Discontinued The NEO by Prrl Labs

[Black_Prrl]

I feel like the big draw with the neo is being able to use it on any piece you take a fancy to. Kind of like going back to basics, and adapting to all the beautiful pieces we haven't been able to use since switching to vaping. Developing a special bowl that "works well" with it, or using it with the leftover components from other vaporizers, seems like a major step back. At that point, I'd just pick up any other vape I had to use with the piece.

Why don't you make a better sealing gasket, or more types that can be swapped in? That way you could pick the one that worked best with the piece you wanted to use. You could also make one that is fat like a pillow or headphone cushion.

Forgive me if I've missed this being discussed already.

With out a doubt, our desire is to have the Neo be extremely versatile and work well with the majority of your favorite pipes and equipment--breathing new life into your old friends. It's the premise that started our whole story. We do indeed have other types of adapters that we've been thinking about and would really welcome input from this community!

The larger challenge with most pipes and WPA bowls is that they are designed for combustion, not extraction. The fluid dynamics of a single-hole bowl are quite a bit different than in a bowl that's intentionally designed to optimize the airflow through your herb. While the Neo works quite well (surprisingly!) with those bowls, we want to improve the efficiency to deliver an even better experience. We love the fact that folks here on FC have been experimenting with different kinds of bowls and parts of other equipment, but that's not the same as having a piece that's intentionally designed for optimal convection-based extraction.

So, while "good" is fine, we want to strive quite a bit higher. The Smojo and daisies are fine, but they were made for combustion. To improve the experience with existing one-hole bowls we have designed an insert that redirects the airflow in a way that minimizes the formation of hotspots and channeling. We are talking with manufactures right now and expect that to be available in April.

Additionally, we are working with those who already produce pipes and WPA bowls to create pieces that will work more efficiently with the Neo--if they so desire. We believe that this approach will get more options for you, faster...

Finally, we are designing and will be manufacturing our own pipe (code name Terp Surfer) that is optimized for extraction from the ground up. There are a couple of technical challenges to overcome still, but we are looking forward to introducing this to y'all this summer.

In the meantime, we look forward to hearing about your creative approaches to using the Neo!

 

[maremaresing]

Thanks for taking the time to give such a detailed response! I didn't think about where the air goes with a traditional single hole pipe. You are correct, it will want to make a path straight from the heater to that little hole. Reminds me of the Thermavape T1, which would toast similarly. Since most vapes are designed with wider airpath in mind, like a screen the width of the load, it never occurred to me.

Just spitballing here, but putting a disk in the center of the neo aperture would encourage air to start at the outside of the bowl and work inwards.

Anyway, you have a cool product and idea, and I'm keeping my eye on you. There are some neat sherlock/gandalf pipes I'd like to vape from.

 

[Philabrookla]

So at Aqualabtechnologies.com they have some B. Wilson slides, the 18 mm may be what we are looking for to use with the Neo.

Same website has Grav branded slides, the octobowl slide in particular caught my eye.

I like the idea of the flowerpot bowl, I love the glass screen, I just want to be able to put a fairly small amount of material, like one layer for the Neo to contact. How much herb is needed for the flowerpot bowl to work with the Neo?

 

[Hackerman]

I have not read this entire thread but I have been watching it pretty closely and I have not seen this one yet.

When I tried to insert the battery, it wouldn't fit. Upon inspection, I saw the battery connector/tab thingy was not properly set in the plastic hole.

I planned to cut away the plastic but when I started messing with it, I realized you can move the little battery tab/connector thingy. I moved it into position but when I tried to insert the battery, it moved the tab out of position again. The tab/connector is loose and moving under the plastic.

Anyone else experience this?

Not a deal breaker for me but @Black_Prrl , I wanted to make you aware in case others mentioned it.

 

[The Chemist]

I have not read this entire thread but I have been watching it pretty closely and I have not seen this one yet.

When I tried to insert the battery, it wouldn't fit. Upon inspection, I saw the battery connector/tab thingy was not properly set in the plastic hole.

I planned to cut away the plastic but when I started messing with it, I realized you can move the little battery tab/connector thingy. I moved it into position but when I tried to insert the battery, it moved the tab out of position again. The tab/connector is loose and moving under the plastic.

Anyone else experience this?

Not a deal breaker for me but @Black_Prrl , I wanted to make you aware in case others mentioned it.

