Discontinued The Grasshopper

[ade848]

Outstanding. Clearly establishes hot back end as a non-nominal performer that needs to be RMA'd.

Great work, Rachett. Much appreciated.



Yes, the proper Delta 3D caps fit perfectly. Perhaps they shipped you 18560 battery caps??

Agreed. Put off warranty with my back end...the replacement does not get hot and it performs so much better... The GG back end should not get hot, if it does RMA

 

[Delta3DStudios]

Ps like your leather case do you ship to the uk

Indeed I do :-)

I ordered battery caps from Delta 3D studios and they are way too big for my hopper batteries. I assume I received caps for different batteries. Other people have bought them and they fit right?

Terribly sorry about that! PM me your order number and I'll fix that for you!

Great work, Rachett. Much appreciated.

Thanks! HL is going to HATE me for that post - they're about to get swamped with backend warranty requests

 

[moondog]

Thanks! HL is going to HATE me for that post - they're about to get swamped with backend warranty requests

Yeah, but if everyone who now talks about hot back ends and sub-par performance is instead talking about great customer service in the warranty department and great performance with the new backends, that's only good for GHL in the long run.

 

[MoltenTiger]

Cheers for the FLIR shots @Ratchett, I've been looking forward to that post

I got my pre-order address confirmation today, so I'm looking forward to comparing function accross multiple devices.

I hope I can keep my back-end, I assume the serial number changes with a replacement. Rather fond of my GT001159, makes be feel better about hitting it before noon
Generally happy with performance though, so don't think there's anything wrong with it at this stage.

I tried a mix of passionflower and kief last night. Worked amazing for sleep! Recommend it.

 

[peaceonearth]

Last week my SS started getting a hot backend (area under the clip) especially when any battery was getting low, and performance went to shit for all 4 batteries. The blue LED would start blinking even before the end of one bowl. I thought it was weird since it had been working so well previously, what could have changed? And no way I wanted to have to part with my back end with s/n GS003420

Then I remembered a few posts (some from waaaay back and 1 or 2 others more recent) suggesting cleaning the battery contacts. Thought it worth a try but didn’t give it much hope, just gave a quick wipe with a dry cloth to the GH negative terminal and to the battery’s contacts.

The change was immediate and major. Backend no longer heated up beyond pleasantly warm, and the blue LED was still steady & strong into the 3rd bowl. I thought maybe it was a fluke just for that battery, so I spent the next 3 days testing all day and tried all 3 of my other batts (wiping all contacts first, other than the GH positive terminal which I haven’t bothered with) and have been getting the same, much improved performance with all batteries and no more incidents of hot backend. My GH is back to performing as it did when I first got it, possibly better. (Seems to be more flavorful too, but maybe i’m just developing a taste for it.)

I can’t say definitively that the contact cleaning was what cured my hopper woes, but I don’t believe in coincidences and that was all I did. Also IIRC I’m not the first whose issues were solved by doing that so… maybe worth a try before going the RMA route for those who have these issues.
One thing I know for sure - love my GH again

 

[moondog]

Last week my SS started getting a hot backend (area under the clip) especially when any battery was getting low, and performance went to shit for all 4 batteries. The blue LED would start blinking even before the end of one bowl. I thought it was weird since it had been working so well previously, what could have changed? And no way I wanted to have to part with my back end with s/n GS003420

Then I remembered a few posts (some from waaaay back and 1 or 2 others more recent) suggesting cleaning the battery contacts. Thought it worth a try but didn’t give it much hope, just gave a quick wipe with a dry cloth to the GH negative terminal and to the battery’s contacts.

The change was immediate and major. Backend no longer heated up beyond pleasantly warm, and the blue LED was still steady & strong into the 3rd bowl. I thought maybe it was a fluke just for that battery, so I spent the next 3 days testing all day and tried all 3 of my other batts (wiping all contacts first, other than the GH positive terminal which I haven’t bothered with) and have been getting the same, much improved performance with all batteries and no more incidents of hot backend. My GH is back to performing as it did when I first got it, possibly better. (Seems to be more flavorful too, but maybe i’m just developing a taste for it.)

