here. I'd personally be more interested in GH if they used 18650s instead of proprietary batteries, and of course all the GH horror stories. Larger battery means a larger container which could for more spaces to add heat sinks for better heat dispersion. Make it look like a fat Ti pen, like a cigar; or a flashlight!

 

[Baron23]

Not so much incompetence with engineering and design because the Hopper is indeed a great idea. Rather their quality control is not where it needs to be. It's that plain and simple - from the original orders several years ago to the state of RMA backlog and percentage of those being sent in again or not working at all or working the same as before the RMA. Way too many issues with quality if their backlog is so prominent and pronounced. I won't even go into customer service and marketing, the former being pathetic and the latter scarce as of late.

The fact that batteries may take 2-4 months to fulfill is mind-numbing. That's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Really!?!

If they turn things around, it'll likely be a few more years. That's a big IF. And then let's hope there's a verion 2.0 - though I'll wait a couple of years for it being on the market before I buy another product from them again.

I don't really agree. Reliability is built into the design, it needs to be baked in with function, which they failed to do. Their design is far too critical in form factor, apparently heater and temp sensor reliability, and using the body as the return path for the electrical connections (the wireless connections, right).

A good idea is not engineering...maybe product management as they found an idea that appealed to a great many....but the engineering is in the execution and so far this design has not shown that it can be consistently be built and tested in the factory and field reliability is a joke.

Couple that with their business execution and its all a warm mess to me.

 

[fogbank]

If you guys are looking for happy hopper experiences, my buddy has 2 units that he's been using since fall 2017 and spring 2018.

I have four Hoppers in rotation. Two are used almost daily, the other two are used a couple of times per week. My oldest is from 2016.

I've had one back end "freeze up" on me, meaning I could not turn the temp dial anymore. HL replaced it for me before I sent the broken one back (received the replacement in a couple of days). Now my newest back end is paired with my oldest body. I run this one a full temp setting lower than my others because it runs a little hotter.

All of my Hoppers are working well. I have never used them with water. I only use them with the stock front end (I have two PFEs but I didn't like them).

When drawing I hold them angled upward so any saliva that I may excrete will not run into the heater. Hoppers seem to make me drool.

I use the internal charger 99% of the time. I only use my Nitecore D4 occasionally.

I clean the back end threads with Blue Tack once per week.

I consider myself a lucky Hopper owner.

 

[GrandWazoo]

I clean the back end threads with Blue Tack once per week.

I consider myself a lucky Hopper owner.

Hi , what's this Blue Tack ?

 

[snaffle]

Hi , what's this Blue Tack ?

It's a "tacky" adhesive commonly used in the UK, for sticking up posters and the like. The correct spelling is Blu Tac, I believe. It's a good consistency to get a small amount in your fingers and press into the threads of the backend, and then remove, taking a reasonable amount of the black gunk with it. I expect there are similar products in other countries, but Blu Tac is the one people generally talk about on this thread, and it seems to be just right in terms of solidity and stickiness for the job.

 

[fogbank]

It's a "tacky" adhesive commonly used in the UK, for sticking up posters and the like. The correct spelling is Blu Tac, I believe.

I always forget the correct spelling - it is actually Blu Tack.

https://www.amazon.com/Bostik-Masti...ords=Blu+Tack&qid=1554509018&s=gateway&sr=8-5

 

[Macicman]

My diary continues here.
I noticed an increased heat-up time to blue light recently. Then, suddenly much like the check engine light on my truck, it returned to normal behavior.

 

[Hammahead]

much like the check engine light on my truck

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..." I hear you

My Hopper 1 which was rmaed last summer after 7 months purgatory starts acting up recently. More flickering, less heat, less vapor. Hm...

 

[Vaporific]

I always forget the correct spelling - it is actually Blu Tack.

https://www.amazon.com/Bostik-Masti...ords=Blu+Tack&qid=1554509018&s=gateway&sr=8-5

I'm buying some as soon as my Ti comes back from RMA purgatory.

I consider myself a lucky Hopper owner.

Indeed a lucky Hopper owner. Thread cleaning was never a priority though they appeared pretty clean to me and I brushed out my unit often, including the threads, as well as occasional ISO baths for the standard frontend, and some ISO swabs for the chamber. Backend threads I never fiddled with much except for the occasional brushing and cleaning the contact on the backend and positive battery terminal in the main body shaft. I've never used the magnetic charger and only a couple of Nitecore chargers yet I noticed right away a few of my original batteries didn't hold a charge like some of the others. Same thing for a second batch of batteries - one was worse than the others.

I've only owned and used the standard frontend, never the PFE though I'm intrigued that it will lessen draw resistance but I won't fork over any more money to HL at this point except for batteries (which you can't obtain for another 2-4 months at best - go figure! - and I'm certainly not ordering them in advance and giving them money without receiving anything immediately in return).

With the fraiity of the design and variability of the batteries, at least early on as I haven't bought new ones in a couple of years, the Hopper does need maintenance at least over time. I'm really anxious to see how Blu Tack will work but first gotta get my unit back from RMA-ville, whenever that is.

As for batteries the more they sit unused, even fully charged, I think they lose their capacity somewhat. It's not a scientific observation but now that I have a loaner Ti from a friend I've been using all my batteries, which are numbered, and they don't last as long after they'd been sitting fully charged for some time between when I sent my unit in (September '18) and very recently when I received the loaner, and also re-charging them too after usage. And the loaner unit is in pristine condition too.

The Hopper is siimply something I love to hate and hate to love. When it works well it's great, otherwise reluctantly forgettable. Happy weekend to all.

 

[GrandWazoo]

As for batteries the more they sit unused, even fully charged, I think they lose their capacity somewhat. It's not a scientific observation but now that I have a loaner Ti from a friend I've been using all my batteries, which are numbered, and they don't last as long after they'd been sitting fully charged for some time between when I sent my unit in (September '18) and very recently when I received the loaner, and also re-charging them too after usage. And the loaner unit is in pristine condition too.

If what you say (I got ten batteries ready for the hopeful return from annual RMA) is right , my experience with GH is over. And that also if it will come back not perfect, as I heard form some posts here. Never invest one more buck