View attachment 5746

I just checked on mine and nothing is moving at all if I press on it.
I'm sure that @Black_Prrl will take good care of you, they sure did for me.

 

[Philabrookla]

So what is the best timing ritual here for heat soaking the Neo for a big bong rip?

I had most success drawing it super slow and easy for 30 sec autofire, then ripping harder for a second consecutive 30 sec autofire, but that requires some breath cycling that wastes the first hit and is sorta impossible for some.


Basically could you just heat soak the Neo without drawing for 30 seconds first, or also heat soak the bowl by puffing and then letting it sit under the heat, or is my 1-minute slow draw the only ticket to a giant hit?

I'm hoping to perfect a shorter and easier big hit click routine to show it off to friends some day.

 

[Hackerman]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm not worried. Their CS seems awesome.

At first, I thought, maybe the plastic battery compartment wasn't seated correctly but the little screws look straight and completely inserted. Everything is flush and clean. I am, now thinking that the plastic battery compartment insert is a little out of spec and the pastic bottom doesn't sit quite flat. This allows a small space where the metal battery tab/connector thingy can move around.

I did finally get the battery inserted and it is charging as we speak. I am too excited about trying to to worry about it. LOL

Oh, and I didn't get a white box with a battery in it. Rather, I got an awesome carrying case with TWO batteries. No problem with running out of juice on the go.

This is definitely the most sexy and beautiful item in my entire arsenal. I love white pearl.....

 

[Black_Prrl]

So what is the best timing ritual here for heat soaking the Neo for a big bong rip?

I had most success drawing it super slow and easy for 30 sec autofire, then ripping harder for a second consecutive 30 sec autofire, but that requires some breath cycling that wastes the first hit and is sorta impossible for some.


Basically could you just heat soak the Neo without drawing for 30 seconds first, or also heat soak the bowl by puffing and then letting it sit under the heat, or is my 1-minute slow draw the only ticket to a giant hit?

I'm hoping to perfect a shorter and easier big hit click routine to show it off to friends some day.

@Philabrookla, In prepping for a larger extraction, I would recommend setting it at 5 diamonds and not pulling at all during preheat. This will load the zirconia with substantial thermal energy. Then, run a second auto fire with several 1-2 second puffs to prime the bowl until you see denser milk forming. Priming dramatically increases efficiency by distributing the heat throughout the herb and warming the bowl itself. Depending on the bowl and amount of herb, I would expect that to happen ~3-5 pulls through that second auto fire. At that point, I'd hit double-click again so you have a full 30 seconds to Hoover away! @SixStringToker and others, what do you think?

Just to contrast that recommendation... my personal preference for a pipe (not a bong) is to heat it 30 secs at 4/5, then drop it to 2 or 1 for priming and taking a longer, slower draw. I have found that this preserves the flavor more and yields a lighter roast.

@Hackerman, Thanks for letting us know about that battery terminal issue! This is the first case of it happening and I will add it to the inspection protocols and also notify Eleaf. DM or send an email to info@PrrlLabs and we'll set things right.

Battery note: One of the things that is a bit pesky about the Rim-C is that the battery chamber is very tight. If you're having a challenge getting the battery in, hold it at less of an angle (almost horizontal) when first inserting the positive terminal. We've even found that some 18650 batteries will NOT fit. This confused us since we thought that they were a standard length. It turns out that some brands are ~1mm longer than others... go figure.

-m

 

[Philabrookla]

@Philabrookla, In prepping for a larger extraction, I would recommend setting it at 5 diamonds and not pulling at all during preheat. This will load the zirconia with substantial thermal energy. Then, run a second auto fire with several 1-2 second puffs to prime the bowl until you see denser milk forming. Priming dramatically increases efficiency by distributing the heat throughout the herb and warming the bowl itself. Depending on the bowl and amount of herb, I would expect that to happen ~3-5 pulls through that second auto fire. At that point, I'd hit double-click again so you have a full 30 seconds to Hoover away! @SixStringToker and others, what do you think?

Just to contrast that recommendation... my personal preference for a pipe (not a bong) is to heat it 30 secs at 4/5, then drop it to 2 or 1 for priming and taking a longer, slower draw. I have found that this preserves the flavor more and yields a lighter roast.

Wow! I am super impressed guys! I hadn't taken the time to really hone in my technique. Bravo!!! Really great battery life overall as well. Lots of power. Both first-timers and heavy hitters can get something unique out of this.