I can’t say definitively that the contact cleaning was what cured my hopper woes, but I don’t believe in coincidences and that was all I did. Also IIRC I’m not the first whose issues were solved by doing that so… maybe worth a try before going the RMA route for those who have these issues.
One thing I know for sure - love my GH again!

Great news. Glad you're happily hopping. It occurs to me that it would be very beneficial if we had a sticky that listed all the various DIY troubleshooting strategies that have worked for folks so far. There's this contact cleaning tip; there was something about slightly turning the back end or something like that; there was rapid clicking; and I think there was even some percussive maintenance

 

[MoltenTiger]

Hey @Ratchett, just wondering if you could clarify a little more about desired heat levels.
When I'm using my Hopper, the back end definitely heats up, but I can comfortably hold the clip, or any part near it. You say:

Yes it gets a "little" warm, but it does NOT get burning hot like the other one did

So, when using your newer part, do you still notice heat at the back-end beyond the body mid-section above the battery?

 

[Delta3DStudios]

Hey @Ratchett, just wondering if you could clarify a little more about desired heat levels.
When I'm using my Hopper, the back end definitely heats up, but I can comfortably hold the clip, or any part near it. You say:

So, when using your newer part, do you still notice heat at the back-end beyond the body mid-section above the battery?

In general, no - my replacement back-end does NOT produce any noticeable heat. The only time I can feel some heat around my clip is when the battery is nearly depleted.

The hot backend issue generated heat basically regardless of the battery charge - I could hold my finger over the clip and feel the heat buildup QUICK - to the point which it was nearly too hot to handle that specific part of the clip while taking a hit (I estimate localized temperatures around the clip reached 140-150F)

I still need more time to play with the hopper - I keep looking for heat buildup, but I'm not finding any. The only time I've felt any sort of minimal heat is when the battery is low, and I'm ripping it through a bong at max temperature

 

[jamesuk9]

I went through 6 warranty claims in 3 months, got rather annoyed in the end and exchanged for an Evo.

Loving the Evo but really missing the portability and heat up time of the Hopper.

For all it's nuances, I couldn't fault the warranty process and want another one.

Now I know what to expect, I'm more prepared and less likely to freak out again over it if it gives me the same grief the first one did.

That said, The other Ti unit I bought same time for my mate has been flawless for him.

I'll get another as soon as Vapefiend has stock for sure.

 

[Justpassedu]

I finally got mine today after such a long wait. I got family dinner so two hits is all I can do until late night. 1st hit was on temp 2 no visible vapor but I can taste it. 2nd I went to I believe 3 1/2 , nice cloud, very warm front end but I have yet to get my technique down , only gripe so far is my dial has the gap between it. Good thing for lifetime warranty. I am going to put it through its paces the next few days. Looks beautiful , got her packed up to take with me for after dinner desert .

 

[Joel W.]

Finally, 2 good working SS hoppers showed up!

Simply amazing....I have never used a vape that gets hotter, the faster you draw. This heater is a fucking beast! I thought I was combusting on the 3rd hit, but nope!

2 hoppers, 8 batts, one old vape case.

Stealthy AF, even with my thin shirts. Way smaller than I thought it was going to be yet works better than i could have hoped, so far.

 

[Snappo]

Charged all 4 batteries, back end still gets hot, but not terribly. Chugging like a freight train yet keeps right up... front end gets somewhat hot without latex cover, but no biggy there... I just slow the pace a bit and touch with lips lightly while shifting positions. Guess I'll put on the latex cover but don't mind at all. Holy Shite - Can't believe that with a full charge it heats in 3 seconds flat, and keeps a charge for a decent amount of time during sessions!!! I love the magnetic charger attachment... goes right into my laptop puter EZ as pie... charges pretty quick too! Tobacco use only - SENSATIONAL!!! Build quality, Ti fit & finish is stellar! Well worth the wait, no regrets - The future is NOW!