I look forward to showing it off and trying to convert people with it. Used to use the a wooden butane vape for that but this is my new favorite portable heavy hitter for sure.

 

[droog77]

My Neo arrived today!
Had a successful first test. My technique needs work, but I was able to get a pretty complete extraction on my first try.

Here is what I used:

33-E6-B7-A4-D070-4201-80-AE-2-D86-B75451-EA hosted at ImgBB

Image 33-E6-B7-A4-D070-4201-80-AE-2-D86-B75451-EA hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

 

[Black_Prrl]

Lookin' gooood, @droog77!!

 

[droog77]

I’ve had a couple more sessions with the Neo. I’ve been using a Sticky Brick Jr. as my daily driver for a few years, so I’m very much accustomed to using draw speed to regulate temperature. This is helping my technique to improve quickly.

I’m having a lot of fun with it. I like the form factor, the heft of it in your hand. The build quality feels really nice. It’s easy to use, and has plenty of power. Just like a Sticky Brick, it has the potential to be really efficient, with proper technique. I got lots of vapour from a small amount of herb.

Having been a vaporizer guy for about eight years now, I don’t have any pipes in my “tool-box”, so I’m now in the position of wanting to find a really nice glass pipe to use with the Neo.

The mini-globe, mouthpiece, and bowl combo works very well, but now I want a single, solid piece to use. Paired with the right piece, I think the Neo has just replaced the SBJ as my new daily driver.

 

[El Rawn Hubbard]

I wouldn't say I like it more than my flame powered options for a big weekend on the herb, but the NEO is what I'm reaching for when I get home from work each night/morning. I live in an apartment (with non existent sound insulation) and work irregular hours so firing up a big flame torch to hit the Elev8R through a noisy perc at 2am for example won't win me any friends with my roommate or the neighbors.

Previously I was using an EQ (log style) for my quiet sessions but I think I've only used it once since getting the NEO and probably won't use it unless I want sink a few bags for nostalgia's sake. Not having to deal with something bulky or being tethered to a power point whilst still getting the job done is great. It's obviously an apples and oranges comparison (18650 vs 240v) but the battery life of the NEO and fast charging has been good. I'd imagine you might want a few batteries if this was your only device, but it seems to recharge more quickly than I do after a few bowls

 

[droog77]

The biggest issue I’m having is the airflow with my bowl. It has a single, small hole in the bottom, which gets plugged up quickly.

The other bowls I have on hand aren’t big enough to mate well with the Neo.

 

[El Rawn Hubbard]

Have you tried your brick?

 

[droog77]

Have you tried your brick?

No. My goal is to have an all glass air path, for purity of flavour.

I tried a different bowl last night. It has a flower screen, and much better airflow. The diameter is smaller than the Neo’s chimney, but the silicone sleeve fit over the outside of it, making an effective seal. It worked well, and solved the airflow issue. I’d prefer a bowl like this with a larger diameter, but I don’t know if I’ll find one with a 14mm male joint.

 

[JCat]

No. My goal is to have an all glass air path, for purity of flavour.

I tried a different bowl last night. It has a flower screen, and much better airflow. The diameter is smaller than the Neo’s chimney, but the silicone sleeve fit over the outside of it, making an effective seal. It worked well, and solved the airflow issue. I’d prefer a bowl like this with a larger diameter, but I don’t know if I’ll find one with a 14mm male joint.

The glass bowls designed for the NewVape FlowerPot and V-Rod work really well (they are the perfect size and shape).

I have one with a glass screen bottom that works perfectly ... no metal screen required and a perfect fit with the Neo. (I'll try to post pics in the next couple days ...)

 

[Kins]

The glass bowls designed for the NewVape FlowerPot and V-Rod work really well (they are the perfect size and shape).

I have one with a glass screen bottom that works perfectly ... no metal screen required and a perfect fit with the Neo. (I'll try to post pics in the next couple days ...)

Yeah but those are sold out on the site!

 

[ChilledAsian]

Interesting pairing for the Neo...

 

[JCat]

Yeah but those are sold out on the site!

This is a DHGate or eBay one anyways (from just before NewVape carried them ... when members here were figuring out what glass bowl worked best ...)