 

[InspireAndAdmire]

How's the grasshopper coming about now this month?
Failure rate %?
Any big fixes/changes to the devices?
Shipping rates speeding up?

 

[Snappo]

How's the grasshopper coming about now this month?
Failure rate %?
Any big fixes/changes to the devices?
Shipping rates speeding up?

Mine arrived one week following my address shipping confirmation email. Performance is stellar, but may opt for warranty service on hot back end... still experimenting.

 

[Thcgos]

Hi all,

Just wanted to check in and give my long overdue review on the Stainless Steel Grasshopper that I’ve had ~3 months now.

But firstly, I wanted to once again thank Vaporizer Wizard @BuzzDanklin and GHL for holding the contest.
Do yourself a favour and check out the Vaporizer Wizard review, if you haven’t already.

I had a friend help me with this review, his name is Harry Hopper and he jumped (or should I say hopped) at the opportunity to help test and review this unit:

Harry Hopper loves helping me pack a fresh bowl, it always puts a smile on his dial.

Firstly I wanted to say the Crafty Cooling Unit Mod works amazingly well, it makes even temp 5 much much smoother and is a perfect on the go solution.
It’s so good to finally be able to try my idea and see how well it works:

As a homage to Vaporizer Wizard; I’m going to break this review down into pros, cons and a conclusion.

Pros:

• Flavour with first 2 draws are extremely good!
• User replaceable batteries! I take 2 spares with me and this is usually more than enough. No sending it back for battery replacement either (damn crafty!).
• Easy to dose with – I can take 2 draws and put it away and re-dose later as required. Which in turn makes it efficient, because you are only using what you need to reach, and maintain, the desired effect.
• Discreet AF! (Probably the biggest selling point IMHO). I've taken this thing everywhere and it's so pocketable.
• Fast heat up time, ~5 seconds to max temp!
• Build quality/feell are amazing!
• Maintenance/cleaning - very little maintenance at all.
• Dial is very responsive and even a small 0.25 increment on the dial is noticeable. It seems to get clouds from >2.5 and upwards.
• You can get some crazy clouds with this thing!
• Speed of extraction is the great, it is so much quicker to do a bowl with my GH than any other portable vape. Good for on the go when you don't have time to session.
• This thing absolutely RIPS through a water tool. So quick and massive clouds! Reminds me of my combustion days snapping bowls through a water tool.
• My GH backend seems cool.
• It seems to be very efficient (atleast as efficient as my crafty).

Cons:

• Mouthpiece is hot as hell after 2-3 draws. E.g. no longer useable. Even with the session extender (silicone mouthpiece) it helps, but eventually still gets hot. Luckily there are a few stratergies: You can give it a ~30 second break, whilst holding the mouthpiece to dissipate heat. You can use an aftermarket solution like Crafty Cooling Unit mod or the MFLB mouthpiece mod to truly mitigate the hot mouthpiece. Or move your mouth up further on the GH which helps a bit too.
• Natively (no crafty/mflb/water tool mods) vapour itself can be harsh from temps 4 - 5. But I understand it has a short vapor path, so at temp 4-5 I take half draws instead of longer draws and it really helps.
• Not great for group sessions. It times out quickly with slower users. Mouthpiece gets hot if repeatedly hit. For max 2 people (ideally 1).
• Battery lasts about ~2.2 bowls (if you temp step), but is easily offset by the ability to swap out batteries. (So not a huge con IMHO).
• On 3 separate occasions it has acted oddly, stuck on solid red but not heating, or quick flashing red (with a new battery in) but every time it was easily fixed by unscrewing the backend and re-fastening it back on.
• My grasshopper finally died exactly 3 months after getting it. But it's all good that's what lifetime warranty is for (actually a pro too lol).

Conclusion
I have to say after 3 months of use, I understand this device and it definitely has a place in my lineup up.
For me; It will be my super discrete, quick, micro dosing vape for personal use, on the go.
Or the occasional massive water cooled rip.

To be honest, it won't replace my crafty, as I generally prefer vapes that can be used in a relaxed session or group scenario.
The Crafty also has a lot better vapor quality and no techniques/mods required.
The grashopper will definitely compliment my Crafty! Different tools for different jobs I guess.

I’m really enjoying this thing and will keep my pre-order Ti (still waiting for it).

 

[syrupy]

I went through 6 warranty claims in 3 months, got rather annoyed in the end and exchanged for an Evo.

Loving the Evo but really missing the portability and heat up time of the Hopper.

For all it's nuances, I couldn't fault the warranty process and want another one.

Now I know what to expect, I'm more prepared and less likely to freak out again over it if it gives me the same grief the first one did.

That said, The other Ti unit I bought same time for my mate has been flawless for him.

I'll get another as soon as Vapefiend has stock for sure.

Just curious, how much was the total shipping you had to pay over those 6 claims? Or did GH pay shipping both ways?

 

[akwardsauce]

mine just combusted on me like 30min ago guys. also my temp dial seems to have reversed after my warranty got back...wasnt twisting dial all the way left the minimum temp on the meter? wierder part is that it seems to have flipped mid-session.

now if i twist all the way right, im at minimum and if i twist all the way left, im at maximum (where it just combusted and had a jetstream of smoke come out of it when i clicked it off so i plugged it with my finger for a good few minutes)...i felt so confident knowing that no matter how i breathed it, it would never burn...it would make my eyes water but i trusted it to never exceed that combustion point until just now...now in there its all 1 piece of black ash.

also i have to say it came back from repair with more issues than it had when i sent it in...

i already started a new request but they havent responded to the first one i sent them...

 

[peterpiper]

Yeah mines gone shit
It's the cap
When it came it was so hard to unscrew, took so much effort I was worried I would break it
Since then it screwed on but left a gap of at least 1mm
Today I soaked the cap in ISO in case it was gunked up (it wasn't only got last week and has been hardly used)
Now it won't screw on at all

 

[Mr. Me2]

Sorry to hear of others troubles!

I got mine on Friday, and it's been glorious!!! But...

I did have a "scare" Saturday morning. I unscrewed the mouthpiece and heard a rattle, and then couldn't get the mouthpiece fully screwed back on. Turns out, the screen in the mouthpiece needed to be tightened, and problem solved.

Before I figured it out, I submitt d a RMA and also emailed Caroline. Got an email reply from Caroline a couple hours later (on a Saturday!) with the suggested fix, and all is great again. (I actually figured out the solution before I heard back)

In terms of use, so far ZERO backend heat. This thing is a dream to hold and use! I have to admit, I don't push it. I use it as a one-and-done vape, and take long pauses between pulls (the gh cools all the way down before my next). So the mouthpiece never gets too hot.

I have not experimented too much with temps yet, and have only used it natively (no bubbler). I can see getting multiple gh's...for backup and for guests. I would much rather each have their own, rather than try to share it session style. And at its present price point, 2 gh's is less expensive than many individual vapes.

It's gonna be a great Sunday!

P.S. - @peterpiper, I wonder if you had the same problem I did? When you say "cap", are you referring to the mouthpiece? Caroline suggested tweezers to tight n the screen, but I used a different tool. You may want to give it a try.

 

[SilentRunner]

Now it won't screw on at all

 

[jamesuk9]

Just curious, how much was the total shipping you had to pay over those 6 claims? Or did GH pay shipping both ways?

I had to pay to return it, they paid to send it back.

 

[peterpiper]

Cheers guys
All done

 

[Mr. Me2]

Cheers guys
All done

Does that mean you fixed it? And it was a loose screen?

 

[peterpiper]

Yes and yes

 

[Mr. Me2]

Yes and yes

Great news! Congrats!