 

[west-elec]

Wow. Call me a Neophile. Mine arrived today and I could not be happier. Expecting a leaning curve but got a huge hit first time and haven't had to work very hard to keep getting good results. It is pretty hot by the end of the session so don't plan to drop in your pocket right away.
The glow gives you feedback on both whether you've got a seal and how fast you are pulling, so it seems natural and will become easily repeatable.
Flavour is top notch and it reminds me of the very early days of vaping when I used to hold a Phedor (ceramic rod) over shallow bowls trying to not combust. Got unparraled taste but what a hassle. This is so much better, and I haven't come close to combustion. I've already got 3 or 4 glass bowls that seem to match up nicely, so no extra costs there. But I find the flowerpot glass bowl is too close to the chimney size for a good seal. You want slightly larger so the Neo slips inside, or smaller so it can lip over the edge. The silicone condom doesn't seal well on a flat surface because it is quite thin and overhangs the end of the Neo. It would be more adaptable if it sealed end on more easily.
The Tafee Bowle is the ultimate automatic vape, just press and suck. This is the opposite end of the spectrum. Those that like a bit of manual involvement in coaxing vapour from their herb will really enjoy this little toy.
https://ibb.co/j5YNT9L

 

[Black_Prrl]

The silicone condom doesn't seal well on a flat surface because it is quite thin and overhangs the end of the Neo. It would be more adaptable if it sealed end on more easily.

@west-elec Glad that you were able to find some bowls that worked well for you!! If you want to seal against a flatter surface, try turning the silicone adapter inside out. This will flare the lip outwards, which enables a better seal when the bowl edge is flat. Not perfect, but it works pretty well for something like the Genius pipe, for example.

BTW, for those interested in the Honest pipe, we got one last week to test out. We weren't able to get a very good seal with it, due to air gaps with their sliding lid. Anyone else have luck?

 

[west-elec]

@west-elec Glad that you were able to find some bowls that worked well for you!! If you want to seal against a flatter surface, try turning the silicone adapter inside out. This will flare the lip outwards, which enables a better seal when the bowl edge is flat. Not perfect, but it works pretty well for something like the Genius pipe, for example.

Yeah that does help, cheers. It makes the outer diameter just slightly wider than the flowerpot glass bowl and you can wiggle it over. Still a little fiddly with my hammer pipe. A free standing upright rig would help I'm sure.
That seal is so crucial I haven't done much practice glass on glass since the silicone makes it easy. But still have lots of ttesting to do, and I plan to be thorough

 

[west-elec]

I have scrounged around and tried a few different bowls- enough to get the 'device too hot' shut down last session. My favourite is the one I tried first, just a cheapie Dhgate with the snowflake glass screen. I think the screen shape, having no holes in the middle, stops any tunnelling in the centre and spreads out the heat evenly. It works better than the flowerpot bowl which is otherwise very similar, but still good.
There is a sweet spot for distance to the load, too close and risk scorching, too far and it doesn't get enough heat. If you like big rips look for something fairly shallow and go hard. You can use the elev8r bowls, but the longer distance means a slower roast. Nothing like the huge elev8r torch hits but quite nice actually, if you like a more gentle extraction.
Combustion bowls (cones) work surprisingly well with a glass star. Bit hard to stir though. Even the old Vapegenie got a look in. Haven't had it out in years. Fits like it was made for it but maybe I didn't clean it too well when I used it last, (about 1999). Sits very close and gave big hits with very dark abv.
I might have preferred the chimney was slightly narrower for a better fit with 18mm glass, but I understand why they may have gone with that size since it seems to suit heaps of combustion bowls when 18mm might be too narrow.
Certainly digging it, zero combustion and lots of fun experimentating. Now back to the lab...
https://ibb.co/4NCTkzL

 

[Roffa]

My Neo arrived today, and I had already bought a Benson pipe. Wow! I knew I wanted one when I read the thread here. It pairs so well with the Benson pipe. I so love the manual skill aspect to it (my other vape is a Mighty, haha). Haven't combusted yet, and the advice to stir the bowl is a good one.

Second day and I'm in love. I have MS and I use cannabis for its THC and CBD both, against muscle spasms. For me the entourage effect is important and the optimal temperature is above 220ºC. Most vaporizers (like the Mighty) don't get that hot. However, I can now tweak the effect much better, even after 1 day of practice. It's great that breath is such a key variable when you use the Neo. And the extraction is just so very efficient. Great device.